Brooke Henderson collects a historic 9th LPGA victory
Brooke Henderson wins the Meijer LPGA Classic (for a second time), collecting her 9th career LPGA title — the most ever by a Canadian.
Henderson sets Canadian wins record on PGA or LPGA tour with ninth title
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Brooke Henderson won the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday to break the Canadian record for tour victories with nine.
The 21-year-old Henderson led wire-to-wire for her second victory in three years at Blythefield Country Club, closing with a 2-under 70 in chilly conditions to hold off Lexi Thompson, Nasa Hataoka, Su Oh and Brittany Altomare by a stroke.
Henderson broke a tie with Sandra Post for the Canadian record on the LPGA Tour and also moved ahead of George Knudson and Mike Weir for the overall country mark.
“That’s really cool,” Henderson said. “Earlier this year to get my eighth win and to tie that record was a huge deal for me. To now to kind of breakthrough that is awesome. I’m just really excited for the rest of the summer and hopefully many more wins in the future.”
With caddie/sister Brittany and mother Darlene looking on, father Dave sprayed her with champagne to celebrate.
“It’s really special,” Henderson said. “I’m so happy that both my mom and my dad can be out here to watch my sister and I win this. It’s always special when they’re here, especially on Father’s Day.”
Also the Lotte Championship winner in April in Hawaii, Henderson matched the tournament record of 21 under that she set in 2017 (when the course played to a par of 71) and also was tied last year by So Yeon Ryu. Henderson opened with consecutive 64s, playing 30 holes Friday after rain delayed the start Thursday, and had a 69 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round.
“It’s a lot like the courses I grew up playing back home in Canada,” Henderson said. “I love it out here. Just trying to hit good shots and hopefully make a lot of birdies. Didn’t make as many as I wanted, but just enough.”
The final putt at @MeijerLPGA that sealed the deal in Canadian #golf history ???? pic.twitter.com/q9i2cIsFZz
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) June 16, 2019
Her lead reduced to a stroke after a bogey on the par-4 16th, she three-putted the par-5 18th from 45 feet for the winning par.
“When I was walking up here I thought maybe I would have to birdie or eagle this hole to get the job done, but when I looked at the scoreboard I was sort of shocked that all I needed to do was three-putt and par,” Henderson said. “I’m really grateful about that because I was shaking pretty bad on those last couple putts.”
Henderson had Canadians from coast-to-coast cheering her on all throughout.
“Congratulations to Brooke on becoming the winningest Canadian professional golfer ever on the PGA or LPGA,” said Sandra Post, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Honoured Member. “I’m so happy for her and her family and for golf in Canada. I know there are many more wins in store.”
“On behalf of Canadian golf fans across the nation, we are so proud of Brooke Henderson on her incredible 9th LPGA Tour victory,” said Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada CEO. “She’s made Canadian golf history at 21 years of age and there is no doubt that the very best is yet to come for this inspiring young athlete. We can’t wait to celebrate this victory and the defense of her CP Women’s Open title this August at Magna Golf Club!”
Thompson followed her course-record 62 in the third round with a 68, closing with an eagle for the second straight day. The 2015 winner at Blythefield, she was coming off a victory last week in New Jersey.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t hit it that great today, but I made some really good putts on my second nine,” Thompson said. “I had a little bit of a muscle spasm in my shoulder all day, but it is what it is, you can’t control that. So, overall great week.”
Hataoka shot 65, also making an eagle on the par-5 18th. Oh had a 66, and Altomare shot 68.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp had a strong tournament, finishing tied for ninth at 13-under with a final round of 72.
Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee (71) finished at 2-under while Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City (74) was at 1-under.
Jennifer Kupcho, four strokes behind Henderson entering the day, had a 76 to drop into a tie for 23rd at 11 under in her third professional start. The former Wake Forest star won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April.
The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the third major championship of the year, is next week at Hazeltine in Minnesota.
Henderson leads Meijer LPGA Classic; Thompson makes big move
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Brooke Henderson birdied the final three holes Saturday for a 3-under 69 and a two-stroke lead over Annie Park in the Meijer LPGA Classic, with Lexi Thompson three shots back after matching the course record with a 62.
