Coquitlam, B.C. (Golf Canada) – Karine Icher shot a bogey-free 65 on Thursday to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at The Vancouver Golf Club.

“My putting was very good, and I think today I’ve seen the hole bigger than the other days,” Icher said. “So sometimes you have days like that where everything works, so I’m quite happy with this one.”

Icher’s round was keyed by a stretch of six birdies in seven holes from holes 5-11 to move her from 1-under to 7-under.

“When you make some birdies like that in a row, you have more and more confidence and build some confidence through the round,” Icher explained. “Then it’s good for the tournament, for the season, for everything. I mean, it’s always nice to have some rounds like that where you don’t have so much questions. You know the club, you take the club, you hit the shot, and it’s close to the pin.”

Chasing Icher down will be two-time former champion Lydia Ko, who sits two back after an opening round 67, and a group of four players – Danah Bordner, I.K. Kim, Stacy Lewis and Pernilla Lindberg – who are all at 4-under-par.

Ko birdied the final two holes of her opening round to shoot a 5-under 67 to sit two behind the lead at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

“Yeah, hopefully that will give me good momentum tomorrow,” Ko said of her strong finish. “But playing in the morning and then afternoon tomorrow there is quite a bit of wait, but I’ve just got to keep the positive attitude going. Hit one shot at a time and just have fun out there.”

Three years ago, Ko burst onto the scene at The Vancouver Golf Club becoming the youngest winner in LPGA history at a mere 15 years, 4 months and 2 days in just her third LPGA event.

“I think the biggest difference is me. I don’t have the glasses, and I feel much older,” Ko said with a smile. “But it’s great to come back to a course where you’ve played well and the spectators have been great and they’ve been supporting me today, even in the practice rounds. It’s definitely a great where you feel really welcome.”

Ko has always felt welcome in Canada and admitted that her and her family nearly moved to area when she was younger.

“I just always feel very welcomed when I come to Canada,” Ko said with a smile. “I feel Canada is quite like New Zealand, so I love coming back here. When I was younger we nearly moved here.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., has been the early talk of the tournament on the heels of her historic victory this past weekend which earned her full membership on the LPGA Tour. Her steady play continued during Thursday’s opening round, firing a 2-under 70 to sit as the low Canadian with a share of 13th position. The 17-year-old admitted it was a special moment to stand on the first tee Thursday as a newly minted member of the LPGA Tour and fan favourite at The Vancouver Golf Club.

“It was cool. It was the first time as an LPGA member, right after the win last week, I really wanted to get another good number today, and 2-under, I’ll take it,” said Henderson. “The course wasn’t easy out there today, though Karine Icher is making it look that way. But I’m excited to get back out at it tomorrow. The crowds were unbelievable, and just to be back home in Canada and playing in front of them was really cool.”

Second-round action gets underway Friday at 7:04 am PT. Tickets are available at the gate and kid’s 17 and under are free.

Coquitlam, B.C. (Golf Canada) – The strongest field in women’s golf will be joined by the strongest team in golf broadcasting as part of live coverage of the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, which will bring fans around the world into the action at The Vancouver Golf Club.

Compelling storylines, led by 17-year-old Brooke Henderson who last week became the first Canadian winner of an LPGA event since 2001, will entertain the up to 175 million households worldwide, in up to 160 countries that have the ability to tune-in.

Led by Terry Gannon and Hall of Famer Judy Rankin, the Golf Channel team will bring their first-class, insightful, and informed coverage to fans starting Thursday, August 20 at 3 p.m. PT.

“We are thrilled to partner with Golf Channel in delivering the excitement of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open and the LPGA Tour to television audiences across the globe,” said Scott Simmons, CEO of Golf Canada. “Together with our partners at Canadian Pacific and the LPGA Tour, we look forward to working with the world’s most watched golf broadcasters to elevate the profile of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open and showcase our championship to hundreds of millions of golf enthusiasts.”

In a special arrangement for 2015, TSN and RDS partner with Golf Channel to deliver additional domestic reach of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. TSN will air full-round, encore coverage of the first three rounds.  TSN will then air live, simulcast coverage of the Golf Channel broadcast of the final round on Sunday, August 23 beginning at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET.  TSN’s Rod Black joins Golf Channel’s team as host of the coverage, conducting in-studio interviews and delivering frequent updates on the Canadians in the field.  RDS will air daily French-language coverage of all four rounds, hosted by Michel Lacroix and Carlo Blanchard.

