NextGen Championships

Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event heads to Magna Golf Club

Future Links Junior Skills Challenge
Future Links (Justin Naro/ Golf Canada)

OAKVILLE, Ont. – The 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Event will take place on Sunday, August 18 at the prestigious Magna Golf Club.

Thirty-one golfers from four age groups will compete in the 11th edition of the Junior Skills National Event, which brings together the top-scoring juniors from coast-to-coast. New in 2019 is the 8 and under age group, including four players from both the boys and girls divisions.

The participating juniors will compete in a three-part skills challenge (putting, chipping and driving) with one overall winner per age group and gender. 

Golf Canada, in partnership with Acura and the PGA of Canada will host the national finals of the 2019 Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge on Sunday, August 18 at Magna Golf Club. The event is the culmination of more than 3000 Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills participants competing at 140 qualifying events held across Canada.

The field is comprised of 31 golfers from across Canada, all selected from the top of the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Leaderboard.

Girls 8 and under

Name Home Club Hometown Province
Kaeleigh Chung Bushwood Golf Club Richmond Hill ON
Ari Tur Seymour Golf & Country Club North Vancouver BC
Nhã Truong The Derrick Golf & Winter Club Edmonton AB
Maya Tam Fraserview Golf Course Coquitlam BC

Girls 9-11

Name Home Club Hometown Province
Sanjana Gullipalli Clovelly Logy Bay NL
Swetha Satish Hidden Lake Golf Club Oakville ON
Claira Frizzell The Links at Montague Halifax NS
Rosie Allen Blomidon Golf Club Corner Brook NL

Girls 12-14

Name Home Club Hometown Province
Alissa Xu Station Creek Golf Club Richmond Hill ON
Katie Colbourne Blomidon Golf Club Corner Brook NL
Paige Allen Blomidon Golf Club Corner Brook NL
Lindsay McGrath Rattlesnake Point Golf Club / Lake Nona Golf & Country Club Oakville ON

 Girls 15-18

Name Home Club Hometown Province
Taylor Cormier Blomidon Golf Club Corner Brook NL
Aideen Nelson Blomidon Golf Club Corner Brook NL
Keighan Decoff Glen Lovat Golf Club Fraser’s Mountain NS

Boys 8 and under

Name Home Club Hometown Province
Liam McLaren Pheasant Run Golf Club Georgina ON
Nigel Knight Greystone Golf Club Milton ON
Carrick Frizzell The Links at Montague Halifax NS
Antonio Fortuna Copper Creek Golf Club Kleinburg ON

 Boys 9-11

Name Home Club Hometown Province
Manav Bharani Brampton Golf Club Brampton ON
Cael Hussey Barvocan Golf Club Brighton ON
Owen Dunford Clovelly St. John’s NL
Noah Turner Essex Golf & Country Club LaSalle ON

Boys 12-14

Name Home Club Hometown Province
Logan McGrath Antigonish Golf Club Sherbrooke NS
Nicholas Girard Vallée du Richelieu Boucherville QC
Rory Walker Antigonish Golf Club Antigonish NS
Gabe Bugden Blomidon Golf Club Corner Brook NL

Boys 15-18

Name Home Club Hometown Province
Caleb Drake Belfast Highland Greens Vernon Bridge PE
Émile Journault Cap-Rouge Golf Club Québec City QC
Darien McFayden Bushwood Golf Club Markham ON
Nick Manos Abercrombie Golf & Country Club New Glasgow NS


FORMAT:

Driving: Each competitor receives three drives. Points are awarded and dependent on distance and aim of the drive. The drive must come to rest within the 30-yard width to qualify for points. The number of points is dependent on the distances completed.

Chipping: Each competitor receives three shots. Points are awarded and dependent on the distance of the chip from the target.

Putting: Each competitor receives one putt each from each distance of 5, 10 and 20 feet. Points are awarded for holing the putt and for proximity to the hole.

The winners of the Future Links driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Event in the boys and girls 15-18 age groups will receive an exemption into their local Future Links driven by Acura Championship in 2020. All other attending participants of the Future Links driven by Acura Junior Skills National Event will receive prizing courtesy of Titleist Footjoy.

On Saturday, August 17, Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Event participants will have the opportunity to play the famous Magna Golf Club layout in an exciting match play format, outfitted by program sponsor Cobra-Puma Golf.

For more information on the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills National Event click here.

Brooke Henderson CPKC Women's Open

Brooke Henderson: In a class all her own

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Brooke Henderson (David Cannon/Getty Images)

Brooke Henderson’s victory in June at the Meijer LPGA Classic will be part of a lasting legacy for the young golfer from Smith Falls, Ont. It was her ninth LPGA Tour victory and gave her the distinction of having the most victories of any Canadian PGA or LPGA golfer in history.

At only 21 years of age, Henderson seems poised to add many more titles to that record setting total.

“I see a lot more victories to come for Brooke, I don’t see her slowing down,” said her fellow CP Has Heart ambassador Lorie Kane at the CP Women’s Open media day in early July.

“She’s got length and she’s got touch when her putters on, and she’s got mental toughness. All those thing make her tough to beat,” added the four time LPGA Tour winner about Henderson.

“She’s definitely in a class all her own; and what I would like to see is that she has a goal to win as many tournaments as she possibly can until the day she decides she doesn’t want to play any more.”