Trying to break a tie for the Canadian victory record for both women and men, the 21-year-old Henderson had a 19-under 197 total at Blythefield Country Club. She opened with consecutive 64s, playing 30 holes Friday after rain delayed the start Thursday, then got off to a slow start Saturday with three birdies and three bogeys in the first 15 holes.
“I kind of found it hard to find my rhythm during the middle part of the round, so I kind of got started batting third and that’s never a good sign,” Henderson said. “But to come back with three birdies at the end there makes the round feel a little bit better.”
The 2017 winner at Blythefield, Henderson successfully defended her Lotte Championship title in April in Hawaii for her eighth LPGA Tour victory, tying Sandra Post’s Canadian record. George Knudson and Mike Weir share the mark on the PGA Tour, also with eight victories.
“Of course, that’s in the back of your mind, but it’s long from over,” Henderson said. “There’s so many great players close to the top of the leaderboard. And this course, you know there’s a lot of birdies out there, so it’s going to take a low score. So, hopefully, I can just continue to hit good shots and give myself a chance for the win.”
Park birdied the par-5 18th for her second straight 65.
Three straight birdies to close out the round for @BrookeHenderson ????
She takes a 2-stroke lead into the finale at the @MeijerLPGA pic.twitter.com/LAE8S5Slc3
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) June 15, 2019
“Overall, it’s been good with shots, short game, putting,” Park said. “Hopefully, I can keep that momentum going on for tomorrow. I can’t wait.”
The American returned early Saturday to complete the final hole of the suspended third round, making a birdie on 18.
“Took a good nap in there,” Park said.
Thompson, the 2015 winner, eagled the 18th, hitting an 8-iron approach within 2 feet.
“It helped to have a really good number, let alone a short number,” Thompson said. “But you have to take advantage of it. There’s a lot of birdie holes out there and a lot of opportunities, so you just have to take advantage of them.”
The winner last week in New Jersey, she had the eagle, 10 birdies and two bogeys.
“I had a good warmup on the range, felt good about my game,” Thompson said. “The last two days I haven’t struck it to my capability and what I’ve been working on in my game, but today it kind of all fell together.”
Brittany Altomare matched Thompson at 16 under with a 69.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp shot up the leaderboard with a 64. She’s tied for ninth at 13 under. Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay (72) is 3 under while Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee (73) is 1 under.
Jennifer Kupcho was another stroke back after her third 67. The former Wake Forest star is making her third professional start. She won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and the NCAA individual title last year.
“Just go into it just like any other tournament,” Kupcho said. “I mean, I always like the chase, so I’ll just go out there and play my game and see what shows up tomorrow.”
The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the third major championship of the year, is next week at Hazeltine in Minnesota.
Henderson vaults into lead at Meijer Classic
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Canada’s Brooke Henderson had sole possession of the lead after her second round of the Meijer LPGA Classic.
The native of Smiths Falls, Ont., had her second straight score of 8-under 64 on Friday to go up by three shots on American Brittany Altomare prior to the later tee-off times.
Henderson completed her first round with 12 holes on Friday after darkness halted play on Thursday, jumping into a one-stroke lead after 18 holes.
The 21-year-old, who won this event in 2017, had nine birdies and a bogey in the second round.
“I started off really well late last night and I was able to carry it on early this morning,” Henderson said. “Then I had lunch and came right back and played another 18. I just felt really confident today with my ball-striking, which is awesome, and I rolled in a few putts, too.”
.@BrookeHenderson goes 64-64 to set a 36-hole tournament record at the @MeijerLPGA ??
She takes a 3-stroke lead into the weekend ?? pic.twitter.com/DEVwb1Mwli
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) June 14, 2019
Just before play was suspended Thursday, Henderson got a hole-in-one on her sixth hole (the par-3 15th after starting on No. 10) to go to 4 under.
Henderson is looking for a Canadian record (on the PGA or LPGA Tours) ninth career title.
“I’m pretty tired right now, not a lot of sleep last night with the late night, early morning, so I look forward to some rest later tonight,” Henderson said. “I think it kind of was a bonus when I had things rolling just to keep it going.”
Alena Sharp of Hamilton was 5 under through 36 holes after an even-par 72 in the second round. Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay was 3 under after also shooting a 72.
Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee was 2 under, while Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., and Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., had later tee-off times after each shot 76 in the first round.
