Salas, Kirk, Carter share Meijer LPGA Classic Lead
BELMONT, Mich. – Lizette Salas built on her strong finish two weeks ago in the U.S. Women’s Open in the first round of the Meijer LPGA Classic.
The 26-year-old former Southern California player shot a bogey-free 7-under 64 on Thursday at Blythefield Country Club for a share of the first-round lead with Katherine Kirk and Dori Carter.
In the Women’s Open in Pennsylvania, Salas finished with a 68 at difficult Lancaster to tie for 14th – her best finish since tying for 11th on Phoenix in March.
“My finish at the (U.S. Women’s Open) kind of gave me that extra boost of confidence to really go low and that’s what I did today,” Salas said.
Salas eagled the 478-yard, par-5 11th, hitting a 3-wood approach to 10 feet.
“I hit every green and didn’t three-putt, few mistakes, well, basically zero mistakes today,” Salas said. “Hopefully, I didn’t just jinx myself. I’m just going to stay positive and just keep confident this whole week.”
She played the back nine in 5-under 30, closing with a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th.
“The rough is pretty gnarly, but I kept the ball in the fairway,” Salas said. “The eagle on 11 got me going and really helped me target the pins. I stayed aggressive with my putting and it is really coming along.”
She won the 2014 Kingsmill Championship for her lone tour title.
Jaye Marie Green and rookie Wei-Ling Hsu were a shot back in the second-year tournament.
Michigan-born Kris Tamulis was at 66 along with Q Baek, Ilhee Lee and Jane Rah.
Top-ranked Inbee Park, who lost to Miram Lee in a playoff last year, had three front-nine bogeys in a 70. Chella Choi, the Marathon Classic winner Sunday in Sylvania, Ohio, opened with a 71.
Salas, Kirk, Carter and Green played in the morning in little wind and perfect scoring conditions. Hsu had the best round in the afternoon after the wind kicked up. Park and Choi also played in the afternoon.
Kirk, a two-time tour winner, had her best round of the year. The Australian had two bogeys, but made seven birdies and also had an eagle on 11 after reaching the green in two.
“We had perfect conditions this morning, hardly any wind and then greens were very receptive early on,” she said. “I’m really happy. I haven’t posted a round like that in a while so it feels good to finally get the rust off and shoot a low one.”
Carter, winless on the tour, tied her career best with the 64. She had three straight birdies in a front-nine 5-under 31 and said on-going work with Gail Peterson is paying off.
“We’ve put a lot of work in, even here this week, and today the putts finally fell,” Carter said. “You know, I’m comfortable. I’m getting more experience and I like being here. I want to continue to stay on the top of the leaderboard. The more I can get this experience, the better.”
Miram Lee withdrew after the pro-am Wednesday, citing a left wrist injury that she said will also keep her out of the Women’s British Open next week.
Titleholder Langer in 8-way tie for lead at Senior Open Championship
SUNNINGDALE, England – Two albatross twos were recorded on the same hole on a memorable opening day at the Senior British Open, where defending champion Bernhard Langer finished in an eight-way tie for the lead at 5-under-par 65 on Thursday.
Langer tops the leaderboard alongside Americans Michael Allen, Bart Bryant, Marco Dawson, Jeff Sluman and Lee Janzen, Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, and China’s Lianwei Zhang, playing in only his third senior tournament after turning 50 in May.
The albatrosses at the opening hole, a first time in senior tour history, were by England’s Barry Lane and American Steve Jones.
Lane holed his 4-iron second from 218 yards on the 492-yard par-5 and, a couple of hours later, Jones did the same with a 6-iron from 179 yards.
Langer birdied the first, dropped a shot at the sixth, but birdied eight and nine to be out in 33, before picking up further birdies at 11, 14 and 16 to be back in 32.
“I didn’t feel totally comfortable with my swing, but my putting was very good and I didn’t make any major mistakes,” said Langer, the winner a year ago by a massive 13 strokes at Royal Porthcawl in south Wales.
Bryant, out in the fourth group at 7:30 a.m., was the first man to post 65, picking up six birdies and dropping just one shot.
