CALGARY – Ariya Jutanugarn topped one of the deepest fields on the LPGA tour, including dozens of recent Olympians, to win the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open title, with local kids also winning big thanks to CP’s $2 million donation to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in support of pediatric cardiac care and research.

“It was a tremendous week from start to finish and we couldn’t be prouder of Ariya and our partnership with the Alberta Children’s Hospital,” said E. Hunter Harrison, CP’s CEO. “Having the tournament at Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club, in our home city and province, is bitter sweet as it is my last Open as CEO. I will be forever proud of the contributions we have made as a result of our involvement with Golf Canada and the CP Women’s Open – all part of our commitment, through CP Has Heart, to give where we live and operate.”

CP’s donation, one of the largest on the LPGA tour, will support the hospital in researching the development of “liquid biopsy,” a non-invasive procedure that doctors hope will replace invasive tissue biopsies currently used to determine if a child’s transplanted heart is being attacked by his or her immune system. This new approach, in combination with the advanced DNA sequencing technologies at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, can also be used to make a genetic diagnosis for congenital heart disease before a baby is born.

“As a member of the cardiology team at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, I am thrilled with the support they have received from the tournament,” said Dr. Steven Greenway, Pediatric Cardiologist, Alberta Children’s Hospital. “For more than 25 years, the cardiology team at the Alberta Children’s Hospital has been providing leading-edge care for kids in our community. This incredible gift will be used to take our research even further from the lab to the clinic as we develop new, non-invasive tests and personalized treatments for children with heart conditions.”

The final donation total was a result of a number of fundraising initiatives leading up to the conclusion of the golf tournament, including Spruce Meadows Clear Rounds for Heart, Alberta Children’s Hospital Radio-thon and online donation matching.

“The CP Has Heart campaign has brought our community together in a wonderful way. For children who rely on cardiac care and research at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, the 2016 CP Women’s Open has left a life-changing legacy in our city for years to come,” said Saifa Koonar, President and CEO, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. We are extremely grateful to CP, Golf Canada and Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club for making this memorable event possible!”

In Canada, one in 100 babies is born with a congenital heart disease. Every year in Alberta, that translates to 500 infants – and their families – who find themselves embarking upon a life-altering journey as a result. That includes CP Women’s Open’s Ambassador, Alexa Castillo, and her family. The family was referred to the Alberta Children’s Hospital where doctors told them their daughter would be born with critical aortic stenosis, a life-threatening heart defect where the aorta in her left ventricle does not work properly. At only eight years old, Alexa has had multiple open heart surgeries and will need a lifetime of care from cardiac specialists.

“It has been so humbling to see the community rally around kids like our daughter who need help for their very special hearts,” said Jorge Castillo, Alexa’s father. “The care at the Alberta Children’s Hospital is amazing and this wonderful gift is going to make it even better for children and their families who will need it in the future.”

To coincide with Canada 150 celebrations, next year’s Canadian Pacific Women’s Open will return to the nation’s capital and the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club from August 21 to 27, 2017. CP will announce its charity partner at a later date.

“This week was a fantastic showcase of golf and charitable giving – we congratulate CP, the CP Has Heart program, and everyone involved in the tournament,” said Scott Simmons, CEO of Golf Canada. “We look forward to 2017 in Ottawa when we celebrate Canada’s 150^th with an iconic Canadian company and the best golfers in the world.”

CALGARY – Ariya Jutanugarn ran away with the CP Women’s Open at chilly Priddis Greens for her LPGA Tour-leading fifth victory of the year – all in the last 10 events.

Nine days after withdrawing from the Rio Olympics because of a left knee injury, the 20-year-old Thai player made a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 6-under 66 and a four-stroke victory.

Bundled up in a winter jacket between shots with the temperature in the lows 50s on the overcast afternoon, the second-ranked Jutanugarn matched the tournament record for relation to par 23-under, set by So Yeon Ryu two years ago at London Hunt Club in Ontario.

After a late meltdown cost Jutanugarn her first LPGA Tour victory in April in the major ANA Inspiration, she broke through in May with three straight victories. She won the Women’s British Open in the event before the Olympics, and made it two-in-a-row on the tour Sunday in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies – blasting 2-irons and 3-woods off the driving holes on the tree-lined course.

South Korea’s Sei Young Kim, a two-time winner this year, was second after a 65.

South Korea’s In Gee Chun, the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open champion, was third at 18 under after a 69.

