RIO DE JANEIRO – Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a 4-over-par 75 and is tied for eighth at 4-under heading into the fourth and final round of the women’s Olympic golf competition Saturday.

Henderson had four bogeys Friday, plus a four-putt double-bogey on the 16th hole. She began the day in a tie for 3rd at 8-under. The 18-year-old is seven-shots behind leader Inbee Park of South Korea

Round 3 Tristan Mullally Interview – LISTEN

Brittany and Brooke Henderson (IGF)

Park sits two-shots ahead of New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and Gerina Piller of the United States, who both are at 9-under.

The wind was a factor for many golfers as the gusty conditions on the Olympic Golf Course in Brazil, but not for Ko. On the par-3 eighth hole, the 19-year-old drained carded her first-ever hole-in-one. Earlier on the same hole, China’s Xi Yu Lin, 20, carded an ace of her own.

It’s been a theme in golf! Now it’s #NZL Lydia Ko with a hole-in-one on 8. #Golf https://t.co/YW6JVZmoZq https://t.co/Kv4kQrq0Iz

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) August 19, 2016

Round 3 Alena Sharp Interview – LISTEN

Alena Sharp of Hamilton also had a 75 and is tied for 34th at 3-over 216.

RIO DE JANEIRO – Team Canada’s Brooke Henderson shot a 7-under-par 64 and is tied for third following the second round of the women’s Olympic golf tournament.

Henderson birdied five of the final six holes Thursday to finish 2-shots back of leader Inbee Park of Korea.

“Yeah, it was a much better day today,” said Henderson, who was 1-under 70 following the opening round. “I felt better right off the bat. I was 2-under through my first nine holes, which was good, and I was hoping to get a few more birdies on the back nine, and I definitely was able to do that, especially my last six holes. I kind of got momentum and putts drained for me and I was able to hit some really good shots. I’m really happy with today and hopefully I’ll do something similar tomorrow.”

Round 2 interview with Brooke Henderson – LISTEN  I  READ

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., came into the day five shots off the pace set by first-round leader Ariya Jutanugarn. The native of Thailand carded an even-par 70 Thursday and moved into a tie for 8th.

The 18-year-old Canadian is 8-under for the tournament and trails 36-hole leader Inbee Park (10-under) who recorded a 5-under 66 for the second consecutive day.

Stacey Lewis is 9-under and in second place. The American was the lone golfer to better Henderson’s 64, shooting an 8-under 63.

Great Britain’s Charley Hull is tied for third with Henderson at 8-under.

Henderson will tee-off at 10:58 a.m. BRT with Nicole Larsen of  Denmark and Marianne Skarpnor of Norway.

Canada’s Alena Sharp is tied for 32nd place at 1-under. The Hamilton native tallied a 2-under 69 Thursday.

Sharp will tee off at 9:14 a.m. with Suzann Pettersen of Norway and Anna Nordqvist of Sweden.

Round 2 interview with Alena Sharp – LISTEN

Alena Shape (Getty Images)

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brooke Henderson battled inconsistency in her first round at the Olympic Golf Course. Teammate Alena Sharp couldn’t seem to get a putt to drop.

Despite those challenges, the two Canadians managed to hang around the middle of the pack Wednesday on a hot, sunny and windy day at the Rio Games.

Henderson did well to finish at 1-under 70 after a rough start while Sharp bookended her round with birdies for a 72. They showed they have the potential to score well on a wide, hilly course that suits their games.

“The way both of them played, there’s a 65 or a 64 in both of them,” said Canadian coach Tristan Mullally. “That’s what you need to potentially get yourself back into contention.”

Canadian Rd. 1 Rio 2016 Interviews: Brooke Henderson – LISTEN  I  Alena Sharp – LISTEN

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn opened with a 6-under-par 65 for a one-shot lead on Inbee Park and Seiyoung Kim of South Korea. Nicole Broch Larsen of Denmark was in a group of three players at 67 and American Lexi Thompson was in a four-way tie at 68.