“The course was probably in the most scorable condition it will be all week,” Bryant said. “We had no wind through the first 13 or 14 holes, and the greens were soft.”
Sluman was next in with a 65. He started with an eagle and two birdies to go 4 under after three, but had two bogeys before getting to 5 under with three more birdies.
Jimenez, who played with Langer, birdied only once, on the ninth, before the turn, then came back in 31 with birdies at 10, 11, 14 and 16.
Dawson birdied three of the first four holes, then at 12, 13, and 14 to go 6 under. He dropped a shot at the 16th.
Allen got his round going with a first-up eagle, while Janzen, despite sharing the lead, was disappointed with his putting.
“I missed more than half from four to 10 feet,” he said.
Lianwei also eagled the first, and was out in 29. He dropped two strokes at the 12th when he found trouble off the tee, then birdied the 14th, and parred home to be back in 36.
Welshman Mark Mouland led the home charge on 66 alongside American Brian Henninger and Argentine Cesar Monasterio, while Colin Montgomerie was in a group of eight on 67 with playing partner Tom Watson.
Fred Couples, the 2012 champ, was in another large group on 68, while Jeff Maggert, twice a major winner on the U.S. senior tour this year, managed only a 1-one 71.
Havret leads 1st round of the European Masters by a shot
CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland – Gregory Havret made a hole in one on the 195-yard, par-3 13th as he shot a 7-under 63 to lead the European Masters by a stroke after the first round on Thursday.
Lasse Jensen of Denmark, yet to win on the European Tour, was a shot behind after a flawless 64, while Danny Willett of England, who finished tied for sixth in the British Open last week, was the pick of the dozen players tied for third on 5 under.
Patrick Reed, playing in his first European Tour event, was tied in a large group on 3-under 67. Fellow American and defending champion David Lipsky was 4 under.
Lee Westwood opened with a 68, and Sergio Garcia carded 69.
PGA TOUR pros ready to challenge Glen Abbey Golf Club
OAKVILLE, Ont. – The stars of the PGA TOUR will take to Glen Abbey Golf Club for the 106th playing of the RBC Canadian Open starting Thursday, July 23. The 2015 edition of Canada’s National Open Championship marks the 27th time that the competition will be held at the historic club in Oakville, Ont.
Sixteen Canadians will take on Glen Abbey in an effort to end the 61-year gap between Canadians claiming the national title. Brantford, Ont., native David Hearn is excited for the opportunity to end the drought.
“Winning the RBC Canadian Open would mean a lot, without a doubt,” said Hearn. “Winning any PGA TOUR tournament would mean a lot. It just doesn’t happen that often. To be able to do it in Canada in front of everybody here would be the highlight of my career.”
Pat Fletcher was the last Canadian winner, having claimed victory in 1954 at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. The significance of an RBC Canadian Open champion from the host nation is not lost on Graham DeLaet.
“It would mean everything for me,” said the Weyburn, Sask., native. “This is a major for us. I couldn’t imagine what it would do. I know how much support and how much kids look up to us. Obviously (winning) would take it kind of to a new level, but we all want to win this. Not just for ourselves, but for everybody else who just wants to end (the drought).”
The Canadians in the field are not the only players hoping to emerge victorious at Canada’s only PGA TOUR stop. Bubba Watson, the No. 3-ranked player in the world, has a unique connection to Canada as the Florida native’s wife Angie hails from Toronto.
“Any tournament is a big win, but winning a national Open and an Open that is part of my family now – me being part of Canada, I guess you could say,” said the eight-time tour winner. “I’ve got two flags at the house, so it’s a big deal. It would be a great honour, but a big deal for the family, as well.”
The return to Glen Abbey also holds significance for Hunter Mahan. The Dallas native has fond memories from the 2013 RBC Canadian Open, where he held the 36-hole lead with a two-stroke advantage. Despite leading, he withdrew and tended to his wife who had gone into labour.
“It’s unfortunate that it had to happen at the time it did,” Mahan explained. “I was still playing so good, and this is a place that I do want to win at and be the RBC Canadian Open champion. It’s something I want to be, but it is what it is. It’s a great moment in my life. I still have great memories here, and hopefully will continue that play into this week.”