Canada’s Alena Sharp had the best result of her LPGA Tour career, birdieing the final two holes for a 67 to finish fourth at 16 under. Three-time champion Ko had a 69 to tie for seventh at 13 under.

Canadian star Brooke Henderson shot a 69 to tie for 14th at 11 under. The 18-year-old Henderson beat Ko in a playoff in June in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for her first major title, and successfully defended her Cambia Portland Classic title last month. She will play in her home province next week in the Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge, Ontario.

CALGARY – Ariya Jutanugarn wasn’t going to let two bogeys in her final three holes get her down.

The 20-year-old from Thailand still shot a solid round of 65 on Saturday to remain atop the leaderboard through three rounds of play at the CP Women’s Open.

“I’m feeling good,” said Jutanugarn, who sat alone in first place at 17 under, two shots clear of South Korea’s In Gee Chun. “I know I had two bogeys in the last three holes, but I still shot 5 under, so I feel good.”

Chun, who started the day three shots behind Jutanugarn, had three birdies on the front nine and three more on the back nine during her bogey-free round of 66 on the par-72, 6,622-yard Raven course layout at the Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club.

“I keep my eye on me,” said Jutanugarn when asked if Sunday’s final round will turn into a two-person race between her and Chun. “Tomorrow I really want to have fun and I really want to be happy on the course, that’s all I want tomorrow.”

Jutanugarn is currently No. 2 in the women’s world golf rankings behind New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and just ahead of Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont.

In just her second year on the LPGA tour, she’s already won four times, including a stretch of three tournament victories in a row in May.

“After I won my first tournament, I kind of know how I play under pressure, so I know when I get really excited what I have to do,” she said.

South Korea’s Sei Young Kim carded a round of 68 to pull into a tie for third at 12 under with Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow, who shot 69.

“I started off great and then kind of had a little lull in the middle, but I hung in there,” said Meadow. “That’s what golf if about. You just keep fighting and hope for the best score at the end.”

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp bounced back from bogeying the second hole with six birdies to shoot a solid round of 67.

“It started off kind of ugly,” said Sharp, who moved into a five-way tie for fifth place with Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist along with Ha Na Jang, Amy Yang and Chella Choi, all from South Korea.

“I was not hitting it well the first nine holes, but I hung in there. I think that’s something that’s gotten better with my game is when it’s not good, I realize, ‘OK, just keep grinding away, it’s going to change,’ and the last six holes were great.”

Henderson shot her second straight round of 4-under 68 to move into a six-way tie for 21st spot at 8 under along with fellow Canadian Maude-Aimee Leblanc, of Sherbrooke, Que.

“I felt way better today and I think feeling the energy from my massive crowds has definitely really helped that,” said Henderson. “Through bad shots and good shots, they’re supporting me and give me a little bit of extra energy and positive vibes. That’s really helped me the last two days.”

Nine shots off the lead, Henderson said she’s just going to try to shoot as low as she can on Sunday to see how far she can climb up the leaderboard.

“I’m hoping to get a top 10,” she said. “Hopefully I’ll get a little bit deeper under par tomorrow and see what happens.”

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee fell back into a tie for 47th spot at 4 under after shooting 1 over.

“I feel like I was a little slow today, made some good birdies and then made a big number,” said Lee, who’s playing in her first LPGA event as an amateur. “To finish on 18 today and hear the crowd cheer for me, it’s awesome. You have no idea how much support you have until you’re really here and you hear it.”

Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay shot 74 and is 1 over for the tournament heading into Sunday’s final round.

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Rickie Fowler kept bogeys off his card for the second straight day and closed with a 5-foot birdie putt for a 3-under 68, giving him a one-shot lead over Patrick Reed going into the final round of The Barclays.

Fowler has gone 45 holes without a bogey at Bethpage Black, the site of two U.S. Opens and among the toughest courses on the PGA Tour. Along with his three birdies Saturday, he made three par-saving putts of at least 10 feet, including one from 25 feet early in his round.

And he needed them all.

Reed overcame three bogeys in a four-hole stretch on the front nine and was tied for the lead on the back nine until the final two holes. Reed missed a 5-foot birdie putt on the 17th, and his 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole almost missed weakly to the right.

Fowler, who was at 9-under 204, now is in prime position to win for the first time on the PGA Tour in a year and play his way onto the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

This is the final tournament for Americans to earn one of the eight automatic spots for the Ryder Cup matches at Hazeltine at the end of next month. Fowler was at No. 12 going into the opening FedEx Cup event with its $8.5 million purse and needed at least a third-place finish to earn a spot.

