Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP) announced today the final field of competitors set to challenge for the 2017 CP Women’s Open taking place August 21-27.

Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn, world no. 1 So Yeon Ryu and three-time winner Lydia Ko along with Canadian sensation and hometown favourite Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., highlight the 156-player field competing at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.

With one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour, Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship will feature 22 of the top 25, 44 of the top 50 and 92 of the top 100 players on the LPGA Tour’s Official Money List.

The field will also have a strong Solheim Cup presence as 19 of 24 competitors in this week’s biennial U.S. versus Europe contest have confirmed their intention to compete in Canada’s capital city.

Past CP Women’s Open champion Suzann Pettersen will lead 10 of 12 Team Europe competitors back to Canada following this week’s Solheim Cup in Des Moines, Iowa. Ranked no. 33 on the LPGA Money List, Pettersen will be joined by fellow European team members Anna Nordqvist (no. 20); Carlota Ciganda (no. 22); Jodi Ewart Shadoff (no. 23); Karine Icher (no. 36); Caroline Masson (no. 39); Charley Hull (no. 47); Madelene Sagstrom (no. 51); Emily Pedersen (no. 75); and Mel Reid (no. 95).

A trio of former CP Women’s Open champions – Cristie Kerr (2006), Michelle Wie (2010) and Brittany Lincicome (2011) – will lead Team USA to Ottawa. Kerr (no. 10), Wie (no. 12) and Lincicome (no. 27) will be joined by teammates Danielle Kang (no. 11); Stacy Lewis (no. 18); Austin Ernst (no. 32); Angel Yin (no. 41); Brittany Lang (no. 63); and Paula Creamer (no. 78).

Ottawa Hunt will challenge 10 past CP Women’s Open champions including Jutanugarn (2016), Ko (2012, 2013 & 2015), Ryu (2014), Lincicome (2011), Wie (2010), Pettersen (2009), Kerr (2006), Karrie Webb (1999) and Laura Davies (1996), along with Katherine Kirk who won in 2008 when Ottawa Hunt last hosted the stars of the LPGA Tour.

“We are thrilled to welcome the world’s best to Ottawa as the CP Women’s Open returns to our nation’s capital to coincide with the Canada 150 celebration,” said Golf Canada’s Chief Championships Officer, Bill Paul. “The CP Women’s Open will feature a strong LPGA tour field along with the very best rising talents in Canadian and international golf. Ottawa area golf fans are sure to be treated to an unbelievable showcase of world-class golf.”

Smiths Falls, Ont., native Brooke Henderson, an honorary member of host Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club and a CP ambassador who is no. 5 on the LPGA Money List, leads a strong Canadian LPGA Tour contingent. Joining Henderson are Tour regulars Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City, Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Augusta James of Bath, Ont. and Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., along with fellow CP ambassador and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Lorie Kane of Charlottetown.

Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., who picked up her first Symetra Tour victory earlier this month at the PHC Classic, will also be in the field competing on a tournament exemption.

All four members of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Team will be competing, including Ottawa native Grace St. Germain, Jaclyn Lee of Calgary, Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C., and dual citizen Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont. Tanguay, James and Ha are also members of Golf Canada’s Young Pro Squad.

Each of the strong Canuck contingent have one goal in mind: to become the first Canadian to win an LPGA Tour event in Canada since Jocelyne Bourassa won La Canadienne in 1973.

The field of 156 competitors will vie for the US$2.25 million purse as the championship returns to Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club for the first time since 2008. The 2017 winner’s prize is $337,500.

On Monday, Aug. 21, an 18-hole stroke play qualifier will take place at Camelot Golf & Country Club in Ottawa to determine the final four exemptions directly into the CP Women’s Open.

The champion of the Data PGA Women’s Championship of Canada which concludes today at Scarboro Golf and Country Club in Toronto also receives an exemption into the 2017 CP Women’s Open.

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

 CP Has Heart charity campaign to benefit Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario…

Now in its fourth year, CP’s community investment program, CP Has Heart, is committed to raising funds in support of children’s heart health in the host community of the CP Women’s Open. The 2017 edition of Canada’s National Women’s Open is proud to have the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) as the beneficiary charity.

