Niagara Falls, Ont. – On a windy day at Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson and Stephanie Connelly of Fleming Island, Fla. overcame tough conditions by firing 3-under 69’s to sit atop the leaderboard at the Canadian Women’s Tour Ontario stop.

Henderson, 16, of Smiths Falls, Ont. arrived in Niagara Falls fresh off of a T10 finish at the U.S. Women’s Open where she took home Low Amateur honours. On Tuesday, she continued her strong play by carding a bogey-free 3-under 69 that was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 11th and an opening 3-under 33 front-nine.

“I started my second hole with an eagle on the par-5 so that sort of got things going,” Henderson said. “The back nine was a little bit rough, I didn’t make any birdies, just all pars.”

Sharing first place alongside Henderson is Connelly, who carded four birdies to close out her back nine.

“I started out really consistent, I was making a lot of pars,” Connelly said. “I haven’t played in a Canadian LPGA event in a couple of years, but I would love to play in the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.”

Behind Henderson and Connelly, amateur Simin Feng, 19, of Windermere, Fla. and Emma de Groot of Sydney, Australia are tied for third after 1-under 71’s. Defending champion Emily Childs of Alameda, Calif., sits tied for fifth alongside Montreal’s Sabrina Sapone, Mari Chun of Pearl City, Hawaii and Natalie Gleadall of Stratford, Ont., at 1-over par.

The final round will begin on split tees (Nos. 1 and 10) at 8:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, June 25th. For more information click here.

PINEHURST, N.C. – There’s no doubting Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson knows how to rise to the occasion.

She’s won major amateur events like the Porter Cup and the Spirit Invitational. She’s the youngest golfer ever to win a professional golf title. And now, in perhaps her biggest feat to date, the 16-year-old Smiths Falls, Ont. native captured low amateur honours at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst No. 2 – where she finished tied for 10th at 5-over 285 on the devious track.

“There’s a lot of great amateurs here that qualified this week,” said Henderson following her round Sunday in North Carolina. “It’s very exciting, that’s for sure. The best players in the world are here and to know that I’m right up there, it’s really awesome. I still have a long way to go to where I want to be in the next couple years, but it’s really exciting to know that I have the potential and it was a great finish here this week.”

Henderson, who had her sister Brittany as her caddie this week, improved on the tie for 59th she recorded in her first Women’s U.S. Open last year at Southampton, N.Y. She credited her ball striking in the final round for part of the improvement.

“Ball striking was really big for me today,” she added. “I made two mistakes off the tee which cost me a double and a bogey, but other than that, I was hitting it really well and had a couple tap-in birdies, which is really nice.”

She had five birdies, two bogeys and a double on Sunday to be exact for a 69, her lowest round of the week. A round she likely didn’t see coming a week ago.

“When I first got here I was like, wow, this is an extremely tough course and it’s going to take four really solid rounds to even make the cut and then to climb up the leaderboard like I did,” Henderson admitted. “But I was almost intimidated the first couple days and then as I got playing and I started to hit the ball really well, I knew where to hit it on the fairways and where to hit it on the greens and I became much more confident. And today, right now, I sort of wish there was another round to go back out there, but I’ll have to wait until next year.”

Thanks to her finish at Pinehurst, Henderson automatically qualifies for the 2015 U.S Women’s Open being contested at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pa.

Henderson outlasted the world’s top women’s amateur golfer in Australia’s Minjee Lee, who finished 3-shots back of Henderson at 8-over 288, to claim the low amateur title.

“Well, Minjee is an amazing player,” explained Henderson. “She’s ranked No. 1 in the world as amateurs and she’s been at a lot of pro events and she always plays really well. Coming in that (winning low amateur) wasn’t necessarily my goal, but it’s nice that it happened.”

Brooke and Brittany will have little time to relish in the moment. The pair headed north Sunday evening as they will face off against each other, and others, at the Canadian Women’s Tour event at Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course in Niagara Falls, Ont. which gets underway Tuesday. For more details on that event – which offers an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open – and the Canadian Women’s Tour, click here.

And, click here to watch an interview with Brooke following her final round at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.

Brooke Henderson rallied back from a nine-stroke deficit firing a 9-under 62 on Friday afternoon to win the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. carded two eagles and five birdies during her final round to win by three strokes over Calgary’s Jennifer Ha. The Team Canada member finished at 205 for the championship after rounds of 75-68-62 and was the only player to post a sub-70 round on the final day.

Brooke Henderson – 2014 Porter Cup Champion

The 16-year-old has been on an impressive run in 2014 having already won the Spirit Invitational and the South Atlantic Amateur. She also finished tied for 26^th at the LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship and T45 at the LPGA Manulife Financial Classic. She will play in the U.S. Women’s Open next week at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina after making it through qualifying in May. Henderson finished tied for 59^th at the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open.

