Canada’s Brigitte Thibault wins NCAA conference title
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Team Canada’s Brigitte Thibault went wire-to-wire at Mission Hills Country Club to win the Mountain West Conference, becoming the fourth golfer to do so in program history for Fresno State. The sophomore closed the event with a two-stroke victory at 1 over par, boosted by the strength of two strong opening rounds (71-70).
Thibault—who played in the inaugural Augusta Women’s Amateur—was thrilled to pick up her first collegiate win at an iconic course.
“I’m so glad to get my first collegiate conference championship win, at Mission Hills, because that’s where the Q School is, that’s where the ANA is, it’s a lot on the future opportunities,” said Thibault. “I’m really proud of myself to step it up at this major championship. I’m really happy.”
“Really proud of Brigitte,” said head coach Emily Loftin. “Excellent play over three days and she learned to manage herself with having a lead and it’s great to see that type of growth in a young player. This should help catapult her moving into postseason. I’m always elated when we get a victory, but even more so when it’s the first one at the conference championship, just an exciting day all-around.”
Thibault, a Rosemère, Que., native, lifted the Bulldogs to a fifth place team finish. The NCAA Regionals from May 6-8 at four different sites, followed by the championship from May 17-22 – Thibault was named as an individual participant in the Auburn regional championship. The selection marks the fifth time Fresno State has been represented in the postseason over the last six years.
RBC Canadian Open and Tourism Hamilton partner to launch The Hamilton Fare Way
HAMILTON (Golf Canada) – The RBC Canadian Open has partnered with Tourism Hamilton and several of the city’s pre-eminent restaurants to deliver a unique culinary experience to fans attending one of Canada’s premier sporting events this June.
The Hamilton Fare Way is a new on-site food initiative taking place at this year’s RBC Canadian Open, being held June 3-9, 2019 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club. The gastro-experience will highlight the city’s vibrant culinary scene through an exciting partnership with Tourism Hamilton.
“World class golf, food and music is what the new RBC Canadian Open is all about,” said Bryan Crawford, RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director. “Our championship has always been synonymous with terrific golf. Earlier this year, we announced the addition of the RBCxMusic Concert Series onsite featuring Florida Georgia Line and the Glorious Sons on Friday and Saturday of tournament week. Now we’re thrilled to bring together talented chefs from Hamilton’s exploding food scene as a dynamic addition to the RBC Canadian Open.”
Eight restaurants will be featured June 6th to 9th of tournament week as part of The Hamilton Fare Way, which will be located between holes 17 and 18 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club.
“Having these wonderful restaurants featured at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open is an absolutely terrific opportunity for the City of Hamilton,” says Sharon Murphy, Manager Tourism & Events at the City of Hamilton. “There is so much momentum behind the dining and arts scenes in our city and this is an exciting opportunity for golf and music fans to experience what our city has to offer.”
The Hamilton Fare Way will celebrate some of the arts & culture that make Hamilton so unique, and will include musical performances, interactive installations and more programming from some of the city’s dynamic artists.
One of the most storied events on the PGA TOUR schedule, the 2019 RBC Canadian Open returns to Hamilton Golf and Country Club for the first time since 2012.
The field includes RBC ambassadors like world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, major champion Webb Simpson, and Canadian PGA TOUR winners Adam Hadwin and Corey Conners. Multi-time major champion and world No. 4 Rory McIlroy will also make his RBC Canadian Open debut this June.
More information about the 2019 RBC Canadian Open including tickets, corporate hospitality and volunteer information is available at www.rbccanadianopen.com.
Restaurants participating the The Hamilton Fare Way at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open include:
Berkley North (31 King William St.)
Featuring a young and passionate culinary team with a changing menu that reflects seasonal, responsibly sourced ingredients.
Bread Bar (258 Locke St. South)
Offering handcrafted food made with the finest ingredients and an ‘earth to table’ philosophy for people who want a better quality meal.
The Brux House (137 Locke St. South)
Inspired by the European beer belt, it uses quality, local ingredients that cater to those looking for refined but approachable dishes.
Hambrgr (207 Ottawa St. North)
A simple approach: make the best damn burger its customers have ever eaten.
