VICTORIA - Some of the best golfers on the planet could be on Vancouver Island next summer at the next Telus World Skins Game.

Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Langford, B.C., near Victoria, is a finalist, along with Banff, Alta., to host the event next June 2010.

``It's definitively one of the places we're talking about and which are under consideration,'' said Dave Haggith, director of communications for IMG Canada, which owns and operates the annual TSN-televised event.

Many of the biggest names in the sport - including Mike Weir of Bright's Grove, Ont., Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Greg Norman - have played in the 17 previous Telus Skins Games.

Bear Mountain resort officials contacted Wednesday would not comment.

``We hope to make an announcement before the end of the summer. We have a history of trying to move the event around the country to as many prestige locations as possible,'' said Haggith.

The Telus World Skins Game is held on the Monday and Tuesday following the U. S. Open.

Next year's U.S. Open is scheduled for June 17 to 20; the Skins Game would follow on June 21 to 22.

Geoff Ogilvy of Australia won this year's event at La Tempete Golf Club near Quebec City, although the event had to be cut to one round on Tuesday because of rain delays that caused the U.S. Open to spill into Monday.

Banff hosted the event in 2006.

Bear Mountain would be the third B.C. course to host the Telus Skins Game, following Predator Ridge at Vernon in 2000 and 2008 and Nicklaus North at Whistler in 1997 and 2005.

Victoria Times Colonist