VICTORIA, B.C. – Amateur golfers over the age of 25 will gather for the 32nd playing of the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Victoria Golf Club from Aug. 20-24.

The field of 156 amateur golfers will navigate the course, surrounded by West Coast beauty, craggy shorelines, lush fairways and challenging breezes. Founded in 1893, Victoria Golf Club is the second oldest golf course in North America on its original location.

“We are truly honoured to host this prestigious tournament at Victoria Golf Club,” said General Manager Scott Kolb. “We look forward to challenging this strong field with our historic golf course, in addition to showcasing the beautiful city of Victoria and all it has to offer.”

Graham Cooke of Hudson, Que., captured the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title seven times between 1987 and 2002. He is among a group of five other players who have captured this championship on multiple occasions, including 2014, 2015 and 2016 winner Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont.

Cooke and Rank join four other past Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champions competing in this event – Dave Bunker (2008-2010), Kevin Carrigan (2012-2013), Garth Collings (2003) and defending champion Todd Fanning. Bunker, Rank and Cooke are the only players to win the tournament three years in a row.

“We are thrilled to bring this talented field to Victoria Golf Club. The Mid-Amateur is a great opportunity for Canadian amateurs to find success and experience on a national stage,” said Tournament Director Akash Patel. “This beautiful course is in great condition and sure to draw out some exciting competition.”

In 2017, Fanning finished at 10 under par, finding himself in a three-man playoff at Wascana Country Club.  He would eventually emerge victorious on the fourth playoff with an eight-foot putt for par. Fanning will look to become the seventh player with back-to-back wins at the championship.

The first round will take place on Aug. 21 and the field will be reduced to the low 70 and ties for the final two rounds.

The championship was first contested in 1987 and includes an inter-provincial competition which is held over the first 36 holes. In addition, the championship includes a Mid-Master competition for players over the age of 40 that runs concurrently with the tournament.

A supplemental qualifier will be held at Gorge Vale Golf Club on August 19^th, where three spots into the tournament will be awarded. Additional information can be found here.

Team Ontario will attempt to defend its title in the inter-provincial team competition, hoping for their fourth consecutive victory.

In addition to the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title, the 2018 champion will receive an exemption into the 2019 RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club from June 3-9, 2019.

Additional information about the tournament, including the full field and tee-times is available here.

NOTABLES
Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont.
In 2016, Rank earned his third straight championship win at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur and is the highest ranked Canadian golfer in the field at No. 88. He recently won both the Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur and the Investor’s Group Ontario Men’s Amateur. The 30-year-old also earned co-medallist honours at the U.S. Open Qualifier at Ansley Golf Club and a third place finish at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Dave Bunker of Brampton, Ont.
The 53-year-old won this event three years in a row between 2008-2010. He also won the Investors Group Men’s Mid-Amateur three times, most recently in 2014. Bunker has four top-five finishes in the six events he competed in this season, including a tie for second at Investors Group Ontario Men’s Mid-Am Championship.

Todd Fanning of Winnipeg, Man.
The 50-year-old comes in as the event’s defending champion after rallying in the final round and winning the 2017 tournament in a playoff. Fanning finished third in the Nott Autocorp Men’s Amateur Championship in July.

Kevin Carrigan of Victoria, B.C.
Carrigan won the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship two times in a row in 2012 and 2013 and finished fourth in 2017. The 32-year-old finished third at the B.C. Amateur Championship in 2017 and 2018.

Graham Cooke of Hudson, Que.
With seven victories, Cooke holds the record for most titles at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. The 71-year-old has three top-three finishes this year, including a win at the Championnat Senior Montreal at Kanawaki Golf Club.

Garth Collins of Matlock, Man.
The 60-year-old, who won the championship in 2003, finished in second at the 2018 Manitoba Mid-Amateur and fourth at the 2018 Manitoba Senior Championship.

FAST FACTS

• Championship was first contested in 1987 and was originally known as the RCGA Pre-Seniors Championship before it was renamed to its current name in 1989.
• The Inter-Provincial Team Championship for the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy was first conducted in 1992 and is played concurrently over the first two rounds of stroke play.
• Graham Cooke of Hudson, Que. and Stu Hamilton of Brampton, Ont., captured 11 of the first 20 championships played.
• Graham Cooke was the inaugural champion in 1987.
• Graham Cooke has the most event wins with seven.
• The defending champion is Todd Fanning of Winnipeg, Man., who captured gold-medal honours in both the Mid-Amateur and Mid-Master division
• Three players have won the event three times in a row: Garrett Rank, Dave Bunker and Graham Cooke – no one has won it four times straight.
• In 2006, the format was changed from match to stroke play, with a Mid-Master category introduced for golfers over the age of 40.
• In 2017, Team Ontario captured the inter-provincial R. Bruce Forbes Trophy for the third straight year.

ABOUT THE COURSE
Victoria Golf Club

• Founded in 1893
• The oldest 18-hole golf course in Canada in its original location, and second oldest in North America.
• The course began as 14 holes but quickly expanded to 18 in 1895.
• The clubhouse, completed in 1928, is a registered Canadian Historic Place.
• For more than a century, famous names have graced the course, including golfing greats Harry Vardon, Chick Evans, Byron Nelson, Joyce Wethered, Ben Hogan, Al Geiberger, Pat Bradley, George Knudson, Sam Snead, Dawn Coe-Jones and Johnny Miller, to name a few.
• Numerous celebrities such as Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Wayne Gretzky, Pamela Anderson, Kiefer Sutherland and, most recently, Alice Cooper have played at the course.
• More information can be found here.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — With a lot on the line at the Wyndham Championship, David Hearn of Brampton, Ont., was the top Canadian after round one. The 39 year-old fired a 64 to sit in a tie for fourth place.