His work is not done.

Reed, who is No. 8 in the Ryder Cup standings, settled into his round and wound up with a 71, putting him in the final group with Fowler. Right behind was Adam Scott, who also saw his share of putts go in, especially a 45-foot birdie on the 15th hole. Scott started out his round by holing a lob wedge from 98 yards for an eagle, and his 65 was the lowest score of the tournament.

Scott, who hasn’t seriously contended since his back-to-back victories in Florida five months ago, was two shots behind at 7-under 206. Martin Laird (69) and Emiliano Grillo (71) were three shots back, while Justin Thomas got into the game a 66 and was in the group at 5-under 208, which included defending champion Jason Day.

For Fowler, the timing could not have been better.

“It’s nice to finally see some putts go in,” Fowler said. “With a few putts going in, it frees up the rest of your game. I’ve been swinging well for a long time, and I’ve been waiting for the putter to catch up.”

Fowler won against a strong field in Abu Dhabi at the start of the year, and he lost a two-shot lead with two holes to play in the Phoenix Open. Since then, he hasn’t been much of a factor has his ranking _ in the FedEx Cup and the Ryder Cup _ began to plunge.

Not wanting to take a chance on being among the four captain’s picks, he has a chance Sunday to secure his spot for Hazeltine.

“It’s pretty simple,” Fowler said. “I’ve got to take care of business tomorrow. It’s been awhile since I’ve been in this position. It’s going to be tough tomorrow. We’re on one of the _ if not the _ toughest golf courses we play all year. It’s been a long time coming, and it’s going to be fun.”

Reed, dressed all in black on another scorching afternoon on Long Island, managed to escape with a bogey from a horrible lie right of the third green. He muffed a chip on the fifth hole and made bogey, then drove well right into a bunker and made another bogey on the sixth hole. He bounced back with a pair of birdies, and made all pars on the back nine. Considering the difficulty of the Black’s back nine, that was more than enough to stay in the game.

Scott can relate to how Fowler is feeling with the putter. He had no complaints with how he played tee-to-green, but he was getting aggravated with his putting. One good round, finally, changed his outlook.

“The front nine is the gettable nine, and to turn in 4 under set up my round,” Scott said. “I knew anything under par on the back, I would have a great round, and that was kind of my goal. I rolled a couple long ones in, and that felt good and kept the momentum going. Hopefully, something to build on for tomorrow and beyond.”

Day was hopeful of more than a 70 as the No. 1 player in the world tried to get into position. Birdies on the par 3s on the back nine helped atone for some wild tee shots, and he was still very much in the mix.

Jordan Spieth scrambled his way out of the rough and the sand. Spieth didn’t hit a fairway from the second hole until the 15th, yet he still played even par. But on the par-3 17th, he flubbed a chip and took double bogey, and a birdie on the final hole gave him a 72. He was six shots behind.

CALGARY – No driver, no problem for Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn.

Despite not carrying a driver in her bag, Jutanugarn shot a bogey-free 8-under 64 on Friday to move atop the leaderboard through two rounds of play at the CP Women’s Open.

“I hit my tee shots pretty good and I was calm on every shot, so I feel good,” said the 20-year-old Bangkok native, who’s alone in first place at 12 under after carding eight birdies on the Raven course of the Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club.

“Honestly, I don’t think it suits with my game. To me, it’s a little bit narrow and I can’t hit my driver.”

Not having the big stick didn’t cause any problems for Jutanugarn, who hit 14-of-14 fairways on Friday using either her 3-wood or 2-iron.

“Sometimes I feel more confident with my irons, so I feel like this one I’ve got to make sure it’s in the fairway, so it’s good enough,” said Jutanugarn, who is currently No. 2 in the Rolex women’s world golf rankings behind New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and just ahead of Brooke Henderson from Smiths Falls, Ont. “I mean some weeks I use my driver if it’s wide enough and if I need the distance, but this week I don’t need that.”

South Korea’s In Gee Chun birdied the 17th hole before draining a nine-foot putt for eagle on the 18th to shoot a 5-under 67.

“I had three bogeys today, but it was a really good finish on the 18th hole,” said Chun, whose two-day total of 9 under has put her in striking distance of accomplishing what she set out to do at the start of the four-day tournament. “My goal is top three this week, so I can try.”

Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow followed up her round of 66 on Thursday with a 69 on Friday to pull into a tie with Chun for second spot.

