Victoria’s Jim Rutlege announced as finalist for PGA of Canada Male Player of the Year Award

Victoria native Jim Rutlege has been announced as one of five finalists for the PGA of Canada’s Mike Weir Male Player of the Year Award, as announced by the organization earlier this week.

Rutledge is coming off a fantastic 2022 season that saw him capture his seventh PGA of Canada senior title, putting him one win shy of the all-time record owned by Canadian golf legend“Pipeline” Moe Norman.

He has built a reputation as a true journeyman of the game, appearing in the Canadian Tour, European Tour, PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, Asian Tour, and the Champions Tour.

Rutledge would find his greatest success playing on the Canadian Tour, where he earned six of his nine total professional wins, which included a six-shot victory in the 1984 PGA of Canada Championship and a pair of BC Open wins.

He also competed in The Open Championship on two occasions, finishing in 57th in the 1991 edition of the event and missing the cut in 1992.

Winners for the 2022 PGA of Canada Male Player of the Year Award will be announced at the organization's merchandise show in Orlando, FL on Jan. 26, 2023.

The other finalists include Calgary, AB native Wes Heffernan, Terrebonne, QC product Yohann Benson, Pierre-Alexandre Bedard of Boischaltel, QC and reigning award-winner Riley Fleming, also of Calgary.