The CP Has Heart fundraising activities tied to the CP Women’s Open and CHEO are part of CP’s overarching “Beautiful Hearts” campaign across the Ottawa region which will also run during the CFL regular season, playoffs and Grey Cup
The “Beautiful Hearts” campaign will support the refurbishment of facilities that patients use every day at CHEO and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and celebrate the resiliency and spirit of the human heart.
Through August 27, 2017, CP will match all donations made towards pediatric cardiac at www.cheoheart.com. CP will also donate $5,000 to CHEO for every birdie made by a player on the 15th hole at Ottawa Hunt during this year’s championship. The 15^th hole will also feature the 15^th Green CP Fan Zone where golf fans can donate $20 to upgrade their grounds pass to access a covered greenside bleacher and viewing area with all proceeds to benefit CHEO.

Since 2014, the CP Has Heart charity campaign has raised more than $4.5 million in support of children’s heart health.

Kids 17-and-under Get in Free…

Golf Canada and CP are committed to offering a fan friendly, family event with the CP Women’s Open. To introduce more juniors to the sport, children aged 17-and-under get FREE admission to the CP Women’s Open for the entire week.

Tickets…
Juniors – 17 & Under Free
Early Week (Mon-Wed) $11.30
Anyday Grounds (Thurs-Sun) $39.55
Weekly (Mon-Sun) $90.40

Television coverage…
Thursday, August 24        Golf Channel      10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Friday, August 25              Golf Channel      10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 26        Golf Channel      3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, August 27           Golf Channel      3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

NOTE: All times listed are in Eastern Time. Times are approximate and are subject to change without notice.

Click here to learn more about the CP Women’s Open

Canada’s Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shares some expert tips to help you get out of greenside bunkers.

Watch her perform in person this summer at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club from Aug. 21-27 – tickets are available here.

The last time the CP Women’s Open was played at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, about 15 minutes from Parliament Hill in Canada’s capital, Brooke Henderson was a 10-year-old with big dreams, participating in a clinic with Morgan Pressel – her golf idol – who gave her a glove, a memento Henderson still has to this day.

Fast forward nearly a decade and the 19-year-old Henderson is one of the LPGA Tour’s best golfers. She’s been ranked as high as second in the world (she’s currently eighth), and has won four times on Tour (including a major), double the amount of LPGA wins her childhood idol Pressel has.

Henderson, and Canadian golf hall of famer Lorie Kane, serve as ambassadors for Canadian Pacific (CP) – the title sponsor of the event. In addition to supporting professional golf in Canada, CP uses its sponsorship to leave behind a legacy in the host community through its community investment program, CP Has Heart. This year’s charitable partner is the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). The popularity of Henderson, who hails from Smiths Falls just an hour away from the course, means the goal to raise $1.8 million to upgrade the hospital’s catheterization lab and interventional suite will be helped along by willing donor-fans.

The Aug. 21-27 event is a home game for Henderson and she will be the star of the show. Management at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club bestowed both her and her sister, Brittany, with honourary memberships in 2016, giving the Henderson sisters an opportunity to play and practice at the course, and, hopefully, give them a home-course advantage when the tournament gets started next week.

The four-time LPGA Tour winner has already captured one title during the 2017 season, and would like nothing more than to add the CP Women’s Open trophy to her ever-growing collection.

In order to do so, Henderson will need to keep her emotions in check with thousands of Canadian golf fans rooting her on and trying to get a glimpse of Ottawa’s favourite daughter and beat an elite field of players that includes all of the world’s best.

Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn is back, along with three-time champion Lydia Ko. World No. 1 So Yeon Ryu is playing, along with major champions Shanshan Feng, Anna Nordqvist, Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson, Michelle Wie and Suzann Pettersen.

The course itself will be a much different one than what the women played in 2008. Ottawa Hunt, which opened in 1908, has undergone a significant redesign by Dr. Michael Hurdzan, one of the designers behind this year’s U.S. Open venue, Erin Hills Golf Club.

From 2011-2013, Dr. Hurdzan and his team returned the storied venue to its roots, transforming the West and South nines – the two nines that will be used for the championship.

In a recent interview, Hurdzan even remarked that the opening hole on the West nine was his “favourite par 5” designed in his long career.