The field of 156 players will tee-off Thursday, each looking to earn their share of the US$5.8 million total purse. First and second round tee-times are available here.
GREENING THE 2015 RBC CANADIAN OPEN
This year’s RBC Canadian Open is set to be the greenest yet. RBC, Golf Canada and other partners and suppliers have come together to ensure that environmental best practices are again being implemented.
“We are committed to reducing the environmental impacts of the RBC Canadian Open every year,” said Brent McLaughlin, tournament director for the RBC Canadian Open. “Glen Abbey is a great foundation for our environmental initiatives, we have a solid track record of environmental programming here and the golf course has been certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary since 2004.”
Earlier this year, the 2014 RBC Canadian Open was recognized for its environmental initiatives and named as a winner of the Sustainability Challenge. For 2015, there are new initiatives that will help to divert more waste from landfill. Additional information regarding the key environmental initiatives at the 2015 RBC Canadian Open can be found here.
Brooke Henderson defends her PGA Women’s Championship of Canada title
BURLINGTON, Ont. — Canadian golf superstar Brooke Henderson successfully defended her PGA Women’s Championship of Canada title Wednesday at the Burlington Golf and Country Club.
The 17-year-old’s two-day total of 8-under-par was two shots better than American Doris Chen and Team Canada member Elizabeth Tong.
“Last year when I won it was really special because I was still an amateur, but this year I wanted to win again and host the trophy as a professional,” Henderson said.
The Smiths Falls, Ont., native started the day T2 three shots back of the first round leader Tong, but climbed the leaderboard after a trio of birdies early in her round.
“The front nine was really good because I was making a bunch of birdies,” she said about her outward nine of 3-under-par 32, which vaulted her to the top of the leaderboard into a tie with Tong. “But then on the 13th Elizabeth made birdie and I made bogey, so I was saying to myself ‘uh oh, now it’s really time to get going.’”
Henderson converted birdie on No. 16 before watching Tong make bogey and Chen double-bogey on the 17th.
The win is Henderson’s second of the summer, with her first coming in June at the Four Winds Invitational on the Symetra Tour. Currently ranked No. 32 in the world, Henderson recently finished T5 at the U.S. Women’s Open at the Lancaster Country Club. Henderson also finished T5 at the Women’s PGA Championship—the second of the LPGA Tour’s five majors—in June.
“Everyday I’m trying to become a better person and a better golfer,” Henderson said about her development as both a professional golfer and as a person. “I think it’s really important to be a nice person, do what’s right and help others when you can. My family has really played a huge role in instilling that in me since I was a little girl.”
Kelowna, B.C.’s, Samantha Richdale finished fourth at 5-under-par, while Natalie Gleadall of Stratford, Ont., and, Americans Sydney Cox and Lauren Mielbrecht rounded out the top five.
Jennifer Jaszek of South Muskoka Curling and Golf Club took home low PGA of Canada professional honours.
The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada counted as the third and final stop on the Canadian Women’s Tour, with points awarded toward the Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year at the conclusion of the championship.
Similar to past years, the champion of each Canadian Women’s Tour stop and the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada will receive an exemption into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open to be held Aug. 17-23, 2015 at the Vancouver Golf Club in Vancouver. As well, two (2) additional exemptions were awarded to the top competitors, not otherwise exempt into the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open from the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.
As well, the top five (previously the top 3) players on the Canadian Women’s Tour season-ending Order of Merit will be awarded direct entry into LPGA Stage-2 Qualifying.
Henderson captured the Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year award, with Mielbrecht and Suel-Ki Park earning exemptions into the CP Women’s Open.
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
The next PGA of Canada national championship takes place Aug. 12-14 at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont., for the Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada presented by Adams Golf.
TSN Delivers Expanded Early Round Coverage from the RBC Canadian Open, Beginning Thursday, July 23 at 7:30 a.m. ET
TSN tees up new expanded live coverage of Canada’s national golf championship as Graham DeLaet and David Hearn lead the field of Canadians competing at the 106th RBC Canadian Open. TSN has tripled its live coverage of the first two rounds of the tournament this year and will deliver more than 10 consecutive hours of live coverage beginning Thursday, July 23 at 7:30 a.m. ET on TSN4 and TSN5.
