CALGARY, Alberta — Lauren Coughlin held onto the lead Friday in the CPKC Women’s Open, while Canadian star Brooke Henderson was derailed by closing bogeys at windy and smokey Earl Grey Golf Club.
Coughlin followed her opening 4-under 68 on Thursday in chilly and windy conditions with a 70 on Friday to get to 6 under, a stroke ahead of Hannah Green and Haeran Ryu. The temperature made it into the 70s after barely climbing into the 60s on Thursday.
“I think I handled it really well overall,” Coughlin said. “It was just really difficult to judge how far the ball was going to go with the wind and the crosswind and how firm the greens got. And they had some tough pins, especially considering the direction of the wind.”
Playing through a smokey haze from wildfires, Henderson bogeyed the final four holes in her afternoon round for a 73 that left her seven strokes back at 1 over. She won the 2018 tournament.
“Most of the day I was 3 under, so feeling pretty great,” Henderson said. “To walk away 1 over, that’s not the best feeling. But all you can do is move forward and try to learn from some of the things you did out there.”
Coughlin is coming off a fourth-place finish two weeks ago in France in the major Evian Champions. The 31-year-old former University of Virginia player is winless on the LPGA Tour.
On Friday, she had three front-none birdies and dropped a stroke on the par-4 11th. In two rounds, she’s 7 under on the first nine holes and 1 over on the second nine.
“I putted extremely well,” Coughlin said. “Two-putted really well all day. Took advantage of the front nine, which you have to, and then kind of hold on on the back nine.”
Green matched Coughlin with a 70. The Australian is a two-time winner this year, taking the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore in February and the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.
“It was tough again out there,” Green said. “There was some pretty strong wind gusts, especially our last few holes, so committing to the shot you were envisioning was kind of difficult.”
Ryu bogeyed the 18th for 69.
“The weather is really bad,” Ryu said. “Is a little bit cold and so windy.”
The 23-year-old South Korean player won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship last year for her first LPGA Tour title. She was second last week in Ohio in the Dana Open.
Three-time champion Lydia Ko had a 71 to join second-ranked Lilia Vu (70) and Jennifer Kupcho (72) at 3 under. Ko won as an amateur in 2012 at age 15, successfully defended her title as an amateur in 2013 and won as a professional in 2015.
“It’s not easy — and I think the scores are showing,” Ko said. “Anything kind of under par the past couple days is a really solid round. I’m pretty happy with the way I started this week.”
Kupcho topped the leaderboard at 8 under after birdieing five of the first eight holes in her morning round, then was 5 over the rest of the way. She had a double bogey on the par-4 16th, four bogeys and a birdie on her final nine holes.
“I’m pretty upset,” Kupcho said. “I think in hindsight I still hit 15 greens. Like I was hitting the ball really good. Three-putted 10 and 11 and four-putted 16. I didn’t play bad. Just had a couple shaky putts down the stretch — and that’s going to happen.”
Lexi Thompson was in the group with Henderson tied for 26th at 1 over after a 73 The American plans to play a limited schedule after this season.
Australian Hannah Green has high hopes that a Canadian connection can help her win one of her favourite golf tournaments.
Sitting at 5-under par through two rounds of play at the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open, Green commended her Canadian caddie Nate Blasko, of Kingston, Ont., for helping her take on the challenging conditions at Earl Grey Golf Club.
“He’s from the other side of the country, but (it would) be pretty cool for us to both win here,” said Green, who had five birdies and three bogeys during her round of 2-under 70 on Friday. “It was tough again out there. There was some pretty strong wind gusts, especially our last few holes, so committing to the shot you were envisioning was kind of difficult. I’m kind of glad that I’m finished for Friday and I can go relax now.”
After finishing fifth in the LPGA’s Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings in 2018, Green was looking to hire a new caddie.
That’s when Blasko entered the picture, she said.
“We both met when I was playing on the Symetra Tour, now Epson Tour,” explained Green, who was in the clubhouse sitting third behind Nelly Korda and Ayaka Furue in the LPGA’s season-long Race to the CME Globe points competition.
