OTTAWA – Brittany Lincicome and Mo Martin will spend their Friday night splitting a pizza and probably talking about what it will take to catch In Gee Chun.

The two Americans were both 6-under par and leading after two rounds at the CP Women’s Open before Chun passed them on the leaderboard for a two-stroke lead by the end of the day. Lincicome and Martin had plans for a pizza party with their caddies and some other golfers about the same time Chun was finishing her 4-under round to sit at 8 under on the tournament.

Lincicome relies on her caddy, Missy Pederson, to make pizza from scratch at most tournaments. She even has an unusual go-to toppings combo.

“Sausage and pepperoni, and then this Mascarpone, which is like a sweet cream which is super weird,” said Lincicome in the early afternoon. “Everyone’s like, ‘oh, my gosh, what is that?’ But it’s delicious.

“My caddy found it at the British Open a few years ago, and now it’s a whole thing.”

Martin had four birdies on the back nine, including one on No. 18, to take over first from first-round leader Marina Alex, who teed off in the afternoon. Alex had a 1-under round to join Lincicome and Martin in second.

“Super-solid finish,” said Martin after her round. “It’s nice that things are coming together. I think I’ve been playing better than I’ve been scoring this summer, so nice to see those things connect.”

Lincicome tied it two groups later when she drained her own birdie on the par-5 523-yard final hole. Martin’s biggest concern after resting all afternoon was getting too lethargic from the pizza.

“It should be a fun night. Just need to stay active,” said Martin. “Try not to sleep in too much tomorrow morning, and I’ve got the same game plan and I’ll be ready to go. Just conserve energy for the weekend.”

Chun said that she doesn’t need to relax because she enjoys playing in Canada so much. Instead, she’ll stick to her usual practice routine.

“I will do the same,” said Chun. “I really enjoy playing on the course, I really like playing in Canada. So I’m just enjoying everything.”

Alex is going to spend her Saturday morning focusing her ball striking at the windy Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

“Just get a few better drives on the fairway and just a couple more closer iron shots and give myself better percentage putts,” said Alex. “I’m putting well, but I just want to give myself as many great chances as I can going through this weekend.”

Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., and Brooke Henderson of nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., were the only two Canadians from a field of 14 to make the cut.

Henderson had to birdie on her final hole of the day to slip under the cutline and finish at 1 under. The teenage phenom was followed from hole to hole by hundreds of fans, most wearing red and white, a tradition at professional golf tournaments in Canada. She acknowledged that there was extra pressure playing just an hour away from her hometown.

“I feel like I’ve handled it pretty well so far,” said Henderson. “I think now that the cut is kind of over with, I can focus on my game and try to shoot maybe 4- or 5-under these next two and see if I can be in the top 10 or just climb that leaderboard a little bit more.”

Marchand, who was playing two groups behind Henderson, was tied for 23rd at 2 under.

Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay and Augusta James of Bath, Ont., as well as amateurs Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., and Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee tied at 7 over.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was 8 over, Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was 9 over, amateur Grace St-Germain of Ottawa was 10 over and Calgary’s Jennifer Ha was 12 over.

Hannah Hellyer of Sterling, Ont., was 14 over, Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., was 15 over and amateur Naomi Ko from Victoria was 16 over. Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane finished the day at 19 over.

OTTAWA – Alena Sharp knelt down beside her bag and wrote the initials DC-J on each of her golf balls. She tucked the marker back into her bag and grabbed a pair of yellow ribbons with the same three letters monogrammed on them and scanned the crowd to hand them to her mom.

Sharp, who had an identical ribbon pinned to her hat, then lined up her shot from the No. 1 tee to start her first round at the CP Women’s Open on Thursday. She was one of several golfers honouring Canadian golf hall of famer Dawn Coe-Jones at the LPGA Tour event.

Coe-Jones left an indelible mark on women’s golf in Canada, winning three LPGA Tour events and the 1992 Match Play Championship, with 44 top-10 finishes over a 24-year career. She lost her battle with sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, on Nov. 12 at the age of 59.

“It’s just so sad that someone that young and that healthy can have that kind of bad luck,” said Sharp, a native of Hamilton, after completing a 7-over 78 in the first round of the tournament. “She’s not with us anymore, which is so sad.”