TSN has expanded its coverage of the first and second rounds this year through a partnership with PGA TOUR LIVE, the PGA TOUR’s new digital subscription service. The newly launched PGA TOUR LIVE features exclusive, live, Thursday and Friday morning coverage of two morning featured groups at more than 30 PGA TOUR events per season. PGA TOUR LIVE marks the first time ever that fans have been provided with complete, live coverage of morning marquee groups at these events.
TSN golf analyst Bob Weeks files daily reports for SPORTSCENTRE all week long from Glen Abbey, delivering post-round reaction, one-on-one interviews, and more. Fans can also visit TSN.ca for frequent columns and analysis from Weeks, as well as daily highlights and up-to-the-minute news from the RBC Canadian Open.
The RBC Canadian Open returns to its signature course this year – the famed Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. DeLaet and Hearn headline the 14 Canadians participating in golf’s third-oldest national championship. They take on a world-class field featuring many of golf’s elite players, including Jason Day, Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar, Ernie Els, Angel Cabrera, Jim Furyk, Luke Donald, and defending RBC Canadian Open champion Tim Clark.
TSN’s live coverage of the RBC Canadian Open is available for live streaming and on-demand viewing to TSN subscribers through TSN GO. Viewers can also watch French-language coverage on RDS.
RBC Canadian Open weather and course provide stark contrasts to British Open
OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golfers at the Canadian Open should put away their umbrellas and grab their sunscreen.
After rain and wind delayed the British Open and forced the first Monday finish since 1988, weather is setting up almost perfectly for Canada’s national open at Glen Abbey Golf Club.
Now that the wet, wild and windy time in Scotland is over, the almost 30 golfers turning around to play the RBC Canadian Open are looking forward to some dry weather and a course that provides a stark contrast to St. Andrews.
“You’re expecting hard, tough conditions at the British Open, at The Open Championship. But not unplayable weather and conditions,” said Jason Day, who tied for fourth at the British. “You can attack this golf course a lot more.”
Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons knocked on the wood table in front of him even discussing the weather. But the forecast is for mostly a clean four rounds of play.
That’s a world of difference from the wind-beaten, rain-soaked British Open that was forced to finish Monday. The Canadian Open, back at Glen Abbey for the 27th time, is a more predictable style of game.
“You can get a lot more unlucky over there,” said Canadian Graham DeLaet, who finished tied for 68th at the British. “Usually when you hit the ball on the fairway, it stays on the fairway here. When you hit a ball and land the ball on the green, you know about how far it’s going to go before it (stops).”
The charm of links golf in Scotland and the challenge that presents in one of golf’s four majors is valuable. But the Canadian Open should be a more enjoyable experience for players and those watching in person and on television.
One element of that is the weather, where temperatures are forecasted to hover just below 30 degrees and three of four days shouldn’t have rain. There’s a 30 per cent chance of rain Saturday afternoon.
“It’s pretty exciting to think of a Canadian Open no rain, isn’t it?” Canadian David Hearn said.
Day, world No. 3 Bubba Watson, No. 7 Jim Furyk, DeLaet and Hearn are among the players who barely dried out before getting on the charter flight back to Toronto for the Canadian Open. The Monday finish gave them a late start to their preparations
But their first look at the course was a favourable one, even if wind might make the greens faster and raise the degree of difficulty.
“It’s in unbelievable shape, the best I’ve ever seen it,” DeLaet said. “It’s firm, quick. There are some balls rolling down the fairway. If you get something downwind, you can hit one hard.”
American Hunter Mahan said driving the ball will be more important at the Canadian Open, unlike the British, where the hilly fairways are so vast.
“You’ve got to hit it well off the tee here, you’ve got to put the ball in play,” Mahan said. “Good aggressive iron play is going to be rewarded.”
The 524-yard par-5 18th will give players plenty of eagle opportunities and the fan excitement the comes with it. But players still consider the Canadian Open demanding.
Hearn, a native of Brantford, Ont., doesn’t want this to be easy and doesn’t mind if Glen Abbey has “a little bit of teeth” this time around.