Henderson’s next opportunity to add to her history making total comes at the Magna Golf Club as she looks to defend her 2018 CP Women’s Open crown.

Brooke Henderson

 

“Going into a tournament that you’ve won before, you have so many amazing memories and it just gives you an extra bit of excitement and motivation going into that week.  Portland was extremely special for me because that was my first LPGA Tour win and to be able to go back and repeat it was really awesome,” said Henderson.

“Coming into this event, I’m just trying to remember all those great memories and trying to think about all the energy the fans had for me last year,” added the former National Team Program member, who became the first Canadian to win on home soil since Jocelyne Bourassa did it in 1973.

While she is an inspiration to many across the country because of her success, Henderson says she drew inspiration from a fellow former National Team Program alum earlier this year.

“Watching Corey Conners win earlier this year was really exciting for me and it kind of put my mind in the correct mindset that I can win too,” noted Henderson.

Conners recorded his first career win on the PGA Tour by claiming the Valero Texas Open in early April.  By winning the tournament, it meant Conners wouldn’t have to worry about competing in Monday qualifiers as it gave him his full PGA Tour card through to the end of 2020-21 season.

“I had a couple of top 10s earlier this year but I wasn’t really doing too much and I watched him win and I was like ‘I think it’s time for me to start doing more of that.’ And it kind of put me into gear,” Henderson continued.

“So I think it’s really cool that we can all cheer on each other and the Canadians on all the tours can just push each other to improve and get better.”

Two weeks after Conners’ life changing victory, Henderson recorded her eighth LPGA victory as she won the Lotte Championship in Kapolei, Hawaii.  The victory allowed Henderson to defend her 2018 victory in Hawaii and put her in a tie with Sandra Post, Mike Weir and George Knudson for most victories by a Canadian professional golfer.

Then of course in mid June, the 21-year-old would break the record by winning the Meijer LPGA Classic at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids.

As she reflects on the big victory, Henderson says she was inspired by the success of the Toronto Raptors.

“It was so exciting watching them play. My family was watching the playoffs and we were cheering them on every single game and it was fun for us to see how well they were doing,” said Henderson.

“They’re just a remarkable team that did something incredible for all of Canada. It was right before my victory that they won the NBA Championship and I just wanted to keep the excitement going. So to get my ninth LPGA win following that was just really special.”

Henderson received a lot of support following her history making victory.  Among those reaching out were Prime Minister Trudeau as he took to Twitter to congratulate the 21-year-old.  She also received a congratulatory text from Wayne Gretzky.

And just last month, Henderson was recognized by ESPN with an ESPY for best female golfer.

“I’ve been so fortunate in this game of golf to have made so many contacts around and made friendships. And I’m grateful for all support I’ve received,” said Henderson.

Looking at the big picture, Henderson understands that the lasting legacy she’s created through her success on the golf course and her increasing popularity has given her a platform to help others – and it’s a big reason why she’s happy to be an ambassador for CP Has Heart.

“I’m so proud and honoured to be a CP ambassador.  And I know CP Has Heart has made a lot of progress in heart health and to be a small part of CP Has Heart and the great work that they do to help people, children, families to feel better and be healthy is truly incredible,” Henderson pointed out.

“I’m fortunate that I can be part of it with Lorie again this year and hopefully we raise a ton of money at the CP Women’s Open and impact a lot more lives.”

This year CP Has Heart has the goal of raising $1.75 million during the CP Women’s Open. The funds raised will go towards renovating a Cardiac Operating Suite at SickKids. In addition, CP also plans to support the tournament host community in 2019 with a donation of $250,000 to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont. to support paediatric cardiac care.

 

In the five years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $8.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in Canada.

Having been a CP ambassador during those five years, Kane is very pleased to have Henderson on board.

“We couldn’t have a better partner at CP than Brooke and all the success she’s having on the golf course just helps to bring more attention to the important work done through CP Has Heart,” said Kane about Henderson who joined CP as an ambassador in 2017.

“Brooke is taking on the responsibility of doing what she needs to do and that is being a super special individual playing a game that is encouraging young people to keep playing.”

With 156 of the best golfers in the world vying to be the 2019 CP Women’s Open champion at the Magna Golf Club, Henderson will be facing stiff competition in her quest to defend her title.

Still the 21-year-old says she’s up for the challenge – and expects the passionate Canadian fans in Aurora, Ont. could give her that edge she needs to add to her recording breaking total.

“This year – especially being closer to home for me – I’m expecting great crowds,” said Henderson.

“Hopefully, I can feed of them and use their energy and put myself in a position where on the weekend I can make a charge and hoist that trophy again.”

Canadian Junior Boys Championship Team Canada

Christopher Vandette leads heading into final round of Canadian Junior Boys Championship

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Christopher Vandette (Golf Canada)

HARTLAND, N.B. – When the fog cleared, Christopher Vandette (Beaconsfield, Que.) continued to lead heading into the final round of the 81st Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club.

Vandette had his lead shrink to two strokes during Wednesday’s third round. He began the day with three birdies on his first six holes, but two straight bogeys on holes No. 16 and No. 17 made for a round of even-par 72.