Between Canada 150 celebrations, the spectacular field, the chance to support a deserving charity, the new design of a classic course, and of course, the opportunity to see local hero Brooke Henderson tee it up with the best in the world, this year’s CP Canadian Women’s Open is an event not to be missed.

Tickets can be purchased now by visiting cpwomensopen.com/tickets. Don’t miss out on this tremendous opportunity to see some of the world’s best athletes up close and personal.

To donate to CHEO, visit cheoheart.com.

As part of Canada 150 celebrations, the nation’s capital is hosting the stars of the LPGA Tour, including a strong Canadian contingent led by last week’s LPGA Tour winner Brooke Henderson. Golf Canada, in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP), has announced many of the world’s top players have committed to play in the 2017 CP Women’s Open from August 21-27 at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.

Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn leads a stellar list of early commitments set to challenge for the $2.25 million USD purse, one of the largest prizes on tour. A six-time winner on the LPGA Tour, the Thailand native recently climbed to No. 1 in the Rolex World Rankings following her victory at the 2017 Manulife LPGA Classic in Waterloo, Ont.

Three-time CP Women’s Open champion and world No. 2 Lydia Ko of New Zealand will be searching for a record fourth Canadian Women’s Open title. Ko’s three Canadian titles (2012, 2013 and 2015) ties the 20-year-old with Meg Mallon and Pat Bradley for most victories at Canada’s National Women’s Open. A 14-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Ko held the No. 1 world ranking for 85 weeks prior to Jutanugarn.

World No. 3 So Yeon Ryu, who won the inaugural CP Women’s Open in 2014, will also compete at Ottawa Hunt. Jutanugarn and Ryu are among nine of the top-10 players on the LPGA Tour Official Money List who have confirmed their intention to compete in the nation’s capital later this summer.

Other top-10 commitments include In Gee Chun, Christie Kerr, Canada’s Brooke Henderson, Inbee Park, Anna Nordqvist, Sei Young Kim and Sung Hyn Park.

No player will generate more excitement this August in Ottawa than Canadian sensation Brooke Henderson of nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., who will compete in her seventh career National Open, this time in front of hometown crowds at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.

Coming off her impressive come from behind win at last week’s Meijer LPGA Classic, the four-time winner and major champion has amassed 18 top-10s since joining the LPGA Tour in late 2015.

The graduate of Golf Canada’s National Team program is a former world No. 1 amateur and represented Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she finished T7.

A proud ambassador for CP, Henderson will lead the Canadian contingent into Ottawa as part of the Canada 150 celebration events being hosted in the nation’s capital. World No. 71 and Canadian Olympian Alena Sharp of Hamilton will look to improve on her top-five finish at the 2016 CP Women’s Open as she competes in her national

Open for the 13^th time. Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member and CP ambassador Lorie Kane, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour will be competing in Canada’s National Open Championship for a record 27^th consecutive time.

The world’s best will be at Ottawa Hunt to compete for the CP Women’s Open trophy, with a strong Canadian contingent led by Smiths Falls Brooke Henderson.

LPGA Tour members Jennifer Ha of Calgary and Maude-Aimée LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., are also set to compete and will be joined by several more Canadians to be announced in the coming weeks.

Jutanugarn, Ko and Ryu will be among 10 past champions competing this year along with Brittany Lincicome (2011), Michelle Wie (2010), Suzann Pettersen (2009), Cristie Kerr (2007) and Katherine Kirk who won the event in 2008 when Ottawa Hunt last hosted the stars of the LPGA Tour.

The field of 156 golfers teeing it up at Ottawa Hunt is expected to again represent arguably the strongest field on the LPGA Tour, carrying over from the 2016 event which welcomed 96 of the top 100 players on the LPGA Tour money list.

“We are thrilled to bring the stars of the LPGA Tour back to Ottawa Hunt as part of the special Canada 150 celebrations happening in the nation’s capital and across Canada in 2017,” said Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin.  “Ottawa is a tremendous golf market with passionate golf fans and no doubt the global stars of the LPGA Tour and Canadian talents led by hometown hero Brooke Henderson will make for a truly special event in 2017.”

Information regarding tickets, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the CP Women’s Open can be found at www.cpwomensopen.com.