“I was looking for a caddie in the off-season and he was looking for a player.”
The partnership paid almost immediate dividends, as she made 19 of 23 cuts in 2019 and surpassed the $1 million mark in earnings while winning her first major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, then adding a victory at the Cambia Portland Classic.
“Our first event was together in Australia and then later that year we won KPMG together,” Green said. “Been together ever since.”
With Blasko on her bag at last year’s CPKC Women’s Open at Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, Green finished in a tie for fourth place to earn a payday of $117,507.
“I always really enjoy coming to Canada,” said Green, who will represent Australia in the women’s golf competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. “I played well last year in Vancouver, so hopefully I can do a few better and get my hands on that big trophy.”
When she finished her round, Green didn’t even know that she was tied for first place with Round 1 leader Lauren Coughlin, who had just birdied her first hole after teeing off in the afternoon wave of golfers.
That doesn’t mean she doesn’t like peeking at the leaderboard while out on the course.
“I’m definitely a leaderboard watcher,” said Green, who noticed that Jennifer Kupcho was ahead of her at one point before the American golfer struggled on her back nine and finished at 3-under after reaching 8-under at one point.
“The last time I probably saw a leaderboard, I would have been at 5-under and she was at 7. I just assumed she continued to play well.”
Also on Friday morning, Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., shot a round of 2-over 74. Her total score of 1-over has put her in position to play on the weekend for the final two rounds, a feat she hasn’t accomplished since finishing in a tie for 14th place in 2016 at her national championship at nearby Priddis Golf and Country Club.
“It’s our only tournament in Canada for the whole season, so I love being out here,” said Leblanc, who started her round with her lone birdie of the day on the Par 5, 550-yard opening hole. “It was a good start. I gave myself a lot of opportunities at the beginning and wasn’t able to make putts. Overall, I hit the ball pretty well. It’s just tough conditions out there.
“The greens are starting to get firmer and faster, so if you’re not in the fairway, it’s almost impossible for the ball to stay on the green.”
CALGARY — Lauren Coughlin shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday in chilly and windy conditions to take the first-round lead in the CPKC Women’s Open.
Fellow American Jennifer Kupcho was a stroke back with Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Australians Minjee Lee and Hannah Green.
Coughlin opened the round that began on No. 11 with eight straight pars, then had five birdies and bogey on the final 10 holes with the temperature barely climbing into the 60s at Earl Grey Golf Club.
“It was a lot windier than I was expecting, so just had to stay super patient in the beginning,” Coughlin said. “Kind of started getting some putts dropping. It was tough out there for sure, but I hit a lot of really good shots and a lot of good putts.”
Winless on the LPGA Tour, the 31-year-old former University of Virginia player is coming off a fourth-place finish two weeks ago in France in the major Evian Champions.
“Pretty much ever since Evian I’ve been hitting the ball extremely well,” Coughlin said. “To keep it going, even in an off week, felt really good. It’s just trying to be myself and have fun, and then see what I shoot.”
Kupcho had four birdies and a bogey.
“The weather was a bit crazy,” Kupcho said. “I feel like we had three different seasons in 18 holes. Definitely got sunny at the end and that’s when I made all my birdies. Really, just tried to stay patient all day.”
Green is a two-time winner this year, taking the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore in February and the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.
“It was difficult out there,” Green said. “It’s nice that the sun has peeped out. It was pretty cold towards the middle of our round. Just super happy to finish under par this afternoon.”
Three-time champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand topped the group at 70. Ko won as an amateur in 2012 at age 15, successfully defended her title as an amateur in 2013 and won as a professional in 2015.
“It was cold. It was windy,” Ko said. “Tuesday, Wednesday was warm and no wind. So, it felt like I was playing a different golf course. I I knew I needed to stay patient.”
Hye-Jin Choi also was 70 with Alison Lee, Haeran Ryu, Jenny Shin and Gigi Stoll.