Ko also shot 69 to put her in a five-way tie for fourth spot with Sei Young Kim, Hyo Joo Kim, Mi Jung Hur and Chella Choi, all of whom hail from South Korea.

“I played pretty solid the past few days,” said Ko, who has won the Canadian Open in three of the past four years including last year at the Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C. “There’s still a lot of golf to be played. Right now I feel like I’m playing solid, so it’s a good position going into the weekend.”

Choi finished up the final four holes of her first round early on Friday morning after play was suspended the night before due to darkness. She had the first round lead of 7-under 65, but fell out of top spot after shooting 71 during her second trip around the par-72, 6,622-yard layout.

Thailand’s Budsabakorn Sukapan shot 66 in Round 2 and is tied for ninth spot at 7 under with South Korea’s Amy Yang, Norway’s Suzann Petterson and a pair of Japanese golfers in Sakura Yokomine and Ai Miyazato.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc, of Sherbrooke, Que., sank a long putt from off the green on the 18th hole to finish her second round with an eagle.

“I know the greens are super fast, so I just know I had to roll it on the green and then the green was going to do the rest,” said Leblanc. “Fortunately I did the job and it’s a good way to finish.”

After carding her second straight score of 69, Leblanc is in a tie for 14th spot at 6 under with five other golfers including Hamilton’s Alena Sharp.

“It’s always good to see the Canadian flag on the leaderboard no matter where we are, but definitely this week,” said Sharp. “I know in the past we’ve done well as a group, the Canadians, so it’s nice to see halfway through we’ve got some people up there. Hopefully we can continue it on the weekend.”

Canada's @AlenaSharp on her solid year, nerves and more after Rd. 2 of the #CPWO.https://t.co/vugZY6UncJ

— CP Womens Open (@cpwomensopen) August 27, 2016

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee followed up the 69 she shot in Round 1 with a 70 to put her in a tie for 20th place at 5 under, one shot ahead of Henderson, who carded a respectable round of 4-under 68.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” said Lee, who’s playing in her first LPGA event as an amateur. “These past two days have been really fun, incredible ? just a great experience. It’s been a bonus on top of that to play well.”

Quite the #LPGA debut for @JaclynLee57. @TheGolfCanada Am. Team member member is 5-under thru 36 holes at the #CPWO.https://t.co/YwQqY255E4

— CP Womens Open (@cpwomensopen) August 26, 2016

Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay was the only other Canadian to qualify to play on the weekend as her two-day total of 1 under put her right on the cut line with a host of other players.

Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham along with Brittany Marchand, of Orangeville, Ont., and Jessica Wallace of Langley, B.C., all finished at even par to miss the cut by one shot.

While I remain confused and dismayed that the LPGA has not re-designated the CP Women’s Open as a major, I do agree with LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan’s assessment of this week’s tournament at Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club near Calgary, Alta.

“Someone asked me in Rio, “How do you go from the Olympics to a regular Tour event?,” Whan said earlier this week.  His response: “We’re going to have 30 countries in the field at the CP Open … so we’re going to put on another version of the Olympics this week.”

Unlike him, I might have taken umbrage at his questioner’s offhand reference to “a regular Tour event,” because the CP Women’s Open is anything but. A major from 1979 to 2000, the championship now has a reputation that—not just in my mind but those of other observers and participants—rivals or exceeds the majors.

Aside from the impressive international component, consider that its US$2.25-million purse is the highest of any non-major on the LPGA Tour and that 95 of the top 100 golfers in the world committed to the event. It routinely features one of the best, if not the best, field of any LPGA event, including the majors. Ponder the enthusiastic comments of the players, the caddies and the spectators about the amenities, the organizational and logistic excellence, the quality of the courses, and the hospitality.

Much of that can attributed to the vision of one man, Hunter Harrison. As CEO of Canadian National Railway in 2006, he partnered his company with Golf Canada to sponsor the championship after BMO ended its support. In 2013, Harrison had moved to head up Canadian Pacific and, in turn, when CN ended its title sponsorship, Harrison persuaded CP to step in.

(Having said that, CN has continued its generous support of an entire suite of national junior and related development programs including CN Future Links, CN Future Links Championships, CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge and more.)

“Hunter has always emphasized that every touch point has to be perfect,” says Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “His attitude is that this is the most important women’s golf event in the world and he expects everyone involved to buy into that philosophy. Obviously, it’s worked.”

Another “major” aspect of the CP Women’s Open is the commitment to charity.