“It really comes down to how you feel about the tee shots and how you’re going to be able to give yourself birdie chances,” Hearn said. “It still comes down to being able to control your ball off the tee and give yourself chances coming into the greens.”
DeLaet and Hearn headline the group of 16 Canadians in the field. No Canadian has won this tournament since Pat Fletcher in 1954.
Defending champion Tim Clark is back, one of eight previous winners: Furyk, Scott Piercy, Sean O’Hair, Nathan Green, Chez Reavie, Vijah Singh and John Rollins.
Watson, who missed the cut at the British Open, is a two-time Masters winner, but he’s taking special value in the Canadian Open in part because his wife, Angie, is from Pickering, Ont.
“Any trophy is a good one,” Watson said. “Any time you can hold a trophy – major, non-major, doesn’t matter – holding a trophy is what we’re trying to do.”
Amateurs from across the globe to compete in 102nd Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship
SASKATOON, Sask. – A strong contingent of the world’s top female amateur golfers will compete July 27-31 for the title of Canadian Women’s Amateur champion at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon, Sask.
The championship will feature 115 of the top Canadian and international female amateurs contending for the Duchess of Connaught Trophy. This year, 16 amateur players ranked inside the World’s Top-100 will participate, including Team Canada National Amateur Squad members Maddie Szeryk (No. 39) and Brittany Marchand (No. 58).
“We are very excited about this year’s Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Riverside Country Club,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “This prestigious tournament has historically been a stepping stone for amateurs making the leap to professional status. In 2014, the top three finishers all went on to turn pro. We look forward to seeing this year’s competitive field in action.”
Among the 10 players who joined the professional ranks since last year’s competition are Augusta James of Bath, Ont., who placed first; runner-up Su-Hyun Oh from Australia; and former World No. 1 amateur and Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. The tournament’s past eight champions have all turned professional.
This year’s field is set to include Bethany Wu of Diamond Bar, Calif., Korea’s Eun-jeong Seong, Caroline Inglis of Eugene, Ore., and Mariel Galdiano of Pearl City, Hawaii, who all sit within the top 40 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Team Canada’s Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont. placed T12 in last year’s competition. She is looking to build upon her recent momentum from claiming the 2015 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship after having reached the quarter-finals at the 2015 British Ladies Open Amateur and placing second in the 2015 NCAA SEC Championship.
Also placing T12 in 2014 was Josée Doyon – currently Canada’s second highest ranked amateur golfer at No. 55. The St-Georges, Que., native notched three NCAA victories this season with Kent State University.
Also representing Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad will be Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., who recently finished T2 at the 2015 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Amateur Championship. Completing the National Team contingent is Thornhill, Ont., native Elizabeth Tong who finished fourth in her home province’s amateur championship and 2015 Sun Life Financial Alberta Ladies Amateur Champion Jennifer Ha of Calgary.
Joining the National Amateur Team will be the full roster of Canada’s Development Squad: Victoria, B.C., native Naomi Ko; Alisha Lau of Richmond, B.C.; Calgary product Jaclyn Lee; Ottawa’s Grace St-Germain and Michelle Kim from Surrey, B.C., who claimed both the 2015 B.C. Women’s Amateur and B.C. Junior Girls titles in recent weeks.
The field representing 11 countries will not only be vying for the 2015 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship title, but also exemptions into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at The Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C., and the 2015 U.S. Amateur Championship.
An inter-provincial team championship will also take place in conjunction with the first two rounds of stroke play; Team Ontario enters the tournament as defending champions.
The practice round will be held Monday, July 27 before championship play commences on Tuesday, July 28 through Friday, July 31. Following the first two rounds, the field will be cut to the low 70 and ties.
For more information on the championship including the full field, starting times and live scoring; click here.
Start times set for RBC Canadian Open Championship Pro-Am
OAKVILLE, Ont. – In the lead-up to the 106th playing of Canada’s National Open Golf Championship at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., the start times for the 2015 RBC Canadian Open Championship Pro-Am, as well as, pairings and start times for the opening two rounds of the competition, have been released.