Mezcal (150 James St. South)
A Mexican-inspired eatery, mixing ingredients from Mexico, Latin America, and locally in Hamilton for its chefs to cook “with a conscience.”
Nique (30 Vine St.)
Food that is inherently Canadian, with a cultural mosaic of a menu.
Radius (151 James St. South)
A local-first eatery with a menu chalk full of items, where possible, from the produce and fine meats of its very own farmers, and from its own farm in Carlisle.
Rousseau House (375 Wilson St. East)
Our restaurant is a local casual upscale experience with a great patio. Under Construction to transform into a state of the art Micro Brewery.
Sandra Post rooting for Brooke Henderson to break records
Sandra Post is no longer the most successful Canadian in LPGA Tour history – and she couldn’t be happier.
Post was cheering Brooke Henderson from home as she won the LOTTE Championship on Saturday in Hawaii, tying Post’s career wins record for a Canadian. Henderson also matched Mike Weir and George Knudson for wins by a Canadian on the PGA or LPGA tours at eight.
The 70-year-old Post, from Oakville, Ont., is all for Henderson winning again and moving ahead of herself, Weir and Knudson – all of whom are in Canada’s Golf Hall of Fame.
“I truly believe that records are made to be broken,” said Post on Monday. “My last win was in 1981, which was another century. I think it’s long overdue. No matter who came up after me, I always wished they would do better than me.”
Henderson finished 16 under on Saturday at Ko Olina Golf Club to beat South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji by four strokes. At just 21 years old, the native of Smiths Falls, Ont., has won a major in the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and ended a championship drought for homegrown talent at the 2018 CP Women’s Open, Canada’s national championship.
“I hope Brooke wins more and more and more events,” said Post. “I hope that there’s no stopping her for a very long time. Then it will be her bar to set and then hopefully someone else comes along and breaks it.”
Although Post, who watches every LPGA Tour event, is a big fan of Henderson, she feels it’s too early to call her the greatest Canadian golfer ever.
“We don’t know how long she’s going to play and it’s a different time,” said Post. “There are more tournaments, there are more majors for her to win. When I played, there were only two majors.
Now there’s five per year. Everything has changed.
“Having said that, I think it’s more about women’s sport. I think it’s good to have someone like Brooke for the exposure of the sport and people following it. I think it’s good for women and for sport to have winners.”
Post and Henderson first met ahead of the ANA Inspiration in 2015, the first major of the LPGA season, when the latter golfer was still an amateur. Post won the event twice when it was still known as the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle and offered up some advice to the young golf prodigy.
“I don’t give her any advice now, she’s got it well in hand,” said Post with a laugh.
Post is generally impressed with the growth of golf among Canadian women, pointing out the success of Henderson, Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay on the LPGA Tour. She’s also impressed by the success of Canadian amateurs Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., who was the only Canadian in the field at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and Oakville’s Nicole Gal, who won the won the girls’ 14-15 age division of the Drive, Chip and Putt championship, also at Augusta.
“The LPGA has done a lot in girls’ golf to promote it and grow it,” said Post. “When you see contests like Augusta’s Drive, Chip and Putt, and you see the women’s amateur that they played before it, it’s impressive.
“Right now, junior golf and the enthusiasm for it and parents getting their kids into it, it’s really good for the game.”
C.T. Pan wins RBC Heritage with late comeback
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – C.T. Pan took advantage of Dustin Johnson’s back-nine meltdown to win the RBC Heritage for his first PGA Tour victory.
The 27-year-old Pan, from Taiwan, closed with a 4-under 67 on Sunday at Harbour Town Golf Links for a one-stroke victory over Matt Kuchar. Pan finished at 12-under 272.
The top-ranked Johnson, the third-round leader in his home-state event, had a 77 to tie for 28th at 4 under. He played a five-hole stretch in 7 over, making bogeys on Nos. 11-13 and double bogeys on Nos. 14-15.
Pan took the lead for good with a 9-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th.
Kuchar closed with a 67.
Patrick Cantlay, Scott Piercy and Shane Lowry tied for third at 10 under. Cantlay and Piercy shot 69, and Lowry had a 70.