This year, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation is the official charity beneficiary and all funds raised through the tournament will support pediatric cardiac care and research at the hospital. The goal is to raise at least $1.2 million, which seems reachable based on the fact that $2.3 million was raised in total in 2014 and 2015.

In total over the past 10 years of CN and CP sponsorship, more than $15 million has been donated to health-related charities across Canada through our women’s Open.

Although Harrison has announced his retirement, to be succeeded next year by COO Keith Creel, CP’s sponsorship is in place through 2018. Next year’s tournament will take place at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club and it is widely speculated that Regina’s Wascana Country Club will play host in 2018.

CALGARY – Stephanie Meadow didn’t mind the inclement weather conditions during the first round of the CP Women’s Open Thursday.

After a lightning delay that lasted nearly three hours, Meadow didn’t miss a beat as she birdied her final two holes to take the clubhouse lead at 6-under 66 before play was eventually suspended because of darkness.

South Korea’s Chella Choi, who teed off with the afternoon group, is 7 under through 14 holes and will have to finish her first round Friday morning. Karine Icher joined Meadow at 6 under through 14 holes and will also finish Round 1 Friday morning.

Golfers also had to battle windy, rainy and chilly conditions, which Meadow often endured while growing up in Jordanstown, Northern Ireland.

“My caddie always jokes that when it’s windy I always play great, so I guess that’s kind of my deal,” said Meadow, who had seven birdies and one bogey on Thursday. “Being from Ireland, that’s just part of it.

“It’s nice to know that I can play in those conditions. I’ve done it a lot, even though it’s when I was little, but I’ve still done it and scored, so I know I can do it.”

Choi and Icher return to the course at 7:15 a.m. MST on Friday along with 52 other golfers to finish their rounds.

The group tied for fourth at 67 includes Lydia Ko, the Olympic silver medallist from New Zealand, who is No. 1 in the Rolex women’s world golf rankings.

“I played solid – birdied the first hole straight off the bat, so when you make a birdie in the first round on the first hole, it gives you good momentum,” said Ko, who has won the CP Women’s Open in three of the past four years including last year at The Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C., when she beat American Stacy Lewis in a playoff.

South Korea’s Mirim Lee held the early lead of 5 under through 13 holes when players were shuttled off the course due to lightning in the area at 11:44 a.m.

When play resumed nearly three hours later at 2:40 p.m., Lee bogeyed the 14th hole before bouncing back with a birdie on 15 and three straight pars to card a score of 67.

Mi Jung Hur, also of South Korea, then birdied the 18th hole just after Lee signed her scorecard to pull into a tie for the lead.

“I was here about seven years ago and I have good memories,” said Hur, who finished in a tie for 16th the last time the Canadian Open was held in Priddis in 2009. “But this year the conditions are super nice. The greens are super fast. I think this is the fastest greens I’ve ever had on the Tour.”

Ko finished her round of 67 a short time later, while Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn also moved into a tie for fourth after getting to 5 under through 14 holes before play was suspended.

Brooke Henderson, the 18-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont. who is No. 3 in the Rolex rankings, was scheduled to tee off at 1:31 p.m., but didn’t hit her first shot until nearly three hours later.

Through 15 holes, Henderson sat in a tie for 46th spot with a host of other golfers at 1 under.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was one of the golfers who started in the afternoon and was also able to finish her round. She carded a score of 4-under 68 and is tied as the top Canadian with Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee, an amateur who ended the night at 4 under through 13 holes.

Maude-Aimee LeBlanc, of Sherbrooke, Que., also had a solid round in the afternoon of 3-under 69.

Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham and Jessica Wallace, of Langley, B.C., were the top Canadians after the morning round as both shot scores of 2-under 70.

“It was up and down,” said Lee-Bentham, who bogeyed her final hole. “I had two three-putts today. It’s a little frustrating because the greens are tough here but overall it was a solid round.”

Playing in her last LPGA event, Bentham will retire at the age of 24 after the tournament. She’s been playing the Symetra Tour, the official developmental golf tour of the LPGA Tour, where uncertainty and expenses have caused her to rethink her future, including a possible return to school.

The $2.25-million CP Women’s Open was last held in Priddis, southwest of Calgary, in 2009 and runs through Sunday. The purse includes $337,500 for the winner.

CALGARY – Brooke Henderson is the face of Canadian golf. Lydia Ko is a big hit, too – and every bit as comfortable.

