Blainville, Que. – Brad Adamonis’ T-1 finish at the RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier wasn’t the only no. 1 the Cumberland, Rhode Island, native posted on Monday.

A hole-in-one on the 175-yard, par 3 10^th hole at Club de Golf Le Blainvillier in Blainville, Que., highlighted Adamonis’ round of a 2-under-par 69, as he and 10 others advanced to the Final Qualifier taking place on June 6, at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ont.

Kevin Gordon, of Whitby, Ont., also carded a 2-under-par 69, matching the low score of the day in a starting field that featured 84 players.

Since there were less than 100 competitors at the Quebec regional event, there was no playoff needed to determine an outright winner, who otherwise would have received an exemption directly into the 2022 RBC Canadian Open.

Adamonis, a one-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour, walked up to the tee on 18 needing only a par to secure the low qualifier honours, but a bogey on his final hole of the day opened the door for Gordon who subsequently capitalized on the opportunity.

Gordon, in his own right, was firing on all cylinders in the early stages of his round, holing two birdies and an eagle to start, but fought the course down the stretch with a pair of bogeys on the back nine, to finish tied atop the leaderboard.   

Brandon Lacasse was one of two Quebec natives, alongside Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Hugo Bernard, to qualify out of his home province on Monday. After back-to-back bogeys on the front nine, Lacasse battled back, firing a 2-under 33 on his final nine holes of the day, to finish at even par on the round.

“After the front nine, I knew I needed to go low coming in to have a chance, so I’m proud of the way I turned things around today,” said the 24-year-old, Lacasse. “For now, the focus is on the tournaments in front of me, but I’m excited to play in the Monday Qualifier in June,” he added.

The breakdown of the Quebec qualifier goes as follows: seven players from Ontario, one from Quebec, one from British Columbia, and two based out of the United States.

Étienne Brault, who qualified for the RBC Canadian Open through the Quebec qualifier and then the Final Monday Qualifier in 2019, missed today’s cut by one stroke.

The 18-hole qualifier at Le Blainvillier was the first of four regional qualifiers taking place across the country. The second qualifier takes place at Meadow Gardens Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C. on Tuesday, May 17 and the third regional qualifier is at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont. on Wednesday, May 18. For the first time, a fourth regional qualifier will take place in Calgary, Alta. at Mickelson National Golf Club on Monday, May 30. 

A minimum of four players from the 18-hole stroke play Final Qualifier on June 6 will gain entry into the RBC Canadian Open field.

The full leaderboard can be found here.

One of the hottest golfers on the planet is sure to be a fan-favourite at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto as world no. 4 Cameron Smith will compete in the 2022 RBC Canadian Open.

Competing in his third RBC Canadian Open, the 28-year-old Aussie is having a stellar season with five top-10 finishes including victories at The Players Championship and the Sentry Tournament of Champions in addition to a T3 finish at the Masters. Currently ranked no. 3 on the 2022 FedEx Cup, Smith is a 5-time winner on the PGA TOUR.

“I’ve heard how much positive momentum there is for the return of the RBC Canadian Open. I’m actually pretty excited to get back to Canada for the first time since 2017 and keen to play St. George’s, which I hear is one of the top courses in the country,” said Smith. “Similar to back home in Australia, Canada’s golf fans seem really passionate and I’m looking forward to heading up Toronto in June to compete in their National Open.”

Internationally, Smith is a two-time winner of the Australian PGA Championship, was a member of the International Team at the 2019 President’s Cup and competed for Australia at the 2020 Olympic Games.

Smith joins a strong field that includes defending champion and world no. 7 Rory McIlroy, world no. 1 and reigning Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, and world no. 11 Dustin Johnson along with other members of Team RBC.

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the RBC Canadian Open is set to return June 6-12 with an exciting field expected at St. George’s Golf and Country Club this summer. Nearby Islington Golf Club will serve as the official practice facility for the championship.

A full Canadian contingent will also celebrate the return of the RBC Canadian Open led by world no. 32 Corey Conners, past PGA TOUR winners Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor as well as fellow PGA TOUR members Taylor Pendrith, Adam Svensson, Michael Gligic and Roger Sloan.

Winnipeg native Aaron Cockerill, currently ranked no. 32 on the DP World Tour, has been given a tournament exemption to compete in the 2022 RBC Canadian Open. Additional Canadian player exemptions will be named in the coming weeks.