Pan headed to the practice range after the round to keep ready in case of a playoff, then raised his arms in triumph when told he’d won. He earned $1,242,000, a PGA Tour exemption through 2020-21 and spots in next month’s PGA Championship and next year’s Masters. He’s the RBC Heritage’s fourth straight first-time winner.
Henderson repeats at Lotte Championship, ties Canadian record
KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Brooke Henderson didn’t join the LPGA Tour thinking she would end up amongst the best Canadian golfers of all-time. At least not so soon, anyway.
Henderson tied the Canadian record for most career victories on the LPGA or PGA Tour on Saturday when the 21-year-old captured her eighth career title by shooting a 2-under 70 to win the Lotte Championship for the second year in a row.
Sandra Post had eight career victories on the LPGA Tour between 1968 and 1981, while Mike Weir and George Knudson equalled that on the PGA Tour.
“When I was younger it was just a goal to be on the LPGA Tour, to win my first event,” Henderson said.
“And when that happened and I won my first major the year after, things kind of just started to fall into place. I knew the record was eight. Just kept creeping toward it the last three years, which was really exciting.”
Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., won last year’s event in Hawaii for her sixth Tour victory and followed that up in August 2018 as the first Canadian in 45 years to win the CP Women’s Open.
“I think starting last year I sort of saw that it was within my reach if I had two good seasons. Last year put me into great position, and coming back this year it’s been on the back of my mind every week that I tee it up. I’m just really happy that I have finally done it.
“Looking forward to overtaking it now.”
She finished 16 under on Saturday at Ko Olina Golf Club to beat South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji by four strokes.
All the highlights from Brooke’s repeat performance in Hawaii ???? pic.twitter.com/XDRFo8KBht
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 21, 2019
Nelly Korda, tied with Henderson for the third-round lead, finished with a quadruple-bogey 8 for a 77 that left her seven strokes back at 9 under. She hit into the water twice on 18, then threw her ball in after finishing. The 20-year-old American also had a double bogey on the par-4 seventh.
“Pretty bad,” Korda said. “I mean, it was a tough day, but I ended really poorly and I’m pretty disappointed in that. … It was an unfortunate final round, but there is nothing I can do about it anymore.”
Ariya Jutanugarn (73) and 2016 winner Minjee Lee (74) tied for third at 11 under.
Henderson bogeyed her first hole, but that was the only blemish in the final round as she followed that up with three birdies and 14 pars.
She looked to be in some trouble on the par-4 16th, but saved par when she hit a put from off the green.
“It’s really amazing to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike Weir, George, and Sandra,” Henderson said. “This week was really special. I always love coming to Hawaii. Last year was such an incredible week for me, to be able to hoist that trophy for the first time. Coming back I knew I knew the golf course really well.”
Fellow Canadian and Olympic teammate Alena Sharp watched Henderson play out the round and joined her in celebration.
“Congrats my friend ?BrookeHenderson! Unbelievable title defense and tying Sandra Post’s record for most wins by a Canadian on the ?LPGA tour. So freaking proud of you!,” tweeted Sharp (72), who finished 2 under for 40th place.
Henderson takes home US$300,000 for the win. Through seven events in 2019, she has made six cuts, has one victory, three top-10 finishes and one top-15 finish for $498,151 total earnings.
Henderson, ranked No. 12 in the world, has one major among her tournament victories, winning the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after beating Lydia Ko in a playoff when she was only 18.
Brooke Henderson tied for the lead in Hawaii
KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Defending champion Brooke Henderson shot a 3-under 69 on Friday at blustery Ko Olina Golf Club for a share of the third-round lead with Nelly Korda in the Lotte Championship.
Korda had a 71, matching Henderson with a bogey on the par-4 18 to get to 14-under 202.
“There are still 18 more holes left and a lot can happen” Korda said. “The weather is unpredictable. The wind swirls and gusts, so it’ll be an interesting day. We’re all going to be fighting.”
The 21-year-old Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., is trying to match Sanda Post record for LPGA Tour victories by a Canadian with eight.
“It was really windy today,” Henderson said. “Really had to stay patient.”
The 20-year-old Korda won the Women’s Australian Open in February for her second LPGA Tour title. She opened the season with five straight top-10 finishes before tying for 52nd two weeks ago in the major ANA Inspiration. On Friday, she birdied Nos. 12, 14 and 16, before dropping the stroke on 18.
