International Pairs' position as the world's leading amateur tournament of its kind for club golfers has been strengthened after the appointment of Inside Golf Inc., western Canada's largest golf media brand, as licensee for the region.

Following a four-year association as sole western Canada media partner, Inside Golf president and CEO Jeff Sutherland felt that this was too good an opportunity to ignore.

“International Pairs has been growing rapidly across North America and around the world. And it's easy to see why,” said Sutherland.

“An event where the average club player can have the possibility of travelling to and competing at both a regional and world final is unique.

“We became more involved in 2007 and realised that this was a perfect fit with our other golf related properties. When Frank Dennis, owner of International Pairs Canada, made us the offer we immediately snapped it up.”

International Pairs is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2008 and this year's world final promises to be the biggest ever with competitors from around 30 countries including China, South Africa, Iceland, the Philippines and the USA expected to gather at The Duke's, St Andrews from September 21-23.

Last year's event, which was won by England''s Shaun Smith and Simon Deaves, was broadcast to a global television audience of more than 250 million people and in 2008, International Pairs will include an eight-part TV series that will be broadcast by FOX around the world. A deal with a Canadian network is also due to be announced in the next month.

Dennis said: “We are delighted that each year, more and more golf courses are getting involved.

“It has proved to be an easy and inexpensive way for amateurs of all abilities to make their way to a regional final and, ultimately, a world final.

"We now have Licenses in place across the entire country and look forward to seeing a Canadian win the world finals in the near future.”

International Pairs has been backed by VisitScotland for the last six years - and the national Scottish tourist body has committed to be the tournament's main sponsor until at least the end of this year.