More field announcements are set for the coming weeks, along with the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series on both Friday and Saturday nights featuring Flo Rida (June 10) and Maroon 5 (June 11).

Tickets for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open are available here.

Golf Canada announced today that Salimah Mussani has been promoted from Assistant Coach and named as Women’s Head Coach for Team Canada. Mussani will oversee the development of Canada’s top female amateur and professional golfers with the objective of increasing the number of Canadian players on the LPGA Tour.

“I am extremely honoured and grateful to have this opportunity to lead our women’s program into this next phase,” said Mussani. “Having the opportunity to help our country’s top female golfers achieve their dreams and succeed is a blessing. “I am looking forward to working together with everyone who is involved in the development of our players on their journey to the LPGA Tour.”

Mussani assumes the Women’s Head Coach position after serving as Assistant Coach under Tristan Mullally, who transitioned into the role of National Talent Identification Director as part of Golf Canada’s enhancement to its player development program.

A two-time Ontario Junior champion and two-time Canadian Junior champion, Mussani brings a wealth of competitive experience having been a key member of a NCAA runner-up golf team at Stanford University before competing as a professional on the Epson and LPGA Tours, as well as the (former) Canadian Women’s Tour. Mussani is a former PGA of Canada Women’s champion and winner on the Epson Tour and (former) Canadian Women’s Tour. Mussani has held assistant coaching roles with Stanford University, University of British Columbia, and Team Canada. Originally from Burlington, Ont., Mussani is a PGA of Canada class “A” professional  who now resides in Vancouver.

Jennifer Greggain of Chilliwack, B.C. joins Mussani on the coaching staff of Team Canada as a full-time Associate Coach, transitioning from her current role as Assistant Coach for the National Junior Squad. A former LPGA Tour player with 22 years of professional golf experience, Greggain previously served as a Provincial Coach for British Columbia Golf and as the Assistant Coach for Team Canada.

“I am incredibly excited to work alongside Salimah as we lead our women’s program into the future. We are both very passionate about Canadian women’s golf and feel well-prepared to help Canada pursue its player development goals,” said Greggain.

Mussani and Greggain will support an expanded women’s roster of Team Canada athletes that includes eight players on the Amateur Squad as well as five players on the Young Pro Squad. 

“We are excited about the leadership that Salimah and Jennifer will provide for our women’s program. In addition to enhancing the performance of Canada’s best amateur and professional players, they will create a supportive and communicative culture that prioritizes overall wellbeing for our Canadian women during their journeys to the LPGA tour,” said Golf Canada High Performance Manager Emily Phoenix.

Golf Canada’s High-Performance program builds on the support that Canadian athletes have received in their development years from their family, member clubs, personal coaches, university programs and provincial golf associations. In addition to Golf Canada Foundation and the generosity from the major donor Trustee program, Golf Canada’s High-Performance Program and Team Canada are proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific, Audi, Titleist, FootJoy, COBRA PUMA GOLF, Foresight Sports, Heritage Canada, Bear Mountain Resort, Citi Canada (Young Pro) and the Canadian Olympic Committee. 

Kevin Blue doesn’t hesitate when asked to provide his best “elevator pitch” about the First Tee—Canada program. (An elevator pitch is a concise, easy-to-understand summary of a concept.)

“First Tee—Canada will provide a welcoming environment for kids from all Canadian backgrounds to learn golf and the associated life skills that go along with the sport,” says Blue, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer.

Since its unveiling in August 2020, First Tee—Canada’s purpose of “Building Game Changers” doesn’t only refer to the game of golf.

“First Tee introduces the game of golf and its inherent values to young people,” the program launch press release stated. “Through after-school and in-school programs, we help shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect and perseverance.

It’s long overdue, but golf has recently taken an assertive approach to increase equity and inclusivity in the game. First Tee—Canada focuses on creating welcoming introductory experiences to golf for youth, with particular emphasis on reaching communities that have been traditionally underrepresented in the sport. The possibilities are endless, and PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle is excited about it.

Thistle says First Tee—Canada provides PGA members with an incredible opportunity to “deliver this amazing platform to a diverse range of young golfers and to dispel many of the stereotypes that have traditionally been associated with golf. This (program) is the perfect vehicle because it aligns so perfectly with our association’s values.”