Team Canada’s Jennifer Ha of Calgary finished in a tie for second with Princess Superal of the Philippines after a final round 74, while Augusta James of Bath, Ont. and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. ended the tournament in fourth place with a 211 total.

For final results click here.

WATERLOO, Ontario – Shanshan Feng took a two-stroke lead Saturday in the LPGA Tour’s Manulife Financial Classic, shooting a 4-under 67 in calm conditions at Grey Silo.

The 24-year-old Chinese player had a 15-under 198 total. She made a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 fifth, had two birdies and dropped her first stroke of the week with a bogey on the par-4 16th.

“I got off to a very good start, 4 under through six holes,” Feng said. “Then actually, I couldn’t make a lot of putts. I missed a lot of birdie putts, plus one bogey, so actually I dropped back one shot. My goal is to get to 25 under. Of course, now I’m 15, so if I want to get to 25 tomorrow, I need to shoot 10 under.”

Feng won twice late last year after taking the 2012 LPGA Championship to become the first Chinese winner in LPGA Tour history.

“I think tomorrow I have no pressure,” Feng said.

Michelle Wie and second-ranked Inbee Park were tied for second. Wie had a 65, and Park shot a bogey-free 65.

Wie, the winner in Hawaii in April, is seeking her second victory in Canada after winning the 2010 Canadian Women’s Open in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

She rebounded from bogeys on No. 2 and 3 with birdies on Nos. 4 and 6.

“Yeah, quite a shaky start,” Wie said. “I missed a good birdie opportunity on the first hole and I kind of duck hooked it on the second hole and had to take an unplayable, and actually it was a really good bogey.

“Then I kind of hooked it on the next hole, hit it in the bunker. So I just couldn’t get my tempo right in the beginning, but definitely felt like I finished strong. Definitely the start that I had today, I’m really happy with the way I finished.”

Park is winless in 10 tour starts this season after sweeping the first three majors last year and finishing the season with six victories.

“I played really well on the front nine,” Park said. “I holed a lot of putts. I feel like I hit the ball great today. I had a lot of opportunities on the back nine also, but just missed a couple putts. I think overall it was a very good day. Just give myself a chance for tomorrow.”

Cristie Kerr was 12 under after a 65.

“Mentally, I was very good today,” Kerr said. “I’ve just got to take that into tomorrow.”

Third-ranked Lydia Ko and Anna Nordqvist were 11 under. The 17-year-old Ko had a 64, the best round of the day, and Nordqvist shot 69.

Ko, the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic winner in California in late April, won the Canadian Women’s Open as an amateur the last two years.

“You never know what’s going to happen,” Ko said. “There’s always another 18 holes. … I’ve just got to play my own game and see where it goes.”

Defending champion Hee Young Park, tied for the second-round lead with Feng, had a 72 to drop into a tie for seventh at 10 under.

Top-ranked Stacy Lewis was 7 under after a 69. She won last week in New Jersey to take the top spot in the world from Inbee Park.

Alena Sharp shot 65 to sit tied for 23rd, while Sue Kim of Langley, BC is among the group currently tied for 33rd after shooting 67 in round 2. LPGA Tour rookie Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. and 16 year old amateur Brooke Henderson of Smiths, Falls, Ont. both carded 69 to close the day tied for 50th.

WATERLOO, Ontario – Michelle Wie and defending champion Hee Young Park shared the first-round lead at 6-under 65 on Thursday in the Manulife Financial Classic at windswept Grey Silo.

Wie, the winner in Hawaii in April, birdied three of the last four holes in her morning round. She’s seeking her second victory in Canada after winning the 2010 Canadian Women’s Open in Winnipeg.

Park had a bogey-free round in the afternoon. Last year, the South Korean player beat Angela Stanford on the third playoff hole after they finished at 26-under 258 to match the tour record for lowest total score.

China’s Shanshan Feng was a stroke back, and countrywoman Xi Yu Lin matched Cristie Kerr with a 67.

Stacy Lewis had a 69 in her first round since taking the top spot in the world with a victory Sunday in New Jersey. Second-ranked Inbee Park also shot 69, and No. 3 Lydia Ko had a 71.

Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson, 16, leads the nine player Canadian contingent. The Smiths Falls, Ont. native who is the world’s No. 3 ranked women’s amateur opened with a 1-under 70. She finished her opening-round with consecutive birdies on Nos. 17 and 18.

Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. and Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. were a stroke back after even-par 70s, leaving them tied for 54th.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane and Erica Rivard of Tecumseh, Ont. were tied for 87th at 2-over 73.

Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (74) of Sherbrooke, Que. was tied for 101st.

Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham and Brantford, Ont.’s Nicole Vandermade fired matching 75s and were tied for 111th.

WATERLOO, Ontario – Michelle Wie and defending champion Hee Young Park shared the first-round lead at 6-under 65 on Thursday in the Manulife Financial Classic at windswept Grey Silo.

Wie, the winner in Hawaii in April, birdied three of the last four holes in her morning round. She’s seeking her second victory in Canada after winning the 2010 Canadian Women’s Open in Winnipeg.

Park had a bogey-free round in the afternoon. Last year, the South Korean player beat Angela Stanford on the third playoff hole after they finished at 26-under 258 to match the tour record for lowest total score.

China’s Shanshan Feng was a stroke back, and countrywoman Xi Yu Lin matched Cristie Kerr with a 67.

Stacy Lewis had a 69 in her first round since taking the top spot in the world with a victory Sunday in New Jersey. Second-ranked Inbee Park also shot 69, and No. 3 Lydia Ko had a 71.

Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson, 16, leads the nine player Canadian contingent. The Smiths Falls, Ont. native who is the world’s No. 3 ranked women’s amateur opened with a 1-under 70. She finished her opening-round with consecutive birdies on Nos. 17 and 18.

Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. and Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. were a stroke back after even-par 70s, leaving them tied for 54th.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane and Erica Rivard of Tecumseh, Ont. were tied for 87th at 2-over 73.

Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (74) of Sherbrooke, Que. was tied for 101st.

Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham and Brantford, Ont.’s Nicole Vandermade fired matching 75s and were tied for 111th.

The latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) has all five members of Canada’s National Women’s Amateur team inside the top 100 for the first time in program history.

No. 3 – Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.)

No. 64 – Jennifer Ha (Calgary)

No. 80 – Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Québec City, Qué.)

No. 84 – Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.)

No. 90 – Augusta James (Bath, Ont.)

Women’s Head Coach, Tristan Mullally, could not be more proud of the hard work that each player has put in, along with the dedication of the coaching staff.

“This is a validation of work that’s being done both in the background and with the players – it’s a testament to the effort put forth by Golf Canada and the entire supporting staff,” said Mullally. “In year’s past the target has been to get one or two players into the top 100 – to have all five is an accomplishment we are all proud of. The goal now is to keep going and get all the girls into the top 50 and so on”.

Reluctant to take any credit, Mullally did go on to express the pride that the coaching staff feels from such an achievement.

“When I came on board to the program, I was certainly taking over from some unbelievably good work,” he said. “Things have continued to grow and I am very proud, but more than that I am truly proud of the players because it comes down to their performance in the end. We (the coaches) work incredibly hard to impact the lives of these players. It’s a very important job and we take it very seriously.”

MANAKIN-SABOT, Va – Canada’s Sue Kim, Rebecca Lee Bentham, Jessica Wallace and amateurs Brooke Henderson and Elizabeth Tong qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open on Monday.

Henderson, playing at the qualifier in Manakin-Sabot, Va., totaled a score of 140 through two rounds en route to capturing medalist honours. This year’s U.S. Women’s Open will mark the third LPGA major tournament for the Smiths Falls, Ont. native – she played in the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open and this year’s Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Joining Henderson are Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. and Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Richmond Hill, Ont. Both Kim and Lee-Bentham were recently named to Team Canada’s Young Pro Squad. Kim, 23, carded a 142 and Lee-Bentham, 22, was three strokes behind with a 145.

Wallace, a Langley, B.C. native, became one of three who qualified at the Dunwoody, Ga., event. The 23-year-old finished with a 148 through two rounds.

Tong, a Thornhill, Ont., native, qualified with 148 at the Winnetka, Ill., event. The 21-year-old Indiana University student will join Henderson in the field as an amateur.

Also to note, Canada’s A. Ram Choi of Surrey, B.C., will be listed as an alternate player after carding a 151 at the Seattle, Wash., qualifier. Choi is a junior for the Portland State Vikings.

All five Canadians will head to North Carolina from June 17-22 to tee-it-up at the famous Pinehurst No. 2 golf course.

For all sectional qualifier results, click here.

To cap off the week, Henderson got word on Tuesday that she earned a sponsor exemption to play in the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic for a second straight year. In 2013, the National Squad member fared well with a promising T35 finish.

With the announcement, Henderson becomes the seventh Canadian set to compete at the Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo, Ont., from June 4-8. She will be joined by veteran professionals Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp, and Maude-Aimee Leblanc. Also in attendance will be the three members of the Young Pro Squad – Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Sue Kim and Jennifer Kirby.