Fellow Canadians Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. carded matching 65s to share a piece of 11th. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. and Ben Silverman of Toronto are at 2 under and one over, respectively.

This is the last chance for Silverman, Conners, Taylor and Hearn to get inside the top 125 on the FedEx Cup standings at this event, which is the final championship of the PGA Tour’s 2017-18 regular season.

Brandt Snedeker predicted low scores at the Wyndham Championship — but not this low.

Snedeker shot an 11-under 59 on Thursday, falling one shot shy of matching the PGA Tour record.

He made a 20-foot putt on his final hole to become the 10th player in tour history to break 60. Jim Furyk set the record with a 58 in the final round of the Travelers Championship in 2016.

“I better be smiling,” Snedeker said. “I don’t do this every day.”

This is the third consecutive year the PGA Tour has had a sub-60 round. Snedeker is the first to shoot 59 since Adam Hadwin in the third round of the 2017 Careerbuilder Challenge.

It gave him a four-stroke lead after one round. Ryan Moore and John Oda shot 63s, and Martin Flores, D.A. Points, Brett Stegmaier, David Hearn, Abraham Ancer, Ollie Schniederjans and Jonathan Byrd had 64s.

Snedeker — who said a day earlier that the tournament would turn into a “birdie-fest” — began the round at par-70 Sedgefield Country Club with a bogey at No. 10, and took off from there. He played the front nine in 27, including an eagle 2 on the par-4 sixth hole when he holed out from 176 yards.

After that shot, Snedeker said a 59 felt like a real possibility. He remembered a non-tour event he played in China in which he was one putt from that score, but those thoughts “got in the way.”

“To know what you’re trying to do and step up and have a 20-footer (on the final hole) and know what it means, I was very aware of what was going on, and to knock that putt in was really special,” Snedeker said. “To know I’m a part of a small club on tour and not very many people have done this, really cool feeling right now.”

Snedeker, the 2012 FedEx Cup champion, won the Wyndham in 2007. He broke Si Woo Kim’s 2-year-old Wyndham record of 60 and had the best opening round in this event’s history. Arjun Atwal had a 61 in 2010.

“The trick for him is, he’s playing great. Now he’s just got to rest, relax and start over tomorrow from scratch and go play three more good rounds,” said Furyk, who also shot a 59 at the BMW Championship in 2013. “It’s awesome to see.”

It’s been a somewhat frustrating, turbulent year for Snedeker. He has three top-10 finishes and two missed cuts in his last seven events and has not won on tour since 2016. During his first 16 tournaments of the season, he finished in the top 10 just once.

“Nobody could see this coming — trust me,” Snedeker said. “As much as I tried to positive self-talk myself into playing good, I didn’t see 59 coming today, to be honest with you. … Luckily, it kind of clicked all day today, and hopefully it will keep clicking for the next three days.”

At No. 80 on the points list entering the final event of the tour’s regular season, he’s nowhere near the playoff bubble and his spot at The Northern Trust next week in New Jersey seems safe. But that ranking is his lowest since the tour’s post-season format debuted in 2007.

During his tie for 42nd at the PGA Championship last week in St. Louis, Snedeker says he “kind of found something” when he simplified some swing fundamentals and began to feel better about that part of his game.

Then, he spent the first round showing it off.

Snedeker, who began his round on the back nine, reeled off four consecutive birdies on Nos. 13-16. He then got even hotter on his final nine holes, with six birdies in addition to the shot of the day on No. 6. But he missed a 3-foot birdie putt on No. 8 that would have made a 58 possible.

“Could have been even more special,” he said, “but happy with the way everything turned out.”

Moore, who won here in 2009, made a move up the leaderboard in the afternoon with five birdies in a six-hole span on the front nine. Oda, a second-year pro coming off a tie for third earlier this month in the Barracuda Championship, had three consecutive birdies on the back nine to pull even with Moore.

“You see a round like (Snedeker’s) and maybe kind of encourage you there’s birdies out there, that the course is playing scorable and there’s rounds to be had,” Moore said. “I kind of took that mindset of, well, better get out there and make some birdies if you don’t want to be 10, 11 shots behind by the end of this day. Like, let’s try and close that gap a little bit.”

When you get to be 125 years old, one birthday party just won’t do.

So Victoria Golf Club, which was founded back in 1893, is having a year-long celebration of sorts to mark its notable anniversary. The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, which will be played Aug. 21-24 on Victoria Golf Club’s spectacular seaside links, is a big part of that celebration.

“Our actual birthday is Nov. 7,” says head professional Lindsay Bernakevitch. “We are hosting a bit of a member’s tournament on that day or right around there, but that was the impetus behind us trying to get this national championship that we could host and celebrate our 125th with.”

In July, an outdoor gala was held with about 650 people in attendance. And earlier this month, Victoria’s putting green was the site of a special afternoon high tea.

Victoria Golf Club is the oldest 18-hole golf course still on its present site in Canada. It is also among the most beautiful anywhere.

It sits on a pristine piece of property on Gonzales Point in the seaside municipality of Oak Bay and offers stunning views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The course began as a 14-hole layout in 1893 and was expanded to 18 holes two years later.

In its early years, golfers shared the course with sheep and cows that grazed the property owned by the Pemberton family. In fact, early in its life the course was closed in the summer months.

“Golfers refrained from playing on the premises for three months each summer, leaving the fairways undisturbed for the animals,” Arv Olson wrote in his book, Backspin: 100 years of golf in British Columbia. “The putting greens were fenced to protect against hoof-prints. The members learned to adapt; they tolerated the hazards dropped by the voracious stock.”

Victoria’s most memorable holes are on the ocean side of the course. Those begin at No. 3 after crossing the road and continue through No. 10.