Harold Varner III, who recently finished in the top 25 in his Masters debut, is an ambassador for RBC Community Junior Golf in support of First Tee – Canada. RBC, in partnership with Golf Canada, will implement First Tee – Canada programming at municipal and publicly accessible golf courses across the country. First Tee locations supported by RBC Community Junior Golf are chosen with a purposeful lens, focused on building greater diversity and equity in golf, thus creating “hubs” of accessible public golf courses, schools, and community centres in underserved communities. 

“I understand the positive impact sport can have on a young person’s life. It can open doors and present opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be available,” said Varner.

Still, in its relative infancy, First Tee – Canada is rolling out gradually in communities across the country. The goal is to launch First Tee – Canada Chapters in every region of the country by the end of 2022 and to enroll 100,000 participants in First Tee programming by 2024. Current chapters in operation include British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

As with most nonprofit programs, expansion is dependent on funding. Since the program launched, more than $8M in pledges have been raised in support of First Tee – Canada including major chapter-founding gifts to jump-start the program.

“First Tee—Canada is funded largely through philanthropic contributions,” Blue emphasizes. “It is dependent on the generosity of individuals and companies. It’s really gratifying to see how many have stepped up because they believe in diversifying the sport.”

Since its inception in 1997 in the United States, First Tee has impacted more than 15 million young people through its character-building programs on golf courses, in schools and at youth-serving locations.

The network has grown to more than 150 chapters and more than 1,200 program locations across the U.S. as well as international chapters in Australia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco and now Canada.

While the all-encompassing program is centred around golf, that activity is just part of the experience aimed at strengthening character by teaching life skills that will last forever. These include understanding and managing emotions, resolving conflicts, setting up step-by-step goals, planning for their future, and appreciating diversity.

First Tee—Canada is open to youth of all ages and skill levels. Kids as young as five are welcome to participate. The goal is, after being introduced to the program, juniors will advance through various stages of the program up until 18, where they will begin to set goals around career and education.

First Tee programming will be delivered at schools, community centres, and golf courses with specifically designed curriculum and coach training for each of these environments. The PGA of Canada’s robust training framework ensures all Canadian coaches are well equipped to deliver First Tee.

First Tee—Canada may help develop better golfers in the future but, much more importantly, it will give us better people.

Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation continue to work with prospective donors who wish to support First Tee nationwide programming. For more information on First Tee—Canada, how to get involved or to donate, visit www.firstteecanada.ca

(ACTON – ON) – The PGA of Canada is pleased to announce the national championship schedule for the 2022 season. While the 2021 season saw all events condensed into the final few months of the summer due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are excited to return to spreading our events throughout the summer and fall months this season. 

The 2022 schedule is highlighted by the 100th playing of the BetRegal PGA Championship of Canada. With a list of champions that includes greats of the game like Arnold Palmer, Moe Norman and Lee Trevino, the 100th edition of the event is going to be a special celebration for the association and history of the tournament.

The 72-hole event will lead off our tournament season, June 20-24 at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ontario. The defending champion is Riley Fleming, who teaches out of Lynx Ridge Golf Club. 

From there, we will quickly move east to Bromont, Quebec, for the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada. Chateau Bromont will host the top professional and amateur women in the country June 28-July 1 for the 54-hole event. This is the first year that the PGA of Canada will run the event alongside our friends at Golf Quebec. Christine Wong, who teaches out of University Golf Club, is the defending champion. 

For the first time, in 2021, the Seniors’ Championship of Canada was held in conjunction with the BetRegal PGA Championship of Canada due to the condensed schedule. We are pleased that the top senior players aged 50 and up in Canada will have a standalone event this year. Supported by the event’s new presenting sponsor GOLFTEC, the 54-hole PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada is set for August 23-26 at Connaught Golf Club in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Last year’s event was won by tournament player Dennis Hendershott.  

The first of those two events is our final championship hosted on Canadian soil this year, as the 54-hole PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf is slated for September 11-14 at The Algonquin Resort in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. The 2021 event was won by Vespra Hills Golf Club Apprentice Professional Branson Ferrier. 