Henderson, Tanguay finish tied for 11th at Shoprite
GALLOWAY, N.J. – After 3-putting from off the green on the 15th hole to fall two shots off the lead in the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic, Lexi Thompson made it a point not to stress out over it.
The calm demeanour paid off as Thompson finished birdie-par-eagle on her last three holes Sunday, and made a 20-foot putt for the eagle at the 18th to win the $1.75 million event on the Bay Course at Seaview by one stroke over Jeongeun Lee6.
“I just really tried to find the positives in it because I knew coming in there were birdie holes,” Thompson said. “If I let it affect me, I wouldn’t have finished the way I did. At that point I didn’t know where I was, position-wise. I kind of thought I was behind for sure . a few back.”
Playing in winds that blew steadily from 20 to 30 miles per hour, Thompson had a 4-under-par 67 for a 54-hole score of 12-under 201. She posted her 11th career LPGA Tour victory – first since last year’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. It extended her streak to seven straight years with at least one win on the tour.
Thompson, who made her professional debut in this event in 2010 at the age of 15, set up her eagle at the 18th by needing to hit a 190-yard second shot with the wind at her back, to get it to the front of the green.
“With a jumper lie and the wind, I ended up hitting a pitching wedge, which is my 135 club,” she said. “It ended up landing 50 yards short and rolling up there.”
On the putt, she said, “I got chills, like my hair on my arms was sticking up once I made it.”
Lee6, the champion of last week’s U.S. Women’s Open who was playing two groups behind Thompson, lost her lead with three consecutive bogeys from holes 13 through 15 before bouncing back with a birdie at No. 16 to tie Thompson.
However, needing an eagle to force a playoff after reaching the green in two, she just missed a 45-foot putt to tie and had to settle for a birdie, giving her a 70 and second place at 202.
“The way I’m playing the ShopRite tournament, it’s amazing, and I’m pretty satisfied with finishing in second place,” Lee6 said through an interpreter.
Ally McDonald, seeking her first career LPGA Tour victory, challenged on the back nine and took third place at 204 following a 70. Two-time ShopRite LPGA champion Anna Nordqvist had a 69 for fourth place at 206.
Anne-Catherine Tanguay (67) and Brooke Henderson (68) were the top Canadians, tying for 11th at 4-under, while Alena Sharp (72) tied for 21st at 3-under.
Mariah Stackhouse, who began the day one stroke off the lead, fell back with a double bogey at the fifth hole and couldn’t come back. Her round of 74 left her in a three-way tie for fifth at 207 with Ariya Jutanugarn (68) and Yu Liu (72).
South Korea’s Jeongeun Lee6 is No. 1 at US Women’s Open
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Six is certainly a magic number for U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee.
The 23-year-old South Korean won her first major title Sunday, the first $1 million women’s winner’s check ever handed out by the USGA and her first victory as an LPGA Tour rookie. And she did by shooting 1-under 70 at Country Club of Charleston to finish at, naturally, 6-under 278.
“This is kind of really interesting how I finished 6 under at an LPGA tournament,” Lee said through an interpreter. “So, this is really lucky number to me.”
Lee has the number in her name because she was the sixth player with the name on the Korean LPGA. She has embraced the number, answering to it and writing a large “6” on her balls. Her South Korean fan club is called “Lucky 6.” Jeongeun Lee5 tied for 34th at 4 over, 10 shots behind Lee.
Lee opened a three-shot lead with three holes to play before facing some nerves with bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes to tighten things up. But when third-round co-leader Celine Boutier’s blast from a greenside bunker on the 72nd hole rolled off the green, Lee had the biggest win of her life.
“I didn’t even expect to win the tournament this fast,” Lee said. “I think this is very lucky that I won this major championship tournament.”
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., tied for 39th at 5 over for the event.
Lee, playing two groups ahead of Boutier, was practicing putts when the Frenchwoman could not make the sand shot. Lee bent down in joy when her victory was secure, countrywoman and 2011 U.S. Women’s Open winner So Yeon Ryu coming over to embrace the new champion.
“I felt pretty nervous starting on the holes 16, 17, and 18 after opening the large lead,” Lee said. “But I tried the best that I can.”
The victory came a few days after Tiger Woods’ former swing coach, Hank Haney, made disparaging remarks about women’s golf by predicting a “Korean” would win and “I’d go with Lee.”
