VANCOUVER (Golf Canada) – The stars of the LPGA Tour are headed back to Vancouver as Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) announced the 2020 CP Women’s Open will be contested at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club from August 31- September 6, 2020.

The 2020 CP Women’s Open will mark the sixth time that the province of British Columbia has hosted Canada’s Women’s Open Championship, with the last time being 2015 at The Vancouver Golf Club, where Lydia Ko won her third CP Women’s Open title.

“Together, with our partners at Canadian Pacific (CP) and the LPGA Tour, we are very excited to bring the 2020 CP Women’s Open to the world-class city of Vancouver and the prestigious Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada.

“Vancouver and the entire province of British Columbia are home to a tremendously passionate golf community, and we are excited to see the LPGA Tour’s best take on one of Canada’s premier golf courses.”

CP, through its community investment program CP Has Heart, will once again be making a significant charitable contribution to the host community. In its first five years of title sponsorship, from 2014-2018, the campaign has raised more than $8.5 million for children’s cardiac care in the tournament’s host communities.

“CP is proud to bring the CP Women’s Open back to the Vancouver area,” said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO.

“Vancouver is vital to our network and home to more than 500 CP employees. This venue in particular evokes CP pride at every turn, including bearing the name of long-time CP president, Thomas Shaughnessy. We look forward to leaving a significant charitable donation and an indelible mark on this area, just as our predecessors have.”

Founded in 1911 and on its current site since 1960, Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club lies on the shores of the Fraser River, minutes from downtown Vancouver. Both the original course and the 1960 course were designed by famed golf course architect and Vancouver resident A.V. Macan, who was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2018. The 2020 event will mark the first time that Shaughnessy has hosted the stars of the LPGA Tour. The club has hosted the RBC Canadian Open four times, most recently in 2011. In hosting both the CP Women’s Open and RBC Canadian Open, Shaughnessy becomes the 14^th club to host both of Canada’s Men’s and Women’s Open Championships.

“Our Board of Directors, members and staff are truly excited about hosting this most prestigious golf championship,” said Brian Mossop, General Manager and COO of Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club. “Our club is ready and our course will undoubtedly provide a terrific test for the world’s greatest golfers. We are looking forward to being part of the great history of the CP Women’s Open.”

The CP Women’s Open has traditionally featured one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour vying for a total purse of $2.25 million USD, one of the largest purses on tour.

The 2019 CP Women’s Open is being held at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., from August 19-25 and will welcome 94 of the top 100 players on the LPGA Tour, including CP golf ambassador and defending champion Brooke Henderson, fellow CP ambassador Lorie Kane, Canadians Alena Sharp, Britany Marchand, Jaclyn Lee and A.C. Tanguay along with past champions and LPGA stars such as Lydia Ko, Ariya Jutanugarn, So Yeon Ryu, Sung Hyun Park and Katherine Kirk.

First conducted in 1973, Canada’s Women’s Open Championship has allowed the brightest stars of the LPGA Tour to shine on Canadian soil to inspire the nation’s next generation of female golfers.

Brooke Henderson’s historic victory in 2018 was the first time a Canadian had won the Canadian Women’s Open since golf legend Jocelyne Bourassa 45 years earlier.

A number of notable Canadian golf legends will tee it up in our nation’s capital region next week for the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada.

The Carleton Golf and Yacht Club—which sits on the banks of the Rideau River, just south of Ottawa—hosts the likes of Jim Rutledge, Graham Gunn, Phil Jonas, Danny King, Ken Tarling, Serge Thivierge and many more Aug. 6-9.

“The PGA of Canada is absolutely thrilled to be returning to the Ottawa region and the Carleton Golf and Yacht Club for this year’s PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada,” said PGA of Canada President Mark Patterson. “There’s so many fine past PGA of Canada national champions in the field, it will most definitely be a riveting event.”

Rutledge looks to secure his sixth PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada title, however past winners such as Thivierge (2018), Hocan Olsson (2005), Gunn (2006), Tarling (2011) and Claude Grenier (2016) should have something to say about the Victoria native’s run at Moe Norman’s record eight wins.