Savannah Grewal and Maude-Aimee Leblanc each shot 71 to top the Canadians in the field. Canadian star Brooke Henderson, the 2018 champion, opened with a 72.
“Not really the hot start that I wanted to get off to, but felt like we fought pretty hard,” Henderson said. “It was pretty tough out there this morning. A little cooler and very windy.”
Second-ranked Lilia Vu also shot 71.
Lexi Thompson had a 72. She plans to play a limited schedule after this season.
Calgary, Alta. – Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation are proud to officially announce the creation of the Jocelyne Bourassa Legacy Fund, honouring the legacy of Canadian Golf Hall of Famer and trailblazer Jocelyne Bourassa. In a fitting tribute to the inaugural winner of the CPKC Women’s Open.
The Jocelyne Bourassa Legacy Fund was created with two clear objectives: First, to increase the number of women in the high-performance coaching profession by providing full tuition grants to successful applicants of the year long Women in Coaching Program led by Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada. Secondly, to provide education grants for women athletes who are part of Golf Canada’s Team Canada Program.
“The Bourassa Legacy Education Grant will be critical in supporting our best women amateurs by allowing them to focus on their pursuit of the LPGA Tour while knowing they will be supported when they choose to continue their education in the future,” said Emily Phoenix, Director of High Performance, Golf Canada. “Additionally, the support for the Women in Coaching Program will increase opportunities for women in high-performance coaching and impact the next generation of Canadian golfers.”
The fund is part of Golf Canada’s high-performance strategic plan to help 30 Canadians reach the LPGA and PGA TOUR by 2032. The modern path to the LPGA Tour often requires the best amateurs to turn professional before graduating from college – only 20 per cent of the current top 50 women on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings graduated from university. The creation of the educational grants will support high performance players as they face the difficult decision of when to turn professional.
Team Canada member, Brooke Rivers of Brampton, Ont. will be the first eligible recipient of the Bourassa Legacy Education Grant. Rivers recently turned professional following one-year of collegiate golf at Wake Forest University. In her freshman year, Rivers notched two Top 15 finishes and reached her best ranking of no. 141 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. In her professional debut, Rivers finished as runner-up at the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open as part of the She Plays Golf Championship series, earning an exemption in the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open. As a Bourassa Legacy Education Grant recipient, Rivers would be supported to finish her education in the future.
The financial objective of the Bourassa Fund is to raise $1 million. One year after a soft launch the Fund is closing in on 50 per cent of its fundraising goal. Jocelyne Bourassa Legacy Fund committee members include Joelle Efford (Chair, Jocelyne Bourassa Legacy Fund and Sr. Director Development, Golf Canada Foundation), Diane Dunlop-Hebert (Golf Canada Past President and Honorary Life Governor), Chris Greatrex (former LPGA and PGA of Canada professional), Debbie Savoy-Morel (Professional Emeritus and Ambassador, Club de Golf Le Mirage), Mary-Lee Cobick (Sr. Vice President, LPGA Foundation and Professionals), Libby Skinner (trusted colleague of Jocelyne) and Liz Hoffman (Golf Canada Past President, Honorary Life Governor and Golf Canada Foundation Board member).
Jocelyne Bourassa won the first LPGA Tour Canadian event in 1973 formally known as La Canadienne, now the CPKC Women’s Open. Bourassa served as the executive director of the du Maurier Classic, one of the LPGA’s four major championships. She was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1972 and was inducted into the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame in 1995, Golf Canada’s Hall of Fame in 1996 and into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. Bourassa passed away on August 3, 2021, at the age of 74.
For more information on the Jocelyne Bourassa Legacy Fund, please contact Joelle Efford at jefford@golfcanada.ca. To make a donation to the Jocelyne Bourassa Legacy Fund, please click here.
Alena Sharp finds it hard to believe she first competed at the Canadian women’s golf championship two decades ago.
Despite missing the cut at the 2004 Legends on the Niagara course in Niagara Falls, Ont., she gained valuable experience and has since seized every opportunity to tee it up at the annual event.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s been 20 years,” said the 43-year-old Sharp, who hails from Hamilton, Ont. “I remember when they announced my name on the tee and there was a lot of people there from Brantford where I grew up playing.