Sharp began marking her balls with Coe-Jones’s initials toward the end of last season and resumed the practice this week at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club to tie in with Golf Canada’s ribbon campaign honouring the pioneer of the sport.

“I’m really happy to see everybody wearing the ribbons this week and honouring her,” said Sharp. “It’s a great tribute.”

Coe-Jones competed in the Canadian Women’s Open 24 times and had seven top-10 finishes. She was the low Canadian (or tied) on 13 occasions and her $326,554 in earnings are the most by a Canadian playing in the Women’s Open. She retired from the LPGA at the 2008 national championship.

“It does mean a lot, not only to me, but I know her husband and son, are taking this in this week,” said Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane, who was a close friend of Coe-Jones. “It’s just nice for them to know their mom is loved.”

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., and Augusta James of Bath, Ont., were the low Canadians on Thursday at 2-over 73.

“(Coe-Jones) along with all the others were just really inspirational, especially being from Canada and not having that many people to look up to,” said Marchand, who also had a yellow ribbon affixed to her hat. “The few that have paved the way, it’s pretty awesome. It’s been great to be able to remember her this week and kind of keep her in everyone’s hearts.”

Calgary’s Jennifer Ha and superstar Brooke Henderson of nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., finished their rounds at 3-over par.

Honoring Dawn Coe-Jones this week at the CP Women's Open. Thank you for paving the way for… https://t.co/E1RBTABDe5

— Jennifer Ha (@JenniferHa0201) August 24, 2017

Henderson was followed from hole to hole by droves of fans, but despite the vocal support she struggled with her putting. Henderson went to the practice green after her morning round.

“I think if I can just get a good night’s rest tonight, maybe practice a little bit, tune in things a little bit more, and then go out tomorrow and hopefully just make a few more putts,” said Henderson. “That’s all it is, and hopefully make a few more birdies.”

Amateur Jaclyn Lee of Calgary was 4 over, Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay was 5 over, Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., was 6 over, Hannah Hellyer of Sterling, Ont., was 7 over and amateur Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., was 8 over.

Kane tied with amateur Grace St. Germain of Ottawa at 9 over, while Victoria amateur Naomi Ko finished at 12 over.

OTTAWA – Playing professional golf isn’t that much different from having a standard 9-5 job. There’s a similar litany of problems. In the first round of the CP Women’s Open, it was a traffic jam.

Marina Alex had four birdies on the back nine and finished 5-under 66 to take the clubhouse lead at the Women’s Open on Thursday and held on to a one-stroke lead by the end of the round in part thanks to high winds. Those gusts forced golfers to take more time on their drives and approach shots which slowed down the pace of play at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

“It was kind of hard to get momentum, I think, for any of us because we would sit on the tee box and wait sometimes three and four minutes,” said Alex, who said the pace of play was slow from her second hole on. “It’s just hard to get a good group, and if you have a good group, it really kind of gets disrupted, so it’s tough.

“You have pretty challenging conditions right now. Every shot was kind of just difficult as we approached it, and it’s hard to get into a flow when you’re stopping and starting and stopping and starting.”

Putts dropping on day 1 was the key for @Marina_Deee to hold the current lead at the #CPWO! Watch her post-round interview pic.twitter.com/M5vZD3ePWV

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 24, 2017

Weather has played a big role in the Women’s Open. Tuesday’s practice rounds were called off after a rainstorm drenched the course. Winds during the storm blew down some trees in the area and delayed or detoured flights at nearby Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport.

Despite the rain, greens were very fast on Thursday. Alex said that it was easy getting optimal shots in the morning until the wind picked up and started messing with drives.

“I thought that (the greens) were almost just as fast as what we played at the U.S. Open,” said Alex. “They are rolling unbelievably well. Really quick. The nice thing is they’re still a bit soft, so the shots are holding into the greens, so it kind of makes for a good combo.

“You can hit shots in there pretty tight, and then you have really nice pace to hold them.”

Holly Clyburn, who started on the back nine, eagled on her final hole in the afternoon to enter into a tie with In Gee Chun, who fired a bogey-free 4-under 67 to sit second in the morning group.