Rutledge’s past PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada wins came in 2017 at Burlington Golf and Country Club; 2015 at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club; 2013 at Lookout Point Country Club; 2012 at Emerald Hills Golf Club; and 2010 at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club. The 59-year-old is also a former winner on the Web.com Tour; has six Mackenzie-PGA TOUR Canada titles and is a former PGA Championship of Canada winner.

Additionally, past PGA of Canada national championship winners Marc Girouard, Ian Doig, Benoit Boudreau, King, Jonas and John Cochrane undoubtedly will want to add their to names to the list of champions of this historic event.

The PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada was first played in 1938 as a division of the Canadian PGA Championship. In 1973, the championship became an independent event and has stayed that way since.

Among the Canadian golf legends to win the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada are Stan Leonard, Moe Norman—who won a record seven straight years from 1979-1985—Bob Panasik, Al Balding—who wowed the golf world by winning at age 76 in 2000—Rutledge, Ray Stewart, Dave Barr, Bob Panasik, Murray Tucker, Bill Kozak, Gar Hamilton and Remi Bouchard.

The host of both the 1998 and 2002 PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada, Carleton is considered a true shot-maker’s venue, requiring timely strategy and rewarding accuracy.

Admittance to the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada is free and spectators are encouraged to attend the 54-hole championship.

Click here for the full field.

Born from the Titleist Speed Project, the new Titleist TS hybrids represent a new standard in hybrid performance – combining the explosive speed and distance of TS metalwoods with the advanced technology that has made Titleist the most played hybrids on the PGA Tour.

For dedicated golfers – and Titleist Golf Club R&D engineers – hybrids are considered scoring clubs, not rescue clubs. The new TS2 and TS3 hybrids, benefitting from the innovations of the Titleist Speed Chassis, allow players to replace their long irons with even more speed, launch and precision:

• The tremendously forgiving TS2 hybrids maximize performance for players who have a sweeping delivery to the ball – delivering high launch and easy distance. The larger profile is designed for players who prefer the look of a fairway metal.

• The fast-launching TS3 hybrids produce outstanding distance and control for players who hit down on the ball – offering mid launch, precise distance and iron-like control. The compact, square toe shape is designed for players who want more of an iron look.

“Pretty much every golfer we’ve had test a TS hybrid has had the same reaction – these things just go,” said Josh Talge, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing. “When it comes to the world of golf clubs, hybrids don’t always generate the type of excitement you see with other categories. But with TS hybrids, our R&D team has developed a hybrid that players will start thinking about as their go-to club. A club they just can’t wait to hit.”

FREE TRIAL & FITTINGS

Beginning Aug. 8, golfers can experience the speed of Titleist TS hybrids by attending a Titleist Fitting and Trial event (including Titleist Thursdays) being held at hundreds of locations nationwide. To find an event, or book a free fitting with a Titleist Product Specialist, golfers should visit www.titleist.ca/events​.

TS hybrids are available in golf shops worldwide beginning Aug. 30.

TS HYBRID PERFORMANCE & TECHNOLOGY

The improved performance of TS hybrids is driven by the innovative Titleist Speed Chassis, featuring technologies originally developed for TS drivers and fairways and now optimized for each hybrid shape:

• Thinner, faster face. The fastest hybrid face Titleist has ever made (16 percent thinner than prior generation 818 hybrids) – delivers faster ball speeds and increased forgiveness.

• Optimized Weight Distribution. Refined crown and face thicknesses create a lower CG for higher launch and lower spin. The resulting MOI is up to 10 percent higher on average than 818, creating a powerful combination of speed and stability.

“Titleist hybrids were already by far the industry leader for hybrid performance, speed and distance – and now we’ve taken that to another level with these TS models,” said Stephanie Luttrell, Director, Metalwoods Development, Titleist Golf Club R&D. “By taking everything we learned in developing TS drivers and fairways and implementing those technologies into our hybrid platform, we’ve been able to improve our speed and distance performance while maintaining the incredible playability that makes these hybrids scoring clubs – that easy, consistent distance that launches high and lands soft, closer to the hole.”