The Canadian Pacific Women’s Open features the LPGA Tour’s best golfers – including two-time champion Lydia Ko, top-ranked golfer Inbee Park and defending champion So Yeon Ryu.

Broadcast Schedule
See below for the broadcast schedule for the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. The schedule is subject to change.

Thursday, Aug. 20 – First Round Coverage
•    Golf Channel: 3:00pm – 6:00pm PST / 6:00pm – 9:00pm EST
•    TSN2: 8:00pm – 11:00pm PST / 11:00pm – 2:00am EST
•    RDS2: 3:00pm – 6:00pm PST / 6:00pm – 9:00pm EST

Friday, Aug. 21 – Second Round Coverage
•    Golf Channel: 3:00pm – 6:00pm PST / 6:00pm – 9:00pm EST
•    TSN2: 8:00pm – 11:00pm PST / 11:00pm – 2:00am EST
•    RDS2: 3:00pm – 6:00pm PST / 6:00pm – 9:00pm EST

Saturday, Aug. 22 – Third Round Coverage
•    Golf Channel: 4:00pm – 7:00pm PST / 7:00pm – 10:00pm EST
•    TSN2: 8:00pm – 11:00pm PST / 11:00pm – 2:00am EST
•    RDS2: 4:00pm – 7:00pm PST / 7:00pm – 10:00pm EST

Sunday, Aug. 23 – Fourth Round Coverage
•    Golf Channel: 4:00pm – 7:00pm PST / 7:00pm – 10:00pm EST
•    TSN2: 4:00pm – 7:00pm PST / 7:00pm – 10:00pm EST
•    RDS2: 8:00pm –11:00pm PST / 11:00pm – 2:00am EST

Coquitlam, B.C. (Golf Canada) – So Yeon Ryu will look to defend her crown at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open this week at The Vancouver Golf Club.

“It always feels special coming back as a defending champion,” Ryu said. “Canadian fans are always really friendly and humble. So I really enjoyed being here. Especially this is really close to Koreatown, so I feel even more comfortable.”

While Ryu is the defending champion her 2014 title was captured at London Hunt and Country Club in London, Ont. Her last time in Vancouver, when the event was here in 2012, she missed the cut.

“Actually, three years ago I didn’t really play well at this golf course,” Ryu admitted. “This golf course feels very different the front nine and back nine. The front nine is very hilly, the greens severe. I do like the back nine more than the front nine. But I think the key point is I would say iron shots because we need to put in like safest positions so like there is no three-putt. So, I would say iron accuracy and of course putting is always every week 365 days that’s key.”

Ryu is more confident in her game and situation this time around and will be looking to capture her first win of the 2015 season after tallying seven top-10 finishes.

“Actually, three years ago I had a lot of problems with my swing,” Ryu explained. “Also it was my rookie year, and I was kind of homesick about at this time because it was about halfway through the season. Right now it feels like home and I’m in the LPGA. I don’t have any home sickness anymore. So for sure I can be playing better than I did last year or three years ago.”

Challenging Ryu will be a top notch field which includes the winner from the last time the Tour was in Vancouver – Rolex Rankings No. 2 Lydia Ko, who won as a 15-year-old amateur, and the runner-up at this event that year Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park, who is coming off a victory at the RICOH Women’s British Open to complete the career grand slam.

“Definitely feels great to come back to a course where you’ve played well, and you know there are a lot of great memories,” Ko said. “Here I won my first LPGA event. So it’s awesome to be back, but I do feel much older. I saw one of the photos and I looked totally different. So I’m showing signs of age.”

Alena Sharp is one of 14 Canadians competing in our national championship this week at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

“It’s always a great week to come back to Canada no matter where we are,” Sharp said. “I feel very welcomed. I’m from Ontario, but when we play in B.C. or Alberta or Quebec, I still feel like I’m at home, so it’s nice.”

Sharp was on the green last Sunday to celebrate with fellow Canadian Brooke Henderson after winning the Cambia Portland Classic to become the first Canuck to win on the LPGA Tour since Lorie Kane in 2001.

“I’d love to see more Canadians out on Tour,” Sharp admitted. “It’s nice to see the Canadian flags up anywhere you look. And even this year the men have been playing well too. So it’s nice that Canada is getting back on the map of golf.”

This week Sharp, who is coming off her best finish of the season with a T10 in Portland, will be looking to make it back-to-back wins for Canadians.

“I’d be speechless,” Sharp said. “It would be amazing to do that. It’s only Wednesday. I’ll just take it one day at a time, and I’d love to be on those last nine holes and have a chance to win.”