“I was in a good rhythm at the start and putts were falling,” said Vandette. “At the end, I think I made a couple of dumb decisions, just like yesterday. That’s what cost me the most shots.”

The 18-year-old is looking to become the first champion to defend his title since Mitch Sutton (London, Ont.) did so in 2009.

“The city of Hartland and these people really care about this week and they’re showing it,” added Vandette. “A lot of people are showing up and it’s actually a lot of fun. They’re proud to host and us as players are fortunate to have a town who cares about it.”

Vandette’s Team Canada National Junior Squad teammate, Jeevan Sihota (Victoria) continued to play consistent golf, firing a round of 4 under, and is now sitting at 11 under for the tournament. Sihota birdied four of his first five holes and played even-par golf the rest of the way. He has only three bogeys through the first 54 holes of the competition and is two back of Vandette.

“It was a pretty good overall day,” said Sihota. “I missed quite a few short putts today, which hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to hole those. I’m driving it really well – if you’re in the fairway here, it’s hard to make bogey from 60 yards.”

Sihota, 15, is leading the 16-and-under Juvenile division by four strokes over Tommy McKenzie (Calgary). All three of Sihota’s rounds have been in the 60s.

Vandette, Sihota and Carter Graf made up the final group of the third round. Graf shot even-par and is in a tie for third at 9 under, four back of Vandette.

Brady McKinlay shot a 7-under-par 65 on Wednesday, tied for the low score of the third round with Ethan de Graaf (Edmonton, Alta.). McKinlay, a Lacombe, Alta. product, was bogey-free while making back-to-back birdies on holes No. 14 and No. 15. McKinlay is tied with Graf for third at 9 under.

The shot of the day belonged to Nicolas-Guy Landry of Calgary. Landry made a hole-in-one on the 163-yard 17th – his first career ace.

The start of the third round was delayed by an hour following a fog delay. Tee times for the final round will begin at 9 a.m.

In addition to the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2020 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Full scoring can be found here.

CPKC Women's Open

Defending champion Brooke Henderson ready to challenge world’s best golfers at 2019 CP Women’s Open

2019 CP Women's Open final field

AURORA, Ont. – Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP) announced today the full field of competitors set to challenge for the 2019 CP Women’s Open taking place August 19-25 at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.

Defending champion Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., will battle one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour including 96 of the top 100 players on the 2019 LPGA Tour List and 17 in-year tournament winners. Henderson, currently ranked sixth on the LPGA Tour Money List and eighth on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, has two LPGA Tour wins on the season and her nine career LPGA Tour victories are the most ever by a Canadian on the LPGA or PGA Tour. Her victory in 2018 at The Wascana Country Club in Regina, Sask. made her the first Canadian since Jocelyne Bourassa 45 years prior to win the National Women’s Open.

A stellar field of international stars are lined up to challenge Henderson at Magna including nine of the top 10 players on the LPGA Money List – Jin Young Ko (No. 1), Jeongeun Lee6 (No. 2), Sung Hyun Park (No. 3), Lexi Thompson (No. 4), Minjee Lee (No. 5), Sei Young Kim (No. 7), Ariya Jutanugarn (No. 8) and Nelly Korda (No. 9).

Henderson also headlines a group of nine past champions coming to Aurora including three-time winner Lydia Ko (2012, 2013, 2015) in search of her record fourth title. Other past champions confirmed include Sung Hyun Park (2017), Ariya Jutanugarn (2016), So Yeon Ryu (2014), Suzann Pettersen (2009), Katherine Kirk (2008), Cristie Kerr (2006) and Juli Inkster (1984).

Other global LPGA Tour stars confirmed among the 156-player field include Jessica Korda, Paula Creamer, Daniel Kang, Shanshan Fang, Morgan Pressel, Anna Nordqvist, Carlota Ciganda, Nasa Hataoka, Moriya Jutanugarn, Charley Hull, Angel Yin, Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the world’s best golfers to Magna Golf Club as the CP Women’s Open returns to the Greater Toronto Area for the first time in 17 years,” said Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “Our field, with 96 of the top 100 players on the 2019 LPGA Money List including 17 in-year winners, nine past champions and the very best rising talents in Canadian and international golf, is second to none. With Brooke [Henderson] coming in as our defending champion, golf fans will be treated to an incredible golf experience next week in Aurora.”

A full field list of players confirmed to compete in the 2019 CP Women’s Open is available online here.

The field of 156 competitors will vie for the US$2.25 million purse with the champion taking home $337,500.

FIFTEEN CANADIANS TO COMPETE AT MAGNA GOLF CLUB….
Led by Canadian sensation and CP Ambassador Brooke Henderson, 15 Canadians are currently confirmed to challenge for the CP Women’s Open including LPGA Tour regulars Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Anne-Catharine Tanguay of Quebec City and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. Previously confirmed LPGA Tour rookie Jaclyn Lee of Calgary was forced to withdraw with an injury.

Also competing will be Symetra Tour players Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C. and Valerie Tanguay of Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. along with Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont.

Recent Pan Am Games mixed team bronze medalists Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que., and Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. will be joined by National Junior Squad members Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que.

Four-time LPGA Tour winner, CP Ambassador and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Member Lorie Kane will make her record 29th appearance in the National Open.