CP Has Heart Charity Campaign to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario…

Now in its fourth year, CP’s community investment program, CP Has Heart is committed to raising funds in support of children’s heart health in the host community of the CP Women’s Open. The 2017 edition of Canada’s National Women’s Open is proud to have the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) as the beneficiary charity.

The CP Has Heart fundraising activities tied to the CP Women’s Open and CHEO are part of CP’s overarching “Beautiful Hearts” campaign across the Ottawa region which will also run during the CFL regular season, playoffs and Grey Cup

The “Beautiful Hearts” campaign will support the refurbishment of facilities that patients use every day at CHEO and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and celebrate the resiliency and spirit of the human heart.

“At CP, we take great pride in our history of connecting Canada and are thrilled to be in Ottawa for this celebration connecting Canadians with the world’s best golfers – including our CP Ambassadors Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane – and connecting CHEO with opportunities to further its important work,” said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO.

“Our family of 12,000 railroaders is excited about the tournament, but more than that, we are excited to leave a charitable legacy in the nation’s capital. CP Has Heart’s ‘Beautiful Hearts’ campaign will bring crucial support to both CHEO and the Ottawa Heart Institute this year.”

Each year, CHEO touches the lives of more than 500,000 infants, children and youth from Eastern and Northern Ontario, Western Quebec and Nunavut. To better care for these patients, CHEO will be embarking on a $1.8 million project to upgrade the hospital’s Catheterization Lab and Interventional Suite. A redesigned space, specialized equipment and pediatric specific training will be critically important elements in the health and wellness of CHEO’s patients.

Through August 27, 2017, CP will match all donations made towards pediatric cardiac care and research at cheoheart.com. CP will also donate $5,000 to CHEO for every birdie made by a player on the 15th hole at Ottawa Hunt during this year’s championship.

The 15^th hole will also feature the 15^th Green CP Fan Zone where golf fans can donate $20 to upgrade their grounds pass to access a covered greenside bleacher and viewing area with all proceeds to benefit CHEO.

Since 2014, the CP Has Heart charity campaign has raised more than $4.5 million in support of children’s heart health.

Kids 17-and-under Get in Free…
Golf Canada and CP are committed to offering a fan friendly, family event with the CP Women’s Open. To introduce more juniors to the sport, children aged 17-and-under get FREE admission to the CP Women’s Open for the entire week.

Tickets…
Juniors – 17 & Under Free
Early Week (Mon-Wed) $11.30
Anyday Grounds (Thurs-Sun) $39.55
Weekly (Mon-Sun) $90.40
Clubhouse Badge (Mon-Sun) $169.50.

Visit www.cpwomenspen.com for more information.

For the first time, Saskatchewan will play host to a major LPGA Tour event as Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) have announced the 2018 CP Women’s Open will head to Regina’s Wascana Country Club from August 20-26, 2018.

“We are very excited to bring the CP Women’s Open to Regina and the province of Saskatchewan in 2018,” said Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “Saskatchewan is a tremendous golf community and we are confident Wascana Country Club will be a fitting test to challenge the world’s best women’s golfers.”

Through its CP Has Heart campaign, CP will once again be making a significant charitable donation within the host community. In its first three years of title sponsorship, from 2014-2016, the campaign has raised over $4.5 million in host communities.

“We are proud to be part of such a high-profile event on the LPGA Tour and are excited to bring the tournament to Saskatchewan, an integral province within our rail network,” said Martin Cej, Assistant Vice-President of Public Affairs and Communications for CP.  “In coordination with our CP Has Heart campaign, we look forward to leaving a significant charitable legacy in the Regina community.”

After a three-year recruiting process, Wascana Country Club finally earned its opportunity to host the stars of the LPGA Tour after originally submitting a bid back in 2014. The club is one of only four private golf courses in a province that counts 206 total facilities.

“We are delighted to have been chosen to host the prestigious 2018 CP Women’s Open, as this will be a chance for us to show the world what the city of Regina has to offer,” said Michael Fougere, Mayor of Regina.