Opening-round action gets underway at 7:04 am PT.

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – Bath, Ont., native Austin James has emerged as the lone remaining Canadian in the field at the U.S. Amateur after winning his round of 64 match on Wednesday.

James, a junior at Charleston Southern University, jumped out to an early two-hole lead, keeping up the pressure for a steady 4 and 3 victory over Miller Capps of Denver, N.C.

The 19^th seeded James is set to face-off against No. 51 seed Denny McCarthy of Rockville, Md., who currently sits as the No. 10 ranked amateur on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). The match is scheduled to begin Thursday morning at 9:10 a.m. CDT.

Canada’s Pan-American Games duo of Austin Connelly and Garrett Rank both ran out of steam in their matches at the Olympia Fields Country Club.

Connelly, a dual-citizen, was involved in a thrilling back-and-forth affair with Maverick McNealy of Portola Valley, Calif. The National Amateur Squad member found himself quickly down four through seven holes. He erased the deficit not long after, squaring the match with a birdie on the par-4 11^th. He held the lead shortly on the 14^th hole before carding back-to-back bogeys, leaving McNealy with the 1-hole victory.

Despite holding a 2-hole advantage through five holes, Elmira, Ont., native Garrett Rank could not hold off Sepp Straka of Valdosta, Ga., who took advantage of three consecutive bogeys by Rank on the back-nine for the 3 and 2 victory.

The championship will run six rounds of match-play, concluding with a 36-hole final on Sunday.

Olympia Fields Country Club, a two-time U.S. Open venue, will host its first U.S. Amateur with stroke-play being conducted on the 7,037-yard South Course and match-play on the 7,234-yard North Course.

In 2014, Canadian Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., fell in the final 36-hole match to South Korea’s Gunn Yang, 2 and 1. Both finalists are usually invited to compete in the Masters tournament the following April, alongside exemptions into next year’s U.S. and British Opens.

Click here for live scoring.

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – Three Canadians got the official word Wednesday morning that they have advanced to match-play at the U.S. Amateur.

National Amateur Squad member Austin Connelly and 2014 Canadian Junior Boys Champion, Austin James of Bath, Ont., earned their way in as the low Canadians at even-par (T14) through two qualifying stroke-play rounds.

Connelly, a dual-citizen, is slated to take on Maverick McNealy of Portola Valley, Calif. on Wednesday afternoon while James matches up against Miller Caps of Denver, N.C.

Journeyman Garrett Rank of Elmira Ont., came in at 2-over par (68-74) to earn the 52^nd seed, he’ll square-off against 13^th-seeded Sepp Straka of Valdosta, Ga.

Nicholas Ross of Dundas, Ont., and Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver were unable to secure a spot in Wednesday morning’s 18-man playoff for one of 10 remaining spots inside the top-64.

Australian Brett Coletta captured medalist honours and the No. 1 seed after going 7-under (67-66) for the one-stroke advantage over David Oraee of Greeley, Colo.

The championship will run six rounds of match-play, concluding with a 36-hole final on Sunday.

Olympia Fields Country Club, a two-time U.S. Open venue, will host its first U.S. Amateur with stroke-play being conducted on the 7,037-yard South Course and match-play on the 7,234-yard North Course.

In 2014, Canadian Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., fell in the final 36-hole match to South Korea’s Gunn Yang, 2 and 1. Both finalists are usually invited to compete in the Masters tournament the following April, alongside exemptions into next year’s U.S. and British Opens.

Click here for live scoring.

COQUITLAM, B.C. –  After Brooke Henderson was denied early admittance into the LPGA Tour’s qualifying school, the Canadian teenager gave commissioner Michael Whan several reasons to change his mind.

Henderson put together a string of impressive results in LPGA events this year despite having to rely on sponsors’ exemptions or qualification just to play. And two days after she cruised to her first Tour victory at last weekend’s Cambia Portland Classic, Henderson was finally granted full LPGA membership.

“It’s an opportunity that not a lot of people get,” the 17-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., said Tuesday before shooting a practice round at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. “I can start living my dream today.”

Having a full membership means Henderson won’t have to play Monday qualifying tournaments for the rest of the season. She faced having to qualify because she had exhausted all six of her sponsors’ exemptions.

“It’s a little bit surreal,” said Henderson. “The last couple of days have been an amazing journey.

“I’m still going to play my own game and go out there and do what I have always done. Just to know I have a place to play now any week I want to, and I have full status for at least a year, is really exciting. I am playing really well right now. Hopefully I can keep it going.”

