The 89th playing of the Alberta Open gets underway on Monday and it promises to be a special one, as the event boasts a new look in 2025.
The Alberta Open has always brought together the best male amateurs and professionals in the province as they competed for the title. In 2025, the Open will now have a Women’s Division, providing the top female amateurs and professionals in the province a chance to compete against one another. The professionals will be competing for a $5,000 total purse. Katy Rutherford is one of the favourites in the female division and after an impressive amateur career the Silver Springs teaching professional won the 2023 PGA of Canada female Professional of the Year award and looks to continue her success. On the other side of things, there are plenty of amateurs who look like they’re primed to win the inaugural event. Sydney Bisgrove, who most recently battled Carys Code in the final group at the Alberta Women’s Amateur will likely be in the mix come the final day. The amateur division will be competing for the Low Amateur title which includes an exemption into the 2026 PNGA Women’s Amateur, which is part of the Elite Amateur Series.
On the Men’s side, the professional division is full of top level talent from teaching professionals to touring professionals. Wes Heffernan continues his chase of history as he is only two Alberta Open wins back from tying Stan Leonard’s record setting nine Open titles. Max Sekulic is back for the week after spending a year playing in PGA Americas events and looks to claim the title again after winning in 2023. The professional division is competing for a $35,000 total purse, while the amateurs will be competing for a spot on the 2026 Morse Cup Team, which is a chance to play in the Pacific Coast Amateur. The amateur division is full of past champions in the event like Brandon Markiw and Jesse Galvon, as well as the red hot Lucas Ortega who won the Calgary City Amateur this past Sunday.
The host club for the new look Alberta Open is River Spirit Golf Club outside Calgary. After hosting a successful Women’s Amateur in 2024, the ‘Spirit’ is primed to host again. Click the button below to hear from defending champion, Wes Heffernan, and the 89th Alberta Open Championship, straight from the Alberta Golf Yearbook.
89th Alberta Open Yearbook Article
Click the button below to find view the pairings for Rounds 1 & 2 and star them on the leaderboard to keep track of them throughout the week!