The youngest player in the field will be 12-year old Michelle Liu of Vancouver who earned an exemption as the low Canadian at the recent Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

FINAL FOUR EXEMPTIONS MONDAY AT SCARBORO GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

On Monday, August 19, the LPGA Tour will conduct an 18-hole stroke play qualifier at Scarboro Golf and Country Club to determine the final four exemptions directly into the 2019 CP Women’s Open. A full list of players competing is available online here. 

2019 CP WOMEN’S OPEN TICKETS
One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the CP Women’s Open features miles of front row seating for golf fans to experience Canada’s lone stop on the LPGA Tour and cheer on Canadian sensation and CP Ambassador Brooke Henderson as she defends her national title on home soil.

General admission tickets, starting at just $20 for early week access, provide access to the grounds to get an up-close look at the stars of the LPGA Tour. Tournament rounds for Thursday, Friday and Saturday are just $50; a Sunday final-round ticket is $60; and a weeklong, fully transferable badge is $120.

A specially priced youth ticket (13-17 years old) is also available while juniors aged 12-and-under gain FREE grounds admission all week long.

In addition to general admission tickets, a limited number of upgraded spectator viewing experiences are still available. A full list of ticket packages and pricing is available online at www.cpwomensopen.com/tickets.

CP HAS HEART IN SUPPORT OF SICKKIDS FOUNDATION
Canadian Pacific will continue its history of making a substantial donation to the host community through its CP Has Heart community investment program. In the five years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $8.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in communities across Canada. This year, the campaign will benefit SickKids Foundation, the primary charity partner for the 2019 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, as well as Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont. For more information on CP Has Heart, visit www.cphasheart.com. 

BIRDIES FOR HEART
You can help fundraise for an upgraded Cardiac Operating Suite at SickKids by pledging a donation amount or per birdie for 2019 CP Women’s Open tournament play. Whenever a LPGA Tour player sinks a birdie on the 17th hole, your chosen dollar amount is donated to SickKids Foundation. For all donations made through Birdies For Heart, spectator support will be matched by CP. To participate, please click here.

TELEVISION COVERAGE…
Thursday, August 22 – Golf Channel/TSN/RDS – 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Friday, August 23 – Golf Channel/TSN/RDS – 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 24 – Golf Channel/TSN/RDS – 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 25 – Golf Channel/TSN/RDS – 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

* All times local.

CP WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT TO KICK OFF TOURNAMENT WEEK
Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific are proud to host the second annual CP Women’s Leadership Summit on Tuesday, August 20 at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North in Richmond Hill, Ont., as part of the weeklong excitement of the 2019 CP Women’s Open. The CP Women’s Leadership Summit will bring together like-minded businesswomen from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment and philanthropy. The Summit will also raise awareness for the CP Women’s Open, with attendees receiving access to the tournament during the week.

Keynote speaker Roberta Bowman, Chief Brand & Communications Officer of the LPGA will be joined by LPGA Tour Professional Mariah Stackhouse for an athlete Q&A. Attendees will hear from business leaders Maeghan Albiston, Assistant Vice-President of Investor Relations & Pensions at CP, Anne Simard, Chief Mission & Research Officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Jennifer Tory, Chief Administrative Officer of RBC. A new addition to the leadership summit in 2019 is the athlete panel, which will feature four accomplished Canadian Olympians—speed skater Anastasia Bucsis, soccer goalkeeper Karina Leblanc, multi-sport star Georgia Simmerling and two-time ice hockey gold medalist Natalie Spooner. Rogers Sportsnet Central Co-Anchor Evanka Osmak will act as the emcee and panel moderator for the event.

For more information about the CP Women’s Leadership Summit, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.cpwomensopen.com/wls.

Canadian Junior Boys Championship

Christopher Vandette leads by four at Canadian Junior Boys Championship

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(Golf Canada)

HARTLAND, N.B. – A day after setting the course record, Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., fired a 3-under-par 69 in the second round to increase his lead at the 81st Canadian Junior Boys Championship held at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club.

Vandette now leads the competition by four strokes, extending the three-shot lead he had after his opening-round 62. The highlights of the 18-year-old’s round were two eagles on the 1st and 6th holes, both par-5s. The Team Canada National Junior Squad member also made three bogeys on Tuesday.

“Today, I hit the ball really well again,” said Vandette. “I putted decent, just the big difference was decisions on the course. I made a couple of really dumb mistakes, but I’m still satisfied with how I played out there.”

Carter Graf of Sylvan Lake, Alta., is in second at 9 under. The 2019 Alberta Junior champion roared up the leaderboard with four straight birdies on holes No. 5 through No. 8, on his way to a round of 4 under.

“I got really hot halfway through the round, that kind of kick-started my round” said Graf. “I hit a lot of greens – 17 greens – so it was pretty easy and pretty stress-free. My good friend Chris is in the lead, so it’s going to be a lot of fun to play against each other and battle it out.”

Jeevan Sihota of Victoria sits in third place a 7 under. The 15-year-old carded a round of 3 under, and leads the 16-and-under Juvenile division by one stroke over Thomas Latter (Mississauga, Ont.).

Six players are tied for fourth place at 6 under; Latter, Bennett Ruby (Waterloo, Ont.), Jace Minni (Delta, B.C.), Freddy D’Angelo (Fonthill, Ont.), Dustin Franko (Delta, B.C.) and Luc Warnock (McGregor, Ont.), the latter of whom shot the low round on Tuesday at 5 under.