PRO-AM START TIMES
Wednesday, July 22 will see 52 professional golfers take to Glen Abbey Golf Club to entertain 156 amateurs for the 2015 RBC Canadian Open Championship Pro-Am. Click here for pairings and start times.
PAIRINGS FOR ROUNDS ONE AND TWO NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Pairings for the first two rounds of the 2015 RBC Canadian Open on Thursday, July 23 and Friday, July 24 are now available here.
Elizabeth Tong leads at PGA Women’s Championship of Canada
Burlington, Ont. – Team Canada member Elizabeth Tong made eight birdies Tuesday at Burlington Golf and Country Club and leads the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada by three shots over the defending champion Brooke Henderson.
Tong’s impressive bogey-free round of 8-under-par 62 not only was the low round of the day, but was also low enough to set a new women’s competitive course record at Burlington Golf and Country Club.
“I didn’t really even realize I was five-under-par on the front nine until I got to No. 11 and I was like, “Oh, wait a minute I’m going pretty low,’” the amateur said. “This golf course seems pretty open to me, so it really doesn’t scare me. The greens are rolling really nicely right now, so you can easily roll them on the line you want.”
Tong, the 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., was recently named to the 2015 Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholars team. The Indiana University Hoosier senior is a three-time collegiate winner and a first-year Team Canada member.
“We play a lot of tournaments and it definitely keeps me busy,” she said about her first year on the national team. “It’s a lot of information intake and literally I’m learning new things every single week.”
Brooke Henderson, who won the 2014 PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, sits three back in second place after a first round 5-under-par 65.
“Overall it was a pretty good day and I’m right there in the mix,” Henderson said about her round that featured six birdies, an eagle, a bogey and a double-bogey on No. 18. “I was very fortunate to win this championship last year and I’m hoping to do the same this year.”
In 2014, Henderson became not only the first amateur to capture the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, but the youngest as well. As a 16-year-old she posted a two-day total of 13-under par at FireRock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont., setting a new championship scoring record.
Currently ranked No. 32 in the world, the Smiths Falls, Ont., native recently finished T5 at the U.S. Women’s Open at the Lancaster Country Club. Henderson also finished T5 at the Women’s PGA Championship—the second of the LPGA Tour’s five majors—in June.
In addition to her two top-five finishes in majors this year, Henderson has four more top-25 finishes on the LPGA Tour in 2015, including a third at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic. The former Team Canada member also won the Four Winds Invitational on the Symetra Tour in June and has a pair of Suncoast Ladies Tour wins to her name this past winter as well.
American Sydney Cox also posted a 5-under-par round of 65 will join Tong and Henderson in the championship’s final group at 12:38 p.m.
Doris Chen put together a 4-under-par 66 first round, while Stephanie Connelly rounds out the top five after posting a 3-under-par 67. Kyla Inaba of Kelowna, B.C., and Stratford, Ont.’s, both shot two under and are T6. Amateur Valerie Tanguay of St. Hyacinthe, Que.; Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C.; and Americans Lauren Mielbrecht, Brooke Baker and Michele Chun are T8.
Full results from the first round as well as second round tee times are available here.
In total, 18 players posted par or better first round scores Tuesday at Burlington Golf and Country Club.
Designed in 1924 by famed Canadian golf course architect Stanley Thompson, Burlington was ranked No. 98 on SCOREGolf’s Top 100 Golf Courses in Canada 2014 Ranking.
The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada was first played in 1987 and past champions include Cathy Sherk, Gail Graham, Nancy Harvey, Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp, Jessica Shepley and last year’s winner Brooke Henderson.
The PGA Women’s Championship of Canada will count as the third and final stop on the Canadian Women’s Tour with points awarded toward the Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year at the conclusion of the championship.
Similar to past years, the champion of each Canadian Women’s Tour stop and the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada will receive an exemption into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open to be held Aug. 17-23, 2015 at the Vancouver Golf Club in Vancouver. As well, following the conclusion of play at the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, two (2) additional exemptions will be awarded to the top competitors, not otherwise exempt into the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open from the 2015 Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.
In addition, the top five (previously the top 3) players on the Canadian Women’s Tour season-ending Order of Merit will be awarded direct entry into LPGA Stage-2 Qualifying.