Defending champ @BrookeHenderson making it look easy at @LPGALOTTE! She’s tied for the lead heading into the finale ???? pic.twitter.com/WGzseMJOQQ
— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) April 20, 2019
“Was a bit of a frustrating day on the front nine,” Korda said. “Was not hitting it well. I was not putting well at all. Kind of got it back on the back nine. It was pretty frustrating today. Wasn’t the happiest camper out there.”
Minjee Lee and second-round leader Eun-Hee Ji were a stroke back. Lee, the Australian who won the 2016 event, had a 70. She was bogey-free and also birdie-free, but did chip-in for eagle on the fifth hole.
“It was pretty hard out there,” Lee said. “The wind was really gusty and the pin placements were pretty hard for the wind direction we had.”
Ji shot 74 after opening with rounds of 65 and 74.
“It’s still a really packed leaderboard, and whoever plays really well tomorrow is going to come out on top or close to the top,” Henderson said. “Right now it’s hard to say what that number is going to be. Kind of all just depends on the wind.”
Ariya Jutanugarn made the third day’s most dramatic move, shooting a 66 to bolt from nine back to two. She avoided bogeys, drained long putts – she needed just 23 – and birdied all but one of the par 5s.
“I think the most important thing today is I feel I’m really too far behind the lead,” Jutanugarn said. “I feel like I can’t catch anyway, so what I want to do is just be patient, do my best every shot.”
Henderson was even par on the front nine, then birdied four of the first six on the back, slam dunking a speeding putt from off the 13th green.
“I knew I had to get going a little bit, make some birdies,” she said. “I was hitting it well the last few holes on the front nine, just wasn’t converting. It was nice to get that birdie-birdie (10-11). Gave me a little momentum going into a couple of par 5s, and I was able to make some putts, which was really nice.”
Her approach to the 18th – Ko Olina’s toughest hole this week – squirted into the back trap. After a good bunker shot, she lipped out a 5-footer for par.
Korda watched from the fairway and missed the green with her approach. She chipped to the fringe then left her par putt short.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (72) was tied for 44th.
Henderson tied for third mid-way through Lotte Championship
KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Eun-Hee Ji rebounded from a bogey on the par-4 18th with a pitch-in eagle on the par-5 first and shot a 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead over Nelly Korda on Thursday in the Lotte Championship.
Ji had a 15-under 129 total to break the tournament 36-hole record by five strokes.
“I think it was lucky (today),” Ji said. “I had to chip it in three times. Makes a lot of difference for me.”
She played her final nine in the afternoon at Ko Olina in 6-under 30, following the eagle with birdies on four of the next seven holes.
“I just kept focus on my game,” Ji said. “I hit it well and made a lot of putts from there. That makes it a lot different.”
The 32-year-old South Korean won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in January in Florida for her fifth LPGA Tour title. Her biggest victory came in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson (68) of Smiths Falls, Ont., and 2016 winner Minjee Lee (68) were tied for third at 11 under. If the 21-year-old Henderson claims her eighth LPGA Tour title Saturday, she will tie Sandra Post’s record for victories by a Canadian. Henderson and Korda played junior golf together.
“It’s pretty cool to have us both make it this far on tour,” Henderson said. “Growing up playing junior events together I think this was both of our dreams, so it’s pretty cool to come out here and have it be a reality every single day.”
Korda birdied four of her final five in the breezy morning session in a 68, also finishing on No. 9.
“It was completely different to yesterday,” Korda said. “I actually experienced Hawaii weather today. It was tough. I didn’t hit every shot perfect. I had a couple bogeys. But I ended up playing pretty solid today.”
Driver off the deck!! @BrookeHenderson with another look at eagle early ???? pic.twitter.com/sp8DHYmf9u
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 19, 2019
The 20-year-old American won the Women’s Australian Open in February for her second LPGA Tour title. She opened the season with five straight top-10 finishes before tying for 52nd two weeks ago in the major ANA Inspiration.
Azahara Munoz (66) and Moriya Jutanugarn (67) were 10 under.