Finally, the top head professionals, head teaching pros, executive professionals, and general managers from across Canada will look forward to December sunshine as the Head Professional Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf with support from G&G Brands will be played at Verrado Golf Club – VICTORY COURSE in Buckeye, Arizona, December 5-8. The defending champion is Nick Kenney, Head Teaching Professional at The National Golf Club. 

Verrado Golf Club previously hosted the Head Professional Championship of Canada in 2015, when Danny King won by two strokes over James Skrypec. Participants this year are in for a new experience, as the 2015 event was held at the Founders Course at Verrado Golf Club, while this year’s event will be played on the VICTORY COURSE. 

Please note that as of 2019, the Board of Directors approved guidelines allowing female members to participate in the PGA, Seniors’, Assistants’ and Head Professional Championships from a yardage of 86-88% shorter than the other competitors.

“We are heading into this year’s national championships with a lot of momentum after successfully crowning champions at all of our events in 2021,” said PGA of Canada president Teejay Alderdice. “We are so thankful to all of the venues that have stepped up this year to host events. We have an incredible group of courses across Canada and the US that will allow us to find five more worthy champions.”

Registration for the championships will open in the coming weeks.

Today, RBC announced the first wave of publicly accessible golf courses selected to join RBC Community Junior Golf, a new initiative designed to build greater diversity and inclusivity in golf by creating affordable access to the sport for youth in underrepresented communities across Canada.

In partnership with Golf Canada, RBC Community Junior Golf will support the implementation of the First Tee – Canada and Youth on Course programs at municipal or publicly accessible golf courses, with the goal of engaging 15 facilities in 2022. The courses were selected based on accessibility to local public transit as well as proximity to community centres, with an intentional focus on regional and diverse representation.

By 2023, RBC Community Junior Golf is expected to engage more than 10,000 young people by delivering free First Tee programming, which teaches life lessons through the game of golf, as well as $5 Youth on Course green fees to select Canadian courses across the country.

RBC Community Junior Golf locations:

· Chedoke Golf Club – Hamilton, ON

· Club de Golf Municipal Dallaire – Rouyn-Noranda, QC

· Club de Golf Les Rivières – Trois-Rivières, QC

· Humber Valley Golf Course – Etobicoke, ON

· Legends on the Niagara – Niagara, ON

· Mill River Golf Course – Woodstock, PEI

· Peel Village Golf Course – Brampton, ON

· Tam O’Shanter Golf Course – Scarborough, ON

· Walter Gretzky Municipal Golf Course – Brantford, ON

· Whitewater Golf Club – Thunder Bay, ON

“As a long-standing supporter of golf and an advocate for youth, RBC is proud to bring RBC Community Junior Golf to life,” said Shannon Cole, Vice President, Brand Marketing, RBC. “We believe that sport has the power to build character, teach valuable life lessons, and provide opportunities for young people to grow, and we are excited to work with Golf Canada to provide First Tee and Youth on Course programming across the country.”

Canadian youth ages five to 18 years can benefit from programming at one of the ten participating golf courses. RBC Community Junior Golf participating facilities will work with community centres or schools in their local area to register youth participants. For more details, visit the RBC Community Junior Golf website: https://www.golfcanada.ca/rbcjrgolf.

Golf Canada is grateful to have a like-minded partner in RBC with a shared intentional focus to increase access to junior golf, especially for youth from backgrounds that historically have been underserved.

“The enthusiasm from RBC to advance the sport and provide funding to introduce the game to a diverse range of young golfers at municipal and especially publicly accessible facilities has been extraordinary,” said Kevin Blue, Chief Sport Officer, Golf Canada. “RBC Community Junior Golf will accelerate the delivery of First Tee programming across the country and with RBC’s support, golf will be a vehicle to foster life skills and positively impact Canadian youth from all backgrounds.”

PGA TOUR professional golfer and Team RBC ambassador Harold Varner III serves as an advisor for RBC Community Junior Golf and helped launch the initiative at Humber Valley Golf Course in Toronto – a participating location – last September. He was joined by youth from the Rexdale Boys and Girls Club, where he offered advice and guidance for reaching one’s potential both on and off the course. Learn more about the launch event and Harold’s and RBC’s vision at RBC Stories.

“RBC Community Junior Golf will give many kids who don’t currently have access, the opportunity to play golf and experience all of the benefits associated with the game,” said Harold Varner III, Team RBC ambassador. “I’ve always been passionate about introducing young people to golf, and I’m excited to champion this initiative that will provide youth across Canada with an equal opportunity to play the sport I love.”

