Ready, set…it’s the final countdown to the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games! The opening ceremonies will be held on Friday, July 10 to officially kick-off the Games.

Golf’s return to multi-sport games on the world stage is set to begin Tuesday, July 14 with a practice round at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont.  Angus Glen is no stranger to hosting major golf tournaments.  In 2001, it played host to both the Telus Skins Game and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open before hosting the 2002 and 2007 RBC Canadian Opens.

After winning the bid to host this competition, Angus Glen’s South Course underwent major renovations in preparation for this monumental event.  What began as a bunker project quickly turned into a decision to make the course more sustainable in terms of water use and storage, as well as reconfiguring the property to reduce overall maintenance.

Fast facts about golf at the 2015 Pan Am Games:

• The Pan Am field currently includes 31 women and 32 men.
• There will be women’s individual, men’s individual and mixed team events played over a 72-hole stroke play format. Each round, teams will count their lowest scores from each gender and these scores will represent their team total.
• The Canadian men’s team will be comprised of 18-year-old Austin Connelly who resides in Irving Texas. The National Amateur Team member, who is currently ranked 10^th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, will be joined by reigning Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont.
• On the women’s side, four-time LPGA Tour winner Lorie Kane of Charlottetown, P.E.I. will represent the host nation.
• Golf Canada’s National Women’s Team Head Coach Tristan Mullally of Straffan, Ireland along with National Men’s Team Head Coach Derek Ingram of Winnipeg, Man., will serve as the coaches for the 2015 Pan Am Golf Team.

For additional information on the host venue and what you’ll need to know prior to attending the TO2015 Pan Am golf competition, click here. A complete overview of the Pan Am golf schedule, can be found here.

GIBBONS, Alta.  – The third and final round came down to a playoff for the Junior Boys at Goose Hummock Golf Course in Gibbons, Alta., with Jason Martens emerging as the 2015 CN Future Links Western champion. Kenna Hughes held firm on her one-stroke, second-round lead to be crowned the Junior Girls champion.

Martens of Edmonton was forced into a playoff after Brendan MacDougall of Calgary finished with back-to-back birdies. The competitors came away from the first extra hole with a birdie apiece; Martens claimed the championship by making par on the second playoff while MacDougall registered a bogey.

The 18-year-old Martens entered the final round one stroke off the lead. The 2015 Alberta Junior Championship runner-up completed the round with three birdies to shoot 1-over 72 and end the tournament at 5-over-par 218.

“I just stayed pretty patient all day and didn’t really go for too many pins. I just tried to put it in the middle of the green and two-putt,” said Martens. “My game plan was pretty much the same as it’s been for the past two days, just keep the ball in the fairway, put it on the green and keep it away from the water because it’s so easy to drop a shot at this course.”

Brendan MacDougall, 17, put on a valiant effort in the final round, tying the tournament low score of even par. He recorded rounds of 73-74-71 to total 218. Ryan Rody of Calgary opened the day tied for fourth; he pulled into solo-third after an even-par performance and finished two shots back of the winner. Finishing in a three-way tie for fourth place were 2015 CN Future Links Prairie champion Alexander Smith of Calgary, Kade Johnson of Yorkton, Sask., and Alex Park of Vancouver.

In the Junior Girls division, Kenna Hughes of Calgary rebounded from a 5-over front nine to finish bogey-free and capture the Junior Girls title. The 17-year-old, who entered the round ahead by one stroke, fired an impressive 3-over 74 – tied for the Junior Girls tournament low – en route to a three- day total of 231.

“It was close between Kehler (Koss) and I all day, but I hit it well on the back nine, made a couple birdies and got ahead. It was definitely close and very stressful. I was close last year, but I just couldn’t quite pull through, so it feels really nice that I could do it this year,” said Hughes, who finished last year’s tournament in third place.

