Defending champion Brooke Henderson shoots an electrifying 29 on the back nine to put the pressure on the leaders heading into Sunday at the CP Women’s Open.

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AURORA, Ont. – Watching Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Lorie Kane work the crowd at the CP Women’s Open, you’d have no idea she was coming off one of the worst performances of her pro career.

Kane was all smiles as she chatted with fans, shot promotional videos and watched some of the third-round action by a CP mini-train set up by the 12th tee at Magna Golf Club.

She struggled mightily in her record 29th career appearance at the tournament with an 87-80 scoreline that left her last in the 153-player field at 23-over-par 167.

“This is a humbling game,” Kane said. “It can take everything you’ve got and beat you up bad. But then you know, I get to come back, I have the fan support. That’s the part that I’m still amazed at – that people care.”

One of the most personable and engaging athletes going, Kane is a beloved figure in the Canadian golf community. She feels the support from fans at every turn when she plays in this annual tournament.

Kane said she still has the drive to test herself against the best players on the LPGA Tour and also enjoys giving back in her role as ambassador for the CP Has Heart community investment program.

“I’m probably on the back nine of playing regularly,” Kane said. “My relationship and my partnership with CP is extremely important to me. I’m hoping that I can continue to help them grow the heart health campaign and be a part of the CP Women’s Open until I probably don’t want to play.

“But next year, going to Shaughnessy (in Vancouver), is huge.”

Kane, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, plays a part-time competitive schedule that includes some Legends Tour stops. Despite the limited action, she was still surprised at her first-round struggles.

“I knew that I was going to be up against it a little bit,” she said. “I haven’t had many tournament rounds under my belt to date. I had an injury this past winter that stopped me from going down to Australia. I normally play six to eight weeks down there.

“I had low expectations but by no means did I think I would stumble like I did on Thursday.”

Kane went eight holes in a row with either a bogey or double-bogey in her opening round. She scored better on Friday despite hitting only five of 18 greens in regulation.

“It’s been a while since I’ve made it to the weekend,” she said. “I think the biggest thing for me is I don’t want to feel like I’m playing ceremonial golf because if I do that, then I’m taking up a spot. I want to be competitive and I want to give my best.

“Not only for myself but for Canadian Pacific because without the railway, women’s golf wouldn’t be where it is in this country.”

Kane, 54, is hoping to get more competitive rounds under her belt as she prepares for the Senior LPGA Championship in mid-October. She’ll likely play next week at the Cambia Portland Classic and also has pro-am and team events on her upcoming schedule.

“There’s golf being played and there’s competitive golf being played,” Kane said. “And I’ll tell you, the senior ladies are as competitive today as they (ever) were. Pat Bradley is stalking putts like she’s going to win the US Open. So the competition is fun.”

Kane has been the low Canadian at this tournament on nine occasions – eight outright and one tie – with her best result coming in 2001 with a third-place tie. It’s likely that she will receive exemptions to participate in the CP Women’s Open for as long as she wants to continue playing at the event.

Kane has 99 career top-10 finishes and has earned US$6.95 million since turning pro in 1993. She previously shared the tournament’s all-time appearance record with JoAnne Carner.

“I think if you ask any athlete, we’re always thinking forward,” Kane said. “We never go back, because you’re supposed to be living in the moment. I have revisited my accomplishments in my own little way and I’m proud of myself.

“But I’m also annoyed with myself that I can have days like I had on Thursday and even yesterday. I did clean some stuff up but still didn’t have my best. (But) yeah, I’m proud of what I’ve done.”

Learn about Titleist Golf Ball Education at the CP Women’s Open.

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ATLANTA – A storm delay at the Tour Championship slowed the momentum of Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas, right when they were starting to pull ahead in the chase for the $15 million FedEx Cup.

The final hour Friday showed how quickly it can change – and for Rory McIlroy, why no one is holding back in the season finale.

Koepka didn’t make a birdie on the back nine until the par-5 18th when he hit 5-iron from 239 yards to 8 feet behind the hole. He had to settle for a two-putt birdie, a 3-under 67 and a one-shot lead. Because he started the tournament at 7-under par as the No. 3 seed, he was at 13 under going to the weekend.