“I wasn’t far off today,” Henderson said. “Just a couple mishit shots, a (bad) bunker lie, but that’s going to happen. You just have to move on, learn from it and make a better shot the next time.”

Henderson bogeyed the second hole and found the sand on No. 4 before settling for double bogey. She rebounded with an eagle on the 493-yard, par-5 fifth and added birdies on two of the next three holes.

“Many a player at three-over par through four holes would not recover from there,” Mullally said. “If anything she uses it as motivation to come back even stronger.

“She had a couple double bogeys today and still shot under par.”

The other double came on the 12th when she was well wide of the fairway and needed to hit a provisional ball. Henderson hit a 10-foot putt to avoid a rare triple bogey.

“I don’t see double bogeys on my card very often, which is a good thing,” she said. “But unfortunately I had two today.”

The third-ranked Henderson has enjoyed a strong season on the LPGA Tour with a pair of tournament victories, including her first major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Her approach shots were a little off Wednesday as she hit only 12 of 18 greens in regulation.

“My putting was probably the best part of my game today,” she said. “I made a couple long ones for birdie, and then inside 10 feet, I was pretty clutch to save pars a couple times when I needed to, save bogey, save double-bogey a couple times.”

It was the opposite for Sharp, the world No. 81, who couldn’t seem to get her putter going.

She double-bogeyed the fifth hole and added a couple bogeys on the back nine before closing with a birdie.

“You saw some of the guys shoot seven under last week,” Sharp said. “I think it’s doable if you hit the right ridges. The way I’m hitting it right now, I can’t sit here and tell you that it’s out of the question for me.

“If I just get my putter hot, I’ll be good.”

Mullally, who split the day walking the 6,245-yard course with both Canadians, agreed with her.

“It’s hard to watch that kind of round, you feel bad for her because she’s played as well if not better than players shooting four or five under par but just doesn’t have the result for it,” he said.

Play continues through Saturday.

The men’s Olympic Golf podium this past Sunday exuded experience and longevity with the likes of PGA TOUR veterans Justin Rose (gold), Henrik Stenson (silver) and Matt Kuchar (bronze).

The average age of the trio is 38 years old with Rose the youngest (36) and Stenson the oldest (40). Chances are the three women standing on the podium come Saturday will be a representation of youthful exuberance and a snapshot of the future of golf.

Almost every trend in women’s golf in recent years has pointed to the fearless crop of youngsters who have taken the game by storm.  And, it looks like the youth movement has made its way to the Reserva de Marapendi golf course this week in Barra da Tijuca.

The top three ranked players in the world are no older than 20 years old: No. 1 Lydia Ko (19), No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn (20) and Canada’s own Brooke Henderson (18) and are all front runners this week in Rio. In the latest world rankings, seven of the top-10 players are 24 years old or younger.

Through the first 22 events on the LPGA Tour, 20 of them were won by players 23 years old or younger, while three teenagers have broken into the winners circle (Ko, Henderson and Minjee Lee).

India’s Aditi Ashok, a rookie on the Ladies European Tour, is the youngest in the field and will be 18 years, 4 months, 19 days on day one of competition. The average age of the 60 female players is 26.97 years old. Four players are under the age of 20 and only two are over the age of 40.

Also in contrast to the men, the ladies will have three amateur competitors this week versus none last week. Leona Maguire of Ireland, Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland and Tiffany Chan of Hong Kong will try to upstage the world’s best on the world’s biggest stage.

Catriona Matthew is the oldest player in the Rio 2016 field at 46 years old.

NUMBERS TO KNOW:

• 3 – Amateurs (Leona Maguire, Albane Valenzuela, Tiffany Chan)
• 26.97 – Average age of the 60 Olympians in the field
• 46 – Catriona Matthew is the oldest player at 46 years old
• 18 – Aditi Ashok is the youngest player at 18 years old

PLAYERS BY AGE:

• 4 – <20
• 20 – 20-25
• 20 – 26-30
• 10 – 30-35
• 4 – 36-40
• 2 – 40+

Canadian golf star Brooke Henderson has used longer clubs since her junior days and it has helped her create a unique swing that generates tremendous power.