Also shooting 74 on the day was Kehler Koss. The Calgary native finished even-par across the back-nine and finished the championship with a score of 19-over-par 232. Claiming third in the competition was Jayla Yoonji Kang of Surrey, B.C., who notched back-to-back birdies on the final two holes to finish with an 80 on the day and a 243 for the tournament.

Hughes and the remaining members of this competition’s top-six finishers have received exemptions into the Junior Girls national championship, to be played in Yorkton, Sask., from August 4-7 at Deer Park Golf Course. She has also earned entry into a 2016 Canadian Women’s Tour event of her choosing.

Jason Martens and the first to fifth runners-up in the Junior Boys division have been awarded direct entry into the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship field. The tournament will be contested from August 3-6 at at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.

The Western edition of the CN Future Links Championships is the fifth in a series of six competitions conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with CN. The season-opening Pacific edition saw Team Canada Development Squad members Trevor Ranton (Waterloo, Ont.) and Grace St-Germain (Ottawa, Ont.) find the podium at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach, B.C. Jack Simpson (Aurora, Ont.) and Alyssa Getty (Ruthven, Ont.) captured the Ontario titles at Pine Knot Golf & Country Club in Dorchester, Ont. At Cooke Municipal Golf Course in Prince Albert, Sask., Alexander Smith (Calgary, Alta.) and Development Squad member Alisha Lau (Richmond, B.C.) joined the winners circle at the Prairie Championship. Alyssa Getty claimed her second CN Future Links title of 2015 at the Quebec Championship held at Golf Château-Bromont, while Jason Chung (Thornhill, Ont.) claimed the Junior Boys title.

The 2015 season’s concluding event – the Atlantic championship – will tee off July 13-16 at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B.

For additional information from the 2015 CN Future Links Western Championship, please visit the tournament website here.

SILVIS, Illinois – For every good shot Jordan Spieth hit, a bad one seemed to follow.

Spieth’s struggles left him eight shots back after the first round of his final British Open tuneup.

Justin Thomas and Nicholas Thompson each shot an 8-under-par 63 to share the lead at the John Deere Classic on Thursday. Spieth was at even-par 71 in his first round since winning the U.S Open.

Spieth, who will go for his third straight major title next week at St. Andrews, had three bogeys in a four-hole stretch and missed a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 18.

“Just a rusty round,” said Spieth, who skipped last week’s Greenbrier Classic. “I didn’t get out on the golf course like maybe I should have.”

Thomas and Thompson were a stroke ahead of Charles Howell III and Luke Guthrie. Three-time tournament winner Steve Stricker led the list of golfers at 6 under.

Spieth is one of just five golfers in the current top 20 of the Fed Ex Cup standings to play in the Quad Cities.

Some even criticized Spieth for supposedly jeopardizing his Grand Slam push by playing this tournament rather than heading over to the United Kingdom early to prep for the Open Championship.

Spieth disagreed, naturally.

But Spieth nonetheless struggled for the “good feels” he said he was hoping to find at this forgiving 7,300-yard course on the banks of the Mississippi River. In a rare display of frustration, Spieth even slammed his fist on a table after barely missing a short birdie putt.

Spieth finally got something going on his 13th hole, sinking a 32-foot birdie putt after escaping the bunker. He put his next approach within 2 feet for another birdie. But Spieth’s tee shot on the 15th hole wound up in the gallery.

Still, Spieth shot a 70 during his opening round here in 2013 and went on to post his first career win at age 19.

“I had some pretty bad lip-outs, and that’s going to happen. I’m still going to continue to hit good putts. If they drop and I can chip the ball a little better, then I’ll be in good position,” Spieth said.

Thomas had his first career win within grasp with 10 holes to go last week at the Greenbrier Classic. He quickly learned how tough it is to win on the PGA Tour.

Thomas collapsed behind a shaky putter, falling out of contention with a bogey followed by a double-bogey. He then shot a ghastly 8 on the par-4 16th and finished tied for 54th.

On Thursday, Thomas answered with 10 birdies, including a 51-foot putt on his 16th hole.