Haney was suspended for his comments on his PGA Tour SiriusXM radio show when asked who’d win. “I’d go with Lee,” Haney said. “If I didn’t have to name a first name, I’d get a bunch of them right.” Haney was suspended for his remarks.
Haney sent Tweets on Sunday night congratulating Lee and saying his prediction was based on statistics and facts. “Korean women are absolutely dominating the LPGA Tour. If you asked me again, my answer would be the same but worded more carefully.”
Lee said her focus had been fully on the tournament. Because she hasn’t mastered English, “I didn’t really understand him that much, so I didn’t really think about it,” she said.
Boutier made a double bogey on the final hole to fall into a tie for fifth at 3 under. She shot 75. Lexi Thompson, Ryu and Angel Yin tied for second, two shots behind. Thompson shot 73, Ryu 70 and Yin 68.
Boutier tried to get on No. 18 in two. “And then if I made the putt, then it would be best,” she said. “But I missed the green, so …”
Gerina Piller, Jaye Marie Green, Mamiko Higa of Japan, and third-round co-leaders Yu Liu of China and Boutier tied for fifth. Piller was the only under par at 68. Higa and Liu shot 74s.
Boutier and Liu, the good friends and former Duke teammates, figured to fight for the title. Instead, both threw away chances early as they combined for three bogeys and a double bogey on the first three holes.
Thompson began the round a shot off the lead in search for a second career major. But she too struggled early with bogeys on the first, third and fourth holes to drop off the pace.
“It was a bit of a rough day,” Thompson said. “I got off to a pretty bad start. Just overall wasn’t as comfortable, I guess, over my shots.”
Lee is hardly a surprise winner. She came in ranked 17th in the world and has won six times on the KLPGA Tour. She tied for fifth in this event in her 2017 debut and has three top 10s on the LPGA Tour this season.
“So looking at her as a rookie to play this tournament so well, I’m really proud of her as a fellow competitor and same country girl as well,” Ryu said.
Higa faded in the final round after being a major contender at her first U.S. Women’s Open. She set the tournament mark for lowest debut with her opening 65. She was a stroke in front through 36 holes and only a shot behind when the final round began. But she had five bogeys on her first 13 holes to fall back. She finished tied for sixth after a 74.
NCAA women’s individual champion Maria Fassi started her first tournament as a pro 72-73 to make the cut on the number. She took flight on the weekend, going 68-70 to tie for 12th with a group at 1 under that included the tournament’s low amateur in Gina Kim, part of Duke’s recent NCAA team champion.
Two-time major champion Lydia Ko had a hole-in-one Sunday – the only of the week – on the difficult 11th hole. She hit a 6-iron from 172 yards and, moments later, heard cheers up near the green, but wasn’t sure why. She found out soon enough for her second career ace, the other coming at the Rio Olympics. The 11th, built with a false front and two large protective bunkers on each side, played as the hardest hole this week.
Young Canadian golfers Dao and Osland looking to learn at U.S. Women’s Open
Watching the Henderson sisters – world No. 6 golfer Brooke and her caddy Brittany – was one of the best experiences of Celeste Dao’s young career. She’s hoping to put those lessons in to practice at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open.
Dao got to observe the Hendersons at last year’s event and is back in the field this week with Henderson. They’ll be joined by fellow Canadians Megan Osland and Naomi Ko at the Country Club of Charleston in South Carolina.
“Watching them around the greens, how they identify the chips or the second shots and where they could be,” said Dao of the Hendersons. “Then they work on that, finding different shots and different options. They are really focused around the greens, taking notes and finding all the angles.”
Dao, from Notre-Dame-de-l’Ile-Perrot, Que., is still an amateur and earned her way in to the second major of the LPGA Tour season in a qualifying event at TPC Boston on May 6. Osland, from Kelowna, B.C., qualified on the same day at an event at Bradenton Country Club in Florida. Ko, from Victoria, made it in at a qualifier at OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, Ore., on April 26.
Henderson, the 21-year-old phenom from Smiths Falls, Ont., will compete as the winner of the 2016 Women’s PGA Championship, but could have qualified a number of different ways.
“Growing up, (Brooke) was always my idol and a great model to follow,” said the 18-year-old Dao. “I played a practice round with her last year. I learned a lot from her and her sister.”