Henderson brings the club way back, flattens it out as it comes down and then uses her balance and core strength as she strikes the ball. She has become one of the longer hitters on the LPGA Tour and is expected to be a podium favourite in the Olympic women’s golf tournament, which starts Wednesday.

“When you mix power and probably some clubs that are a little longer, she’s created a way to create some leverage,” said Canadian women’s team coach Tristan Mullally. “She definitely uses the ground, she definitely gets down into it, sinks into it and then rotates her body super quickly. When she came on to the program, strength wasn’t the issue, it was more stability and balance.

“We’ve worked a lot on trying to clean up the little things so that she can continue to be powerful and continue to have a go at it because that’s when she plays great.”

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., turns 19 next month. She has risen to No. 2 in the world rankings and won her first major tournament — the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship — in June.

She’ll be joined by Alena Sharp of Hamilton at the Olympic Golf Course for the stroke play competition.

Mullally has worked with Henderson since she was 14 and has helped fine-tune a swing he describes as “hard and aggressive.”

“We wanted to keep that but with kids, you can run into injuries pretty quickly if that’s the way you go,” he said in a recent interview. “It was just about cleaning that up. I would say it’s natural, it’s her. She knows where the club is in space which makes her great.

“Anything we’ve ever done has always been around trying to help with the variety of shots or to make it pain and injury-free. That’s really where we’ve had some input.”

Long-time golf instructor Kevin Haime hosted a recent junior golf event in the Ottawa area that featured Henderson and her sister Brittany. Haime said he regularly uses a video demo of Brooke’s swing for his students.

“I will tell you that she is in some incredibly good positions,” he said. “Her transfer of club from backswing to downswing is really dynamic. It’s really similar to Sergio Garcia’s, it’s almost (Ben) Hogan-esque, the way the club drops. You don’t see that very often.”

Haime called it an “athletic swing” that is only seen a few times a generation on tour.

“She’s got that Rory McIlroy-type of talent if she gets it all going,” he said. “I think Lexi Thompson has that as well, a dominant performance possibility. I’m not so sure how many others have that. It wouldn’t be more than 10.

“So if you think about the limited field at the Olympics, No. 1, and then No. 2, you think about her horsepower if she gets it going just right, I think Canadians should be excited about that.”

Golf is making its return to the Olympic program for the first time since the 1904 St. Louis Games.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – The International Golf Federation has announced the draw for the first and second rounds of the Women’s Golf Competition at Rio 2016.

Brazil’s Miriam Nagl will represent the host nation as she tees off beside Ireland’s Leona Maguire and Malaysia’s Kelly Tan in the first group at 7:30 a.m. local time. They will make history as the Women’s Golf event returns to the Olympic Games following a 116-year hiatus.

American Margaret Abbott took home the Olympic Women’s Golf title when the event was last included in the Olympics at the 1900 Games in Paris.

World No. 3 Brooke Henderson will tee off first for the Canadian contingent at 9:14 a.m. alongside two-time major champion Suzann Pettersen of Norway and World No. 4 Lexi Thompson of the United States. Henderson has put together a strong 2016 season with two wins on the LPGA Tour, and is eyeing a podium spot at her first Olympic Games.

Fellow Canadian Alena Sharp will take to the course at 10:25 a.m. with Mexico’s Gaby Lopez and Shanshan Feng of China.

An interview with Canada’s Alena Sharp – LISTEN

A full listing of the draw, which includes Wednesday and Thursday tee times, can be found here.

Despite battling an injured thumb, former World No. 1 Inbee Park of Korea will compete against the field of 60 alongside Spain’s Azahara Munoz and American Gerina Piller at 9:03 a.m.

Ariya Jutanugarn became the first golfer from Thailand to claim a major title when she emerged victorious at the 2016 RICOH Women’s British Open Championship, and will look to make more history in Rio. The second ranked Jutanugarn will tee off at 10:58 a.m. with Stacy Lewis of the United States and Korea’s Sei Young Kim.