“I just played a couple of bad holes, and if it wasn’t for that I’m right there. There’s definitely more positives than negatives to take out of the last couple of weeks,” Thomas said about last week’s final round. “I’ve felt like I’ve been close.”

Thompson, who has never won in 214 PGA Tour starts, had an eagle on the par-4 14th to highlight his impressive start.

Guthrie, a 2012 graduate of the nearby University of Illinois, went on a run of seven birdies in 10 holes. But he missed a 15-foot par putt that would have put him atop an unlikely leaderboard.

Iowa native Zach Johnson, who has finished either first or second in three straight John Deere Classics, shot a 66. It was Johnson’s 25th straight round in the 60s at Deere Run.

Canadians David Hearn and Adam Hadwin posted 3-under par rounds of 68 today. Roger Sloan had a 1-under opening round of 70. Mike Weir signed for 73, while Nick Taylor shot 75.

LANCASTER, Pa. – Atop the leaderboard, veteran Karrie Webb and second-year LPGA Tour player Marina Alex did their best to temper expectations at the U.S. Women’s Open.

Both early starters opened with a 4-under-par 66 on Thursday, and that score held up through the afternoon before things turned wet and windblown. Play was suspended in the early evening after a storm packing high winds, lightning and heavy rain pounded Lancaster Country Club.

The sudden halt to the action with 55 players needing to complete their rounds – with at least two threatening the lead – left Webb and Alex as unlikely co-leaders.

The USGA’s plan is to restart the first round at 6:45 a.m. Friday and begin the second round at 7:15.

Amy Yang was in the clubhouse a shot behind the leaders. Two players on the course were also at 3 under: Na Yeon Choi, the 2012 U.S. Open champion, had three holes to play, while Jane Park had five.

Top-ranked Inbee Park birdied two of her last three holes before play was stopped and was at 2 under through 14. Morgan Pressel and six other morning starters shot a 2-under 68.

The 40-year-old Webb reeled off four birdies on her second nine holes and finished with her first score in the 60s in a U.S. Open since 2001, when the Australian won the tournament for the second straight year.

The seven-time major champ started on the back nine and reeled off 10 straight pars before making her move with birdies at the second, fourth, sixth and eighth holes.

This season has been a struggle for Webb, who has three top-10 finishes in 14 starts. That all changed Thursday when she hit 14 fairways and 17 of 18 greens.

“It’s been a test of my patience. I feel like I’ve had some good golf in me,” Webb said.

An eighth major title would move her into a tie for sixth place with Betsy Rawls, but Webb said it was too early to think about that.

“That’s never been a goal of mine,” she said. “I’m just happy to get off to a good start and hopefully continue to play this good for the next three days.”

Alex, playing in her second U.S. Open and first since 2009, was a surprise atop the leaderboard. The 24-year-old from Wayne, New Jersey, is in her second season on the LPGA Tour. She missed the cut five straight weeks and her best finish was a tie for ninth in Arkansas.

She’d been working on swing changes before the tournament, and it finally all came together.

She hit a 5-wood to within 18 feet on the ninth hole and made a curling birdie putt.

“It was the best putt and best shot of the day for me, so that was great,” she said.

Alex was an amateur when she played in her first U.S. Open.

“I qualified like the last spot on my sectional,” she said. “My game then and now is not even remotely the same. I was a nervous kid, pretty much.”

On Thursday, she embraced the championship atmosphere and cheering crowds.

“I’m not a front-runner for this tournament, really,” she said. “So I’m just going to go out there and have fun tomorrow with my caddie and just keep doing the things that we’ve been doing and just see where that puts me.”

Elizabeth Nagel, a 23-year-old playing her second professional event, was in the group two strokes off the lead. Making her U.S. Open debut wasn’t going to rattle the cancer survivor.

After a trip to her doctor because of cold symptoms during her junior year at Michigan State, Nagel was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She had surgery to remove her thyroid and cancerous lymph node in her neck. Nagel went through radioactive iodine treatments and was declared cancer free about a year later.