Clyburn hoped her strong finish on No. 9 would give her momentum into the second round of play.

“I’ve just been waiting for something to drop like that all day, actually. I played solid all day, and that was just a nice present on the last, really,” said Clyburn. “Just missed a few birdie putts out there, and hit a nice 5-wood in there and holed that putt.”

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., and Augusta James of Bath, Ont., were the low Canadians on Thursday at 2-over 73.

Calgary’s Jennifer Ha and superstar Brooke Henderson of nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., finished their rounds at 3-over par. Henderson had the opposite day of Alex, with her drives on target but her putts failing to drop.

“I hit the ball for the majority extremely well and just the putter kind of let me down at times,” said Henderson, who had a large crowd following her from hole to hole. “But you know, the crowds were amazing. There was a lot of great things happening out there, and like I said, my ball-striking was awesome. It was like right on, and just hopefully tomorrow I can make a couple more of those 10-footers, 15-footers, and then we’ll see what happens.”

She then went to the practice green to “teach (her putter) a lesson.”

Amateur Jaclyn Lee of Calgary was 4 over, Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay was 5 over, Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., was 6 over, Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Hannah Hellyer of Sterling, Ont., tied at 7 over. Amateur Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., was 8 over.

Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane tied with amateur Grace St. Germain of Ottawa at 9 over, while Victoria amateur Naomi Ko finished at 12 over.

OTTAWA – Ariya Jutanugarn has won the last two times she’s stepped onto Canadian soil. This week, she’s hoping to make it three-for-three at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.

Last year, Jutanugarn capped her five-win season with a four-stroke win at the 2016 CP Women’s Open at Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club in Calgary. And in June 2017, she won the Manulife LPGA Classic in Kitchener, draining a 25-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat In Gee Chun and Lexi Thompson.

“I love everything here,” said Jutanugarn, who also had success here as an amateur, winning the 2012 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. “All the spectators, they’re so nice. They come support us and not only the tournament days. Even practice rounds they come out and give us full support. I feel like (it’s) my second home.”

Since the Thailand native’s victory in June, a nagging shoulder injury dating back to 2013 has been bothering the young player. She was forced to withdraw from one event and missed the cut at three of her last five starts. However, Jutanugarn comes into Ottawa off two weeks of rest and rehab and is ready to defend her title.

Jutanugarn will tee off on No. 10 on Thursday at 1:42 p.m. with Angel Yin, who sank the clinching putt for the USA at last week’s Solheim Cup, and 2017 U.S. Women’s Open champion Sung Hyun Park.

Lydia Ko already has her name on the CP Women’s Open trophy three times, twice as an amateur in 2012 and 2013 and then as a professional in 2015. This week in Ottawa, she would love nothing more than to add a fourth title and second as a professional to that tally.

“I’ve been working hard with my team to be a bit more consistent,” said Ko, who is looking for her first title of 2017. “I think consistency is so important on Tour because you’re playing week in and week out, and to have that consistency is going to help to, I guess, build confidence too. I love playing in Canada, so hopefully I’ll be able to have a good result this week.”

Ko actually almost became a Canadian rather than a New Zealander as a young child. Ko was born in the Republic of

Korea, and her parents contemplated both countries before ultimately deciding to become Kiwis.

“I feel like there are a lot of similarities between New Zealand and Canada,” said Ko. “The people are great, super nice.

The towns and the cities remind me a lot of New Zealand. So, I know I’m going to a different country, but it feels like home almost. The Canadians have really taken me in as one of their own.”

Ko will tee off on No. 1 on Thursday at 8:27 a.m. with 2010 CPWO champion Michelle Wie and 2017 LPGA rookie Nelly Korda.

This week marks Katherine Kirk’s first visit to the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club since 2008, when she won the CP Women’s Open for her first LPGA victory. You might think that all the excitement would make this a can’t-forget moment. But with a sheepish grin, Kirk admits that it’s all a blur.

“I remember a little bit of Thursday’s round and a little of Sunday’s round, but Friday, Saturday, not so much,” said Kirk, who trailed Yani Tseng by six strokes going into Sunday’s final round. “If you asked me what I shot, I don’t think I could tell you. Actually, I’d have to look it up.”