“I was just so nervous, I sniped it left into the rough. I made par on the hole, so I got underway.”
When Sharp tees off at Earl Grey Golf Club in the afternoon wave of golfers on Thursday at the 2024 CPCK Women’s Open, it will be her 19th appearance competing at the annual LPGA tournament.
“I’ve played so many great courses for the event and I’m just really happy to be there back in Calgary,” said Sharp, whose best finish at the Canadian championship was in 2016 at nearby Priddis Golf and Country Club where she finished fourth and cashed a cheque for $116,607.
Having played a couple practice rounds on Earl Grey’s Par 72, 6,856-yard layout, Sharp said that the course suits her game just fine.
“I grew up playing a tree-lined course playing Brantford Golf and Country Club, so it kind of reminds me of that,” said Sharp, who finished in a tie for 19th place last Sunday at the Dana Open at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio. “The greens are all tilted, so it requires pretty precise shot making into the greens.
“It’s playing long right now. I’m not sure if it’ll firm up or not – definitely not getting any run on the drives yet. There’s a lot of mid irons into the greens, so you have to have some good trajectory to stop them.”
Fellow Canadian Brooke Henderson, of Smith Falls, Ont., agreed with Sharp that keeping the ball in play will be a priority to score well at Earl Grey.
“It’s in really good shape,” said Henderson, who will play in the early morning groupings on the opening day of the tournament. “The rough is very thick. It’s very important to hit a lot of fairways around here, I believe. I think we’re going to see some good scores, so hopefully get off to a fast start on Thursday and make a bunch of birdies.
“Just being able to go out and attack where you can and be smart-aggressive on holes where par is good.”
In addition to being able to rely on encouragement from Canadian fans in Calgary, Sharp will also have some family support in her entourage.
“It’s special for me this week,” said Sharp, who’s enjoying getting time to see her aunt Elly Piet and uncle Paul Denaghel. “(They) live here, so I get to see them, spend some time with them. I’m staying for a few days afterwards before I head over to Paris for the Olympics. I’m definitely feeling more at home here this week.”
Along with Henderson, Sharp qualified to represent Canada at the Paris Olympics as the top two Canadians in the world rankings when the qualification window closed in late June.
“I think it’s a different week because the Olympics are coming up and everybody has been congratulating me on making the team,” Sharp said. “Wherever we are in the country I feel like I’m at home. You don’t get that every week on the tour. We have a lot of support here and the volunteers are amazing.”
In addition to Sharp and Henderson, 15 other Canadians are among the field of 156 professional and amateur golfers who will take part in the four-day event.
“That’s pretty amazing,” said Sharp. “They’re really good and they hit it far. I think it’s just changed a lot since when I was a kid, so it’s nice to see that. I hope they have a good week this week. It’s an amazing thing to be able to play in your national Open.”
Ontario will be well represented at the CPKC Women’s Open as sisters Ellie and Maddie Szeryk, of London, will be joined in Calgary by Toronto’s Vanessa Borovilos, Brampton’s Brooke Rivers, Oakville’s Katie Cranston, Mississauga’s Savannah Grewel as well as Monet Chun and Michelle Xing, both of Richmond Hill.
Vancouver’s Anna Huang and Leah John are two of five golfers at the event from B.C. The others are Surrey’s Lauren Kim, Port Coquitlam’s Yeji Kwon and Delta’s Mary Parsons.
Quebec is represented by two competitors in Montreal’s Brigitte Thibault and Sherbrooke’s Maude-Aimee Leblanc.
Calgary, Alta. – Soo Bin Joo, Victoria Liu, Gabriella Then and Angela Zhang earned the final four exemptions into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open through Monday’s Final Qualifier at Mickelson National Golf Club in Calgary, Alta.