Team Québec, consisting of Vandette, Laurent Desmarchais (Longueuil, Que.) and Logan Boucher (Beaconsfield, Que.) won the 36-hole inter-provincial team competition by combining to shoot 19-under-par. Team Alberta finished runner-up, eight shots behind Québec at 11 under.

A total of 77 players who finished 3 over or better have advanced to the final two rounds. The third round is scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

In addition to the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2020 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Full scoring can be found here.

CPKC Women's Open

13 players earn exemptions into 2019 CP Women’s Open

Maude Aimée Leblanc
Maude Aimée Leblanc (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

AURORA, Ont. – Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) have announced the names of 13 players who have received exemptions to compete in the 2019 CP Women’s Open, set to take place at Magna Golf Club from August 19-25.

Headlining the list of exemptions is Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member and CP Ambassador Lorie Kane. The Charlottetown native will be making a record-setting 29th appearance at the CP Women’s Open appearance, besting World Golf Hall of Fame member JoAnne Carner (28) for most all-time appearances at the event.

Joining Kane will be a teenager who made national headlines last month, Vancouver’s Michelle Liu, who finished as the low Canadian at the 2019 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in July to earn an exemption. Liu will be 12 years, nine months and seven days when she tees off at Magna Golf Club, becoming the youngest player ever to appear at the CP Women’s Open. The record was previously held by Canadian star Brooke Henderson, who played as a 14-year-old in 2012.

Lorie Kane

Lorie Kane (Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada)

Symetra Tour professionals Maude-Aimée Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C., Valerie Tanguay of Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. and Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., have also been extended exemptions. Leblanc, who will be playing her 10th CP Women’s Open, recently finished with a share of runner-up honours at The CDPHP Open. Leblanc’s best performance at the CP Women’s Open came in 2016, when she finished T14. Osland, who earlier this year qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open, will be playing in her second CP Women’s Open while Tanguay, in her rookie year on the Symetra Tour will compete in her first CP Women’s Open. Szeryk, a Symetra Tour rookie and a member of the Team Canada Young Pro Squad, has three top-5 finishes in 2019, including a runner-up performance at the Zimmer Biomet Championship in May. This will be Szeryk’s fourth appearance at the CP Women’s Open.

Team Canada National Amateur Squad member Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que., has been given her second exemption to the CP Women’s Open, while Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C., will be making first appearance at an LPGA Tour event. Both Thibault and Parsons finished in the top-5 at the 2019 Women’s Porter Cup and recently represented Canada at the 2019 Pan Am Games golf competition in Lima, Peru where the duo (joined by the men’s pair of Austin Connelly and Joey Savoie) helped Team Canada claim a bronze medal in the mixed team competition, Canada’s first-ever medal in golf at the Pan Am Games. Parsons finished fifth in the Pan Am women’s individual competition while Thibault finished T9.

Two of the brightest young players in Canadian golf – both members of Canada’s National Junior Squad – will also be joining the field at Magna Golf Club. Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont., 15, recently won the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship and has runner-up finishes in 2019 at both the PGA of Canada Women’s Championship and Ontario Women’s Amateur. Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls champion who placed T2 at this year’s Canadian Junior will make her second consecutive start in the CP Women’s Open.

Rounding out the list of announced player exemptions are reigning Canadian Women’s Amateur champion Brianna Navarrosa of San Diego, 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion Yealimi Noh of San Francisco, a rising star who earned the Marlene Streit Low Amateur at the 2018 CP Women’s Open, and LPGA Tour professional Cheyenne Woods of Phoenix, Ariz.

“We are pleased to extend tournament exemptions to each of these deserving athletes and look forward to welcoming them all to Magna Golf Club,” said CP Women’s Open Tournament Director Ryan Paul.

“Each of these players brings added depth and a unique personal storyline to our National Women’s Open Championship and we look forward to having them compete at the CP Women’s Open.”

A list of early player commitments was announced July 2nd and included notable names such as defending champion Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., former champions Lydia Ko of New Zealand, So Yeon Ryu of South Korea and Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, as well as 17of the top 20 players on the LPGA Tour Money List. In all, the 2019 CP Women’s Open will feature 95 of the top 100 players from the LPGA Tour Money List. The final field including additional player exemptions (not including four Monday qualifiers), will be announced Wednesday, August 14.

2019 CP WOMEN’S OPEN TICKETS

One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the CP Women’s Open features miles of front row seating for golf fans to experience Canada’s lone stop on the LPGA Tour and cheer on Canadian sensation and CP Ambassador Brooke Henderson as she defends her national title on home soil.

General admission tickets, starting at just $20 for early week access, provide access to the grounds to get an up-close look at the stars of the LPGA Tour. Tournament rounds for Thursday, Friday and Saturday are just $50; a Sunday final-round ticket is $60; and a weeklong, fully transferable badge is $120.

A specially priced youth ticket (13-17 years old) is also available while juniors aged 12-and-under gain FREE grounds admission all week long.

In addition to general admission tickets, a limited number of upgraded spectator viewing experiences are still available. A full list of ticket packages and pricing is available online at www.cpwomensopen.com/tickets.