“It kind of brings all this into perspective and makes this even more special,” she said. “Everybody says it, but when you make a bogey you keep pressing on. When you’ve heard the `C’ word and went through that whole battle really in your life, it brings everything back to even keel.”

Stacey Lewis, who finished second last year, shot a 69, while Lydia Ko opened with 70, and defending champion Michelle Wie, slowed by injury and illness this season, shot a 2-over 72.

Jimin Kang withdrew after 16 holes, citing illness.

Canadian Christina Foster made her professional debut today with a round of 1-over par 71. Currently Brooke Henderson sits at 1-over par with two holes to play tomorrow to complete her first round.

GULLANE, Scotland – Thorbjorn Olesen returned to form with a 7-under 63 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Scottish Open on Thursday, with Jimmy Walker leading a trio of top Americans in the chasing pack.

Rebounding from missing the cut in five of his last six events, Olesen made seven birdies – including three in a row on Nos. 15-17 – and was bogey-free in benign conditions for the morning starters over the Gullane links.

In a week in which Rory McIlroy withdrew from next week’s British Open because of an ankle injury sustained playing soccer, it’s fitting that Olesen is playing a starring role here.

The 25-year-old Dane sustained one of the most bizarre injuries of recent years when he fell off a camel while on holiday with friends in Dubai last year, pulled a groin muscle and was ruled out for two months. A hand injury forced him out of action this season from February to May, contributing to his poor recent form.

“It’s been a tough time,” Olesen said, “but I feel like I’m 100 percent with my body now.”

Daniel Brooks of England, playing in the last group, birdied the final hole to take sole ownership of second place on 6-under ahead of a group of seven players a stroke further back.

The 12th-ranked Walker also avoided any trouble early in the first round, with only a light breeze coming off the Firth of Forth in the morning. Two birdies in his last three holes sealed a 5-under 65 for Walker and a share of third place with Matthew Nixon, Richard Finch and Seve Benson of England, Alejandro Canizares and Adrian Otaegui of Spain, and Sweden’s Johan Carlsson.

Americans Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar were in a large group on 4-under 66, along with two former champions – Graeme McDowell and last year’s winner Justin Rose.

Rose picked up where he left off from Royal Aberdeen 12 months ago in what he called a “pretty stress-free round”, while McDowell produced one of his best displays of a miserable 2015 that has seen him register just one top-10 finish either side of the Atlantic.

The 2010 U.S. Open champion, who has plunged to No. 52 in the rankings, raced to 5-under after four straight birdies on Nos. 5-8 but ruined his round by three-putting the last two holes for bogeys. McDowell is looking to revive his game by watching videos of his 2010 swing.

“It’s about trying to turn this train round back the right way,” McDowell said. “It’s been a tough grind this year.”

Olesen was regarded as one of Europe’s next big things around 2011-12 but hasn’t really kicked on, with his two titles coming at the Sicilian Open in 2012 and the Perth International in 2014.

Down at No. 122 in the rankings, Olesen has previous form on the links – he was runner-up at the Dunhill Links Championship in 2012, after finishing tied for ninth at the British Open at Royal Lytham.

“I grew up in Denmark and am used to playing in a lot of wind, so I think that helps me,” Olesen said.

Olesen found 11 of 14 fairways, which he said was the key to his round and allowed him to attack a course that wasn’t protected by wind. A 40-foot putt on No. 12 took him to 4 under before his three successive birdies pushed him clear on his own.

Three qualifying places for next week’s British Open are up for grabs for top-10 finishes, and Olesen is among the players still to book his place at St. Andrews.

Phil Mickelson, the 2013 winner at the Scottish Open, struggled with his putting in shooting a 1-under 69.

“I haven’t played the last couple of weeks and I was a little rusty,” Mickelson said.

WINNIPEG, Man. – Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit leader Drew Weaver fired a 5-under 66 in windy conditions on Thursday at Pine Ridge Golf Club to take the first round lead at The Players Cup, the fifth event of the Mackenzie Tour season.