“The lead is always nice, so I’ll take that,” Koepka said. “The rain delay kind of killed any momentum I had. I didn’t feel like I had any good golf shots after the rain delay, but that’s part of golf. Everybody’s got to deal with the same thing.”

He was one shot ahead of Justin Thomas, who played his final 10 holes in 1 over for a 68, and McIlroy, who had a birdie-birdie finish.

And just not any birdie.

McIlroy, who trailed by four shots early on the back nine, sent his drive on the 18th hole so far to the right it brought the out-of-bounds practice range into play. He was fortunate to have his ball in dirt under a pine tree, leaving him 242 yards away. McIlroy decided to choke up on a 5-wood and slice it around a tree some 50 yards in front of him, then over the water and near the green.

It came out perfectly, landing in a tiny strip of grass behind bunkers. He got up-and-down for a 67 and was right where he needed to be.

“I felt comfortable doing it,” McIlroy said.

Xander Schauffele also made a late surge with a birdie-eagle finish, holing a 25-foot putt on the par-5 18th for a 69. He was two shots behind. Paul Casey had a 67 and was four shots behind at 9 under.

Giving McIlroy good vibes going into the weekend was the score no one sees. McIlroy and Casey are at 7-under 133 over two days, the best 36-hole score in the 30-man field. So he figures he’s doing something right with his game.

The scoring for the FedEx Cup underwent a radical change this year, with players in the highest position in the FedEx Cup getting a head start in relation to par. Thomas is the No. 1 seed and started at 10 under before a shot was even hit. Koepka began at 7 under, McIlroy started at 5 under and Schauffele was at 4 under.

The lowest score to par wins the FedEx Cup and its $15 million bonus.

McIlroy didn’t want to waste any chances, and all he saw from the woods was opportunity.

“I had a little gap,” he said. “Whenever you’re on my side of the tree, you could see what’s on the right-hand side. I obviously curved it a lot. I thought that if I flushed a 5-wood, it might be too long. So I really gripped down on it. In hindsight, I wish I hadn’t – might have got on the green.

“Made 4 off a bad tee shot, so I’m not complaining.”

Koepka ran off three straight birdies late on the front nine to tie Thomas for the lead, and then never got back on track after players returned to the range and headed back to the course. He missed the green from the 13th fairway and made bogey. He had to scramble for par from short of the 14th green, and behind the 17th green. But his tee shot found the 18th fairway, setting up the birdie he needed.

Thomas, who began the tournament with a two-shot lead and was tied at the top after his opening 70, quickly got his game back in order and went out in 32, tied with Koepka.

“It would be hard for me to say that it didn’t kind of stop my momentum because I was playing really flawlessly that front nine,” Thomas said. “The course was playing a little different after that delay. … For as much as I feel like I scored well on the front nine, just nothing got going on the back nine.”

He’s still one shot behind, and finally he has a leaderboard that makes sense to him.

Thomas said it was strange for him to see 10 under next to his name as he was starting out Thursday, and that he had a two-shot lead before hitting a shot.

“Today definitely felt more normal,” he said. “It felt like I was just trying to build a lead as opposed to yesterday.”

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., the lone Canadian in the field, shot 71 and sits 15th at 2 under.

Koepka will play in the final group with Thomas, the last two to win PGA Tour player of the year. McIlroy and Thomas have won the FedEx Cup two of the last three years. Schauffele won the Tour Championship two years ago and has yet to have a round over par in his 10 trips around East Lake.

Halfway through, and the FedEx Cup finale is really just getting started.

AURORA, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Defending champion Brooke Henderson shot a 3-under-par 69 Friday and heads into the weekend tied for third at the CP Women’s Open at Magna Golf Club.

Henderson, who is looking for her third LPGA Tour win of 2019, trails Nicole Broch Larsen by just three shots, who leads at 12-under through two rounds.