Joo of Seoul, Republic of Korea shot a 3-under 69 to set the new women’s course record at Mickelson National Golf Club on Monday. Joo recorded four birdies during her round to secure top spot and her second consecutive appearance at the CPKC Women’s Open. Last month, Joo won the Island Resort Championship at the Sweetgrass Golf Club in Harris, Mich., her first victory on the Epson Tour in 2024.
Liu, who resides in Vancouver, B.C. shot a 1-under 71, highlighted by carding a birdie on the 18th hole to secure her spot. Liu will also be making her second consecutive appearance at the CPKC Women’s Open, after earning an exemption last year following her win at the Peloton Glencoe Invitational in Calgary, Alta.
Then of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. and Zhang of Bellevue, Wash. Both recorded rounds of even par 72 to claim the last two exemption spots. Then will be making her second consecutive appearance at the CPKC Women’s Open as well, following a T59 finish last year in Vancouver. Zhang will be making her first appearance at the CPKC Women’s Open this week. Last season, the 14-year-old competed in the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.
Monday’s Final Qualifier saw a field of 23 golfers competing and featured a mixture of professionals and amateurs. For the final standings, please click here.
CPKC WOMEN’S OPEN FINAL QUALIFIER SET FOR MONDAY
A field of 24 golfers will be competing for the final four spots in the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open during Monday’s Final Qualifier being held at Mickelson National Golf Club in Calgary, Alta. with a 11 a.m. MT start. For the field along with tee times please click here.
TWO CANADIANS EARN EXEMPTIONS INTO FIELD
Canadians Leah John (Vancouver, B.C.) and Mary Parsons (Delta, B.C.) have earned tournament exemptions increasing the number of Canadians competing in the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open to 17.
GOLF CANADA FOUNDATION PRO-AM SET FOR MONDAY
Tournament week at the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open kicks off Monday with the Golf Canada Foundation Pro-Am. Groups will tee off in a shotgun format beginning at 12:00 p.m. MT. The field will consist of professionals, amateurs and celebrities with funds being raised for the Golf Canada Foundation.
CPKC WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT RETURNS ON TUESDAY
Golf Canada and CPKC will host the seventh annual CPKC Women’s Leadership Summit on Tuesday, July 23 as part of the weeklong excitement of the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open. The CPKC Women’s Leadership Summit is headlined this year by Raven Jemison, President of the Kansas City Current, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, Commissioner of the LPGA and will be hosted by Lindsay Hamilton of TSN. The day will bring together like-minded businesspeople from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment, and philanthropy. For more information, click here.
Golf Canada and Golf Town are proud to announce a multi-year extension of their partnership that will see Canada’s largest golf specialty retailer remain an official partner of the CPKC Women’s Open.
This year, Golf Town is excited to build on its existing activations, with the debut of its state-of-the-art Players Tour Truck on-site near the practice area at Earl Grey. The tour truck will provide access to elevated professional fittings and club services and help to consolidate LPGA Tour player equipment needs during tournament week. Click here for more information.
“At Golf Town, from day one, we have been committed to promoting equality in our sport of golf,” said Frederick Lecoq, Chief Marketing Officer at Golf Town. “By introducing our Players Tour Truck at the CPKC Women’s Open, we are taking a significant step in providing female athletes with the expertise and resources to help them perform their best on Canada’s greatest stage.”
As part of the renewed agreement, Golf Town will once again feature the popular Brooke Brigade initiative. Since 2017, the Brooke Brigade initiative has united junior golfers across the country who share a passion for the sport along with supporting Canada’s winningest golfer, Brooke Henderson.
This year at the CPKC Women’s Open at Earl Grey Golf Club, two Brooke Brigade viewing zones will be available for junior fans. They will offer front row viewing options on the 10th and 16th greens and provide t-shirts, snacks and drinks for junior participants who come to support Brooke in Calgary.
Golf Town will also return as the presenting sponsor of Autograph Alley, located at the 18th green at Earl Grey, providing a space along the ropes where youth fans can get autographs from their favourite LPGA Tour stars.