With gusting to more than 40 km/h, the 28-year old from Atlanta, Georgia recorded seven birdies to offset two bogeys and was one shot ahead of Moscow, Idaho’s Chris Williams after day one in Winnipeg.

“It was a good start. I’m pleased with how I rebounded from a poor first hole. It was the ultimate sloppy start and I was able to bounce back and make some good swings from there on,” said Weaver, who opened with a bogey on the first hole but came back strong with birdies on four of his next six holes. “I was able to string together a number of good iron shots and gave myself a few opportunities there. I dialed it back a bit and realized par is a good number.”

Weaver, who won the PC Financial Open in a playoff earlier this year and has added two more top-10 finishes to build a lead atop the season-long money list over Toronto’s Albin Choi, said the tricky 103-year old Donald Ross-designed Pine Ridge was a perfect fit for his game heading into the week in Winnipeg.

“I think it’s right up my alley. You can’t overpower this place, and it’s fairly generous off the tee so it’s really a strategy-based golf course. You can do a number of different things on some holes out there. Today I was able to get the putter a little warm and that yielded a good score,” said Weaver, who credited his solid play this season in Canada to a more mature approach to tournament play.

“I’ve done a much better job of believing in myself and kind of getting in my own bubble. I play to my strengths each week and some courses set up better for me. Thankfully I’ve been able to keep working on the right things and I feel very comfortable with my game is,” said Weaver.

One back of Weaver was Williams, whose 67 was the best round of the afternoon. 12 players – David McKenzie, Ryan McCormick, Joseph Harrison, Jonathan Fricke, Mackenzie Hughes, Cameron Peck, Clayton Rask, Olin Browne, Jr., Justin Shin, Ben Briscoe, Christopher Ross and Vaita Guillaume – were a shot further behind at 3-under 68.

GIBBONS, Alta. – The second round of the 2015 CN Future Links Western Championship at Goose Hummock Golf Course in Gibbons, Alta., concluded with Kenna Hughes and Andrew Harrison atop the leaderboards.

Kenna Hughes, who finished the 2014 edition of this event in third place, capitalized on a 7-over 78 – tied for her division’s low round of the day – to capture a one stroke lead heading into the final round. The 17-year-old Calgary native finished with a 2-over-par back nine and has a two-day total of 15-over 157.

The leader going into the round, 16-year-old Kehler Koss, slipped to second place following a round of 81. The Calgarian is 16-over-par in the competition and currently holds the low round in the Junior Girls division after opening with a 77.

Four shots off the lead is Bria Jansen of Cochrane, Alta. The 18-year-old finished the day with a birdie and six straight pars to shoot a 7-over-par 78 and is 19-over for the tournament.

Andrew Harrison maintained his grasp of first place thanks to a birdie on the final hole – his fourth of the day – to finish with a 74. The Camrose, Alta., product sits 3-over 145 heading into the final round. Mirroring the final standings of the 2015 Alberta Junior Boys Championship, Harrison is currently ahead of Jason Martens. A native of Edmonton, Martens shot 1-under on the front nine to finish 2-over-par 73; he is one shot back of the lead.

Not far behind is Calgary’s Brendan MacDougall who sits two strokes off the lead after a round of 74. A quartet of juniors sits T4, four shots back of the lead.

Earning their places into the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be the top six finishers from this competition. Summerlea Golf and Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., will host the national championship from August 2-6.

The top six Junior Girls will receive exemptions into this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The competition will be contested from August 3-7 at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask. In addition, the CN Future Links Junior Girls Western champion will receive entry into a 2016 Canadian Women’s Tour event of her choosing.

The final round of the CN Future Links Western Championship will commence tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. MDT.

For full second round results from the 2015 CN Future Links Western Championship and final round tee times, please visit the tournament website here.

The RBC Canadian Open will be played at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 20 to 26.

Our national Open, which has a pantheon of legendary champions, will once again feature some of the greatest players in the world.