TWO WAYS TO SPEED

Like their driver and fairway counterparts, TS hybrids bring more speed to golfers through two distinct designs. The new TS2 is a scoring club built for distance with maximum forgiveness across the face, while TS3 offers outstanding distance with shot-shape customization through the adjustable Magnetic SureFit CG. Both models feature Titleist’s patented SureFit hosel with 16 independent loft and lie settings to create a more consistent and optimized ball flight through precision fitting.

• Loft Options: TS2 – 17º (RH Only), 19º, 21º, 23º, 25º, 27º | TS3 – 19º, 21º, 23º, 25º.

PREMIUM STOCK SHAFTS

The TS stock shaft lineup extends to TS hybrids with four aftermarket models – KURO KAGE Dual Core Black 60 (High launch and moderate spin), TENSEI AV Series Blue 70 (Mid launch and spin), HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 (Low/mid launch and spin) and Even Flow T1100 White 90 (Low launch and spin) – developed by the game’s top shaft manufacturers using insights from Titleist’s industry-best motion capture and consumer testing.

In addition, Titleist offers an industry-leading number of custom shaft choices.

TS HYBRIDS ON TOUR

TS hybrids made their PGA Tour debut at the Memorial Tournament, where Charley Hoffman (TS3 17º) and Robert Streb (TS3 21º) were among those who put TS hybrids immediately in play. Ian Poulter and Charles Howell III put new TS2 21º models in their bags for the U.S. Open, while Patton Kizzire added a TS3 19º, as players around the world continue to switch into the new TS2 and TS3 models.

Titleist has been the most played hybrid on the PGA Tour since 2014 and continues to be the field favorite week in and week out.

AVAILABILITY: Titleist TS hybrids are available in golf shops worldwide beginning Aug. 30. MAP $379.99 CAD.

Nine Canadians, including two members of the Team Canada National Amateur Squad have qualified to play the 119th U.S. Amateur Championship.

Ninety-six sectional qualifiers were held across North America from July 1-24, including one at The Thornhill Club in Thornhill, Ont., on Monday, July 22. Cougar Collins of Caledon, Ont., and Jackson Bowery of London, Ont., earned the two automatic exemptions at The Thornhill Club.

Julien Sale (Reunion Island) produced one of the lowest scores of any qualifier when he carded 10 under 132 at Mendon Golf Club in Rochester, N.Y. on July 8.

Calvin Ross (Fredericton, N.B.) was the low qualifier at The Ledges Golf Club in York, Maine on July 15. The 2017 Canadian Junior Boys champion finished one stroke ahead of Team Canada member Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.), with both players earning qualification.

Colwyn Abgrall (Niverville, Man.) finished as the low qualifier at the sectional at Fargo Country Club in Fargo, N.D.

Étienne Brault (Mercier, Que.), Tristan Mandur (Mill Bay, B.C.) and Chris Crisologo (Richmond, B.C.) all finished as runners-up at their respective qualifiers, therefore earning exemptions.

Eight additional Canadians are alternates for the championship; Jacob Presutti (Brampton, Ont.), Étienne Papineau (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.), Tyson Turchanski (Calgary), Kade Johnson (Yorkton, Sask.), Jeevan Sihota (Victoria), Cameron Kellett (Lambeth, Ont.), Josh Whalen (Napanee, Ont.) and Garrett Rank (Elmira, Ont.).

Each qualifier consisted of two stroke play rounds on the same day. Over 7,000 players attempted to qualify for the 312-player field.

The 119th U.S. Amateur Championship is being held at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in Pinehurst, N.C., from August 12-18.

Full results from all U.S. Amateur Championship sectional qualifiers can be found here.

ALBANY, N.Y. – Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., shot a 2-under 69 to tie for second on Sunday at the Symetra Tour’s CDPHP Open.

“I like where my game is at right now and it was fun today being in the final group,” said Leblanc. “It was nice to get a feel for that, hopefully to use over the next seven events. Just a lot of positives to takes from this week. Had a couple bad breaks this afternoon, but overall it was solid.”

American Robynn Ree fired a 4-under 67 in the final round to win the tournament at 13 under.

Yujeong Son and Holly Clyburn tied with Leblanc at 12 under.

Leblanc was co-leader with Ingrid Gutierrez Nunez after Saturday’s second round at 10 under.