World No. 1 Lydia Ko will headline the final group of Wednesday’s opening round. The New Zealand native will tee off at 11:09 a.m. in the company of Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, and Charley Hull of Great Britain.

The sheer, dizzying scope is what takes some getting used to.

Four years ago, an estimated 3.64 billion viewers tuned in worldwide to watch the Games in London. Beijing, in 2008, delivered a global audience of approximately 3.55 billion. The Olympic Games unfold a vast canvas, unlike any other sporting event.

More than 10,000 athletes from 206 countries, 306 medals in 28 sports have gathered in Rio de Janerio for 17 days when the world stops to watch. And high among the list of curiosities is golf.

Marking a return to the Games for the first time in 112 years. Back then in 1904, the average annual income was between $200-$400 (the average wage? 22 cents an hour), crossword puzzles had yet to be invented, the standard life expectancy hovered at around 47 years and Wilfred Laurier was Prime Minister. So naturally, the wait has only piqued interest in golf’s return to the Olympic.

Yes, there’s a sizeable degree of week-to-week hype surrounding the two pre-eminent North American professional golf tours, particularly come Majors time. But an Olympics ramps scrutiny up an entirely different octave. Allow Canadian ski racer Brady Leman to outline potential pitfalls.

Brady Leman (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh?

“There’s a danger, the first time for anyone at an Olympic Games,’’ cautions the two-time – Vancouver and Sochi – Olympian, “that you can get caught blowing the size of the event out of proportion in your own mind. There are going to be butterflies, because there is this kind of stigma around the Olympics, no matter how big a stage you’ve been on before.”

“I know the golfers and tennis players and basketball players are accustomed to handling a lot of attention. But this a once-every-four-years thing, maybe you only get one chance during a career, so it’s easy for anybody to get caught up in the hype. Then there’s all these extra things you have to deal with. Crazy little stuff, like the clothing, the logos, what you can wear and what you can’t.”

“Athletes are creatures of habit … but in something as big, as all-over-the-map, as an Olympic Games, your best bet is to just go with the flow. As an athlete, you can’t let those extra distractions get in the way of your process. What you really do need is the help of people around you; rely on them to do deal with a lot of those unfamiliar headaches – more media, the logistical challenges of getting from Point A to Point B, managing your time in the most efficient way possible, etc., etc. It’s a different beast to tame, for sure.”

The Games – particularly the Summer version, massive in comparison to its winter sibling – are sprawling, messy, frenetic, disjointed. Security is going to be exhaustive. Traffic, particularly in Rio, an absolute nightmare. By contrast, a PGA or LPGA tournament rolls along as smooth, as true, as a Graham DeLaet ramrod-straight uphill six-footer for birdie. So much will be so foreign for the world’s best ball-strikers, including Canada’s contingent of DeLaet, David Hearn, Alena Sharp and Brooke Henderson.

The athlete village, for starters. No 24-hour room service here. Pretty spartan, by pro standards. But weeks housed in a teeming beehive of activity is what each individual makes of it. For the broad-minded, the curious, it provides an unprecedented opportunity to mingle with melting pot of athletes from all countries and sports, see into a window into other cultures and broaden horizons.

The course itself, a 7,290-yard, par-71, Gil Hanse links-style designed layout located in the affluent Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood out of a patch of sand along a nature reserve, will be another departure from the norm. Rio has poor soil and water, necessitating the installation of turf known as Zeon Zoysia, a durable warm-weather grass that requires less nitrogen, fertilizer, pesticide and water, so the feel of the course will be different than what the pros are used to most weeks, adding to the unfamiliarity and unpredictably quotients.

What golf can pull out of this rare Olympic foray is visibility beyond its target audience.

“Rio,’’ says women’s world No. 1 Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, “is a great way to grow our game. We have a chance to make golf fans of general sports fans. That’s something we all have a part in. Golf is a very individual sport. Obviously there are team competitions like the Solheim Cup, the Ryder Cup. But you’re there not representing yourself but your flag. Your country. I think it will definitely be a different feeling. And I can’t wait. Watching opening and closing ceremonies over the years, you realize how inspirational it all is. Sports come together and it’s like one family.”