ROANOKE, Va. – Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson captured the Scott Robertson Memorial on Sunday with a one-stroke advantage over runner-up Emily Campbell of Carrollton, Tex.

Henderson, a Smiths Falls, Ont., native, carded a four-under 209 (68-72-69), recording nine birdies at the Roanoke Country Club on her way to the title. She was the lone Canadian playing in the girls 15-18 event.

Henderson joins an impressive list of past Scott Robertson champions, including professional stars Paula Creamer, Webb Simpson and Hunter Mahan.

With the win, Henderson adds to an impressive year that features a win at the South Atlantic Amateur and a T26 finish at the LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship.

The 16-year-old entered the tournament as the No. 3 ranked female amateur in the world according to the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). This finish could see her catapult to the top.

For the full leaderboard, click here.

Parksville, B.C. (Golf Canada) – The 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour will kick off the season at Morningstar Golf Club, May 12-14^th in Parksville, B.C.

The event marks the first of three Canadian Women’s Tour events conducted annually across the country, featuring top amateur and professional players – from Canada and abroad – competing in a two-day 36-hole stroke play competition for a $60,000 purse.

Headlining the field will be Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., the reigning 2013 Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year and world No. 3 ranked amateur Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont.

“We’re excited to get the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour underway this year at Morningstar Golf Club with a very strong field that includes two champions from last season,” said Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “This course should prove to be a solid test for some of the best up and coming professionals as they look to earn those coveted exemptions into the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.”

A number of notable players will also join the field including Canadians Kirby Dreher of Fort St. John B.C., Danielle Mills of Pointe-Claire, Que., Brittany Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., Kyla Inaba of Kelowna, B.C, Christine Wong of Richmond, B.C. and 2013 Canadian Women’s Tour Ontario Champion Emily Childs of Alameda, Calif.

Team Canada’s National and Development squads will be well represented at the B.C. Tour stop with Henderson aiming to continue a stellar 2014 campaign that has seen the 16-year-old capture the South Atlantic Amateur Championship and finish T26 at the LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Joining Henderson on the National Squad will be Augusta James of Bath, Ont., Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. and Jennifer Ha of Calgary. Development Squad members, Valérie Tanguay of St-Hyacinthe, Que., Taylor Kim of Surrey, B.C., Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C., and Calgary’s Sabrine Garrison and Jaclyn Lee will also join the field.

Morningstar Golf Club recently played host to the 2012 CN Future Links Pacific Championship. The club has also hosted three PGA of Canada events as well as the 2010 Canadian Senior Women’s Championship.

“We are excited to be selected as the host venue for the season opening event on Golf Canada’s Women’s Tour and we are really looking forward to continuing the momentum of the tour at Morningstar Golf Club,” said Head Professional Kevin Oates. “ Previous events have been filled with superb play from a very strong field of competitors, and our golf course should once again provide a competitive challenge to all the players.  I expect exciting play from the competitors as they prepare themselves for the reward of an exemption into the Canadian Open.”

Five exemptions into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, an LPGA Tour event held August 18-24 at London Hunt and Country Club in London, Ont. are currently available to competitors. Exemptions are given to the winners of each of the two Canadian Women’s Tour events with two additional exemptions reserved for the top two competitors (not otherwise exempt) on the season-ending Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.

In addition, the top five (previously the top 3) players on the Canadian Women’s Tour season-ending Order of Merit will be awarded direct entry into LPGA Stage-2 Qualifying.

The Tour’s second stop is scheduled for June 23-25 at Legends on the Niagara’s Battlefield Course in Niagara Falls, Ont. New for 2014, the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada presented by Nike Golf that runs July 29-31 at Firerock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont., will count as the third and final stop on the Canadian Women’s Tour. Points will also be awarded toward the Jocelyne Bourassa Player of the Year at the conclusion of the championship.

Total season prize money for the 2014 season is $180,000 (CDN) for three events, which includes the PGA of Canada’s PGA Women’s Championship presented by Nike Golf. Each 36-hole championship purse will be $60,000 with the champion being awarded a $10,000 winners’ cheque.

Conducted since 2002, many of Canada’s elite female golfers have used the Canadian Women’s Tour to hone their skills and develop as athletes both on and off the course. Canadian Women’s Tour alumnae Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp, Jessica Shepley, Isabelle Beisiegel, Stephanie Sherlock, Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Sara Maude-Juneau and Maude-Aimée LeBlanc have all used their experiences as Canadians on the Canadian development circuit as a catalyst to future successes. Other Canadian Women’s Tour graduates include LPGA notables Yani Tseng, Ryann O’Toole, Candace Schepperle, Sara Brown and Katy Harris.

For more information on the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour, click here.