Samantha Richdale (73) of Kelowna, B.C., tied for 47th at 2 under and Hannah Hellyer (73) of Stirling, Ont., tied for 56th at even par.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Jin Young Ko took advantage of a friend’s bad luck to win her second major title of the season on Sunday, and reclaimed No. 1 spot in the women’s world golf rankings.

Ko fired a 4-under 67 in the rain-swept final round to win the Evian Championship by two shots with a 15-under total of 269.

Winner of the season’s first major, the ANA Inspiration in April, Ko closed out the victory after playing partner, longtime leader and good friend Hyo Joo Kim lost control of the tournament with a triple bogey at the par-3 14th.

Ko took the two-shot lead she was given, and added a birdie at the par-4 No. 17, to hold off strong finishes by American rookie Jennifer Kupcho (66) and Shanshan Feng (68).

The 24-year-old South Korean played the par-5 18th with a two-shot cushion and no drama. Kim (73) made a birdie to join a three-way tie for second with Kupcho and Feng.

Ko said her play was “a little perfect,” after getting the silver trophy presented by ski great Lindsey Vonn.

Ko acknowledged feeling sad for Kim, the 2014 Evian champion whose challenge was undone after a tee shot at No. 14 plugged beneath the front face of a green-side bunker. Kim’s first salvage attempt rolled back from the grass into a deep footprint in the sand. Kim then three-putted.

“The lie was so bad. It was really unlucky for Hyo Joo,” said Ko.

The winner’s check of $615,000 lifted Ko atop the LPGA money list with almost $2 million this season.

A second career major for Ko, the 2018 LPGA Rookie of the Year, also means she goes back to No. 1 in the world rankings above her other playing partner, Sung Hyun Park.

Park (75) was let down by her putting in falling to a tie for sixth at 10 under.

Brooke Henderson (70) of Smiths Falls, Ont., tied for 17th at 4 under and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (68) tied for 55th at 4 over.

A final round played in steady rain ended in fading light at 7:35 p.m. local time (1735 GMT). The start was delayed by two hours to prepare the Evian Resort Golf Club course after overnight downpours.

In her second major as a professional, the 22-year-old Kupcho impressed by shooting a bogey-free, lowest round of the day in persistent rain and cooling winds.

“It’s crazy. It’s exciting to see that I can compete,” said the Colorado native, untroubled by the dreary weather. “I just say, ‘Well everyone’s playing in it, so we’re going to be out here.”’

Kupcho was the first woman to win at Augusta National, in the inaugural Women’s Amateur in April, and played apparently nerveless golf until her final 4-foot putt. She made it to secure a check for $289,000.

“Standing over this putt on 18 I was kind of freaking out,” said Kupcho, who was an NCAA champion at Wake Forest. “I had to take a couple of deep breaths as I was lining it up.”

Kupcho had begun the day seven shots behind Kim, and three behind Ko. Though Park seemed favoured, three shots ahead of Ko, she opened with two bogeys and struggled to find rhythm.

Park ended with another bogey 6 at the 18th, playing her approach into flower beds beside the green, and hacking out across the putting surface into more thick grass.

The Jutanugarn sisters from Thailand both shot 68 to secure top-10 finishes.

Ariya Jutanugarn made eagle-3 on the 18th to finish alone in fifth place on 11 under, and elder sister Moriya tied for sixth with Park.

Ko’s victory ended a streak of 10 different players winning the previous 10 women’s majors.

The next starts Thursday, when the Women’s British Open begins at Woburn, England. It’s the first time since 1960 that two women’s majors have been played in back-to-back weeks.

On Sunday morning, Ko cancelled her scheduled evening flight for England. It was among many good moves she made at Evian.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Brooks Koepka knows everyone wanted to see a tight final-round duel with Rory McIlroy.

“That would have been incredible for the fans, for everybody that showed up and I’m sure that’s what everybody wanted,” Koepka said.

Too bad Koepka drained all the drama Sunday on the way to his first World Golf Championships title.

Koepka had three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the front nine and cruised to a three-stroke victory in the FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

Canadian Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., closed at 3 under par to finish tied for 27th.

Playing with McIlroy in their first final-group pairing, the top-ranked Koepka closed with a bogey-free 5-under 65 at TPC Southwind for his seventh PGA Tour title. He finished at 16-under 264.