One of the important ways RBC brings its Purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper to life is by empowering young people. RBC Future Launch is the bank’s $500 million commitment to help Canadian youth prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, including $50 million in focused funding to create meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for 25,000 BIPOC youth by 2025. In addition, through the RBC Heritage and RBC Canadian Open tournaments, RBC has helped raise over $35 million in support of local charities in Canada and the United States.

To learn more about RBC Community Junior Golf in support of First Tee and Youth on Course, visit golfcanada.ca/rbcjrgolf.

Golf Canada is proud to announce a new partnership with Johnsonville that will see the company become the Official Sausage Partner of Golf Canada and its two signature events – the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

The partnership positions Johnsonville as the exclusive supplier of sausage products – including their signature bratwurst – at Canada’s National Open Golf Championships beginning in 2022.

Spectators at the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open will also enjoy sampling new and sensational flavours from one of North America’s leading sausage brands at the Johnsonville Trailer within the Recipe Unlimited Fare Way food and beverage experience.

“We are very pleased to welcome Johnsonville’s globally renowned products as the Official Sausage Partner of the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open,” said John Sibley, Chief Commercial Officer of Golf Canada. “Golf fans will be treated to a premium food and sampling experience, and we look forward to this partnership enhancing the summer-fun festival vibe across our two flagship properties.”

Johnsonville has remained committed to excellence since its inception in 1945. For the 77-year-old organization, partnering with the National Sport Federation is an opportunity to showcase their signature products to an engaged golf audience at two of Canada’s premier sporting events.

“Our brand has always been one to bring family and friends together around good food and good times – at backyard barbeques and sporting events of all kind. We’re proud to bring golf fans our delicious Johnsonville bratwurst at Golf Canada events and serve as the official sausage of the CP Women’s Open and RBC Canadian Open” said Brad Martin, Managing Director of Johnsonville Canada.

The 2022 RBC Canadian Open will be held June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ont. with nearby Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. The CP Women’s Open will be contested August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

There could be a slightly different flavour to the International team at this year’s Presidents Cup. A hint of maple.

Canadian golfing great Mike Weir will be a captain’s assistant for the International team at the Presidents Cup for a third time this September. But for the first time ever there’s a strong possibility that up to three Canadian players will be joining Weir at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.

There has never been more than one Canadian player competing in a Presidents Cup.

“I played in five President Cups, and I was the only one on the team,” said Weir, who is 13-9-2 all-time at the event. “When (Adam Hadwin) made the team, he was the only one and when Graham DeLaet made the team he was the only one.

“In the past, there’s been two or three Australians who’ve been, two or three South Africans. It’ll be great to have two or three Canadians now.”

The International team will consist of the top eight players from the Presidents Cup International team points list, followed by four selections made by captain Trevor Immelman.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., is currently seventh on that list, making him an automatic selection. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., is 10th and Hadwin, of Abbotsford, B.C., is 13th, making them strong options as captain’s selections.

The team will be finalized after the BMW Championship, which finishes on Aug. 21. Points earned from the PGA Championship, which ends May 22, through to the BMW Championship will be given a 25 per cent premium.

The final rankings will be determined by the average points awarded in the qualifying period.

“Those points really go up at the PGA Championship so there’s an opportunity to move up,” said Weir. “It’d be great, you know, as a Canadian to have a couple of guys on the team.”

He added that part of the reasoning behind a captain’s selection is to consider which players will pair well together. The Canadians on the PGA Tour are known for practicing together before events and Conners and Hughes were teammates at Kent State and at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Not that they’d be an automatic pairing, but just even in the team room to have another familiar face would be would be good for Corey or Mac or Adam,” said Weir. “Let’s root them on and hopefully they finish the year strong and all three of them make it, hopefully.”

Kevin Blue, the chief sport officer for Golf Canada, is pulling for more than one Canadian to play at the Presidents Cup.

“We have a point of view that the players have achieved a lot as a group and we actually think that it’s going to serve as a springboard for even more significant achievement down the road,” said Blue. “It’s not to take anything away from the trail that these players have been blazing.