Its signature hole would be No. 7, which was once a long par 3 that has been converted to a par 4. The left side of the hole hugs the ocean and has a treacherous two-tiered green that tilts towards the ocean and has seen more than its share of three- and four-putts over the years.

In his only round at Victoria Golf Club, Ben Hogan managed to putt his ball right off the green and into the ocean.
“It was a par 3 in the ‘50s when he played,” recalls Mike Parker, Victoria’s former longtime head pro who now serves the club’s head professional emeritus. “He putted from the right edge of the green right into the water. In those days it was out of bounds, it wasn’t a lateral hazard, and Hogan said it was the only time in his career he putted a ball out of bounds. That’s kind of a neat story.”

Among Victoria’s most notable members over its 125-year history is A.V. Macan, who arrived in the B.C. capital from his native Ireland in 1910 and started a law practice. After winning his second straight B.C. Amateur Championship in 1913 at his new home course, Macan scrapped his law practice and began what became a prolific career as a golf course architect.

Victoria’s members are proud of their club’s rich history. For more than a century they have played an annual inter-club match with members of Seattle Golf Club. Apart from three years during the Second World War, the matches have been played every year since 1903.

“It is a friendly match, it’s like a friendly soccer game almost,” says Parker. “It is nice to win, everybody tries their best to win, but at the end of the day it’s really a social day to a great extent.”
Victoria Golf Club is, by today’s standards, a short course. Stretched to its absolute limit, it plays about 6,200 yards as a par 70.

“Typically, players look at the scorecard and say we are going to kill this course because it’s so short,” Parker says. “But in fact they don’t at all. . .It depends on the weather. There will be some good scores, some 65s, 66s that kind of thing. But not as many as people think.”

Back in 1993, to help celebrate its centennial, Victoria played host to the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The winning score, by Australian Gary Simpson, was 281 or one-over par.

“On occasion you can go low here,” says head pro Bernakevitch. “I definitely have had low rounds. But the greens are tough here and especially if the wind blows a little bit, par is always a good score. You are never going to be far out of it if you shoot par. That being said, someone could have a hot week, you never know. But it is just one of those places that has enough quirks to it, that it always seems to hold its own.”

It should be noted that the wind almost always blows a little bit at Victoria. Sometimes, a lot more than a little bit.

Bernakevitch, a Saskatchewan native, is in his fifth year as head pro at Victoria and feels like he is one of the most fortunate guys in the business having landed at the club.

“When I quit the tour life and decided to settle down and get into the club side of the business, this is the place I wanted to be,” he says. “The funny thing is I did a goal-setting thing probably eight years ago and wrote this golf course on my list. I said I want to be the head pro at Victoria Golf Club, that is where I want to end up. So it is really surreal that it actually happened. It has been everything I have dreamed of. It is an awesome membership and just a fantastic golf course. I still pinch myself driving into work.”

It’s probably safe to say more than a few of the Mid-Amateur competitors will also be pinching themselves when they experience Victoria Golf Club for the first time. There has been a huge demand from players wanting to play the event at what is a truly special golf course. Bernakevitch says they won’t be disappointed.

“The course is beautiful right now,” he says. “The entire course is probably the best I have ever seen it. Everything from fairways to rough to fescue to greens is as good, as healthy and as perfect as I have seen it in my five years here. That is really exciting for us. Our members are having an awesome summer of golf and we are going to roll that into a big tournament week.”

At only 20 years old, it might be a bit too early to be talking about one’s legacy.  But when that person is Brooke Henderson and she has six LPGA Tour titles – including one major to her name – that is a topic which will inevitably come up for discussion.

In just in her third full season, the former member of Golf Canada’s national team program trails only Sandra Post – who captured eight LPGA Tour titles during her career – for most all time by a Canadian.

“The first chapter has only been written,” said said Lorie Kane, referring to the legacy Henderson is building through her success.

As an inductee to the Canadian golf hall of fame in 2016 and a member of the Order of Canada, Kane is very familiar with leaving a legacy and making an impact.

“She brings a great level of excitement to the game with her success,” added the four-time LPGA Tour winner about Henderson. “And she is growing the game.”

For her part, the 20-year-old from Smith Falls, Ont. has some kind words about Kane – who she regards as a mentor.

“I remember playing a practice round with her when I was fifteen; and later that week we held hands and waved to the crowd while walking up the 18th hole. That was a special memory,” said Henderson.

“She’s really paved the way for Canadian golf.  She’s such a great ambassador for the game of golf; and it’s been incredible to learn from her expertise and experience.”

Kane is quick to point out that the young golfing superstar benefits from having a great supporting cast.

“Brooke is the product of a very good upbringing from her mom and dad and sister Brit who carries the bag that supports her,” she noted.

“She has also benefited a lot from being part of Golf Canada’s national team program,” Kane added.

Henderson, who first joined the national team program at the age of 14, credits her time with the team for a significant part of her success.

“I got so many opportunities to compete outside of Canada and in the U.S. We played in the British and world amateur championships and all over the world,” Henderson said.

“So being on the team really taught me a lot.  Not only from the coaches – but golf-wise we had access to a nutritionist, psychologist, strength and conditioning. I learned about all the aspects of the game of golf and that’s been very important to my development.”

Today, as a six-time LPGA Tour winner and a bona fide star in her sport, the 20-year-old golfer is grateful to be living out her childhood dream.

“It’s always been a dream since I was a little girl to play against the best golfers in the world; and I’m now very thankful to be able to do that every week and travel the world,” said Henderson, who started playing the sport at the age of three.

“Having six wins I feel so blessed and grateful to have that and hopefully I can continue on that trend.”