Larsen has a one-shot lead over world No. 1 Jin Young Ko. Ko already has three victories this season and has a sizable lead in the Rolex Player of the Year race.

Henderson made two birdies on her first nine holes Friday and added another on the back-nine. She didn’t have as clean a day off the tee as Thursday when she shot a 6-under 66 – hitting only eight of 14 fairways.

Winds at Magna Golf Club picked up Friday, but Henderson escaped unscathed with a bogey-free second-round.

“No bogeys is always great, so that’s a good feeling,” said Henderson. “I feel like I played pretty solid. Unfortunately, I didn’t get some of those closer looks for birdie. But, I still feel like I hit a lot of greens and my putting was good enough.”

At 9-under through two rounds, Henderson is tied with China’s Yu Liu and Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn.

On Red & White Day at the CP Women’s Open Henderson – clad in both colours, of course – had a throng of loyal Canadian followers hanging on to her every move at Magna Golf Club. She said the crowd support has been ‘amazing’ so far.

“So many people (here) early in the morning and late at night,” Henderson added. “It’s been awesome. It’s pretty special to have all these people out there following you around and cheering you on. Sometimes you just see a little kid smiling at you and wanting a high-five, and it takes you on out of the moment for a second. I feel like that’s good. Kind of brings you back to real life I guess you could say. They just have so much belief in you and I think that kind of inspires me a little bit.”

Henderson was one of two Canadians to make the cut, as AC Tanguay finished at 4-under and is T-25 heading into the weekend. After a tough stretch to open her round Friday – she went bogey-double-double on holes 4 thru 6 – Tanguay managed to right the ship.

“I didn’t feel like I did anything wrong. It just went wrong. It went south real quick,” she admitted. “But I knew I was hitting it well and really in a good place. I built so much momentum on the back nine and felt so much better over the ball today than yesterday, so I think I’m going to build on that for the weekend.”

Broch Larsen, meanwhile, said she played similarly to Thursday – where she shot another 66.

“I’m not flushing it, but I’m just playing kind of steady and getting away with my bad shots,” she said. “Today I made a couple good putts out there, which helps.”

Broch Larsen, of Denmark, was the 2015 Ladies European Tour Player of the Year. She hasn’t yet won on the LPGA Tour, but did win the 2016 Symetra Tour Championship to earn her LPGA Tour card for 2017.

The last time Larsen held the lead on the LPGA Tour was two years ago at the CP Women’s Open in Ottawa. She said she learned a lot from being in that position then.

“I feel like I’m more confident in this position now than I was two years ago even though I haven’t been here for a while,” she explained. “I’m just trying to play as free as possible.”

Broch Larsen admitted she had a “terrible” warm-up on the driving range Friday, overthinking everything. She said was having trouble finding the right swing, but she wanted to go out and commit to her shots and see where it took her.

Where it took her, through two rounds at the CP Women’s Open, was the top of the leaderboard.

The cut fell at 1-under with 71 players finding the weekend.

12-YEAR-OLD MICHELLE LIU WRAPS UP CP WOMEN’S OPEN DEBUT

Although it wasn’t the LPGA Tour debut Michelle Liu would have wanted score-wise, the experience for the 12-year-old couldn’t have been better.

Liu (81-82) said she had ‘a lot of fun’ being able to tee it up alongside the best in the world. She was grouped with 2019 Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner Jennifer Kupcho, a tournament Liu said she’d like to try to win one day.

“I think it’s great that I get to play with such great players,” said Liu. “Hopefully, I learn something from them.”

No amateurs, including Liu, made the cut at the CP Women’s Open. American Brianna Navarrosa – the 2019 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion – had the best finish out of the  six amateurs in the field at 3-over par in her first-ever LPGA Tour event.

Liu said the highlight of the week was her walk up the 18th fairway to a chorus of cheers from the legion of fans she made at Magna Golf Club. The biggest challenge, she said, was with her mental game.

“I’m really glad that I’m able to like experience this challenge as an amateur and at such a young age,” Liu said. “I think being able to get this over with and make it an experience – it’ll really help me moving forward and in other tournaments, because now I it’s going to be pretty hard to play in a tournament larger than this one.”

