Mike Weir takes 2010 TELUS World Skins Game title in playoff but Jeneece Place comes away as biggest winner after $1 Million donation by TELUS

The drama built throughout the second day of the 2010 TELUS World Skins Game, as five of the biggest names in professional golf battled to a 12 skin carry over worth $270,000, and after a number of near misses earlier in the day, Mike Weir made no mistake in the playoff, sticking his shot from 125 yards out closest to the pin to take the record setting hole and the trophy.

The dramatic finish caused a celebration among the fans at Victoria’s Bear Mountain Resort that could be heard across the island.

“It was nice to hit a good shot at the right time,” said Weir. “That’s what the TELUS Skins Game is all about. It was tough out there to separate yourself from the rest of the group, but I had a good feeling on the 18th hole. The fan support was tremendous today, as it always is, and I think it made the difference for me.”

While Weir’s name will go on the trophy in 2010, it was Jeneece Place, this year’s designated charity, that ended up the big winner as TELUS made a donation of $1 Million to the new facility that will be located on the grounds of Victoria General Hospital, providing a home away from home for families who have to travel to Victoria for medical care. 

 “Jeneece Place will make life easier for families during very challenging times in their lives, and we are committed to seeing it built,” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS President and CEO. “Our entire team is deeply inspired by Jeneece Edroff, and delighted we can help her realize her dream of building Jeneece Place.”

TELUS started its fundraising efforts for Jeneece Place last July, when Mr. Entwistle announced the 2010 TELUS World Skins Game would be held at Bear Mountain. Mr. Entwistle also announced that the Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children would be the charity supported by the game, with all funds raised going towards Jeneece Place. He kicked off the campaign with a $100,000 donation.

“We are so grateful for the generosity of Vancouver Island residents and TELUS. I could never have dreamed we would raise $1 million so quickly,” said Jeneece Edroff, the inspiration for Jeneece Place. “This amazing donation will go a long way toward making life a little easier for families in challenging times, and far sooner than we would have ever dared dream.”

This year’s TELUS World Skins Game represented the first visit by the annual Canadian golf event to Victoria, and indeed will go down as one of the most successful events in the Skins Game’s 18 year history in Canada. With five of the game’s most popular players, including Fred Couples, Camilo Villegas, Retief Goosen, Ian Poulter and Mike Weir, each representing a different country, the TELUS World Skins Game showed yet again why it is such a popular Canadian golf tradition.