Written by Hugh Burrill
The long road to the Golf Town Cup came to an end Friday, September 23rd at Ussher’s Creek in Niagara Falls. When the dust had settled, Sebastian Szirmak stood tall as Champion.
Szirmak entered the 13th and final event of the Toronto Players Tour (TPT) season with a commanding points lead and finished in style with a second place showing at the season ending TPT Tour Championship at -7, one shot back of event winner Chris Wilson.
“It’s an honour. It was a great season. Tried to play as many tournaments as I can to bring this baby home and I did just that. It went well,” says Sebastian Szirmak, the 2022 Golf Town Cup Champion.
Szirmak, who played part time on the TPT last year while spending most of his time on the Latin America Tour, collects a cheque for $6000 and receives a Golf Town Sponsorship, but just as importantly, will have his 2023 PGA Tour Canada Q-School entry fee paid. The new champion, who won back-to-back TPT events in June, says consistency was key all season long.
“I wasn’t trying to do anything outside of my comfort zone. Just trying to get as many bogey-free rounds as I could and know that steady golf should have good results.”
Szirmak is now off to compete on the Mexican Tour before trying his luck at the Latin America Q-School. He describes the Toronto Players Tour as perhaps the best mini-tour in Canada because of the competition, a sentiment echoed by second place points finisher Cougar Collins, who extended an invitation to everybody to tee it up with the pro’s.
“I would say come out and play because you get to play with some really good players. Got to play with Seb a lot. He’s an outstanding player which helps me in my game, just watching how gets around a course.” – Cougar Collins, Golf Town Cup Runner-Up
2022 Toronto Players Tour Final Points Standings
1. Sebastian Szirmak 922.25 pts.
2. Cougar Collins 460.20 pts.
3. Jacob Lehman 458.40 pts.
4. Jesse Smith 452.21 pts.
5. Mitch Sutton 430.39 pts.
Work is already underway for the Toronto Players Tour 2023 season.
“We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished this season — setting a new record in prize money, hosting players from around the world, and seeing three TPT members finish in the Top 60 on PGA TOUR Canada’s Order of Merit. That said, we look forward to plenty of off-season feedback from our players to help us make 2023 even better!” – Russell Budd, TPT Tour Director
Last year’s Golf Town Cup Champion Brendan Leonard teed it up in the RBC Canadian Open this summer. The 2022 Champ would like to see that become a tradition.
“That is a pattern at I would love to continue, for sure.” – Sebastian Szirmak, 2022 Golf Town Cup Champion
To learn more about the Toronto Players Tour, click here.