Osland has been playing on the Symetra Tour since 2016 and the 26-year-old is targetting an LPGA card within the year. This will be her first appearance at the U.S. Women’s Open and, like Dao, she hopes it will be a learning opportunity.
“Just being around the best players in the world, seeing how they prepare, how they play the course and stuff like that is something I can learn from,” Osland said. “I think overall it’s going to be a really cool experience playing alongside everyone and seeing how my game stacks up to everyone else.”
Osland played a full practice round on Tuesday and described the fairways as firm and the greens fast – perfect for her style of play. She appreciates that winning her qualifier and playing in a major is already a new high for her career.
“It’s definitely the biggest tournament that I’ve played in so far and I would say that it’s the biggest tournament in women’s golf,” she said. “Just to play, to get out there and play at that level I’m just really excited for it. I’m happy to be here.
“This week I’m just going to go out and play my best and see what happens.”
Henderson finishes T2 at Pure Silk Championship
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Bronte Law was scuffling, missing fairways off the tee and scrambling for pars while a host of challengers tried to play catch-up.
A 15-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole finally brought relief.
“It was definitely a relief,” she said after winning the Pure Silk Championship on Sunday for her first career LPGA Tour victory.
“I’d hit a really good putt on the previous hole before and it kind of hit a spike mark,” she said about her sixth consecutive par. “I thought it was middle centre and didn’t make that one.”
Law closed with a 3-under 67 to win by two shots.
The 24-year-old Englishwoman, a former star at UCLA, held a share of the lead after all four rounds and finished with a 17-under 267 total on the River Course at the Kingsmill Resort.
“It was a grind,” Law said.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., Madelene Sagstrom and third-round co-leader Nasa Hataoka tied for second. Sagstrom shot 66, Henderson 68 and Hataoka 69.
Law, who came from 10 shots back on the last day to get into a playoff in the LPGA Mediheal Championship three weeks ago in Daly City, California, doubled her lead with the birdie on No. 16. Two-putt pars on the last two holes capped the victory in her 56th career start.
“It feels surreal to be honest after coming so close,” she said.
It is also, she said, a nice way to finish the week leading up to the U.S. Women’s Open next week in Charleston, South Carolina.
After the close call, “to be in contention and (for it) to be that very next time out playing was really cool and shows me that I can compete at the top on a weekly basis, which is the whole goal out there,” she said. “This was the perfect way to prepare, I guess.”
Sagstrom’s approach to the par-4 18th hit the flagstick, bounced straight down and then bounded well away. She then two-putted, preserving Law’s lead.
While her ball was in flight. Sagstrom said, she was thinking, “Oh, that looks really, really good. Then I heard it hit and I was like, ‘Please don’t bounce off.’ I was like, I mean, I couldn’t hit it more perfect.
“I was excited about the shot anyway.”
Wei-Ling Hsu, who had an eagle, seven birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey in a 66, finished fifth.
Law got a nice break on the par-4 eighth hole when she hit her drive well right, but it bounced off a steep slope back into the centre of the fairway. She hit her approach to 6 feet and made it to lead by three, then hit three more drives well right, but lost just one shot.
Sagstrom, also seeking her first career victory, got within one at No. 15 with a birdie, but missed makeable birdie putts on the next two holes before the bad luck on the finishing hole.
Henderson was a non-factor for most of the day, with 14 pars and one birdie in her first 15 holes before birdies at Nos. 16 and 18.
“To shoot 3 under on a Sunday and be that close to the leaderboard and know that you left some out there is a good thing,” she said. “So definitely just looking forward to the rest of the summer.
“I think this was a good way to lead into the U.S. Open next week.”
Hataoka, who lost here in a playoff with Ariya Jutanugarn last year, also climbed into tie for second-place tie with a closing birdie.
Hsu at one point climbed into a share of second, but the par-5 15th, which she had eagled the last two days, ended her bid. She hit her second shot right of the green and well past _ out of bounds _ and eventually two-putted for a double bogey. She birdied Nos. 16 and 18.
Cristie Kerr, the only three-time champion, had the top round of the week, coming within one shot of the course record with a 63. She just missed a birdie putt at the par-4 18th to finish at 11 under.
Brooke Henderson chasing more titles during busy period
DUNROBIN, Ont. – While Brooke Henderson is enjoying some time off at home, she’s ready for a busy stretch.