For the record, Kirk shot a final-round 69 to win by one stroke over Se Ri Pak and two strokes over Tseng. Of course, many people here at Ottawa Hunt still remember the Australian for her 2008 success.

“I’ve had a few volunteers come up to me and say, hey, we met you at the volunteer tent back in ‘08 and you signed a hat for us,” said Kirk, who captured the third win of her LPGA career at July’s Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic. “Or people would come up to me, hey, hopefully you can repeat from ‘08. So obviously there are a lot of folks that have come back or either volunteered or they’re going to come out and watch the tournament this week.”

Kirk will tee off on No. 10 on Thursday at 1:20 p.m. with Paula Creamer and Inbee Park.

Golf Canada and Golf Town have announced the partnership in which Golf Town will become the official Golf Retailer of Future Links – Canada’s national junior golf program as well as the 2017 Professional Championships; The RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open.

Future Links, driven by Acura, is a joint grassroots initiative of Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and the provincial golf associations which offers a full suite of junior golf programs for boys and girls ages 6 to 18 – from beginnings to those with more experience or greater playing ability. The program is structured to focus on three core areas– facility programming, community outreach, and in-school programming.

In 2017, Golf Canada has also integrated the popular Golf in Schools program under the Future Links suite of junior golf activities. With more than 400,000 children currently learning golf at nearly 3,400 schools (elementary, intermediate, and high schools) as part of the Canadian Physical Education curriculum, Future Links, driven by Acura is supporting quality junior golf experience from in-schools to on-course at clubs across Canada.

As the official golf retailer of Canada’s national junior golf program, Golf Town has implemented a fundraising initiative at Golf Town locations across the country in support of Golf in Schools adoptions. This initiative will allow consumers at Golf Town retail locations to donate towards the adoption of a school in their local area. This adoption will equip a local school with a Golf in Schools kit, that can be incorporated into the Physical Education curriculum to introduce elementary, intermediate or high school students to the game of golf.

“Golf Town has been a tremendous partner since aligning their respected brand with Canada’s national junior golf program as well as our 2017 Professional Championships. We are thrilled with their deepened commitment to the growth of the game as a whole,” said Chief Sport Officer, Jeff Thompson. We are proud that Golf Town will continue to drive the Golf in Schools program forward and introduce hundreds of children to the game.”

“Growing the game, contributing to the community, and encouraging our associates to get behind an initiative we strongly believe in is what inspires us, so when the opportunity to partner with Golf Canada on an in-store fundraising campaign for Golf in Schools came up, we were more than excited to get on board,” said Chad McKinnon, President at Golf Town. “We’re grateful to have wonderful customers believe in growing the game in their communities just as much as we do, and their generosity shows. We look forward to continuing our support and growing the game with Future Links as a proud partner.”

In addition, Golf Town will be introducing their Brooke Brigade Viewing Zones at the CP Women’s Open August 21 – 27 at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club. These exclusive areas throughout the championship grounds will allow Golf Town juniors, known as “Brooke’s Brigade,” to watch their hometown hero, Brooke Henderson, compete in Canada’s National Women’s Open. Juniors will be outfitted in Golf Town Brooke Brigade t-shirts and will even enjoy some surprise and delights in The Golf Town Brooke Brigade Viewing Zones.

“We are extremely excited to have Golf Town as the official golf retailer of our Professional Championships,” said Bill Paul, Chief Championship Officer.  “Golf Town’s investment in the Professional Championships further enhances its commitment within the golf marketplace in Canada.”

“We are very excited to be a part of the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open as the official retailer of both championships. Through our commitment to Future Links, we hope we can inspire young Canadians to pick up a club and get out on the course to have some fun with their friends and family. Who knows, maybe someday we may see the same junior golfers competing in one of these premium events and inspiring the next generation of golf to do the same,” said Chad McKinnon.

For more information, please visit www.golftown.com

No, no mistake. If this week at the CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt, and for golf in general in Canada, belongs to Brooke Henderson, even though the field features 92 of the top 100 players in the world, it also belongs to her big sister Brittany.

Five years older than the gifted 19-year-old superstar, Brittany is also very much at the forefront as caddie.