“I feel when I come to Canada, it feels a lot like New Zealand, feels a lot like home,” Ko said Wednesday, a day before the start of play in the CP Women’s Open. “Just even how they say ‘eh’ at the end of sentences. A lot of people back at home say ‘eh,’ too. … Everyone has just been super welcoming, and I think that’s the thing about it. ”

The 18-year-old Henderson had a large crowd for her pro-am round at Priddis Greens.

“Having Canadians and people from all over the world kind of celebrate this national championship is really cool,” Henderson said. “Even this morning, I teed off at 8 in a pro-am, and there were people following me right from the start. My gallery kind of grew throughout the day, and as I finished, that was probably the longest autograph session that I’ve ever had.”

The top-ranked Ko has won the event three of the last four years, the first two as an amateur. The New Zealander won in 2012 at Vancouver Golf Club at 15 years, 4 months to become the LPGA Tour’s youngest winner and fifth amateur champion. She successfully defended her title in 2013, winning by five strokes in Edmonton. Last year back at Vancouver as a pro, she beat Stacy Lewis in a playoff.

The 19-year-old Ko has four LPGA Tour victories this season, winning the ANA Inspiration in April for her second major title.

Lydia Ko's pre-tournament interview at the #CPWO.https://t.co/wCLUf0QMsW

— CP Womens Open (@cpwomensopen) August 25, 2016

“Lydia is truly amazing,” Henderson said. “She’s an inspiration to me and I think everybody that knows her.”

Henderson beat Ko in a playoff in June in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for her first major title, and successfully defended her Cambia Portland Classic title in early July.

“She’s not afraid to be out in front,” veteran Canadian player Lorie Kane said. “I truly respect the way she plays in that she’s accepting of what happens and she moves past it. I’ve had enough time to play with her to see she’s got all kinds of game. She swings a very big driver a very long way and I’m extremely proud of her.”

Ko was second last week in the Rio Olympics, five strokes behind winner Inbee Park.

“It’s definitely a quick turnaround, but this is one of our best tournaments on our tour schedule, so even the girls that were in Rio I think we’re all excited to be here,” Ko said. “Last week, the course was a little bit like sand belt with a little bit of British flair. This is a bit more traditional. … It’s firm and fast. Last week, we were wearing shorts. This week, we’re wearing sweaters.”

Henderson tied for seventh in Rio.

“Rio was kind of just a sixth major on the LPGA Tour,” Henderson said. “Of course, there was lots of other things going on. … It was cool, but the end of the day it was just four rounds of golf, regular stroke play individual that we do every single week, playing against the same players we play against every week.”

Brooke Henderson's pre-tournament interview at the #CPWO.https://t.co/3EUb6STfff

— CP Womens Open (@cpwomensopen) August 25, 2016

Ko and Henderson are on opposite sides of the draw. Ko will open play Thursday morning on the 10th tee with Jessica Korda and Sei Young Kim, and Henderson will start on No. 1 in the afternoon with Gerina Piller and Amy Yang.

Kane, at 51, is making her record-tying 26th straight appearance in the event. The four-time LPGA Tour winner is being inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“I’m proud of myself. I’ve accomplished some things that I never thought would have been possible,” Kane said. “To think in 20 years what I have achieved – the four wins? It took me a long time to win the first one and then the next three came pretty quickly after that.”

Kane will match the tournament record for consecutive starts set by Hollis Stacy.

Suzann Pettersen won the 2009 tournament at Priddis Greens.

The tour will remain in Canada next week for the Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge, Ont., with Pettersen the defending champion.

In Lorie Kane’s opinion, anyway, this is one head-to-head match-play duel she can never, ever win.

“I owe golf,’’ she is saying, with utter certainty, “a whole lot more than it owes me. Someone once asked me: ‘What do you love about golf?’ I answered: ‘What it’s afforded me to do.’

Golf helped shape the person I am. I don’t think I’m this Lorie Kane without the game.”

The flip-side argument being that golf in this country wouldn’t be what it is without Lorie Kane, either.

During the CP Women’s Open this week at Priddis Greens, a solid five-iron outside of Calgary, the Charlottetown native will be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, joining fellow 2016 inductees writer/commentator Bob Weeks and two-time men’s national amateur champion Warren Sye.

So let her protest; to her heart’s content, in fact. Quibble away. This particular tribute has for a while now shaped up as a slam-dunk.

Because it’s not a stretch to argue that for an entire generation of aspiring female golfers aiming of the stars, Lorie Kane has come not only to represent, but to symbolize their game in this country, stem to stern, tip to tip. The way Jocelyne Bourassa or Sandra Post did for preceding eras.