Not only is the list of champions impressive, so is the championship’s history.

Here’s a chance to test your knowledge about the RBC Canadian Open.

This is the front nine. The second nine will follow.

If you ace all nine questions, you are halfway to the course record. Five out of nine is par. Anything less than that…well, take a mulligan and step up to the next set of tees.

Answers are at the end.

1. The first RBC Canadian Open was played in …
   1. 1899
   2. 1904
   3. 1932
   4. 1956
   5. 1977
2. Glen Abbey Golf Club played host to its first RBC Canadian Open in …
   1. 1977
   2. 1978
   3. 1983
   4. 1991
   5. 2000
3. Lee Trevino was awarded the first Triple Crown (winning the U.S. Open, the Open Championship and the RBC Canadian Open in the same calendar year). Who is the only other man to accomplish that feat? (Bonus point: In what years, respectively, did they do that?)
   1. Greg Norman
   2. Curtis Strange
   3. Nick Price
   4. Mark Calcavecchia
   5. Tiger Woods
4. Glen Abbey is home not only to one of the finest spectator golf courses in the world, but also to some other notables. Which ones?
   1. Golf Canada
   2. Canadian Golf Museum and Hall of Fame
   3. PGA TOUR Canada
   4. TaylorMade Performance Lab
   5. All of the above
5. In the 2004 RBC Canadian Open, Mike Weir came oh so close to being the first Canadian in 50 years to win the title. Who was the last Canadian to win our national Open? (Bonus point: Who defeated Weir in the three-hole playoff?)
   1. George Knudson
   2. Moe Norman
   3. Gary Cowan
   4. Pat Fletcher
   5. Stan Leonard
6. Some players have won more than two RBC Canadian Opens. Who are they?
   1. Leo Diegel
   2. Tommy Armour
   3. Sam Snead
   4. Lee Trevino
   5. All of the above
7. Glen Abbey Golf Club was Jack Nicklaus’s first solo course design. Although he never won our Open, how many times did he finish as runner-up at Glen Abbey?
   1. One
   2. Two
   3. Three
   4. Five
   5. Seven
8. In the 2013 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, Hunter Mahan was leading going into Saturday’s third round. He withdrew because …
   1. He injured his wrist hitting out of the rough
   2. He missed his tee time
   3. His wife was about to deliver their first child
   4. He wanted his friend Brandt Snedeker to win
   5. He was touring the Canadian Golf Museum and Hall of Fame
9. Tiger Woods has made a couple of appearances at the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, winning once in a most dramatic fashion. How did he clinch the victory on Sunday? (Bonus point: Who did he edge by a single shot as a result?)
   1. Holed out on 17 for eagle
   2. Aced the par-3 15^th
   3. Eagled the par-5 16^th
   4. Hit a 216-yard 6-iron from a fairway bunker on 18 for birdie
   5. Won a two-hole playoff

Answers below (highlight to see)

1. b) 1904
2. a) 1977
3. e) Tiger Woods won the Triple Crown in 2000. Trevino did it in 1971.
4. e) All of the above
5. d) Pat Fletcher. (Bonus point: Vijay Singh defeated Weir in the 2004 playoff.)
6. e) All of the above. Thirteen other players have won two titles.
7. e) Nicklaus was a seven-time runner-up in our Open, but only three times at the course he designed: 1981, 1984, 1985.
8. c) Mahan’s wife gave birth to their daughter the following day in Texas.
9. d) (Bonus point: Grant Waite)

FootJoy, the #1 Shoe in Golf, has introduced a progressive new golf shoe for women, called emPOWER™. This shoe was designed with bold athletic styling to provide a comfortable, eye-catching, lightweight spikeless footwear option that performs.

EmPOWER has a distinctive look that begins with a BreathEasy™ sports mesh upper. This color-splashed upper delivers premium breathability, keeping the foot cool throughout the day, while still providing 2-year waterproof protection.