The 2020 CP Women’s Open will be played at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, Liu’s home course in Vancouver. She said she’s already got that event circled on her calendar.

But first Liu, who goes into grade eight this September, will be playing a few local tournaments and then she’ll be off on a camping trip before school starts.  And what a good campfire story this week will make.

Whipping up a cookie chat with TSN Sports anchor Natasha Staniszewsi, talking about the strength of women’s sport in Canada

AURORA, Ont. – Just four years ago, Canadian amateur Michelle Liu was leaning on the ropes at the CP Women’s Open to ask LPGA Tour professionals for autographs.

This week at Magna Golf Club it was the 12-year-old Liu who was thrilling fans with her signature.

After carding a 10-over-par 82 on Friday, Liu spent 15 minutes signing mementoes and taking pictures with spectators after becoming the youngest golfer to play in the national Open championship.

“It’s so surreal to see her playing with the same people who once signed her hat,” said older sister Lucy Liu.

After taking up golf at age six, Michelle Liu quickly discovered a passion for the game.

She was also a quick study. Working with coach Rob Houlding, Liu developed a well-rounded skillset and results soon followed.

The Vancouver youngster has become a regular winner of events in her age category and can hold her own with junior players late in their teenage years.

When Liu finished as the top Canadian at the recent national women’s amateur championship, she booked her ticket for this year’s CP Women’s Open.

Expectations were naturally modest and her 19-over-par 163 total was well off the weekend cutline. But the scoreline wasn’t really important.

Liu got to experience everything that comes with participating in a tournament featuring most of the sport’s top players.

Her list of firsts was a long one.

Hearing her name called out on the first tee at an LPGA Tour stop. Her first news conference, first birdie at a pro event, and first walk up the 18th fairway in front of an adoring crowd.

There was even a little facetime on the Golf Channel on Friday morning. Not bad for someone who has yet to start the eighth grade.

“I definitely feel pretty good,” Liu said. “It definitely makes me feel proud about myself. Even if I’m not playing at the best of my ability, I still feel like I played a pretty good round and I’m pretty happy.”

As play continued Friday afternoon, only a few of the 15 Canadians in the field were expected to qualify for weekend play.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot 3-under 69 Friday and was near the top of the leaderboard at 9 under. Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City was also in good shape at 4-under 140 after a 74.

Alena Sharp of Hamilton and Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C., were hovering near the projected cut of even par late in their respective rounds.

Lower down the leaderboard were Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., Valerie Tanguay of Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C., Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont., Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., Casey Ward of Picton, Ont., Celeste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-L’Ile-Perrot, Que., and Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane.

The emotional swings ran the gamut for Liu over her 36 holes.

Some tears were shed after she opened with an 81. But her bright smile returned early Friday after she hit it long and straight to kick off her second round.

Before hitting, Liu squats down near the blocks and uses both hands to set the ball on the tee.

She then coils her slight five-foot, 95-pound frame and unloads. Her impressive ball-striking form drew ooh’s and ahh’s from the few dozen supporters who followed her around the course.

Liu birdied the par-3 13th hole and had six bogeys and two double-bogeys on her first trip around the 6,709-yard track. She started bogey/double-bogey Friday before settling in for a round that included nine pars and six more bogeys.

Playing partners Austin Ernst and Jennifer Kupcho were able to reach par-5s in two. Liu, who normally plays courses about 1,000 yards shorter, couldn’t match their length and instead tried to set up for birdie putts rather than eagle attempts.

Her short game was steady and composure was remarkable for a pre-teen player competing on this stage for the first time.

“She’s very focused, very level-headed,” said Lucy, who’s entering her junior season at Yale University. “She’s not a player who’s easily intimidated either by the field or by the course itself. I feel like that has always been very crucial to her success.”

Houlding was on the bag for Liu this week and said the takeaways were numerous.

“I think it’ll take a few days to digest,” he said. “The biggest thing is that she’s seeing how some of the best players play. She can gauge her performance against theirs and get some reference on what she’s working towards.”