In terms of continuing on the success she’s enjoyed, Henderson isn’t shy about declaring her goal of one day capturing the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

“This event is kind of like the sixth major out on the LPGA Tour and it means a lot to me. It would mean the world to mean to win this title in front of the Canadian fans.”

Looking at the bigger picture, the two-time CP Female Athlete of the Year is happy that her success has a ripple effect in terms of inspiring others to chase after their own version of greatness.

“I’m happy to be someone that the kids can look up to and be someone who inspires them to be the best person they can; so, they can chase after their dreams in sports, academics or whatever field of interest they may have.”

Henderson’s success has also provided her with a platform to address important causes close to her heart.

“I think its great to play on the LPGA Tour and play all around the world and be in a position where you can give back,” she said.

“And being a CP Has Heart Ambassador is one them. Just to see the difference this program is making and the lives they are saving is just extraordinary.”

Last year in Ottawa, the program raised $2M for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. This year, the funds raised through the program will go to support the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation.

“I’m really happy to be an ambassador alongside Lorie Kane.  And she does a really great job in raising awareness and helping to raise awareness so I’m following her lead,” Henderson added.

Also, in early April, with the devastation left behind by the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, Henderson dedicated her victory at the Lotte Championship in Kapolei, Hawaii to the victims and their families.

“What happened was extremely tragic and I was happy that I was able to win it for them and I was glad to be able to honour them in some way,” she said.

As the Smiths Falls, Ont. native prepares to compete in Saskatchewan for the first time in her career, she hopes to be able to honour the victims one more time with a strong performance in the third week of August at the Wascana Country Club.

Besides building a legacy through her stellar results on the golf course – and chasing down records in the process – the mature 20-year-old understands that a part of that legacy will also be defined by how she uses her platform away from the golf course.

“In the big scheme of things, I’m playing golf for a living and enjoying every minute of it,” said Henderson.

“This is my passion and it’s what I love to do. I’m thankful to have the opportunity to give back and inspire others along the way,” she added.

“And everyday, I’m just trying to be a better golfer and a better person.”

To see Keith Creel in action is to see efficiency personified.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Pacific is committed to precision and to providing safe, efficient and reliable rail service that connects Canadian commodities with the world.

While his passion for railroading runs deep, his passion for golf isn’t far behind.

On July 9, he was front and centre, letting the country know CP had extended its agreement with Golf Canada and the LPGA Tour to continue to sponsor the lone stop on the LPGA Tour schedule for the next five years, as well as continuing to invest in a myriad of other Golf Canada programs as well as sponsor LPGA Tour winners Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane.

“I’ve had history with this event for the last eight or nine years and there’s nothing that connects personally or professionally across the business in so many different areas with people and communities like golf does, especially in Canada,” said Creel, who also worked at CN Rail prior to moving to CP, the previous sponsor of the Canadian Women’s Open from 2006-2013.

Creel looks forward to the impact CP is going to have in the communities where the tournaments are played over the coming years. Saskatchewan, for example, is one of only two provinces in Canada that does not yet have a children’s hospital. With the estimated $2 million that will be raised for this year’s event, CP will play a starring role in making that a reality in 2019.

He also gets excited talking about the success of Henderson, who shot a tournament course record in 2017 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club on Saturday to get into contention.

“I don’t know if we’ll see anything like that again, and I hope I’m wrong because that was pretty special,” he said of Henderson’s run up the leaderboard.

Creel began golfing himself when he came to Canada in 2002 and started as “a hacker” in Winnipeg. Creel had some history at Magna Golf Club – the announced host site of the 2019 CP Women’s Open – having lived in the area previous and making fond memories with his family.

“I started to be a hacker and I loved hacking. I haven’t stopped since,” he explained with a smile.

At a time when corporate budgets are getting tighter and a stronger-than-ever business case needs to be made when it comes to be involved with programs or events, CP has doubled-down on their investment to be involved with golf in Canada.

Creel said both the “people return” and the “business return” of being involved with golf make a lot of sense to him, and the relationship with Golf Canada is one that is filled with synergies.

“The level of commitment and professionalism matches ours. It’s a good fit,” he said. “When you meet an organization that understands and gets you and they reflect the same thing it offers a very unique opportunities for partnership.”

Laurence Applebaum, who just celebrated one-year at the helm of Golf Canada as its CEO, says his personal relationship with Creel has been invaluable, as he’s gotten his feet wet in corporate Canada.

He calls him an “incredible partner and resource.”

“We’ve spent a lot of time together this past year,” said Applebaum. “You realize how broad of a business he’s able to manage and how balanced he is with his family life as well. Keith is intimately involved with golf at all levels.”

Applebaum said Golf Canada is thrilled to have Creel and CP as a key partner for Golf Canada for the next five years, as the railway will also be a financial supporter of the Young Pro Program, Golf Canada’s National Team, and the title sponsor for the CP Women’s Leadership Summit (debuting this year in Saskatchewan).

With a five-year agreement, Applebaum says CP is showing its commitment to the sport in Canada and it’s showing the marketplace where its priorities lie.

“These companies want to be long term committed partners and it helps us plan our business, engage our fans, and tell people what we want to do. It gives us a runway for success,” said Applebaum.

“It’s a wonderful thing to share… an overall commitment to a sport with a five-year term signifies to the market that we’re really partners.”

With the 2018 CP Women’s Open on track and starting next week, Creel said it’s full steam ahead. But it’s not just for this year. It’s for the years ahead as well.

Creel is excited to use golf as a platform for its business to connect with millions across Canada.

“If you can take a sport that connects people emotionally and use it to sponsor heart health in Canada and to give back to the communities we serve… it’s just fantastic,” he said. “It gives an event to a community, but it also creates an emotional connection with our customers and families. I just do not know of another venue that offers all those things other than golf.”