Michelle Wie shot her second straight 77 to finish ahead of only one of the 143 players to complete two rounds. The 2014 winner in her home event, she has struggled with pain in her right hand following off-season surgery.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (73) was tied for 49th place, 13 shots back. Anne-Catherine Tanguay (73) of Quebec City was 16 shots back, Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee (76) was 5 over and Orangeville, Ont., native Brittany Marchand (79) was 9 over.
RBC Canadian Open announces multi-year youth initiative
Hamilton – A generation of Hamilton youth will soon experience the lasting impact of the RBC Canadian Open’s proud return to the Hamilton Golf Country Club.
Golf Canada, in partnership with RBC, the City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation, along with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board and Hamilton Catholic District School Board, announced today a number of youth initiatives that will make the 2019 RBC Canadian Open more junior-accessible than ever before, while creating a meaningful golf legacy in the Hamilton Wentworth region.
Beginning with the 2019 event, which runs from June 3-9, the RBC Canadian Open Youth Initiative will span a five-year period through to the Open’s return to Hamilton Golf and Country Club in 2023.
One element of the new Youth Initiative will see golf programming introduced into schools across the Hamilton Wentworth region, with a goal to deliver programming to nearly 100 schools over the next five years. The Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation will lead the school fundraising efforts in 2019, working closely with Golf Canada Foundation, the official charity of the RBC Canadian Open.
For the first time ever, RBC Canadian Open School Days will take place during early week practice rounds on Monday and Wednesday of tournament week. Participating schools from the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board will visit on Monday, June 3 while Hamilton Catholic District School Board schools will visit on Wednesday, June 5.
With free admission for participating students and teachers, the School Days experience is credited to the RBC Canadian Open’s new June date on the PGA TOUR schedule. In addition to watching world-class golf, students will get a behind the scenes tour of Canada’s National Open Championship, including visits to The Rink, a tour of the CBS TV broadcast operation, pictures with the iconic RBC Canadian Open trophy, autograph sessions and a variety of junior golf activities.
Golf Canada will also work collaboratively with the City of Hamilton’s three 18-hole municipal golf courses (King’s Forest Golf Course along with the 36-hole Chedoke Golf Club – Beddoe Course and Martin Course) as well as the Hamilton Fore Golf program to engage youth golfers at the RBC Canadian Open. Each of the three courses will have juniors participate in Golf Canada’s Walk with a Pro event during the Wednesday Pro-Am.
“When we announced that Hamilton Golf and Country Club would host a pair of RBC Canadian Opens, we worked with officials from the City of Hamilton and the Club to develop a robust youth initiative that could have a lasting impact in the community,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bryan Crawford. “Introducing more youth to the game through the school system, connecting with the city’s municipal courses and bringing juniors out to the golf course to watch the world’s best players compete will be really special for kids across the region.”
Golf Canada will work with various stakeholders to secure funding for the RBC Canadian Open Youth Initiative. The Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation will be the main source of funding in year one with other community partnerships to be explored in the years when the tournament is not hosted in the Hamilton area.
“Creating a community legacy was an important element to our Foundation getting behind the RBC Canadian Open Youth Initiative in 2019 and 2023,” said Al Scott, Vice President of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation. “Our goal with Golf Canada was to create a junior golf legacy around the RBC Canadian Open’s return to the Hamilton Wentworth region and give back to the community where we live, work and play.”
Golf Canada also offers a Student Volunteer Program to encourage juniors to earn their community volunteer hours as part of the RBC Canadian Open (or CP Women’s Open). Juniors looking to participate will pay a reduced fee of $40 which includes a uniform and weeklong volunteer badge.
The RBC Canadian Open is also pleased to offer FREE admission to children aged 12-and-under. Juniors aged 13 to 17 can also take advantage of a reduced priced Youth Ticket.
More information about the 2019 RBC Canadian Open including tickets, corporate hospitality and volunteer information is available at www.rbccanadianopen.com.
Defending champion Henderson 2 shots back at Lotte
KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Nelly Korda took advantage when Hawaii’s tough trade winds took a break.
Korda rolled in the last of her nine birdies at the 18th in a bogey-free round of 63 Wednesday for a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Lotte Championship at Ko Olina Golf Club.
“I got here Saturday and I swear I couldn’t even walk because it was so windy,” said Korda, who is making her Lotte debut. “But I like the place. Everyone is really friendly and it just feels good to be here.”