“I’m sure there’ll be pressure. But I’ve got to block it out. I need to focus on my game, hit the shot I need to hit and just enjoy everything around the Olympics. The village, other events. It’s not every day you get to go and play in the Olympics for your country. There’s so much I can enjoy out of it than just ‘Hey, you need to bring a medal home.’ I know it sounds corny but it’s not all about medals at the end of the day. It’s about the experience, playing as well as you can and letting the chips fall where they may.”

For the first time in 112 years, golf is back at the Olympic Games. The men tee off for their first round on Aug. 11th, the women on the 17th. The game is the same. Everything else will take some getting used to.

“For the golfers, being first timers,’’ added Leman. “My advice would be: Be adaptable, enjoy the experience and try not to sweat some of the small details.

“Is it just another 18 holes, just another tournament? Yes, and no. You’ve got to treat it that way when you’re competing but, well, it is the Olympics. Bottom line is that you’re among the best in the world at what you do. That’s why you’re there. Whoever you are, whatever your sport may be. Trust in that.”

The gentle rhythm of Smiths Falls, Ont., and its 9,000 inhabitants seem a world and more away from the stark juxtaposition of splendour and squalor that defines Rio de Janeiro.

From its teeming population of 6.5 million to the lush beaches of Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana. From ocean-side caipirinhas and coconut waters to the soft sounds of bossa nova and the incessant beat of samba.

From the favelas rising like dollhouse-sized shantytowns stretching upwards in the distance. And looming above it all, often lost in the clouds, the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, perched atop the mountain of Corcovado, looking benevolently down on this diverse flock, arms outstretched in all-encompassing inclusion.

“Rio,’’ says Brooke Henderson, at 18, despite the fame and accomplishment that has arrived at her doorstep, still very much the teenager from Smiths Falls, “is going to be … amazing. Being an Olympian is going to be … amazing.”

“It’s always been a dream, since I was a little girl. I didn’t know how or what sport or how I was going to do it. But I loved watching the athletes. I loved the desire, the determination, the focus that they had in their eyes.”

“I wanted to be an Olympian. Watching the Vancouver Winter Games in 2010 on TV and the way the whole country came together showed me the power and the amazement of the Olympic Games. To be a part of that will be really cool.”

In an Olympics beset by controversy and withdrawals (particularly in the re-instated sport of golf) during the lead-up, the four-player Canadian golf contingent heading to Brazil has made a pledge: They’re all in.

While Alena Sharp, Graham DeLaet and David Hearn were being officially announced at Glen Abbey Golf Club outside of Toronto, the women’s phenom was out west in Calgary, with the express purpose of checking out Priddis Greens, site of the 2016 CP Women’s Open.

Henderson is making a beeline for Calgary immediately following the Rio experience, and won’t have any time for a tour of the Priddis layout.

Out at Golf Canada Calgary Centre for a junior golf clinic on the day of the Olympic golf team celebration, Henderson’s welcome to Rio was heralded by an honour guard of young Brooke-wannabes brandishing golf clubs in lieu of swords. A television hook-up made her part of the broadcast festivities.

“There’s a lot of stuff going down in Rio right now,’’ she conceded, following a short clinic for the kids and onlookers. “Politics is kind of sketchy and the Zika virus and health concerns. But we’re just trying to make the best decision we can and take everything into consideration.”

“Everybody has their own opinions and their own reasons why they’re not playing in the Games. At the end of the day, you have to respect their opinions because health and safety is more important than just a round of golf. We’re only there for about a week. Hopefully we get in, get out and bring home that gold medal.”

When she tees it up at the brand-new Campo Olímpico de Golfe, Aug. 17-20, Canada’s newest, freshest sports personality will be among every oddsmaker’s medal picks.

That lofty status was assured after Henderson outduelled top-ranked Lydia Ko on the first hole of a playoff to snare the KMPG Women’s PGA Open at Sahalee Country Club near Seattle in mid-June, becoming the youngest-ever winner of a major championship.