“I feel she’s the continuation of torch passing,’’ says Post, chair of the Hall’s selection committee. “We have a wonderful history of women’s golf in this country. I first think of Ada (Mackenzie), Marlene Streit, then in the late ‘60s we move from amateurs to professional. There was Jocelyn Bourassa, myself, Coe Jones and Lisa Walters. We passed it along nicely. Then we passed it nicely to Lorie.”

“Golf Canada does such a great job of giving amateurs, giving young people, the chance to get better, added Post. “Whether that’s through coaching or advice or travel. They’re really extremely generous. But there are still a lot of rungs you have to climb to get to the top rung.

“Now we have there’s Brooke (Henderson), of course, to continue the tradition.”

“Considering Lorie started so late, the length of time she played on Tour is amazing. I don’t see that happening much anymore, that late bloomer. She’s different in that way. Didn’t have much of an amateur career. It didn’t come easy. She really had to battle. And now she’s heading out on the senior tour. She’s hung in there. It’s not easy to play a long time on the LPGA Tour; it’s not easy to win on the LPGA Tour. And she’s done it all with a smile. So I’d say it’s been a very good, very successful, very kind legacy.”

The credentials are by now familiar, and impeccable: Those 10 professional wins, four arriving on the LPGA Tour, the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as this country’s top female athlete in 2000, the Order of Canada honour six years later.

It’s been quite the journey – from Charlottetown to the grand theatres of the game.

“I’m generally not somebody who spends much time reflecting on where she’s been,’’ reasons Kane. “I try very hard to stay where I am and to think about where I’m going. But when Sandra contacted me to tell me I’d been given the honour of being inducted, and inducted into this year’s group – Bob Weeks is a very good friend, who’s done a lot for golf, and then Warren – I’d be foolish to tell you I didn’t start reflecting on the past and where I’d come from. It’s pretty cool.”

“I sometimes think Hall of Fame as being something at the end. I’m far from the end but things are changing. My relationship with CP has allowed me to do a whole lot more than I ever would’ve done if I’d never met (longtime Canadian Pacific Railway executive) Hunter Harrison. He not only changed my life but women’s golf. Let’s face it, Chairman Brown at DuMaurier, when they pulled in the rules that we couldn’t sponsor anymore, golf was in the tank.”

Kane is spot on in thinking of herself as quintessential Canadian, having learned the game here, developed her skills here, before moving out onto its grandest stage and leaving an imprint.

“I didn’t play college golf. I’m probably one of the most non-traditional athletes imaginable in how I got to where I am. I’ve represented our country on several occasions. I met my coach, Jack McLaughlin, in 1988, when I wasn’t sure what I would be doing. I knew I wanted to play professional sport. I didn’t know it was going to be golf. I’ve had so many wonderful people help me along the way; that believed in me.”

“So now, to be in the Hall, with the great athletes we have on the golf side, is really neat.”

Her 11-under-par, three-stroke victory over American Kristi Albers at the 2000 Michelob Light Classic at the Fox Run Golf Club in Eureka, Missouri, proved to be Lorie Kane’s breakthrough moment.

From there, she’d top the leaderboard at the New Albany Classic, again in 2000 (a season she won nearly $2 million and had nine seconds and 34 Top 10 finishes), then the Mizuno Classic and Takefuji Classic a year later.

No one could’ve possibly foreseen it at the time, naturally, but that fourth and final LPGA triumph – she’d come agonizingly close afterwards, losing in playoffs in each of the next three seasons – would be Canada’s last until Brooke Henderson at the Cambia Portland Classic, a full 14 years later.

“The first one,’’ Kane reflects, “was the important one but I’d be lying to say it’s the one that stands out. I vividly remember the chances that came before, and being so close without winning, deep-down wondering if I was ever going to be able to get … there. You always remember the struggles, right?”

“I love hockey. Absolutely love it. And I remember Mark Messier saying: ‘Winning is an attitude.’ I ran with that for a full week (at the Michelob). I said to myself: ‘I’m responsible for that. I’m responsible for my attitude.’ And it pushed me over the line. That win in St. Louis opened up such great opportunities.”

Sandra Post was, of course, the first Canadian to play on the LPGA Tour. Also the first to win multiple times in a season, and the last before Lorie Kane.