REGINA, Sask. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP) announced today the field of competitors set to challenge for the 2018 CP Women’s Open taking place August 20-26 at The Wascana Country Club in Regina, Sask.

Defending champion and world no. 4 Sung Hyun Park will lead a stellar field that includes world no. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, world no. 5 Lexi Thompson, world no. 6 Shanshan Feng, world no. 7 Minjee Lee, world no. 9 Jessica Korda and world no. 10 Georgia Hall as well as Canadian superstar Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont.

Park, winner of the 2017 event at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club headlines a group of six past champions coming to Regina including three-time winner Lydia Ko (2012, 2013, 2015) in search of her record fourth title. Other past champions confirmed include Brittany Lincicome (2011), Katherine Kirk (2008), Cristie Kerr (2006) and Juli Inkster (1984). Previously confirmed past champion Michelle Wie was forced to WD due to injury.

Other global LPGA Tour stars confirmed among the 156-player field include Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Anna Nordqvist, Carlota Ciganda, Nasa Hataoka, Moriya Jutanugarn, Danielle Kang, Charley Hull, Sandra Gal, Caroline Masson, Pernilla Lindberg and Natalie Gulbis.

With the one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour, Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship will feature 14 in-year LPGA Tour winners and 89 of the top 100 players on the LPGA Tour’s Official Money List.

“We are thrilled to welcome the world’s best golfers to The Wascana Country Club as the CP Women’s Open proudly makes its first-ever visit to the great province of Saskatchewan,” said Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “The CP Women’s Open will feature one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour along with the very best rising talents in Canadian and international golf. Golf fans in the province of Saskatchewan and across Canada will be treated to a world-class event when the stars of the LPGA Tour tip it up in Regina.”

A full field list of players confirmed to compete in the 2018 CP Women’s Open is available by clicking 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 THE WASCANA COUNTRY CLUB….
Smiths Falls, Ont., native Brooke Henderson, a six-time LPGA Tour winner and CP abassador headlines a list of 15 Canadians set to challenge for the CP Women’s Open.

Joining Henderson are LPGA Tour regulars Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que. and Anne-Catharine Tanguay of Quebec City along with Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. and Symetra Tour players Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Augusta James of Bath, Ont., Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont. and Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C.

Saskatoon, Sask. native and Symetra Tour player Anna Young will have a home crowd advantage as the four-time Saskatchewan Women’s Amateur champion makes her first ever start in the CP Women’s Open.

CP ambassador and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Lorie Kane of Charlottetown will make her record tying 28^th start in Canada’s National Women’s Open.

Among the Amateur contingent, three members of Team Canada will compete including National Amateur Squad members Grace St. Germain of Ottawa, Ont. and Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C. as well as 17-year old National Development Squad athlete Celeste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que. Also playing on an exemption is 17-year old Tiffany Kong of Vancouver.

The Canuck contingent will look to become the first Canadian to win an LPGA Tour event in Canada since Jocelyne Bourassa won La Canadienne in 1973.

FINAL FOUR EXEMPTIONS TO BE DECIDED AT ROYAL REGINA GOLF CLUB….
On Monday, August 20, the LPGA Tour will conduct an 18-hole stroke play qualifier at Royal Regina Golf Club to determine the final four exemptions directly into the 2018 CP Women’s Open.

CP HAS HEART IN SUPPORT OF JIM PATTISON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
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 four years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $6.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in communities across Canada.

This year, the campaign is supporting pediatric cardiology at Saskatchewan’s new Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon. Funds raised through the CP Women’s Open will help assist a dedicated cardiology space and specialized equipment in the new hospital, currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2019. To find out more or donate click here.

FIRST-EVER CP WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE DURING TOURNAMENT WEEK
As part of the weeklong excitement of the CP Women’s Open, Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific are proud to announce that the inaugural CP Women’s Leadership Summit will take place Tuesday, August 21 at Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina. Keynote speaker and four-time Olympic gold medalist Hayley Wickenheiser will be joined by Sportsnet host Evanka Osmak; LPGA champion Lorie Kane; CP Vice-President of Grain and Fertilizer, Joan Hardy; adidas golf Canada General Manager, Lesley Hawkins; RBC Senior Manager, Brand Marketing, Shannon Cole; Dr. Andrea Lavoie, Interventional cardiologist with Saskatchewan Health Authority and many more like-minded businesswomen from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment and philanthropy. Click here for more information.

KIDS 17-AND-UNDER GET IN FREE…
Golf Canada and CP are committed to offering a fan friendly, family event with the CP Women’s Open. To introduce more juniors to the sport, children aged 17-and-under get FREE admission to the CP Women’s Open for the entire week.

TICKETS…
Early Week (Mon-Wed) –             Advance pricing $15 I Tournament week $20
Anyday Grounds (Thurs) –             Advance pricing $35 I Tournament week $55
Anyday Grounds (Fri-Sat) –           Advance pricing $40 I Tournament week $55
Anyday Grounds (Sun)   –              Advance pricing $45 I Tournament week $55
Full week entry (Grounds) –         Advance pricing $90 I Tournament week $105
Full week entry (Clubhouse) –     Advance pricing $170 I Tournament week $200 

TELEVISION COVERAGE…
Thursday, August 23 –                     Golf Channel – 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Friday, August 24 –                           Golf Channel – 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 25 –                     Golf Channel – 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday, August 26 –                        Golf Channel – 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

• All times local.

Having served on the executive team of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) – and as it’s president in 1989 – Keith Rever has played an important leadership role in the growth of golf across the country.

With the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open being held in his hometown of Regina for the first time at the Wascana Country Club – also referred to in short as WCC – Rever sees it as an important step in promoting the game in his home province.