CP HAS HEART IN SUPPORT OF SICKKIDS FOUNDATION

Canadian Pacific will continue its history of making a substantial donation to the host community through its CP Has Heart community investment program. In the five years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $8.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in communities across Canada. This year, the campaign will benefit SickKids Foundation, the primary charity partner for the 2019 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, as well as Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont. For more information on CP Has Heart, visit www.cphasheart.com.

BIRDIES FOR HEART

You can help fundraise for an upgraded Cardiac Operating Suite at SickKids by pledging a donation amount or per birdie for 2019 CP Women’s Open tournament play. Whenever a LPGA Tour player sinks a birdie on the 17th hole, your chosen dollar amount is donated to SickKids Foundation. For all donations made through Birdies For Heart, spectator support will be matched by CP. To participate, please click here.

CP WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT TO KICK OFF TOURNAMENT WEEK

Canada and Canadian Pacific are proud to conduct the second annual CP Women’s Leadership Summit on Tuesday, August 20 at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North in Richmond Hill, Ont., as part of the weeklong excitement of the 2019 CP Women’s Open. The CP Women’s Leadership Summit will bring together like-minded businesswomen from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment and philanthropy. The Summit will also raise awareness for the CP Women’s Open, with attendees receiving access to the tournament during the week.

Keynote speaker Roberta Bowman, Chief Brand & Communications Officer of the LPGA will be joined by LPGA Tour Professional Mariah Stackhouse for an athlete Q&A. Attendees will hear from business leaders Maeghan Albiston, Assistant Vice-President of Investor Relations & Pensions at CP, Anne Simard, Chief Mission & Research Officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Jennifer Tory, Chief Administrative Officer of RBC. A new addition to the leadership summit in 2019 is the athlete panel, which will feature four accomplished Canadian Olympians—speed skater Anastasia Bucsis, soccer goalkeeper Karina Leblanc, multi-sport star Georgia Simmerling and two-time ice hockey gold medalist Natalie Spooner. Rogers Sportsnet Central Co-Anchor Evanka Osmak will act as the emcee and panel moderator for the event.

For more information about the CP Women’s Leadership Summit, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.cpwomensopen.com/wls.

Korn Ferry Tour

Canada’s Gligic celebrates earning PGA TOUR card for 2020 season

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( Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — Annually one of the most pressure-packed days in golf, the final round of the WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by KraftHeinz didn’t disappoint with Bo Hoag shooting a final-round 65 to take home his first title. With the win, Hoag earns a spot in The 25, joining 24 other graduates on Sunday evening in securing 2019-20 PGA TOUR membership.

Hoag was one of two players to move into The 25 this week, joining local favourite Scott Harrington who finished in solo-second place. Hoag moved from 31st to seventh in the points standings, while Harrington rose from 38th to 19th.

“Life-changer; You know what’s at stake on a day like today and your mind drifts to it a little bit,” said Hoag, who set the tournament record at 22-under. “You picture what you’re going to be doing after your round….either back here getting a card on this green or packing your car up to go home. I just told myself I wasn’t going to leave here this evening without getting a card on this green. Great day.”

Hoag, a 31-year-old Ohio State University alum, carded a bogey-free round on Sunday to clinch the victory. While as many as five players were tied for the lead on the back nine, Hoag birdied three of his last five to claim the two-stroke win. The former Buckeye has competed on the Korn Ferry Tour each of the past three years and was a member of the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada from 2013-15. The veteran tied for the lead in bogey avoidance, tallying only three over 72 holes. He had a dramatic escape at the par-3 12th when his ball came to rest about a foot outside the pond.

The Columbus, Ohio, native is especially looking forward to advancing to the Korn Ferry Tour Finals with his TOUR card already in hand. The first event, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, is next week in Columbus. Fellow Ohio State alum Jack Nicklaus called Hoag to congratulate him following the win.

“For me, going to the Memorial Tournament in Columbus [next year] will be special,” said Hoag. “I’ve got some roots there. That’s what got me started thinking this was what I wanted to do. It wasn’t going to be easy, but I was inspired by all that going on out there with my grandpa and dad and watching. Next week will almost be like a victory lap.”

Canadian Michael Gligic (Burlington, Ont.) secured his card in July after his strongest season as a professional, highlighted by a win at the Panama Championship in February.

“It’s been pretty crazy. This might be, like, year 11 now, so it’s been a lot of time on the mini tours, a lot of time practicing with the goal of getting there,” said Gligic. “For it to happen has been pretty special. You dream about making it to the PGA TOUR, or at least it’s always in the back of your mind. It’s golf, so if anyone tells you they haven’t thought about quitting out here, they’re lying to you.”

Harrington, the 54-hole leader, entered the day needing at least a solo-third finish to earn his first PGA TOUR card. A closing birdie at the 18th allowed the hometown hero to secure solo-second and ascension to the TOUR. The win in a familiar place was even more for Harrington with his wife, Jenn, in attendance. Jenn has twice battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma and is now cancer-free. She flew in on Saturday night and watched Harrington earn his card.

“A lot of focus gets put on us, and what we’ve been through, but what she’s been through has been hell,” said Harrington. “It was rough for me, but it pales in comparison to what she’s actually had to go through. To see her so happy on 18, it’s just everything. Family is everything, family trumps golf. To be able to do it for her and have her in attendance makes it that much more meaningful.”