Eun-Hee Ji birdied six of the final eight holes for an 8-under 64.
Ji won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions for her fifth LPGA Tour victory. The 2009 U.S. Women’s Open champion also had a bogey-free round
Ji has played in all eight Lotte events, never shooting lower than 66 before Wednesday. She admitted she was uncomfortable in the wind and surprised at how peaceful it was in paradise.
“It’s always windy out here,” Ji said. “But today was no wind and this course . a lot of changes if no wind, so that makes it little easier today.”
Defending champion Brooke Henderson and Hyejin Choi, playing on a sponsor exemption, are two shots back.
Defending champ @BrookeHenderson kept the momentum at the @LPGALOTTE, with an eagle ? en route to an opening 7-under ?pic.twitter.com/aZb0PnpGhZ
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 18, 2019
Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., won last year in wind gusts of 30 mph. On Wednesday, she offset her only bogey by chipping in for eagle on the 15th.
“I think I was able to use some of that strategy from last year this year,” Henderson said, “which is a big help.”
Ji turns 33 next month, making her the oldest LPGA winner this year. Korda, who turns 21 in July, was one of the youngest when she snagged her second win in February in Australia.
In her third LPGA season, she is now No. 10 in the Rolex Rankings and has five top 10s in six starts this year. She also leads the tour in birdies.
Hannah Green, of Australia, who holed out for eagle from just inside 100 yards on the third hole, is tied for fifth at 66 with So Yeon Ryu of South Korea.
A big group at 67 includes 2016 Lotte champ Minjee Lee, In Gee Chun, sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn and rookies Suzuka Yamaguchi and Lilia Vu.
Jin Young Ko, the new No. 1 after winning two of her last three starts, finished at 69. She is coming off a victory at the year’s first major and has finished outside the top five just once in her last six starts.
Kim Kaufman had a hole-in-one on the fourth hole – the first of her six-year LPGA career. She shot 71.
Hawaii’s Michelle Wie – the 2014 Lotte champion who is coming back from a wrist injury – shot 77.
“Just coming back, some shots are going to hurt,” Wie said. “Trying to figure my way around that and just trying to get back in the swing of playing again.”
Alena Sharpe (69) of Hamilton was six shots back. Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay shot 72, Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee shot 73 and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont.., had a 74.
Canada’s Tanguay has eyes on Olympics as she prepares for LOTTE Championship
On a day-to-day basis Anne-Catherine Tanguay likes to focus on the process of being a professional golfer. But when she takes a step back from her daily regimen of practise, journaling, and evaluation, she does have some pretty lofty goals.
The Quebec City native is in the field at the LOTTE Championship that teed off on Wednesday along with fellow Canadians Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont.
Tanguay is the third-highest Canadian on the Race to the CME Globe rankings behind No. 20 Henderson and No. 39 Sharp. Although she’s not much of a rankings watcher, Tanguay’s aware that she needs to keep moving up from her current position of 90th to achieve some of her long-range goals.
“I think that this year it’s been more important for me to focus on the process rather than the results,” said Tanguay, who arrived in West Oahu, Hawaii, for the tournament on Sunday. “I feel like the rankings are more of a collateral to the rest of the work I put in toward my goals.”
Her most immediate goal? Representing Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
The top 15 world-ranked players will be eligible for the Olympics field of 60 women, with a limit of four players from any given country. Beyond the top 15, players will be eligible based on the world rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15. The women’s qualification period will end June 29, 2020.
“It’s brand new and I feel like it’s not really part of our culture in the golf industry to have this in mind, unlike every other sport where their ultimate goal is to make the Olympics,” said Tanguay. “For us it’s been more play majors, win majors. It’s become my focus more in the past year and more and more people are asking me about it.”
Tanguay is excited to be back at the Ko Olina Golf Club, home of the LOTTE Championship. She enjoys how the course plays and has been preparing all week for the windy conditions on the Hawaiian island.
“This is my third time here, so there’s no surprise that it’s going to be windy,” said Tanguay, who says she hardly has to consult her yardage book for the course. “I’ve been practising my side-hill lies but the No. 1 factor here is the wind. I just wanted to come prepared.”