“I think it’s great that the tournament will be coming here for the first time and we get to see the best female golfers compete first hand,” said Rever, who served as a director of the WCC for 15 years and served as the club’s president in 1980.

“I’m sure seeing the best players compete will inspire more young girls and boys to pick up the sport,” added the Regina native.

According to his daughter, Susan Rever, the significance of the CP Women’s Open coming to Regina is recognized by the entire family.

“Our whole family is excited, as it is the first time Saskatchewan has hosted an LPGA TOUR event. We look forward to being a part of this,” she said.

Recently, Rever – a retired engineer – took a moment to reflect back on his journey as an architect for the growth of the sport in Canada.

Rever says he first developed a passion for golf when he took up the sport as a youngster.

“My mom and dad rented a house about five blocks from a golf course and I would walk down there in the mornings to play a couple rounds and hit balls during the summer; and if you hit enough balls, you start improving,” said Rever, who has been extra busy this summer helping his daughter with a home improvement project.

“I became a junior member at the Wascana Country Club in 1956 and a general share holder in 1960,” he recalled.

“I won the club championship about five times. Its been a lot of fun out there. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people playing at the club.”

Rever’s natural talents on the golf course enabled him to compete at the highest level as an amateur.

He won the City of Regina Championship nine times and was the Saskatchewan Amateur Champion on two separate occasions.

In 1964, Rever was a member of the only team from Saskatchewan to win the Willingdon Cup – an annual team competition dating back to 1927 which features the top amateurs from each province.

“The winds were about 50 miles per hour and of course that gave us Saskatchewan boys a bit of an advantage because we were used to it,” he said with a smile about the Willingdon Cup win.

In 1971, that championship team – consisting of Rever, along with Alec Bland,  who was the non-playing captain, Ernie Greenley, Ed Ross, and Jim Scissons – had their accomplishment honoured in the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.

Willingdon Cup Champions

Rever also has his name enshrined in the Wascana Hall of Fame, as well as, the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame.

“His inductions are a reminder of his incredible achievements,” noted his daughter, Susan.

“My dad’s passion for the sport, and his lifelong commitment to improve his performance and the sport he loves so much is impressive.”

While he opted to pursue a career in electrical engineering instead of one as a professional golfer, Rever was committed to remaining involved with the sport in other ways.

“I was the president of the Saskatchewan Golf Association in 72 and 73 and back in those days each provincial association nominated a representative to serve on the Royal Canadian Golf Association,” Rever pointed out.

“They asked me if I would consider it; and so in 1976, I joined the board of the RCGA – which of course, changed it’s name to Golf Canada in 2010.”

At the national level, he was a governor of the RCGA from 1976 to 1985, and on the executive team from 1986 to 1990, with a one-year term as president in 1989.

Rever says finding a balance between his full-time career as an engineer and as a member of the RCGA executive team was a bit of a challenge.

“It was really difficult to balance the roles; and I think in retrospect it probably wasn’t fair to my family,” he said with a chuckle.

“But I’m thankful that they put up with me and supported me in every way and I really appreciated that,” noted Rever, who adds that his wife, Marianne, and his son, Scott, are also avid golfers.

Rever says one of the initiatives that he was proud to have supported during his tenure on the executive team was the integration of the RCGA and the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association (CLGA).

“I think I may have been one of the first RCGA presidents to speak at the CLGA annual meeting.  Our team supported the idea of amalgamation and I was happy to see it eventually happen,” he said.

Rever also recalls one of his biggest thrills was inducting Jack Nicklaus into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 1995.

“After I was president of the RCGA, I became chair of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame committee and I had the honour of being part of the team that inducted Jack Nicklaus,” he said.

“Jack was always very supportive of the Royal Canadian Golf Association and attended all the (RBC) Canadian Opens and spoke very highly of it; and regarded it as the fifth major in the world back in those days,” Rever noted about Nicklaus who was inducted in the builder category given his role in designing Glen Abbey.

“I remember the induction ceremony was held at the Glen Abbey Golf Club and there was over 200 people there; and it was just a great evening.”

While Rever speaks highly of Nicklaus’ contributions to the growth of the sport in Canada, he also speaks with high regard about Brooke Henderson and the significance of her success.

“I’m very impressed with Brooke. She seems like a very nice young lady who obviously has got a lot of natural skill and also very good work ethic; and her success is definitely inspiring a lot of young golfers in the country,” he said.

“So hopefully she’s going to do well when she comes to Saskatchewan. I spoke to her briefly but I didn’t get a chance to tell her to practice her shots into the wind – she’s probably going to need them,” he added with a smile.

“I’ve also met Lorie Kane; and I can tell that she’s a really classy lady. Both Lorie and Brooke are great ambassadors for the game in Canada and have done so much to grow the game,” he added about the two CP Ambassadors who have a combined 10 LPGA TOUR titles between them.

And while golfers, such as Kane and Henderson, have done so much to grow the game through their accomplishments on the golf course, Rever takes pride in knowing his efforts over the years off the golf course – particularly in the boardroom – has built the foundation for the success of the sport across the country.

“It was great to have worked with all the people who were so passionate about the game and wanted to see it grow. It’s also great to know that our efforts over the years have had a positive impact on the sport,” said Rever.

“I’ve also had a chance to meet the new leadership team at Golf Canada and I can say the sport is in good hands.”

With the CP Women’s Open set to tee off on August 23rd in his hometown, the self-described golfing enthusiast says he’s noticing a lot of buzz and excitement surrounding the tournament.

“We had the Brier and also the Memorial Cup here in Regina earlier this year, so its taken a bit of time for the CP Women’s Open to gain traction but now we are hearing about it on the radio and seeing a lot about it in the news,” said Rever.