“It all starts with winning,’’ reminds Post. “If you don’t win, you don’t get the chance for the nice stuff. (For Hall consideration) you have to win nationally but you also to win internationally. You go from there. You can say all the other great things about Lorie, and there are so many – but the attention that comes with winning is what puts it all in motion. You can’t do all the great outside things Lorie has done for golf unless you’ve got a pretty good game. And she has that.”

More than the achievements, though, what Kane will be celebrating on induction day are the people who’ve aided one of the great careers in Canadian golf. The late Jack McLaughlin. Hunter Harrison. Bourassa. Danny Sharp, caddy for virtually her entire pro career. The mentors, the colleagues, the champions, and most importantly the friends and family who supporter her along the way.

“Any time you stand up in front of your peers and 1) have to make sure you don’t forget anybody and 2) celebrate this with the people who’ve made an impact in your life,’’ is the frank admission, “well, it can be a little nerve wracking.”

Small smile. “But nothing I can’t handle.”

She’s handled it all so well, from Charlottetown to Glen Abbey, to Oakville, Ont., and the Hall of Fame.

“Nobody,’’ Lorie Kane repeats emphatically, “is bigger than the game. I hope what I’ve brought to it is a smile, hard work, sharing. Coming from our smallest province, I had five golf courses to play on when I was starting. Now there’s 29. Golf is important to Prince Edward Island, the Atlantic provinces and the country as a whole.”

“If my success has in any small way helped that growth, any growth, that’s nothing more than my job, giving back what I took from the game. I’m just so, so thankful to golf.”

Whether the lady is up to admitting so or not, the feeling is entirely mutual.

Connaissez-vous un arbitre dans la Ligue nationale de hockey dont l’objectif est de réussir le tour du chapeau?

Tel est le défi cette semaine de Garrett Rank, un des participants au Championnat canadien mid-amateur masculin disputé au Golf Château-Bromont.

Rank y va pour l’exploit de remporter un troisième titre national de suite chez les 25 ans et plus.

Un Ontarien d’Elmira âgé de 28 ans, Rank compte plusieurs intéressantes histoires dans le sport et aussi dans la vie ou plutôt… la survie.

PROMOTION DANS LA LNH

Commençons par sa très bonne nouvelle du mois dernier. Juste avant de participer à l’Omnium canadien RBC, il apprenait sa promotion comme officiel à temps plein dans la LNH.

Après avoir fait la navette dans Ligue américaine l’hiver dernier, on lui a annoncé qu’il serait assigné un peu plus de 70 matchs l’hiver prochain dans le circuit Bettman.

« Cela adonne que je suis un golfeur décent qui a un très bon travail qui lui permet de jouer beaucoup au golf l’été », déclare-t-il.

Rank parle avec humilité : il appartient à la catégorie d’élite.

Il s’est qualifié pour les rondes finales de l’Omnium, à Glen Abbey à la fin juillet pour terminer 77e, ce qui représente un tour de force pour un amateur auprès des as de la PGA.

Malgré son habilité estival, pas question d’abandonner le sifflet. Membre de l’équipe de golf au Canada aux Jeux panaméricains l’été passé (il avait fini 15e), il est dans les rangs amateurs pour le demeurer.

« J’adore mon emploi. Je suis chanceux d’avoir le temps pour mon golf », affirme-t-il très fier avec raison de cette graduation dans les ligues majeures.

SURVIVANT DU CANCER

Après la jeune phénomène Brooke Henderson en raison de son immense talent, Garrett Rank est probablement le nom qui a le plus défrayé les manchettes au golf canadien en raison de son parcours.

En plus de très nombreux médias au pays, Golf Digest lui a consacré une entrevue.

En 2011, Rank a été diagnostiqué du cancer des testicules.

« La maladie m’a rendu une personne plus patiente et reconnaissante », admet-il avec le recul du temps et la rémission.

Parmi ses autres réussites en août, ajoutons sa qualification au tableau principal du Championnat amateur des États-Unis à Detroit la semaine passée. Il a réussi un top dix (9e à -3) au Championnat canadien amateur masculin à Royal Ottawa remporté par Hugo Bernard.

Après Bromont où le championnat « mid-am » se terminera vendredi, Garrett Rank délaissera la compétition.

Puisqu’il faut bien payer les comptes un moment donné, notre golfeur-chevalier du sifflet doit entreprendre de façon intensive sa préparation en prévision de sa saison de hockey.

Il ne rangera toutefois pas son équipement de golf très loin de ses patins.

« Il est possible que je traîne mes bâtons l’hiver dans les villes au climat plus clément où je serais appelé à travailler », termine-t-il.

Pourquoi pas!