McIlroy followed his third-round 62 with a 71 to drop into a tie for fourth at 11 under. McIlroy declined to talk to reporters after the round.

“Rory didn’t play the way he wanted to today, but still it’s so much fun to watch him play,” Koepka said. “You kind of get glued watching him hit balls. I mean, it’s mesmerizing watching him hit. You know it’s always nice to squeak out a victory over probably the best player right now.”

Webb Simpson had a 64 to finish second. Marc Leishman (67) was third, four strokes back. Tommy Fleetwood (66) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (69) joined McIlroy at 11 under.

Koepka wrapped up the regular-season points title a week early and claimed a $2 million bonus from the Wyndham Rewards program. He is assured to going into the FedEx Cup playoffs as the No. 1 seed.

Koepka became the sixth player to win a major championship and a World Golf Championship in the same year. He won the PGA Championship for the second straight year in May.

After tapping in for par on No. 18, Koepka celebrated with a little fist pump before hugging McIlroy.

Koepka had been so close in recent weeks, coming in second at the U.S. Open in June and tying for fourth last week at the British Open. He also had a pair of top-10 finishes in this event when it was held at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, and he also won for the first time at the TPC Southwind, where he tied for third in 2015 and tied for second in 2016 when this course hosted the former St. Jude Classic.

Koepka says he feels he knows this course better than any other on tour, and finally winning here and a WGC title, too, is special.

“It’s a thinker’s golf course,” Koepka said. “I probably don’t get enough thought process going through my mind sometimes, just get up and hit it. It gets very routine. A lot of times it’s drivers, but out here you’ve really got to position yourself off the tee depending on where the pin is.”

Now Koepka has come from behind in three of his seven victories, though this time teeing off only a stroke off the lead. When they teed off, Koepka was among 10 players within four strokes of leader McIlroy.

After a couple of pars, Koepka took control.

Koepka rolled in a 9-footer for birdie and a share of the lead on the par-5 third he bogeyed in each of the first two rounds for a nice confidence boost. McIlroy missed his own 4-foot birdie chance a couple inches left after chipping from behind a green-side bunker.

Then Koepka hit his second shot on the par-4 fifth from 185 yards to 5 feet for his second birdie and the outright lead, while McIlroy’s second was on the left fringe with his attempt 5 feet short on yet another par. Koepka birdied his second straight on the par-4 sixth, rolling in a 20-footer for a two-stroke lead .

Koepka padded that lead after the turn, hitting his second from 143 to 8 feet on the par-4 10th. Koepka rolled in the birdie putt to go to 15 under with a three-stroke lead making the only question left whether anyone could get close.

He created the last of the drama by scrambling for par on the next two holes. He put his second into the intermediate rough on the edge of the green on No. 15, forcing him to hole a 9-footer, with a poor chip on the par-5 16th leading to another par. But he clinched the win with a 12-footer on No. 17.

McIlroy had won three of his previous four when shooting at least a 62 in an event. The Northern Irishman who missed the cut at the British Open by a stroke last week just couldn’t keep up with Koepka.

Simpson eagled No. 3 and added a birdie on No. 6. Then he added four birdies on the back nine and tied the best round of the day with his best round since winning the 2018 Players Championship.

“Knowing that Brooks Koepka and Rory are out in front, I knew it needed to be a low round,” Simpson said. “I didn’t have a number in mind. … Very happy with how the day went.

Divots: Koepka, who won the CJ Cup in South Korea last October, also is the first on tour with three wins this season. … Justin Thomas, who won this event in Ohio last year, tied for 12th. Johnson, who won the FedEx St. Jude Classic here last year, tied for 20th.

RENO, Nev. – Collin Morikawa birdied his last three holes Sunday to win the Barracuda Championship, making him the second player this summer to go from college to a PGA Tour winner.

Morikawa, who graduated from Cal last month, closed with seven birdies against no bogeys in the modified Stableford scoring system, giving him 14 points in the final round at Montreaux Golf and Club.

He finished with 47 points for a three-point victory over Troy Merritt, who had the lead on the back nine until the 22-year-old Morikawa made his final charge. Merritt had a chance to win on the par-5 18th with an eagle, but his chip raced 12 feet by the hole and he missed the birdie putt. He finished with seven points in the round.