“So I think by the time this tournament comes around, everyone will be feeling a lot of excitement – I know my family and I will for sure.”

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. AND ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND – In an effort to thoroughly inform the Distance Insights project through the lens of the global golf community, the USGA and The R&A will engage with golfers and a wide range of golf’s stakeholders to gather perspectives on the potential causes and impacts of increased distance, beginning in September.

The Distance Insights project began in May as part of the governing bodies’ overall efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sport. Primary and third-party research is currently being conducted to review historical data and ascertain the past, present and future implications of increased distance on how the game is played.

In this latest phase of the Distance Insights project, research will be conducted with a series of golfers and stakeholder groups worldwide, banded into 12 general categories. Each group will be asked a series of universal questions to elicit broad perceptions of distance in golf, as well as group-specific questions relating to their area of expertise. The findings of the global perspectives research are expected to be a vital component of the full Distance Insights report, scheduled to be released in 2019.

Take the survey

Sports Marketing Surveys, Inc., an independent and international full-service sports research consultancy, has been selected through a global RFP process to provide multi-layered research and insight expertise for this phase of the project.

Stakeholder categories are as follows:

• Championship committees
• Course Facility professionals/managers
• Facility maintenance providers, including superintendents/greenkeepers
• Golf administrative organizations
• Golf course architects/construction professionals
• Golf equipment retailers
• Golf equipment manufacturers
• Golf professionals/teachers
• Golfers
• Media
• Non-golf stakeholders
• Tournament golf spectators

The SMS Inc. research will be conducted throughout the world and in several languages, including Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish, and involving golfers and those working in the industry in both established and emerging golf communities.

The work will principally focus on gaining an understanding from various stakeholder groups into how distance in golf has impacted them over their full golf experience, if at all, and its projected impact into the future. It will include analysis of feedback received to date from the global golf community, following the project’s initiation earlier this year.

Information on the Distance Insights project, including frequently asked questions, historical data and general terms and conditions for submitting data, can be found atusga.org/distanceinsights or randa.org/distanceinsights.

Jennifer Chang has moved on to become a second-year member of the University of Southern California’s golf team, but her memories of participating in two World Junior Girls Championships remain fresh in her mind.

“This event is not like any other junior event,” said Chang. “The World Junior Girls is such an amazing event to play in and represent your country. I was lucky enough to compete in this event twice and so to have that opportunity to enjoy this with great teammates along with the captains makes it more special.“

Chang, of Cary, N.C., was named to the All Pac-12 First Team after her freshman year at USC. She was one of approximately 60 golfers who took on The Marshes Golf Club in Kanata (about 15 minutes west of downtown Ottawa) a year ago (finishing tied for 21st), and about 50 golfers who played at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in 2017 (where she finished runner-up).

This year the World Junior Girls Championships remains in Ottawa, and heads to Camelot Golf and Country Club in Cumberland, about 20 minutes east of downtown Ottawa.

There will be 63 golfers competing from 20 countries around the world, and in addition to the 72-hole team and individual golf competitions, there will be a celebration of the sport all week long.

The course is home to Golf Canada National Team member (and past World Junior Girls Championship participant) Grace St. Germain, and hosted the 2012 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, plus the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship and final qualifying for the 2017 CP Women’s Open.

This year’s World Junior Girls Championship runs from Sept. 9-14.

Greg Richardson is the General Manager of the club – established in 1991 – and he said Camelot would be leaning back to the set-up from the Men’s Amateur somewhat this fall.

However, the course underwent some “major” bunker work after that event and said those changes were very successful, which led to the course hosting a handful of other big-time events.

“It’s something different than what they’ve seen in the Ottawa area in the past,” said Richardson of his club. “It’s a bit of a different layout in terms of the front nine, presenting more as links-style… and then you move to the back nine and you get some elevated tees and elevated greens and some interesting layouts. There are different choices and risk/reward holes which will be a challenge for (the golfers) but also enjoyable.”

Richardson said his members have been thrilled at the opportunity to host some of the world’s best amateur golfers in a few weeks time.

About three years ago the members were presented with a strategic plan for the golf course moving forward, and part of that plan was to bring some of the best golfers in the world to experience what Camelot has to offer.

“If we’re going to be a championship golf course, then our definition of championship means we’re going to host championships,” said Richardson. “They’re excited about having them. There is a good volunteer base that is excited to come out and help. They enjoy seeing the course put in high esteem and have some of the country’s best – and in this case, the world’s best players – come to try to take the challenge on.”

Although Chang was a top amateur in the United States over the two years she participated in the World Junior Girls, it was still a unique opportunity for her to indeed test her mettle against some not-so-familiar faces.

“When competing in tournaments across the (U.S.) you run into the same people, but at the World Junior Girls there were so many unfamiliar faces, and to have the chance to meet people from different continents was unreal,” she said. “You get to learn about the different cultures and languages from the girls. I had such a phenomenal time playing in the World Junior Girls definitely wish I could go back.”

Chang said between the camaraderie and the experience overall has been beneficial for her as she moved into her collegiate career and then, hopefully, onwards to the LPGA Tour.

Camelot will be a difficult challenge this September, but Chang said the most important thing for the participants this year is to just enjoy themselves.

“As golfers we always want to perform our best anytime we are playing, but sometimes we forget that you have to have fun,” she said. “That’s what this tournament is all about: having a once in a lifetime experience where not many golfers have the chance to compete, and enjoying the time with your team and other players.”

Click here for more information on the World Junior Girls Championship.

REGINA (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) are pleased to announce the names of 14 players who have received exemptions into the 2018 CP Women’s Open taking place August 20-26 at the Wascana Country Club in Regina.