“We are excited to welcome the new Players Tour Truck experience to this year’s event and applaud Golf Town’s impactful commitment to deliver a premium player equipment and servicing experience that will be easily accessible for the field of athletes competing for Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship.” said Laurence Applebaum, Chief Executive Officer, Golf Canada. “We are also excited that our extended partnership continues to provide more viewing options for junior enthusiasts with the Brooke Brigade areas and Autograph Alley which will continue to bring the world’s best LPGA Tour stars closer to young golf fans at the CPKC Women’s Open.”
In addition, as part of the introduction of the Golf Town Players Tour Truck, any guest to the CPKC Women’s Open can receive a free custom fitting at their local Golf Town by presenting their event ticket.
The 50th playing of the CPKC Women’s Open takes place July 23-28 at the Earl Grey Golf and Country Club in Calgary, Alta. For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.
Canadian superstar Brooke Henderson along with Lydia Ko, Rose Zhang, Lilia Vu and defending champion Megan Khang headline star studded field at 2024 CPKC Women’s Open
CPKC Women’s Leadership Summit to kick off tournament week on Tuesday, July 23
2024 CPKC Women’s Open to benefit
Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation
Calgary, Alta. (July 17, 2024) – Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), announced today the final field of competitors set to compete in the historic 50th playing of the CPKC Women’s Open, July 23-28 at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alta.
Defending champion Megan Khang leads a stellar field of competitors that includes six of the top 10 and 73 of the top 100 in the 2024 Race to CME Globe season standings. In addition, 23 Olympians will compete for Canada’s National Open Championship in Calgary.
Joining Khang are 13-time LPGA Tour winner and the winningest golfer in Canadian history Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. along with three-time CPKC Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko. Other notables including world no. 2 Lilia Vu, world no. 7 Hannah Green, world no. 9 Rose Zhang, and world no. 12 Minjee Lee. Lexi Thompson will also be competing in her 11th and final CPKC Women’s Open after announcing she will be retiring from competitive golf at the end of the 2024 season.
Defending champion Megan Khang is among six past CPKC Women’s Open champions competing for Canada’s National Open Championship including Paula Reto (2022), Brooke Henderson (2018), Ariya Jutanugarn (2016), Britney Lincicome (2011) and three-time winner Lydia Ko (2015, 2013, 2012) who will be chasing a record fourth CPKC Women’s Open title.
Earl Grey Golf Club will welcome five LPGA Tour in-year winners including Lydia Ko (Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions), Hannah Green (HSBC Women’s World Championship and JM Eagle LA Championship), Baily Tardy (Blue Bay LPGA), Rose Zhang (Cognizant Founders Cup), and Lilia Vu (Meijer LPGA Classic).
Henderson, a CPKC Ambassador who made history at the Wascana Country Club in Regina in 2018 becoming the first Canadian since the late Jocelyne Bourassa, 45 years earlier to win Canada’s National Women’s Open, will lead the 15-player Canadian contingent in Calgary. Joining Henderson are fellow LPGA Tour players Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont. and Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont.
In addition, six members of Team Canada earned exemptions through the She Plays Golf Championship Series including, Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C. and Anna Huang of Vancouver, B.C. (Peloton Glencoe Invitational), Ellie Szeryk of London, Ont. and Brooke Rivers of Brampton, Ont. (GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open) and Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Katie Cranston of Oakville, Ont. (ORORO PGA Women’s Championship). In addition, four Team Canada members have also been given tournament exemptions including Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont., Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, B.C. and Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que.
The 156-player field will be competing at Earl Grey Golf Club for the first time in tournament history. This marks the seventh time the province of Alberta will host the CPKC Women’s Open and first since 2016. The field will be competing for the $2.6 million USD purse with the champion taking home $390,000.
“We are less than a week away and extremely excited to celebrate the 50th playing of the CPKC Women’s Open at the Earl Grey Golf Club,” said Ryan Paul, CPKC Women’s Open Tournament Director. “Golf fans in Calgary and across the province are in for a very memorable week at an exceptional golf course where the world’s best will compete for our National Women’s Open Championship. The CPKC Women’s Open is one of the signature women’s sporting events in Canada and this year is shaping up to be a special one.”