Canadian Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., finished with a share of 7th place at 37 over par.

Robert Streb, tied for the lead after a birdie on No. 10, finished with eight pars and tied for third with John Chin.

Morikawa joins Matthew Wolff of Oklahoma State as players who have gone straight from college to their first PGA Tour victory. Wolff won the 3M Open in Minnesota three weeks ago, making an eagle putt on the final hole to beat Morikawa.

“It was something really special to finally get the win,” Morikawa said.

He was doing everything right leading up to his big moment at Montreaux. He has made the cut in all six of his starts since his May 18 graduation, including his tie for 35th in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. After his runner-up to Wolff in Minnesota, he tied for fourth in the John Deere Classic and then won the Barracuda Championship.

His 14 points translate to a 65, meaning Morikawa has an average final round of 66.83, his worst Sunday score a 69 in the U.S. Open.

While he was already assured of a PGA Tour card for next year with his good results, the victory gives him membership immediately, with his points retroactive. Morikawa is at No. 46 in the FedEx Cup, and he cracked the top 100 in the world ranking.

He earned $630,000, giving him $1,672,904 since graduating college just over two months ago.

The victory does not get him into the Masters, however, because the Barracuda Championship was held opposite a World Golf Championships event.

Morikawa began his move after having to settle for par – no points – on the par-5 13th, leaving him three points behind Merritt who was in the fairway behind him. Morikawa holed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 14th, and his best shot was on the par-3 16th, when he went at a back pin with a high cut into the breeze to 10 feet on the fringe and made the birdie putt.

His biggest shot was on the next hole when he holed a 30-foot birdie putt with enough pace that it might have gone some 6 feet by the hole. That set him up for the closing hole, where his 4-iron came up short of the green with a front pin, and he used putter to roll it to 2 feet for a tap-in birdie.

“It felt good to make that putt, but obviously I had one more hole to play,” Morikawa said. “There was a lot of points on the board left, and I knew I had business to do on 18. And I hit three good shots and was able to tap in for birdie.”

Merritt trailed for the first time on the back nine when Morikawa made his birdie on the 16th. He answered with a 30-foot birdie from the fringe on the 16th, and he saved par with a 5-foot putt on the 17th to stay one point behind.

Morikawa’s final birdie meant Merritt had to make eagle (worth 5 points) to win. A birdie is worth two points and would not be enough. His approach came up short, and his chip stayed left of the hole.

Maddie Szeryk was having trouble with her ball striking during the fourth round of the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic and it was starting to get to her. But then she remembered the advice of Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, a mental performance coach with Golf Canada.

“It was kind of frustrating because I had been hitting it really well all week,” said Szeryk on Tuesday. “It was just kind of like OK, what’s happening?’ But you just kind of have to focus. You don’t want to get frustrated and give shots away. You have to remember that it happens, it’s golf and you have to figure out how to get this up and down or save par or make birdie.”

Szeryk finished the tournament tied for 24th at 6-under 282, the latest in a string of solid performances on the Symetra Tour that includes three top-five finishes since May 23. That strong play has her at 11th on the second-tier circuit’s money list, in a great position to earn an LPGA Tour card for next season.

The 23-year-old Szeryk says that a strong foundation in mental conditioning has given her the consistency needed to become the highest-ranked Canadian on the Symetra Tour.

“I think it’s important to stay patient and stay in the moment and not get so frustrated,” Szeryk said. “Just really focus on what’s ahead. It takes a lot out of you and you have such a long year of golf that you really can’t waste that energy.

“You play so much that you have to keep high energy and you can’t waste it on something like hitting a bad shot and getting frustrated. It’s not worth it in the big picture, in the grand scheme of it all.”

Leslie-Toogood encourages golfers to not just have a healthy pre-shot ritual, but a constructive post-shot routine too. That means learning from the shot and then moving on without it weighing on the golfer.

“Rather than waiting until you’re in a tough spot to really try and figure it out, instead, what are the processes you can have in place,” said Leslie-Toogood, who currently works with Golf Canada’s men’s amateur and young pro teams. “Fuelling and hydration, those are really important things on the golf course, you do those really proactively. You don’t wait until you’re about to pass out to sip water, you do it along the way to stay in a good place.