Brit, who spent her junior years playing in Quebec by the way, put her competitive career aside for the last three years to support her younger sister in the big league, with admirable results.

Together they won three times on the LPGA Tour, including a first Grand Slam title at the LPGA Championship in 2016, before winning the Meijer Classic this year and finishing second at the US Open earlier this summer.

So Brooke has no worries about covering any costs with the million ($ 1,038,689 to be precise) already in the bank, not to mention the even more lucrative sponsorship deals.

LIKE JOCELYNE BOURASSA BEFORE HER…

It is a unique and special week that begins for Brooke and Brittany.

With all due respect to Lexi Thompson, Cristie Kerr, Michelle Wie, Lydia Ko, number 1 So Yeon Ryu (with $ 1,733,008) and all the other LPGA stars, this Open belongs to Brooke.

In addition to being a member of the Ottawa Hunt, she was born and raised in nearby Smiths Falls, Ontario.

The current scenario brings me back to Jocelyne Bourassa at the Canadian Open of 1973, “La Canadienne”, which she won at the Montréal Municipal Club (today Maisonneuve Park) on home soil and to the immense happiness of this writer.

Jocelyne had offered me the privilege to caddie for her and no, before anyone else can rightly say, Jocelyne’s caddie was not nearly as pretty as Brittany.

Like today, the spotlight was not shining on the stars of the day – Judy Rankin, Sandra Haynie, JoAnne Carner, Kathy Whitworth – but rather on the local darling of Shawinigan South.

The victory was a huge deal, but so was the support of the public.

At one point, the fans were crowding their young champion so much that it seemed like all of Montréal and Québec were swinging the clubs along with her.

WORDS OF ADVICE

It’s obviously Brooke who will be hitting the ball, but here are some suggestions for Brittany by her side.

* Ask my friend Bill Paul, the director of the Open, to make sure that the best four marshals are assigned to Brooke’s pairing, not so much for security, but to make sure she has breathing room.

In Montreal, I had recruited the Calabro brothers. I can assure you that it became very quiet when they shouted “Attention! La petite Bourassa is teeing off”!

* With all the pressure on her, Brooke’s clubs will feel very heavy at first, hence the importance of staying relaxed and thinking positive thoughts.

* Patience is essential. Even if it takes a little time to get things going, remember that the Open is a four-day event, not four holes.

Brooke has so much talent that she cannot help but get fired up. There’s nothing better than a sequence of birdies to transform the pressure into a huge wave of support and love.

* But above all, the sisters must remember to really enjoy this week; that is the key to everything.

This is my wish for you both, Brooke and Brittany, that you will have the opportunity to talk about this week 44 years later, just like I can with Jocelyne.

Have fun!

With four LPGA Tour titles, including one major victory under her belt, Smiths Falls, Ont., native Brooke Henderson is recognized for her success across the country and beyond.

While she is grateful for that widespread recognition, the 19-year-old says nothing can top the excitement of competing at home.

Having played a number of junior and amateur golf tournaments in the nation’s capital, Henderson has yet to compete in the Ottawa area as a professional.

Since turning professional in December of 2014, the closest she has competed is in the Waterloo Region for the Manulife LPGA Classic which is about a five hour drive from Ottawa.

However, that will change next week when she tees off at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club for the CP Women’s Open.

“I’ve played a few times now in Canada as a professional but never in the Ottawa area, so that’s going to be huge and I feel that the crowds are going to be amazing; I’m really excited for that,” she said during the CP Women’s Open media day in June.

“I think it’s great to have it at the Ottawa Hunt because I recently became a member here.  I would love to play well here and give the crowd something to cheer about.”

Despite never competing at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, Henderson is quick to point out a special memory that came as a spectator many years ago.

“I remember coming here in 2008 and watching the entire field.  I watched Morgan Pressel who I really looked up to and at the end of the fourth hole she walked up and said ‘hey Brooke’ and I was thinking ‘what she knew my name?’ and I was so excited because I met her a month before just in passing and to have her remember my name and that impact it had on me was truly amazing.  And after her round, she handed me her glove and a signed golf ball,” recalled the now 19-year-old Canadian golf star.