On Henderson’s bag in Rio will be older sister Brittany, a pretty fair striker of the ball herself. Brittany admitted the news flashes emanating from Brazil had been initially unsettling.

“It’s been hard to see where the situation really is. You don’t know which outlets you can trust the most, so it’s hard to get truthful information. But I think we feel comfortable enough, and the Olympic Committee is doing everything it can.”

“With it being their winter down there, I think it’s going to be a little bit safer. We’ll probably wear long pants, long sleeves, for more protection. Things like that. Golf is probably more at risk than other sports because we’re going to be outside for eight hours a day. Hopefully the wind comes up. Normally we never wish for winds, but in this case …”

Routine is something taken for granted on a pro golf tour. The Olympics, however, will be an altogether different beast. There’ll be obstacles, both anticipated and unforeseen. The traffic in Rio, for instance, is going to be insane, so just getting to the course

“We’re actually going down for a training camp with Golf Canada; meet in Houston for a couple days before we fly to Rio. I think that’s going to be really important. Just figure things out.”

For the young star, having family so close at hand under an entirely alien sort of competition, under such a different spotlight, is more than welcome. It’s necessary.

Brittany and Brooke Henderson (Golf Canada/ Bernard Brault)

“It’s huge for both of us to become Olympians and to share not only in the Olympic dream together but the dream of playing on the LPGA Tour together,’’ Brooke acknowledged.

“We’re such a team out there. I couldn’t have had the nine straight Top-10 finishes this season, wouldn’t have the two wins, without her on my bag.

She works so hard for me.”

One hundred and 12 years ago, Canadian George S. Lyon won the last Olympic gold medal in golf. In a lovely bit of symmetry, he was born and lived in Richmond, Ont., 522 kilometres, or a five-hour drive, from Brooke Henderson’s hometown.

Next week, a world away from the gentle rhythm of Smiths Falls, in the jumble of splendour and squalor that symbolize Rio, and under the watchful eye of the Christo on Corcovado, Brooke Henderson goes in search of a different sort of legacy.

“Alena and I have become extremely good friends. I’m super happy that it’s her and I representing the women’s die of the team. I think we make an awesome team. Her whole game has improved. I think we have a really good chance of both of us standing on the podium, hopefully one silver and one gold. The men’s side as well, I think we have a solid team. It’s kind of surreal in a way. This is kind of like a sixth major on the LPGA tour and I already have one under my belt, so …”

And, well, she’s always been a bit of a sucker for O Canada.

“Even listening to the anthem at school used to get to me,’’ Henderson laughed. “Before I went to play at the World Amateur Championships (in Japan, two years ago), that’s what I wanted to hear. “I didn’t get that chance then. But now I’ve got another one.”

“You can’t get ahead of yourself, you have to focus on the now, but you also have to be visualize being up there, on that podium, on the top step. In your mind, you have to hear that anthem.’’

She stops, maybe humming a few bars in her head, and smiles the smile of a prodigious 18-year-old with only one aim in mind.

“And, as you know, we’ve got a great anthem.”

They could, in time, wind up being fused forever in our collective imagination. The way Jack and Arnie were. Are.

Or Kathy Whitworth and Mickey Wright. Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. A rivalry to define a generation.

There is that chance. A very real chance. They’re both just teenagers, prodigious toddlers actually, with a big, wide world of golfing nuance yet to explore.

Ko vs. Henderson.

Has a nice ring to it. Looks absolutely smashing up in twinkling lights on a marquee.

In a strong field, Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson are destined to be front and centre at Priddis Greens outside Calgary, Aug. 25-28, when the CP Canadian Women’s Open treks back west. Different storylines for an identical aim.

Ko will be endeavouring to collect her fourth Canadian title in five years, a truly extraordinary accomplishment for anyone, yet someone so young; while Henderson looks to hunt down a first national professional championship and join only Jocelyne Bourassa way back in 1973 as a Canadian winner of our national title.

Given their ages, their abilities and their mutual approach to excellence, golf buffs are anticipating this being a must-watch for the next decade or more.

Great rivalries are healthy for sport.