“So if you’re a person who wants to be more patient, what can we do to help you stay patient rather than wait until you’re completely losing it to kind of get yourself back.”

Although she was born in Allen, Texas, Szeryk and her sister Ellie Szeryk – who has committed to play for Texas A&M next season – are dual Canadian-American citizens that regularly visit family in London, Ont. Both Szeryks are proud of their Canadian roots and Maddie says they wouldn’t be as successful without the support of Golf Canada, including its coaching staff like Leslie-Toogood.

“We both love playing for Canada. That’s who we want to play for,” said Maddie Szeryk. “They’ve helped so much, I’ve learned so much over the past few years. How to grow my game, mentally, physically, just the all-around golf game.”

Szeryk will be in the field at the CDPHP Open when it tees off on Friday at Capital Hills Golf Course in Albany, N.Y. She’ll be joined by Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., the second-highest ranked Canadian on tour at No. 29.

Other Canadians in the field include Caroline Ciot of Brossard, Que., Christina Foster of Concord, Ont., Hannah Hellyer of Stirling, Ont., Valerie Tanguay of St-hyacinthe, Que., Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont., as well as Megan Osland and Samantha Richdale, both from Kelowna, B.C.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Restored to July on the calendar, the Evian Championship begins back-to-back weeks of major championships in women’s golf for the first time in six decades on Thursday.

It shapes up as a tough test starting in a French heat wave for players who aim to play eight rounds of major golf in 11 days here and at the Women’s British Open.

“There’s so much emotion that is going to go into this,” defending champion Angela Stanford said Wednesday, pointing to a challenge for players unfamiliar with either Evian Resort Golf Club or next week’s venue at Woburn, England.

According to the LPGA Tour, playing majors in successive weeks has not been tried since 1960. This year’s schedule also condenses the five majors into exactly four months – from the April 4 start of the ANA Inspiration to the final round of the British Open on Aug. 4.

To become the fifth women’s major in 2013, the $4.1 million Evian Championship gave up its place in the July sun for typically rainy September. Entire rounds were twice swept from the record books before winners of 54-hole tournaments were crowned in 2013 and 2017.

“I do hate the cold. I was complaining a little when it used to be in September and colder,” said top-ranked Sung Hyun Park. In a Thursday storm two years ago, Park’s 6-over score after five holes was abandoned for a fresh Friday start. She missed the cut last year.

The 25-year-old South Korean never played at Evian when it was a regular LPGA Tour-sanctioned event in July from 2003 to 2012.

The hot, dry summer in eastern France is forecast to continue for the first two rounds with mid-30s Celsius (mid-90s F) temperatures.

Still, the par-71, 6,527-yard (5,968-meter) course is not set up quite as expected.

The greens are predictably harder and faster than in September – “runs more and bounces a lot more,” Park said – though the course is playing long off the tee.

“I’m a little bit disappointed in the fairways right now. A lot of players expected firm and fast, and it’s not,” Stanford said, adding the conditions could force players to “play more on defence.”

On undulating hills overlooking Lake Geneva, the course can be a demanding walk in the heat before the expected weekend arrival of thunderstorms. The forecast for Sunday’s final round is an autumnal 20 C (68 F) in the rain.

“I need to conserve energy,” 15th-ranked Jessica Korda said of playing back-to-back big events. “I know what I feel like after majors and how much time I like to take off.”

A win for Korda, or her 10th-ranked sister Nelly, would extend a streak of five straight first-time winners of majors.

In a period lacking a dominant player, 10 different players won the past 10 women’s majors, starting with In-Kyung Kim’s 2017 British Women’s Open title. All 10 are in the 120-player Evian field.

Stanford may be the biggest outsider among them, having gone without a top-20 finish since her victory here.

“Honestly, it’s been a very bad year,” said the forthright Texan, who could take inspiration from Americans who retained their title in France this month.

Stanford said she was in a Chicago park on July 7 watching a public screening of the United States soccer team’s victory in the Women’s World Cup final.

“It was so cool. I loved it,” Stanford said. “Sometimes you have to be bold, and they were bold.”