“What I learned that day is you have so much of an impact on the younger generation and people of all ages; and so for me this year, I really want to be able to give a lot of time to the media and the fans – and especially, to the young kids to inspire them to play the game,” she added.

Someone else who inspired aspiring young golfers in Canada is four-time LPGA Tour winner, Lorie Kane – and she is quick to acknowledge Henderson’s current influence.

“Brooke has accomplished so much and she’s only 19, so she’s just getting started,” said Kane. “A lot of young kids across the country definitely look up to her success and she’s a great role model for them,” said Kane about Henderson, who won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2016 to become first Canadian to win a women’s major in 48 years.

“She’s definitely handled her success really well and that says a lot about her as well as the people around her,” added Kane.

Having signed on with CP as an ambassador earlier this year, Henderson has a few nice words in return for the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and longtime CP ambassador.

“To be with Lorie, who paved the way for Canadian women’s golf all across the board, it’s amazing to be in her family and her team,” Henderson said.

Joining Kane and Henderson at the CP Women’s Open next week will be the LPGA’s finest including current world No. 1, Ryu So-yeon, three-time champion, Lydia Ko and defending champion, Ariya Jutanugarn – to name just a few.

While the former world No. 2 from Smith Falls, Ont., acknowledges there’s pressure associated with being the hometown favourite at the CP Women’s Open, she also recognizes that pressure is also a privilege.

“Of course there will be pressure, but it can be fun too because you have everyone in your corner cheering for you and every shot means a lot of them, too. So, hopefully, I can perform to the best of my ability and put on a good show and get everybody on my side,” she said.

With only one Canadian – Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973 – capturing the national championship in its 44-year history, Henderson says she places special emphasis on winning the tournament.

“This tournament is like my fifth major on the LPGA TOUR. This is the event that I would love to win the most over my career.  Whether it happens this year or in the future it’s the number one event on my bucket list,” she added.

When asked about her chances of capturing the title this year in her homecoming tournament, Henderson says she is ready and capable.

“Going into any tournament the goal of any player is to win it; and I definitely feel that I have a good chance to win here,” she replied. “It’s just about being able to play my game and also getting a few breaks along the way.”

When you see players wearing yellow ribbons at this week’s CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, think “DCJ.”

Those are the initials of Dawn Coe-Jones, one of Canada’s most outstanding golfers who died of bone cancer last November at the age of 56. The ribbons are to honour her memory and to remind us all of the toll this terrible disease takes.

Born in Lake Cowichan, B.C., Coe-Jones won the B.C. Junior Championship in 1978 and 1979 and then the B.C. Amateur in 1982. In 1983, she defended her provincial amateur title and capped off the season by winning the Canadian Amateur Championship. After being named an NCAA All-American at Lamar University in Texas, Coe-Jones headed to the LPGA Tour where she won three times, including the 1995 Tournament of Champions.

Despite smaller purses during her heyday, Coe-Jones remains the top Canadian money-winner at the CP Women’s Open. She finished, either solo or tied, as the top Canadian 13 times. Her best finish was third in 1993. Her golfing genes live on in her son, Jimmy, who played in the Canadian Amateur earlier this month.

Last October, the inaugural Dawn Coe-Jones Golf Classic was held in Florida to raise funds for sarcoma research. “Dawn touched so many people,” recalled fellow B.C. native Gail Graham, a fellow Lamar alumna who played with Coe-Jones on the LPGA Tour. “She was always the one who worried about others.”

That month, the Legends Tour (the official senior tour of the LPGA) honoured her with the Colleen Walker Spirit Award, given to the player who best exemplifies Walker’s spirit, courage and love of the game. The award is named for Walker, a former LPGA Tour player who died of cancer in 2012.

Coe-Jones’s legacy is also being carried on by the current generation of outstanding Canadians, many of whom are participating in this week’s championship.

The homegrown contingent is led by 19-year-old Brooke Henderson, already a four-time winner in only her second full season on the LPGA Tour, including the 2016 KPMG PGA Championship. Henderson, who was born in nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., now calls the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club her home club, so she has local knowledge on her side as well as talent.

Also vying to be the first Canadian to win our national women’s Open since Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973 will be Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont. Sharp, who represented Canada in the 2016 Olympics, is coming off a top-five finish at last year’s CP Women’s Open.

Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane, like her longtime friend and competitor Coe-Jones, is an honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. She will be teeing it up this week in her record-setting 27th CP Women’s Open start.

Other Canadian pros in the field include Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Augusta James of Bath, Ont., Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., and Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City. Team Canada Amateur Squad members Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C., Jaclyn Lee of Calgary, Grace St. Germain of Ottawa and Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., are also competing this week.

No doubt all of them have derived inspiration from the successes, both professional and personal, of Dawn Coe-Jones.

So when you notice those yellow ribbons this week, take a moment to remember DCJ and her legacy not only to golf, but to cancer research.

Hometown favourite Brooke Henderson, with the support of fellow LPGA Tour athletes, led the inaugural Brooke and Friends charity fundraiser with proceeds going towards the Golf Canada Foundation and Henderson Family Foundation.

Thirty-one players competed for four spots in the 2017 CP Women’s Open at Monday’s final qualifying event at Camelot Golf and Country Club, in Ottawa, Ont.

Stirling, Ont., native Hannah Hellyer fired a 3-under-par 69 to share medallist honours with Madeline Sheils of Boise, Idaho, each earning a qualifying spot into Canada’s National Open Championship.

“My putting was really on point today,” said Hellyer. “It’s a dream come true to play in the CP Women’s Open and get to play against the world’s best.”

Hellyer – an assistant professional at St. Georges Golf and Country Club in Toronto – will be making her LPGA debut at the CP Women’s Open. She fell just short of Monday qualifying for the 2014 CP Women’s Open, losing a three-way playoff for the final qualifying position.

Sheils has played in nine events on the LPGA Tour this year. Her best result was a T35 finish at the Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning and O-I.

South Korea’s Min-g Kim carded a 2-under par 70 to tie for third with Alison Walshe of Palm Beach, Fla.

Kim has played in five LPGA events in 2017 and Walshe has played in three.

Hellyer will be the 14th Canadian in the field at the CP Women’s Open. All are trying to become the first Canadian to win an LPGA Tour event on Canadian soil since Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member Jocelyne Bourassa won La Canadienne in 1973.

Information regarding tickets and corporate hospitality for the CP Women’s Open can be found at www.cpwomensopen.com. A full field list of players confirmed to compete in the 2017 CP Women’s Open is available by clicking here.

The following are full scores from 2017 CP Women’s Open Final Qualifying at Camelot Golf and Country Club.

1. Hannah Hellyer, *34-35-69 -3
1. Madeline Sheils, *35-34-69 -3
3. Ming-g Kim, *35-35-70 -2
3. Alison Walshe, *33-37-70 -2
— DID NOT QUALIFY —
5. Christina Foster, *35-36-71 -1
6. Sarah-Eve Rheaume (a), *37-35-72 E
7. Briana Mao, *36-37-73 +1
7. Rachel Rohanna, *34-39-73 +1
7. Julieta Granada (a), *38-35-73 +1
10. Anne Van Dam, *34-40-74 +2
10. Jessica Ip (a), *34-40-74 +2
10. Céleste Dao (a), *36-38-74 +2
13. Salimah Mussani, *39-36-75 +3
14. Monet Chun (a), *38-38-76 +4
14. Alejandra Llaneza, *37-39-76 +4
16. Cindy Lacrosse, *39-38-77 +5
16. Emily Romancew (a), *39-38-77 +5
16. Brogan McKinnon, *37-40-77 +5
16. Mathilde Denicourt (a), *39-38-77 +5
20. Sylvie Schetagne, *42-36-78 +6
21. Kasumi Kuniyoshi (a), *39-40-79 +7
22. Linda Wang (a), *40-40-80 +8
23. Mackenzie Barrie, *39-42-81 +9
23. Haley Yerxa (a), *43-38-81 +9
25. Aram Choi, *41-41-82 +10
26. Georgia Oboh (a), *41-42-83 +11
27. Alison Timlin, *40-45-85 +13
27. Katherine Gravel-Coursol (a), *42-43-85 +13
29. Audrey Paradis (a), *46-41-87 +15
30. Jasmine Paton, *46-45-91 +19
— DID NOT FINISH —
WD. Lory Paradis (a), *

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