And if this becomes one, they’ve got one helluva first act to build on: Henderson dropping a 7-iron out of the sky from 155 yards away to within three feet for a tap-in bird and her first LPGA Major title, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club, outside Seattle.

In coming from behind to beat the world’s consensus No. 1, Henderson identified herself as the prime contender to the title.

The best part of all this being the attitude both women bring to the course.

Rivalries need not necessarily be duelling-pistols-at-20-paces. They can also be forged on admiration, common ambition and a may-the-best-player-win attitude.

“She’s one of the nicest girls you’d ever want to meet,’’ enthuses Henderson of Ko. “She’s not out there to beat others, she’s out there to beat the golf course; to be better herself. Which I think it’s an amazing way to look at the game, at competition. I try to do the same thing.”

“Golf is about honestly, perseverance and respect, adds Henderson. “She’s a great example of that. I think it’s really cool. She’s 19. I’m going to be 19. Hopefully we do have that rivalry – if that’s what you want to call it – for the next 10 years, push each other to be better and better. That’s good for us, good for the game.”

“If we had more playoffs like KPMG … even if I was one the losing end of all of those for the next 10 years I think it’d be incredible to be at that level, at her level.”

Henderson’s sister, sometimes caddy and aspiring LPGAer, Brittany, says the atmosphere inside the ropes is no different than it seems from outside.

“Well, we hope it’s going to be like that,’’ she said, smiling. “Not so much a rivalry, exactly. But seeing them playing well week after week, in contention for tournaments. They’re friends. Both so composed. Seem mature way beyond their years.”

“Our dad, I know, was a positive influence on us, taught us about sports and being a good person in general. He deserves a lot of credit for what Brooke has done. Lydia, I think it’s her mom that helps her. So parents should get their due.”

“What both Brooke and Lydia are doing is remarkable. It really is. I don’t know how they’re doing it. I wish someone would’ve told me, let me in on the secret.”

When Ko passed through Calgary earlier in the summer the head-to-head battle at Sahalee had yet to be waged. But she had – and has, no doubt – nothing but positive things to say about Henderson.

“I’ve known Brooke since we were both amateurs,’’ said the two-time major winner. “Obviously she had a great amateur career. I feel like she’s had an even more amazing professional career. She’s doing amazing things for the up-and-coming juniors, for the women’s game and growing the game in Canada.”

“She’s doing fantastic. Putting herself in good positions week in and week out. She’s an impressive player, hits the ball a long way but is also very consistent and one of the best putters out there. So, yeah, I think it’s exciting. I think Canada is going to be very excited for the Olympics. A player like Brooke is going to grow golf in Canada the way Lorie (Kane) did.”

Both women had the opportunity to tour the 6,681-yard, par-72 layout earlier in the summer, Ko during that stopover in early June, Henderson in late July.

“I really like it,’’ adjudged Henderson. “It’s tree-lined, there’s lots of elevation change. More back to the grass I grew up on. The views are phenomenal.

I’m excited to come back here in just a few weeks and play in our national championship. I’m excited for the Canadian fans, too. Over the last couple of years, my fans at this tournament have just continued to grow and the fairways were lined last year, so I’m excited to see what this year holds.’’

The top two female players on the planet. One an adopted citizen of Canada by way of wins and support; the other the genuine article, born and reared in Smiths Falls, Ont.

It quite simply doesn’t get much better than the anticipation the Open at Priddis Greens. A rivalry to define a generation? Like Nancy Lopez and Pat Bradley? Anika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb? Tiger and Lefty?

Well, early indications are that the chance most certainly exists. And time is very much on their side.

Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson.

Their names fused together forever in the collective imagination; both linked to high achievements, low scores and the sight of the two of them walking side by side on late Sunday afternoons, the last ones on course atop the leaderboard as the sun begins to set and the shadows lengthen.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – There was a time when Graham DeLaet thought he would never be able to represent his country on the Olympic stage.

Now DeLaet will be part of a Canadian team brimming with potential when golf makes its Olympic return at the Rio de Janeiro Games following a 112-year absence.