Golf Canada has the stated goal of having 30 players at the top levels of professional golf by 2032. There are a total of 12 Canadians that are regulars on the PGA or LPGA in the 2022 season. Read more here.

(April 21, 2022) – Canada’s National Open Golf Championships will welcome a new beer partner as Golf Canada has selected Sleeman Breweries and their premium portfolio of beers, led by Sleeman Clear 2.0, as the Official Beer of Golf Canada, the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

Through the partnership, Sleeman Clear 2.0, the fastest growing light beer in Canada, will be the flagship beer sold at Golf Canada’s two National Open Golf Championships. The iconic beer brand will also engage spectators with fun activations including a custom beer patio at both events as well as an exclusive dedicated VIP viewing area during the RBCxMusic Concert Series at the RBC Canadian Open featuring Flo Rida (June 10) and Maroon 5 (June 11).

“Watching world-class golf and enjoying a premium cold beer is a perfect compliment to celebrate summer festival season. We are thrilled to offer Canadian golf fans an outstanding, premium better-for-you beer in Sleeman 2.0 at the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open” said John Sibley, Chief Commercial Officer at Golf Canada. “Sleeman’s quality craftsmanship and proud Canadian identity are well aligned to deliver energy and brewing excellence to Golf Canada’s two signature events.”

As the third largest brewery in Canada, the Guelph, Ont. based Sleeman will work with Golf Canada to host an extraordinary Canadian golf audience with its portfolio of premium-brewed beer, led by Sleeman Clear 2.0.

“We are very excited about the partnership between Sleeman Clear 2.0 and Golf Canada.  It aligns so well with our shared Canadian heritage, commitment to excellence and the active lifestyle of Clear 2.0 drinkers,” said Dana Brochu, Director or Marketing at Sleeman Breweries. With its refreshing taste, low carbs and low calories, Sleeman Clear 2.0 is the perfect beer to help Canadian golf fans “2.0” their experience this summer at these two premier sporting events.”

As the National Sport Federation, Golf Canada will conduct the RBC Canadian Open June 6-12, 2022 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto Ont. with nearby Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. The CP Women’s Open, takes place August 22-28, 2022 at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

One year ago, almost to the day, Brooke Henderson entered the final round at the DIO Implant LA Open four shots back of the 54-hole lead. The Canadian opened with a 33 on the front nine thanks to three birdies and one bogey and hit her stride at the start of her final nine holes. A birdie on No. 11 gave her the outright lead, with two more carded on 12 and 14. A bogey on 17 cut her lead to two, and with a clutch par on the final hole, Henderson earned her 10^th career victory and first since the 2019 Meijer LPGA Classic.  

“I just came off a bogey on 17 and I knew 18, it’s a very difficult tee shot, even though it’s just a par 3, you definitely don’t want to be over on the left-hand side where I ended up being,” said Henderson. “I was able to get that up and down in that situation where Jess [Korda, the 54-hole leader] had hit it really tight and looked like she was going to make birdie so I needed to get up and down to avoid a playoff and get the win. So yeah, a lot of nerves, but happy I was able to get job done.”

Wilshire Country Club and the LA Open have embraced Henderson’s win, decking out the tunnel that connects the front and back nines with her image and pictures from her victory, thanks in part to mutual partner Sketchers. Henderson, who leads the Tour in Strokes Gained Total per round with 2.22, likes the challenge of this week’s host course, and is feeling refreshed after having to withdraw last week at the LOTTE Championship due to illness.

“You have to think your whole way around and you have to play smart. Even when you have a good plan, you have to execute the shots,” said Henderson, who ranked T5 in driving distance, T4 in greens in regulation and first in scrambling in Los Angeles last year. “It’s definitely going to challenge all parts of everybody’s game physically and mentally. I think that’s what makes this week fun, just that you know it’s going to be a fight from everybody.”

She’ll play alongside friend and World No. 1 Jin Young Ko, who was also in Henderson’s final grouping last year. The two will also be joined by 2022 LPGA Tour rookie and Epson Tour alum Maddie Szeryk, who replaced Jessica Korda in the field after the American withdrew due to injury on Wednesday. The two Canadians grew up playing on the National Team together, and Henderson said she was excited to be competing in a comfortable setting through the first two rounds.

“Hopefully all of us can hit really good spots and push each other to make a bunch of birdies and hopefully be in contention come the weekend,” said Henderson.