Vincent Whaley, a rookie from Atlanta, earned the 25th and final PGA TOUR card despite missing the weekend. The Georgia Tech alum waited for 48 hours to see if his 761 points would ultimately be enough.

“Honestly, I probably had the worst two days of my life trying to figure it out, doing the math and being a complete psychopath,” said Whaley. “It was a horrible two days, but it worked out…I’m just really happy right now. This is a dream since I started playing golf, to make it onto the PGA TOUR.”

Chris Baker, who also missed the cut this week, finished as the odd man out at 26th in the points standings. Baker, along with the rest of the top 75 players in the standings, will advance to the Korn Ferry Tour Finals where he will attempt to earn one of 25 additional TOUR cards. Two out of the past three players to finish 26th in the standings have gone on to earn their cards in the Finals. Those players (Keith Mitchell and Xander Schauffele) have already combined for five PGA TOUR victories.

China’s Xinjun Zhang, who finished T43 this week, retained the top spot in The 25, though Robby Shelton, No. 2 in the standings, gained ground with a T11 finish. The top points-earner after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance will earn fully exempt status and an exemption into the 2020 PLAYERS Championship.

The 25
Hometown
Stats
College
1. Xinjun Zhang
Guangdong, China
Two wins
N/A
2. Robby Shelton
Birmingham, Ala.
Two wins
Alabama
3. Scottie Scheffler*
Dallas, Tx.
One win, eight top-10s
Texas
4. Kristoffer Ventura*
Oslo, Norway
Two wins
Oklahoma State
5. Harry Higgs*
Dallas, Tx.
One win, five top-10s
Southern Methodist
6. Lanto Griffin
Blacksburg, Va.
One win, four top-10s
Virginia Commonwealth
7. Bo Hoag*
Columbus, Ohio
Nine top-25s
Ohio State
8. Nelson Ledesma*
Tucuman, Argentina
One win, five top-10s
N/A
9. Mark Hubbard
Denver, Colo.
One win, three top-10s
San Jose State
10. Rhein Gibson
Edmond, Okla.
One win, four top-10s
Oklahoma Christian
11. Henrik Norlander
Stockholm, Sweden
One win, three top-10s
Augusta State
12. Zac Blair
Saint George, Utah
One win, six top-10s
Brigham Young
13. Ryan Brehm
Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
One win, five top-10s
Michigan State
14. Mark Anderson
Beaufort, S.C.
One win, one runner-up
South Carolina
15. Chase Seiffert*
Panama City, Fla.
One win, five top-10s
Florida State
16. Sebastian Cappelen*
Odense, Denmark
One win, six top-25s
Arkansas
17. Michael Gligic*
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
One win, seven top-25s
N/A
18. Rafael Campos*
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
One win, five top-25s
Virginia Commonwealth
19. Scott Harrington*
Portland, Ore.
Three top-10s, five top-25s
Northwestern
20. Vince Covello*
Atlantic Beach, Fla.
One win, three top-10s
North Florida
21. Michael Gellerman*
Edmond, Okla.
One win, three top-25s
Oklahoma
22. Tyler McCumber*
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Four top-10s, seven top-25s
Florida
23. Maverick McNealy*
Stanford, Calif.
Three top-10s, six top-25s
Stanford
24. Tim Wilkinson
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Five top-10s, seven top-25s
St. Peters
25. Vincent Whaley*
Atlanta, Ga.
Three top-10s, five top-25s
Georgia Tech
Canadian Junior Boys Championship

Christopher Vandette equals lowest round ever at Canadian Junior Boys Championship

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(Golf Canada)

HARTLAND, N.B. – Defending champion Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., carded an opening round 62 to lead the 81st Canadian Junior Boys Championship held at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club by three strokes.

Vandette’s 10-under-par 62 included four-straight birdies to close out his round. An eagle on the par-4 15th was the highlight of the 18-year-old’s day. The lone blemish on his scorecard was a bogey on the par-4 11th.

“I’m just really excited in general, it was a fairly smooth day out there,” said Vandette. “There’s still 54 holes ahead. You can’t sprint the marathon. I was pretty comfortable. I don’t think anything was too flashy or incredible today, everything was just rock solid.”

The Team Canada National Junior Squad member equaled the lowest-single round score in the 81-year history of the championship. Calvin Ross, a Fredericton, N.B. product, shot 62 in the third round of the 2017 championship. Ross would go on to win the tournament.

Vandette also shattered previous the course record of 64 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club.

“I’m extremely honoured, especially to do it at the Canadian Juniors,” said Vandette of setting the course record. “It’s really something special. It was just making very few mistakes and staying out of trouble.”

Dustin Franko of Delta, B.C., sits in second place at 7 under. Franko was bogey-free on Monday, and made three straight birdies on holes No. 11 through No. 13. However, his remarkable round was almost in jeopardy after Sunday’s practice round.

“It was the low round of my career and I’ve never had a bogey-free round either,” said Franko. “I had a bit of a scare yesterday. I walked off after nine holes of the practice round because I had lower back pain after mishitting a shot. I was stretching all night and had hot and cold [compresses] on-and-off. This morning, I had a later tee time, so I got to stretch out quite a bit. It didn’t bother me out on the course at all.”