Henderson had appealed to the LPGA for early admission in the past. She petitioned the organization to allow her to attend qualifying school last year after winning three times as an amateur on the Canadian Women’s Tour, but was turned down.

“That was probably the best thing that could have happened to me,” she said. “It made me realize what I really wanted in life and what I really desired.

“It made me work really hard, made me focus and be more determined.”

LPGA policy states that any woman 18 years of age or over is eligible to apply for Tour membership, but golfers between the ages of 15 and 18 may be granted special permission to apply for membership by petitioning directly to the Tour commissioner.

Henderson had the weight of a Tour victory behind this petition, becoming the second golfer in LPGA history to go from Monday qualifier to tournament winner in Portland.

“After reviewing Brooke Henderson’s petition, I have granted her LPGA Tour membership beginning immediately,” Tour commissioner Michael Whan said in a statement. “Brooke truly earned her card, and we are looking forward to Brooke joining our Tour and our family.”

Veteran Canadian golfer Lorie Kane said Henderson deserves to be on the Tour.

“It’s very exciting,” said Kane. “It was only a matter of time before that happened.”

Any money Henderson earns during the remainder of this season will be considered official money. The 10 remaining tournaments of 2015 will also be considered her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.

The win in Portland moved her to No. 17 in the world rankings, boosted her earnings over US$660,000 and secured her 2016 card.

Henderson can now concentrate on playing in the $2.25-million CP Women’s Open, which begins Thursday.

She was greeted with a round of applause when she walked onto the driving range at the Vancouver Golf Club on Monday and has been busy signing autographs.

“It’s pretty cool to be famous,” she said.

Henderson’s win made her the first Canadian to win an LPGA event since Kane in 2001. She is the Tour’s third-youngest champion ever at 17 years 11 months six days.

The past few days have been a whirlwind, but Henderson knows her journey is just beginning.

“I have big goals and big dreams ahead of me,” she said. “I am still a long ways from where I want to be. It’s still pretty cool to know I am competing against the best in the world.

“If I can continue to improve and get better every day, hopefully good things will happen.”

Coquitlam, B.C. (Golf Canada) – Forty-three players took to Pitt Meadows Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C., for Monday’s final qualifying event in hopes of securing one of the four final spots into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

Stacey Keating of Australia, the 2008 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion, finished atop the leaderboard after a 2-under par 70, while Kristen Park of Buena Park, Calif., carded a 1-under-par 71 to finish second.

The final two spots were determined via a playoff after three players – amateur Tiffany Kong of Vancouver, Nicole Zhang of Calgary and Louise Stahle of Sweden – tied for third at even-par 72.

Kong, who is just 14-years-old, and Stahle prevailed on the first playoff hole after matching pars to Zhang’s bogey on Pitt Meadows’ par-5 18th.

With the addition of Kong to the field, a total of 14 Canadians will now compete for Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship at The Vancouver Golf Club.

Click here for complete results from the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open Monday Qualifier at Pitt Meadows Golf Club.

Listen to our full conversation with Brooke Henderson by clicking the media player below.

Brooke Henderson’s first LPGA Tour win didn’t stop her from having to play golf on Mondays.

Henderson completed an eight-stroke victory Sunday at the US$1.3-million Cambia Portland Classic to become the first Canadian to win an LPGA event since Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane in 2001 and the Tour’s third-youngest champion ever at 17 years 11 months six days.

She catapulted to No. 17 in the world rankings, boosted her earnings over $660,000 and secured her 2016 card, but because she’s exhausted all six of her sponsor’s exemptions she’ll have to continue playing Monday qualifiers to gain entry into tournaments for the remainder of this season.

Last year, Henderson petitioned the LPGA to allow her into Q-school but was turned down because she didn’t meet the minimum age requirement of 18. However other players —including second-ranked Lydia Ko and major champion Lexi Thompson — successfully petitioned to become Tour members before their 18th birthdays.

On Monday, Henderson said she continues to weigh her options regarding whether to again petition the LPGA Tour for an exemption.

“We’re still thinking about it and evaluating the situation options with my family and team,” the native of Smiths Falls, Ont., said during a conference call. “Hopefully we’ll come to a decision pretty soon.

“There’s many pros and cons to both options . . . I’m just kind of working through those right now with my team. We’ll see what happens.”

Henderson earned $195,000 with the win and has made $661,818 in 10 events. By not being a full-time Tour member, Henderson must rely on sponsor’s exemptions or Monday qualifying to participate in LPGA tournaments.