The Canadian golf star, who put on a clinic for youngsters at the Kevin Haime Kids to the Course Classic at Eagle Creek Golf Club on Wednesday, will play six weeks in a row starting next week. After another week off, the 21-year-old native of Smiths Falls, Ont., will play four more tournaments in a row.
Henderson also will be in Aurora, Ont., on July 2 for an appearance leading into this year’s CP Women’s Open in August, where she is the defending champion.
Although Henderson has a win this year – her eighth LPGA Tour victory at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii tied her for the all-time wins record by a Canadian – she has missed two cuts, which she admitted was “unlike” her. Earlier this year, Henderson had to drop out of two events due to illness.
Still, she said she’s been pleased with her year.
“Winning is fun,” she said. “It’s fun for me to have these goals, and they’re realistic goals. This is a big stretch and if I can get my game going, I can put myself into contention.”
Henderson and her older sister/caddie Brittany don’t return home too often these days – although their family still lives in Smiths Falls, the siblings spend more time at a home in Naples, Fla. But even when Brooke’s not in the region, her presence is felt.
Haime runs a driving range in Ottawa’s west end and has a junior golf initiative that has given many youngsters free memberships for the past 12 years. He said Henderson’s impact on junior golf in Canada is “immeasurable.”
“Kids just idolize her. It’s not just girls. It’s boys. It’s teenagers,” he said. “Everyone thinks Brooke is awesome.”
During the clinic, Henderson told stories from her time on the LPGA Tour and gave some advice to young golfers.
For her own career, Henderson said she’ll be trying to improve her short game over the next few weeks.
While her scoring average ranks fourth on the LPGA Tour, her putting has held her back this year. She’ll be switching putters for next week’s Pure Silk Championship.
Henderson said she enjoys the River Course at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., where she finished fourth in 2018.
“(The course) is lush and tree-lined which I love. I’ve played OK there before, but I feel potentially I could play really well there,” she said. “I always look forward to that week.”
Henderson said she’s also excited to play in the U.S. Women’s Open, the next LPGA major, May 30-June 2 in Charleston, S.C. She competed at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2013 at the Country Club of Charleston, the host club for this year’s event, and said that should give her a boost.
Henderson, who withdrew after the first round of last year’s U.S. Women’s Open due to the death of her grandfather, said the tournament is special.
“You get there and the atmosphere is just so different,” she said. “The U.S. Women’s Open is a big one that hopefully I can get before my career is over.”
Henderson also has enjoyed watching some golf recently. She said seeing fellow Canadian Corey Conners win his first PGA Tour title in April was “unreal.”
The victory, Henderson said, inspired her to practise a little more and boosted her energy on the course.
“It’s hard work for sure, but it’s also my dream to be out here,” said Henderson. “When I have a chance to win, it potentially makes it even better ? it brings a smile to my face because as a little girl that’s what I dreamt of, and now I’m living that dream.”
Céleste Dao and Megan Osland qualify for U.S. Women’s Open
OAKVILLE, ONT. – Canadians Céleste Dao and Megan Osland clinched their spots in the field for the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open by winning their respective qualifying events Monday.
Dao was the medalist at a qualifying sectional in Boston, Mass. while Osland won her qualifying sectional in Bradenton, Fla.
Dao, an 18-year-old member of Team Canada, shot 8-over-par to best a field of 37 competitors. A native of Notre-Dame-de-l’Ile-Perrot, Que., Dao won the Canadian Junior Girls Championship last year and competed at the USGA U.S. Junior Girls Championship.
“What impresses me most about Céleste is her commitment,” said Matt Wilson, Team Canada Junior Women’s Coach. “There is a personal level of competition that she feels that lends itself to doing things at a high level of quality, which in my mind allows her to get the most out of every single day and take small steps forward towards improving on what is already a great skill set.”
Osland birdied three of her final five holes during the second of two rounds Monday to hold on to top spot in the tournament. The Kelowna, B.C. native carried a 3-stroke lead into the final round thanks to a first round 68, and withstood a strong charge from Mexican Ingrid Gutierrez Nunez.
The 2019 U.S. Women’s Open will be Osland’s first major championship appearance and she will celebrate her 26th birthday the week before the tournament.
The U.S. Women’s Open takes place from Thursday, May 30 to Sunday, June 2 at Country Club of Charleston (S.C.).