One stroke behind Franko is Chester, N.S., product Mark Chandler. Chandler was also bogey-free with two of his six birdies coming on par-3s.

“I hit the ball well, found the fairways and greens,” said Chandler. “Some putts dropped for me. This course is pretty open, so hitting the driver well really helps; it gives you a lot of wedges onto the greens, so there’s some good scoring opportunities there.”

Thomas Latter (Mississauga, Ont.) is leading the 16-and-under Juvenile division with an opening round of 5-under-par 67. Latter is tied for fourth in the overall individual competition with Bennett Ruby (Waterloo, Ont.) and Carter Graf (Sylvan Lake, Alta.).

Team Québec consisting of Vandette, Laurent Desmarchais (Longueuil, Que.) and Logan Boucher (Beaconsfield, Que.) jumped out to an early lead in the 36-hole inter-provincial team competition. The trio combined for a score of 13 under par and a six-stroke lead over Team Nova Scotia.

Team Alberta, the three-time defending champions, sit in third place at 5 under par. The inter-provincial team champion will be crowned on Tuesday.

In addition to the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2020 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Full scoring can be found here.

Amateur Canadian Women's Amateur Championship

Golf Canada announces 2020 and 2021 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship host venues

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Bronze plaque on entrance gate

Some of Canada’s finest golf facilities will play host to another storied championship over the next two years.

After the completion of a bid application process for member clubs in Quebec and Ontario, Golf Canada announced today the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship would be played at Royal Montreal Golf Club in 2020 and Westmount Golf and Country Club in 2021.

Tournament Director Dan Hyatt said the organizing committee and Golf Canada couldn’t have asked for a better scenario to unfold for its championship, an ‘A’ ranked event on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking.

After a great track record of clubs the last few years, being able to bring the event to some of Canada’s best clubs is a real win, he says.

“We’ve been very lucky with the venues we’ve had recently, since they’ve embraced the women’s game really well. We couldn’t have asked for two better clubs to come to the table with such storied histories,” said Hyatt. “The event has become a ‘must-play’ for top internationals along with our top Canadians, and hopefully this will produce a runway of being able to continue to get great clubs with great history to play host.”

107th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship

Royal Montreal Golf Club’s Blue Course will host the 107th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 2020.

The Blue Course last hosted the RBC Canadian Open in 2014 and the very first Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 1901.

“It’s nice to go back to the place where it all began,” said Dan Hyatt. “The history and the facts speak for itself: Royal Montreal is a premium, top-notch club that will surely test the players.

“We’ve had some great conversations with the leadership there and it’s going to be an absolute privilege to bring the Canadian Women’s Amateur to one of this country’s most historic venues,” continued Hyatt.

The club, which is the oldest golf club in North America, first hosted the Canadian Open in 1904. It went on to host Canada’s national open nine more times – including 2014. Of note, Royal Montreal was the site of the last Canadian Open won by a Canadian when in 1954 Pat Fletcher, who served as the club’s head professional for nearly 20 years, captured the title.

Royal Montreal also welcomed the world in 2007 when it hosted the Presidents Cup.

“The Royal Montreal Golf Club is delighted to host a national golf championship again,” said General Manager Mike Kenney. “Having hosted the inaugural Women’s Amateur Championship in 1901, the membership is excited to have the best women’s amateur golfers test their skills on the Blue Course.

“Planning is well underway, and we look forward to welcoming all the players, coaches, family and friends to Royal Montreal in July 2020.”

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Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship

In 2021, the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship will be contested at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont.

Westmount, the home of famous amateur and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Gary Cowan, is no stranger to hosting some of the biggest events in Canadian golf. The club has hosted the 1957 Canadian Open, the 1990 CP Women’s Open, the 1969 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, and most recently the 2009 Canadian Junior Boys Championship in the past.

“Westmount has a long history of supporting amateur golf and we are honoured to be able to continue that tradition by hosting this prestigious event for top female amateurs from around the world,” said club president Virginia Marshall. “I am confident that the competitors will find our Stanley Thompson course both beautiful and challenging.”

Opened in 1931, Westmount, with its gently rolling terrain and unrivalled setting, has been constantly ranked as one of Canada’s best courses.

It will prove to be a formidable test for the best female amateurs in the world in 2021.

“It’s hard to beat,” said Dan Hyatt of Westmount. “It’s just such a fun track to play. There is never a dull moment there and it’s been a top-15 club consistently over the last decade or so. Plus, they are doing a lot of good things for the women’s game there.”

The 2019 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship wrapped up in July at Red Deer Golf and Country Club with American Brianna Navarrosa winning by one shot. Now Golf Canada looks ahead, with confidence and excitement, at the next two years.

“We can’t thank both Royal Montreal and Westmount enough for putting in bids to host our championship,” said Hyatt. “Having these caliber of clubs involved will only make it a stronger event for everybody moving forward.”

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CPKC Women's Open

Lorie Kane takes on Hole 17 to raise money for CP Birdies for Heart

CP ambassador and Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Lorie Kane plays hole 17 alongside Canadian #golf journalist Adam Stanley in support of Birdies for Heart at Magna Golf Club, site of the 2019 CP Women’s Open from Aug. 19-25.

Click here to learn how to donate.