The Canadian Olympic Committee and Golf Canada officially introduced the Olympic golf team Tuesday. DeLaet will join a potent squad including 18-year-old phenom Brooke Henderson, David Hearn and Alena Sharp.

“Up until a few years ago I never really thought I’d ever have the chance to be an Olympian,” said a smiling DeLaet, who recently shaved off his trademark beard so he could better cuddle his newborn twins. “Even just saying that and the closer and closer we get to Rio the more it’s kind of sinking in. It’s a pretty special opportunity, there’s no question.

“Both David and I and Brooke and Alena, we want to bring back some hardware.”

Hearn, DeLaet and Sharp were present for Tuesday’s announcement, with chef de mission Curt Harnett giving them their Olympic jackets. Henderson, who was in Calgary for a junior event, participated in the ceremony via teleconference and was given her jacket by Olympic ski-cross racer Brady Leman.

Golf was played at the 1900 Paris Games and again in St. Louis in 1904. It was supposed to be an Olympic competition at the 1908 London Games, but when organizers couldn’t agree on the format of play it was dropped from the slate of competitions, not to reappear for over a century.

All of DeLaet’s teammates agreed that the return of golf to the Olympics presents a unique opportunity for them to play on a new, higher level. The newly minted Olympians described it as a chance to elevate the sport’s profile in Canada.

“Growing up you watch the Olympics and being into golf, there was no chance to be an Olympian,” said Sharp. “When it was announced it was something very important to me to be able to represent Canada and go down to Rio.

“Growing up I always watched the hockey and we’re known for hockey but I think it’s time to show the world that we’re known for golf.”

Men’s individual golf and a team event were held in 1904, with George Lyon of Richmond, Ont., winning gold, meaning Canada has technically been the defending champion for 112 years. The engraved, sterling silver trophy from the 1904 Olympics is still kept by Golf Canada at its headquarters in Oakville and on Tuesday it was brought on stage for the golfers to pose with.

“The fact that we are defending gold medal champions is a neat piece of history that Canada can be proud of,” said Hearn. “Graham and I are going to try and go down there and defend on the men’s side and Brooke and Alena are going to do what they can to bring home a medal for the women.”

It will be a somewhat depleted field for the Canadian men, as the top four players on the PGA Tour – Americans Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Great Britain’s Rory McIlroy – have all dropped out of the Olympics over health concerns, including the Zika virus. Hearn is No. 130 in the world, while DeLaet is ranked 140th.

Henderson is world No. 2 among women, while Sharp is 85th.

All four Canadian golfers say they are willing to take the risk of being exposed to the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which can lead to birth defects.

“I think part of being Canadian is having that pride,” said DeLaet, to a round of applause from fans assembled at Glen Abbey Golf Club to watch the qualifying rounds of the PGA’s Canadian Open. “It should be a privilege to represent your country, not a chore. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”

DeLaet, whose wife gave birth to twins eight months ago, says his family doesn’t plan on having more children. Hearn is already a father, while Sharp believes the risk is minimal for a variety of reasons.

“The cases have decreased by 85 per cent, I think you can contract Zika in Florida too. It’s not a big issue for me,” said Sharp, who also said that the COC and the International Golf Federation have regularly updated the golfers on the virus. “Of course I’m going to be careful, I’m going to put bug spray on and probably wear long sleeves but I think I’m going to wear shorts.

“I think that at the golf course, because it’s supposed to be windy, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. I think it’s going to be more about being careful at the Olympic Village. I’m going to be wearing bug spray 24/7.”

Welcome to #TeamCanada @GrahamDeLaet. Canada will be cheering you on @OlympicGolf I #Rio2016 #TeamRBChttps://t.co/SzrHjYnf94

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) July 19, 2016

I want to be part of the team & really be the proud Canadian competitor cheering on the other athletes – @AlenaSharphttps://t.co/l7Dxge4aU3

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) July 20, 2016

I’m excited about the opportunity & I’m very proud to be representing #TeamCanada at the Olympics – @HearnDavidhttps://t.co/UmJzlmpfTt

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) July 20, 2016