Henderson doesn’t have the luxury of time to relish her historic win. Her next tournament is the $2.25-million Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, which begins Thursday in Coquitlam, B.C., where the spotlight will be firmly fixed upon her.

She doesn’t expect to feel any extra pressure competing on home soil.

“I don’t think so,” she said. “It’s fun to be back home and I know all the people I’ve talked to earlier (Monday) have been very excited and (are) cheering me on this week.

“I just have to make sure I stick to my own gameplan and do my own thing to make sure I play well this weekend. I haven’t played as well in Canadian Opens as I would’ve liked in the past and I’m hoping to change that this week.”

Henderson will look to become the first Canadian to win a LPGA Tour event on home soil since Jocelyne Bourassa of Shawinigan, Que., claimed the ’73 La Canadienne — the precursor to the Canadian Women’s Open — in Montreal.

Sunday’s final round in Portland marked the second time this season Henderson led an LPGA event through 54 holes. But last time she carded a final-round 74 on April 26 to finish third at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in Daly City, Calif.

On Sunday, Henderson shot a 3-under 69 to register the largest-ever margin of victory in tournament history and biggest on Tour since Jiyah Shin won the 2012 Women’s British Open by nine shots.

Henderson said the seeds for her first LPGA win took root in late April.

“I got a lot of confidence and a lot of momentum was built up off that,” she said. “I’ve been playing great all season, my game has been in a great spot.

“I just knew I had to remain patient and keep working on a few little things. My season has really been a lot of fun and it really kicked off (at Swinging Skirts event).”

Henderson said she was besieged with congratulatory text messages and tweets following her win, including one from golf legend Gary Player.

“That meant a lot to me because my sister (pro golfer Brittany Henderson) and I always liked The Black Knight,” she said. “I was up to almost 80 text messages a couple of hours afterwards and a lot of emails from a lot of family members and friends.”

Despite having a healthy bankroll at such a tender age, Henderson said her fortune isn’t a distraction. She’s also been able to resist the temptation of making a big purchase.

“I haven’t really thought about it yet,” she said. “I’m still kind of saving it up and hopefully use it wisely.”

Coquitlam, B.C. (Golf Canada) – The final four spots into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open field will be determined Monday as the Final Qualifier is set for Pitt Meadows Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C.

A total of 50 competitors will challenge for one of four spots into the field for Canada’s National Women’s Open Golf Championship.

The Final Qualifier features 18 holes of stroke play with the low four competitors receiving an exemption into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open field.  If necessary, a hole-by-hole playoff will be conducted immediately following the conclusion of play.

Click here for pairings, start times and results for Canadian Pacific Women’s Open Final Qualifying on Monday, August 17. Results will be available as players complete their rounds.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Jim Rutledge cruised to win his fourth Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada presented by Adams Golf since 2010 Friday at Credit Valley Golf and Country Club.

The 55-year-old Victoria, B.C., native put together rounds of 64-71-69 for a three-day total of 9-under-par. His 54-hole score was three shots better than David Wettflaufer and Ken Tarling, who both fired 6-under-par 65 final rounds.

For the first time all week Rutledge managed to get through Credit Valley’s tough opening five holes under par, which he says was the key to the day.

“The good thing was I got through the top side of the golf course at 1-under and that had been my issue really all week,” he said. “Once I got down into the valley I just kind of held my own out there and no one really managed to make a real charge at me . . . so I was thankful for that.”

Rutledge’s final round playing partners—Rod Spittle and Scott Allred—finished T4 at 4 under, while Keir Smith placed sixth at 2 under. Phil Jonas and Serge Thivierge were T7 at 1 under, with last year’s winner Remi Bouchard and this year’s Super Senior’s winner Daniel Talbot rounding out the top 10.

For the full leaderboard, CLICK HERE.

On Credit Valley’s back nine, Rutledge had some tree troubles on Nos. 13 and 14, but kept his round together with some nifty wedge work.

“I had some really good saves today after hitting some stray tee shots,” Rutledge said. “I made a good birdie on 13 after clipping the tree on my approach and then an even better par on 14 when I got a wild bounce into the trees off the tee.”

With his win Rutledge is halfway to Moe Norman’s record of eight PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada wins. Rutledge says he’s well aware of Norman’s record, but also admits this week is about much more than winning.

“As long as I can keep healthy I’ll keep playing in this championship and keep chasing Moe,” he said. “But I’ve said it in the past and I’ll say it again: as much as it is about winning this week; it’s also about coming home, seeing some old buddies and having a bunch of laughs.”

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—and Jim Rutledge.