Lucy Liu, who’s seven years older than her sister, remembered her younger days when Michelle would follow her around the course.

Her sister’s work ethic and drive were noticeable from the start.

“It was very, very self-driven,” Lucy said. “She’s a hard-working, persevering 12-year-old. It wasn’t so much I had to encourage her to go to practice. She was there earlier than I was and staying later than I was. So honestly, I’ve been inspired by her.”

The differences of competing at an LPGA Tour stop are significant for non-regulars but can also be subtle. Amateurs can sometimes feel the gentle pressure of keeping pace with pros in their group who are competing for paycheques.

Liu was attentive to her surroundings and seemed to enjoy herself. She didn’t seem out of place at all.

“I love being able to play in a tournament like this because I feel like there is so much support … I just really enjoyed it,” she said.

Like Michelle, Lucy also attended the 2015 tournament at the Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C. She served as a volunteer, helping to operate the large scoreboard on the 18th hole.

In high school at the time, Lucy said Michelle helped motivate her to keep working on her game.

“Sometimes after school I’d be like, ‘I am too lazy,”’ Lucy recalled. “But she was like, ‘We’ve got to go (practise). We’ve got to go right now.’

“So I’m really grateful to her for that.”

Michelle’s mother, father and grandmother were also on hand to watch the second round. It was an experience the family won’t soon forget.

“I think it’s really shown her that professional golf is possible,” Lucy said. “It’s something that she can actually pursue if she’s passionate enough about it.”

RICHMOND HILL, Ont. – Joseph Deraney knows exactly where he will be on June 11, 2020.

The Belden, Miss., product carded a final round of even-par to defend his Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, earning an exemption into the 2020 RBC Canadian Open.

“I didn’t hit it very well,” said Deraney. “I was getting tired – my legs are hurting. I had a couple of incredible up-and-downs that kind of helped save the round. I was pretty steady.”

Deraney, 36, started the final round at Summit Golf Club in a tie for the lead with Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont. He was able to rebound from back-to-back bogeys on holes No. 5 and No. 6 to win the championship by one stroke.

Deraney took the lead on the par-5 No. 16 with a birdie. Rank held a four stroke lead on the front-nine, but had bogeyed the two previous holes. With the birdie giving Deraney a one-shot lead, the two golfers parred the rest of the holes down the stretch. Rank had a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th to force a playoff, but missed it to the right.

This is Deraney’s second straight year earning an exemption into the RBC Canadian Open. He played the tournament in 2019, missing the cut.

“I’m pretty stoked about that,” said Deraney. “The field was so good last year. The golf course was so good. Getting to hit balls next to major champions was a once in a lifetime experience…I thought.”

Rank finished the championship at 5-under-par with a final round of 1 over 72.

Charles Fitzsimmons came in third place at 2 under for the tournament, carding a final round of 3 over. The longtime member of the Western University men’s golf team has finished in the top-five of each of the past three Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships.

Philip Arci of Vaughan, Ont., finished at 1 under in fourth place, while Mike Aizawa of Richmond, B.C., rounded out the top-five at 1 over.

Derek Meinhart of Mattoon, Ill., won the 40-and-over Mid-Master division with a 72-hole score of 4 over. Meinhart carded a final round of 2 under, making six birdies to win the division by two strokes.

“I’ve been hitting it really well all week, but I haven’t been making putts,” said Meinhart. “Today I got a few to fall. I enjoyed this golf course all week and the challenge that it brought. This is my fourth year [playing the Canadian Mid-Amateur]. I enjoy it and look forward to it every year. I brought the family this year, so we had a great time.”

Meinhart was Deraney’s caddie when the latter played the RBC Canadian Open in 2019, and Deraney is planning on having his countryman on his bag again in 2020.

Mike Dinner of Burlington, Ont., finished runner-up in the Mid-Master division at 7 over, while Ryan Kings of Kitchener, Ont., came in third at 9 over.

On Wednesday, Team Ontario defended their inter-provincial team title, securing the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy for the fifth straight year and the 15th time overall.

Full results can be found here.