"Everything's coming together... we've got the best of the best that the Canadian Tour has to offer," tournament co-ordinator Mitch Zalnasky said at a news conference at Pine Ridge Tuesday morning. "This has become one of the major events on the Canadian Tour... there's only one purse bigger than ours and that's the tour championship.

In addition to the big purse and the exemption, Zalnasky said players are also attracted by Pine Ridge's unique challenges. "They love playing here. It's a great challenge for them. It's different than what they normally play on.

"This is an old, traditional golf course designed by Donald Ross. You look at it and you say it's not very long, but when you walk off the course you say, 'How did I shoot that score?' Because they can't believe it. It is a course that demands accuracy and demands patience."