An additional two exemptions into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open will be announced at a later date, and the final four qualifier spots will be awarded on Monday, July 22 following the Monday Qualifier set for Mickelson National Golf Club in Calgary, Alta.
One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open returns to Calgary riding momentum from being named the LPGA Tour’s Tournament of the Year back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023. The 2023 tournament also won additional awards for Best Sponsorship Activation and Best Volunteer Appreciation at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. Golf Canada and CPKC also received Gold Driver Awards for Best Sponsor Activation in 2019, 2022 and 2023 as well as Best Community and Charity Engagement in 2017, 2019 and 2022.
Children 12-and-under get free admission all week long. For more information or to purchase tickets, please click here.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF PLAYERS
CPKC HAS HEART CAMPAIGN TO BENEFIT ALBERTA CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
CPKC will once again leave a meaningful legacy in the host community through its CPKC Has Heart program. The official charitable partner of the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open is Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. Last year, CPKC raised nearly $3.5 million for children’s heart health with donations of $2.9 million to the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and $580,000 to the Royal Inland Hospital (PIH) Foundation. Since 2014, this tournament, which is the marquee event of the CPKC Has Heart community investment program, has helped raise over $19 million to support cardiac research, equipment and care across North America.
ABOUT ALBERTA CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation inspires our community to invest in excellence in child health, research, and family centred care. Through the generosity of donors, the Foundation provides funding for innovative programs, state-of-the-art equipment, advanced medical training and internationally recognized pediatric research. The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation is a founding partner of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, as well as the primary funder. Donations can be made at cpkcwomensopen.com with all funds raised matched by CPKC. For more information, please visit childrenshospital.ab.ca.
CPKC WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT RETURNS TO KICK OFF TOURNAMENT WEEK
Golf Canada and CPKC will host the seventh annual CPKC Women’s Leadership Summit on Tuesday, July 23 as part of the weeklong excitement of the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open. The CPKC Women’s Leadership Summit is headlined this year by Raven Jemison, President of the Kansas City Current, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, Commissioner of the LPGA and will be hosted by Lindsay Hamilton of TSN. The day will bring together like-minded businesspeople from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment, and philanthropy. For more information, click here.
“THE RINK” FAN EXPERIENCE RETURNS
Fans of all ages will once again be able to experience the week-long celebration of golf highlighted by The Rink on the 17th hole at Earl Grey, and a variety of food and patio experiences at The Fare Way featuring the Keg.
CPKC WOMEN’S OPEN BROADCAST
The 2024 CPKC Women’s Open will feature four days of domestic and international television broadcast coverage including Canadian broadcast partner TSN as well as international coverage on GOLF channel.
KIDS 12-AND-UNDER GET IN FREE
As part of the championship’s commitment to junior golf, admission all week is free for youth aged 12-and-under. General admission tickets provide access to the golf course and enjoy fan activations throughout the property and experience the thrill of major professional golf.
MOBILE APP EXPERIENCE
Experience the CPKC Women’s Open like never before by downloading the Golf Canada Mobile App on your iOS or Android device. Essential features include a live map, leaderboard & pairings, tickets, breaking news, and special events. Plus, use the Golf Canada Mobile App to enhance your experience while playing! Find golf courses, track your game, set up matches against friends, access GPS yardages and more. Click here to download.
ABOUT THE CPKC WOMEN’S OPEN
The stars of the LPGA Tour will challenge for the CPKC Women’s Open from July 23-28, 2024, at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alta. Through its CPKC Has Heart program, title sponsor CPKC will once again make a substantial donation to the host community of Canada’s National Open Golf Championship by supporting the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. The 2024 CPKC Women’s Open is proudly sponsored by CPKC, BDO, Audi, RBC, theScore, Levelwear, Titleist, FootJoy, Hilton, Sleeman Clear 2.0, Think Turkey, The Keg, Johnsonville, Cayman Islands, Masi, Celebrity Cruises, STALK&BARREL, Matt & Steve’s, Pepsi, Connect Hearing, Waste Management, Rolex and is supported by Calgary Tourism. For information visit www.cpkcwomensopen.com/.