From a performance perspective, MaxGrip™ traction pods are integrated into the outsole and provide additional traction.

emPower was created specifically to deliver comfortable performance. Developed on the women’s Power Last, emPower offers a rounded, athletic toe character, generous fit across the forefoot with a slightly narrow heel. A new, soft underfoot foam provides EveryStep™ comfort and a massaging footbed ensures comfort throughout the round.

Features and Benefits

• BreathEasy sports mesh uppers for cool comfort throughout the round
• MaxGrip traction pods ensure a slip free round
• A soft foam outsole for EveryStep comfort
• The massaging footbed provides an invigorating gentle massage throughout the day
• 2 year limited waterproof warranty

Available in Canada will be three laced styles plus one model featuring the Boa Closure System:

Stocked in Canada:
Lime Green + Light Blue
Gray + Pink
Black + Charcoal
Navy + Plum (Boa)

For more information, please visit www.FootJoy.ca.

LANCASTER, PA. – You will not be able to accuse Christina Foster of picking her spots.

The 19-year-old from Concord, Ont., decided to turn pro here, at the Lancaster Country Club, host of the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open.

The Lancaster C.C., designed by William Flynn and opened in 1920 in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania Dutch country, will play to a rating of 79 and a slope rating of 149.

Eight of the 12 par 4s will play 390 yards or longer.

It’s total of 6,583 yards is lined with deep, juicy rough made tougher by rain early in the week and severely sloping greens.

Yet this is where Foster has decided to make her debut as a professional.

“I definitely wanted to (turn pro) this year and I thought if I made the U.S. Open, why not?” Foster said after a practice round on Tuesday. “It’s my favourite event to watch on TV. It was my biggest dream to qualify for it. So why not turn pro and make it my first start and my most memorable start for me?”

Foster earned her spot in the field by posting a total of 145 – good for medalist honours – in sectional qualifying at Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette, Ill.

She finished up her amateur career with a second-place finish at the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, N.Y., and advanced to the semifinals of the Toronto Star Women’s Amateur last month.

She has played in seven USGA championships, making it to the round of 16 at the 2010 U.S. Junior Girls Amateur.

A memorable victory was chipping in five times in a row when she was 13 and winning a bet with her dad, Michael. The stakes were a trip to Disney World.

On the Canadian Women’s Tour this year, she finished tied for 22^nd at the Alberta event and at the Glencoe Golf and Country Club in May and 18^th at the Ontario stop at the Smiths Falls Golf and Country Club in June.

But this, of course, is a whole other level at the Lancaster C.C.

“It’s beautiful. It’s probably one of the best courses I’ve played,” Foster said. “It’s in great shape. It’s pretty long. You’ve got to be accurate off the tee and not missing it in the wrong places and short side yourself.

“It’s a great experience and I’m living a dream right now. I’m totally excited.”

Foster, as well as her brother, John – who is on hand along with the rest of her family – are products of the Tiger Woods era in golf.

He was John’s favourite player and made John want to try golf.

“My brother was watching Tiger on TV when he was six (John was six; not Tiger). He thought he wanted to try it because it looked fun. Whatever he would do, I would do. So I followed my brother. I actually have the video of my first ever golf swing. I was probably three and been at it ever since,” she said.

Foster is not hard to spot from a distance here.

She plays left-handed. That’s certainly not unusual for a Canadian (the always reliable Internet tells us the number of Canadians who play golf left-handed ranges from seven to 30 percent).

A female lefty is more rare and a professional lefty is, well, very rare. Foster said she can recall playing with only two or three other lefties in her amateur career.

How did she wind up on that side of the ball?

“It’s my natural way. I played baseball left handed as a kid. But I kick with my left, I throw with my right, I write with my right,” she said before concluding with:

“So I don’t know.”

Her game plan for this week: “Staying in the moment and really committing to shots and not being tentative. Just being aggressive on my lines and not be scared.”

She might be unique as a rookie left-hander this week, but that game plan is sounds like it will be pretty common.