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and CP ambassador Lorie Kane of Charlottetown, a four-time LPGA Tour winner, will make her record tying 28^th start in Canada’s National Women’s Open.

A trio of Team Canada Young Pro Squad players—Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., Augusta James of Bath, Ont., and Jennifer Ha of Calgary—have also received an exemption to compete in the 46^th playing of Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship.

Marchand began the season with conditional status on the LPGA Tour, but made the most of her starts on Tour, making the cut in 10 of 12 starts including a T7 finish at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic. James, a former winner on the Symetra Tour, currently sits 46^th on the Tour’s official money list. She’s made the cut at six of 12 starts including a T3 finish. Ha, a former Alberta amateur standout who played on the LPGA Tour in 2017, is currently in her 3^rd season on the Symetra Tour. Marchand, James and Ha will compete in their 5^th, 5^th and 3^rd CP Women’s Open respectively.

Saskatchewan native Anna Young—currently in her third year on the Symetra Tour—will have a home crowd advantage as the four-time Saskatchewan Women’s Amateur champion makes her first ever start in the CP Women’s Open.

Two other Canadian Symetra Tour players—Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont., and Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C., will also compete at Wascana. Tong, a graduate of the Team Canada Amateur Squad, and Osland currently sit 100 and 122 respectively on the Symetra Tour money list.

Celeste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., leads a group of four amateurs exempt into Canada’s lone stop on the LPGA Tour. Dao, a 17-year old member of the Team Canada Development Squad, recently won the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, as well as the 2018 Mexican Junior Girls Championship. She will make her first ever start in the CP Women’s Open.

National Amateur Squad players Grace St-Germain of Ottawa and Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C., will also compete in the 2018 CP Women’s Open. St-Germain, 20, finished 7^th at the 2018 Women’s Porter Cup and T1 at both the 2018 NJCAA National Championship and 2018 NJCAA Region 8 Championship as a member of Daytona State College. Ko, heading into her senior year at N.C. State, is a former Canadian Junior Girls champion who finished T33 at the 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur.

Sixteen-year old Yealimi Noh of Concord, Calif., won the 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship to earn her exemption into the CP Women’s Open. Currently ranked no. 21 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Noh is among the hottest amateur golfers on the planet this season with wins at the 2018 U.S. Junior Girls Amateur Championship and 2018 Girls Junior PGA Championship.

Tiffany Kong of Vancouver also earned an exemption after finishing as the low Canadian (T6) at the 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. The 17-year old will make her second start in the national championship after Monday Qualifying for the 2015 CP Women’s Open at The Vancouver Golf Club as a 14-year old.

A pair of LPGA Tour veterans—Natalie Gulbis and Becky Morgan—have also accepted an invitation to compete at The Wascana. Gulbis, a long-time fan favourite on the LPGA Tour with a victory and 37 career top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour, will make her 11^th appearance at the CP Women’s Open while Morgan, a Wales native who has played 18 years on the LPGA Tour will play in Canada’s National Open for the 12^th time.

The players receiving exemptions are added to an already stellar list of golfers who will be competing at the 2018 CP Women’s Open.

No player will generate more excitement than Canadian sensation and CP ambassador Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., who will compete in her eighth career National Women’s Open. Henderson will be joined by seven of the top 10 ranked players in the world, including world no. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn.

Reigning CP Women’ s Open champion Sung Hyun Park will look to defend her title against many of the LPGA’s best, including stars Lexi Thompson, Minjee Lee, Jessica Korda, Shanshan Feng, Anna Nordqvist and many more.

“The CP Women’s Open features arguably the strongest field on the LPGA Tour, as well as the very best rising talents in Canadian and international golf,” said CP Women’s Open Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “Golf fans will be treated to an unbelievable showcase of world-class golf when tournament week kicks off August 20^th.”

Team Canada Amateur Squad players Jaclyn Lee of Calgary and Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont. were also extended tournament exemptions but were forced to decline as timing conflicted with Stage 1 of LPGA Tour Qualifying.

Other Canadians scheduled to compete at the 2018 CP Women’s Open include LPGA Tour regulars Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Québec and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que.

In total, at least 15 Canadians will be included among the 156 competitors who will vie for the US$2.25 million purse when the CP Women’s Open descends on Wascana and the province of Saskatchewan for the first time ever.

On Monday, August 20, the LPGA Tour will conduct an 18-hole stroke play qualifier at Royal Regina Golf Club to determine the final four exemptions directly into the 2018 CP Women’s Open.

The golfers teeing-it-up at Wascana Country Club will represent one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour with more than 92 of the top 100 players on the LPGA Tour Official Money List expected to compete.

CP HAS HEART IN SUPPORT OF JIM PATTISON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
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 four years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $6.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in communities across Canada.

This year, the campaign is supporting pediatric cardiology at Saskatchewan’s new Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon. Funds raised through the CP Women’s Open will help assist a dedicated cardiology space and specialized equipment in the new hospital, currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2019.

CP INAUGURAL WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE DURING TOURNAMENT WEEK
As part of the weeklong excitement of the CP Women’s Open, Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific are proud to announce that the inaugural CP Women’s Leadership Summit will take place Tuesday, August 21 at Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina. Keynote speaker and five-time Olympic medalist Hayley Wickenheiser, will be joined by LPGA Champion Lorie Kane; CP Vice-President of Grain and Fertilizer, Joan Hardy; and many more like-minded businesswomen from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment and philanthropy.

KIDS 17-AND-UNDER GET IN FREE
Golf Canada and CP are committed to offering a fan friendly, family event with the CP Women’s Open. To introduce more juniors to the sport, children aged 17-and-under get FREE admission to the CP Women’s Open for the entire week.