Xing and Cranston join Team Canada teammates Lauren Kim, Anna Huang, Ellie Szeryk and Brooke Rivers in earning exemptions through
She Plays Golf Championship Series
Caledon, Ont. – Team Canada athletes Michelle Xing (a) and Katie Cranston (a) earned exemptions into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open after finishing atop the leaderboard at the ORORO PGA Women’s Championship at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (Heathlands Course) in Caledon, Ont. as part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series on Friday.
Xing of Richmond Hill, Ont. carded a 1-under 70 on Friday to finish the tournament at 9-under and two shots ahead of Cranston to win the championship, becoming the youngest champion in tournament history. The lead changed hands a couple times through the back nine on Friday, but Xing held strong for her fourth win of the season.
“First day I played well but I left some shots out there and made up for it in the second round and just tried to do what I did the previous day and keep a cool head,” said Xing following her round.
The 15-year-old began the week in a tie for fourth but moved atop the leaderboard following a 7-under 64 on Thursday, where she recorded an eagle and six birdies for the lowest score in her young career. Xing’s solid play on Friday was rewarded with a birdie on the 18th to secure victory and with it her first appearance in the CPKC Women’s Open and on the LPGA Tour.
“It’s really exciting and I look forward to it, it means the world to me, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and now that I got an exemption, I am really looking forward to it,” said Xing.
Cranston of Oakville, Ont. finished the tournament at 7-under and rebounded from an opening round of 77 to post, a career low 8-under 63 on Thursday and finished with a 5-under 66 on Friday to earn the second exemption spot.
“My start was a little bit shaky, just hard coming off a career low but back nine I really got it going today,” said Cranston who carded four birdies on the back nine Friday. By finishing as runner-up, Cranston has booked her third consecutive appearance into the CPKC Women’s Open.
“It’s an amazing stepping stone to experience the life of a pro golfer for a week and see how they do it,” added Cranston when asked about competing in Calgary later this month.
The ORORO PGA Women’s Championship saw a field of 62 golfers (amateur and professional) with 12 members of the Team Canada program competing in Caledon. The tournament was the third and final stop in the She Plays Golf Championship Series.
Last month, Team Canada athletes Lauren Kim (a) and Anna Huang (a) finished first and second respectively at the Glencoe Invitational in Calgary, Alta., which was the first tournament in the She Plays Golf Championship Series. They were joined by fellow Team Canada athletes Ellie Szeryk and Brooke Rivers who finished atop the leaderboard at the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open at Pitt Meadows Golf Club in qualifying for the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open. In addition to winning in Pitt Meadows, Szeryk also finished atop the She Plays Golf Order of Merit for 2024, with Rivers and Xing rounding out the top three.
She Plays Golf is a citywide celebration of women’s golf anchored in each host market by a $60,000 CAD professional golf championship contested over 54-holes for a field of professionals and elite amateurs. The tournaments are played with a cut after 36-holes and each championship sees players compete for WAGR points and two qualifying spots into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open. The She Plays Golf Championship Series marks the rebirth of a professional women’s golf tour in Canada.
Players earned points for their finishes in the She Plays Golf Championship Series towards a series-long standings. The golfer with the most points following the final championship will also earn qualification into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open, if not otherwise qualified and will be supported by Golf Canada’s Q School bursary program if they enter LPGA Q School in the fall.
She Plays Golf Festivals feature inclusive programming for women and girls, addressing gaps in the participation pathway and introducing new women and girls to the game in a safe, fun, and judgment-free environment. Festival activities take place at golf courses across the host city during the same week as the She Plays Golf Championship Series event with activities including introductory “Try Golf” events for women and girls new to golf, professional development for women in coaching, networking socials for women in business and leadership, and more.
For the final standings from the ORORO PGA Women’s Championship, please click here.
For more information on She Plays Golf Festivals and Championship Series, please click here.