The Wascana Country Club has welcomed more than 30 notable championships since its founding in 1911, including the PGA of Canada Championship in 1992; the Saskatchewan Men’s Amateur Golf Championship six times, most recently in 2005; and the Saskatchewan Women’s Amateur Golf Championship 10 times between 1915 and 1990. The 18-hole championship course set in the wetlands of Saskatchewan will also play host to the 2017 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship later this summer in August.

“Our board of directors, members and staff are truly excited about hosting this most prestigious event,” said Greg Dukart, Chief Executive Officer of Wascana Country Club. “Our venue is ready and our championship golf course will provide a memorable and unique examination to the world’s greatest female golfers. We are looking forward to being part of the great history of the CP Women’s Open.”

Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship has traditionally featured one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour vying for a total purse of $2.25 million USD, one of the largest purses on tour. The CP Women’s Open welcomes the top players on the LPGA Tour including CP golf ambassadors Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane and fellow Canadian Alena Sharp, along with past champions and LPGA stars such as Lydia Ko, Ariya Jutanugarn, So Yeon Ryu, Suzann Pettersen and Michele Wie.

“The Greater Regina Area is emerging as one of the best places in Canada to host an event, convention or trade show. Our unique assets and attractions combine to create what we call, the Regina Advantage. The 2018 CP Women’s Open Championship will help showcase Regina and all we have to offer to a world-wide audience,” said John Lee, President & CEO of Economic Development Regina. “

First conducted in 1973, Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship has allowed the brightest stars of the LPGA Tour to shine on Canadian soil and to inspire the nation’s next generation of female golfers.

As part of ongoing Canada 150 celebrations, Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club will host the 2017 edition of the CP Women’s Open later this summer in Canada’s capital.

Information regarding tickets, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the CP Women’s Open can be found at www.cpwomensopen.com.

Toronto, Ontario – Levelwear, a global sport and lifestyle apparel brand, announced today it has been named official golf apparel and headwear sponsor of the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open, beginning with the 2017 Championships.

Sponsoring both of Canada’s National Open Golf Championships, Levelwear deepens its presence in the golf industry in Canada and provides a platform to demonstrate the company’s golf and licensing apparel expertise.

Levelwear becomes the exclusive provider of RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open volunteer uniforms as well as branded apparel and headwear both on the event grounds and at select off-site retail locations. The product offering will include its polos, mid-layer and lightweight outerwear garments, as well as pieces from their lifestyle collection of casual cottons and their wide assortment of premium headwear. Known for innovative design and treatment, each piece of apparel will be carefully crafted by the Levelwear in-house design team to create memorable pieces of commemorative merchandise for the spectators and fans.

Levelwear’s investment in these two quintessential properties further enhances its commitment within the golf marketplace in Canada. In January, Levelwear signed ‘Mr. Northern 59,’ Adam Hadwin as a global brand ambassador for its golf and lifestyle apparel. In addition, Levelwear also sponsors fellow PGA TOUR member and Canadian, Brad Fritsch as a Global Brand Ambassador. Levelwear has established business relationships with roughly 80 of the top 100 golf courses in both Canada and the U.S.

Golf Canada owns and operates the RBC Canadian Open, set to run July 24-30, 2017 at Glen Abbey Golf Club, as well as the CP Women’s Open which takes place August 21-27, 2017 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

The RBC Canadian Open is the third-oldest national open golf Championship next to the British Open and the U.S. Open. Golf Canada will also be bringing the CP Women’s Open back to the nation’s capital in Ottawa to coincide with Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations.

“We have a deep heritage in golf and in Canada. These are the two most iconic golf Championships in Canada. With the history, heritage and connection these properties have with golf fans, we are excited to leverage that equity to build some truly unique Levelwear offerings,” stated Hilton Ngo, President of Levelwear.

Levelwear has established enduring business verticals in licensed and team sports, golf apparel, and men’s and women’s lifestyle wear, with core strengths of innovation, decoration and industry leading service.

“We are extremely excited to have Levelwear as our new apparel and headwear partner this upcoming season,” said Brent McLaughlin, Tournament Director for the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open.  “Levelwear’s depth of innovation, decoration and service will be able to provide consumers with quality licensed merchandise to commemorate Canada’s most historic golf championships.”

Levelwear holds licensing partnerships with some of the top global brands, including the NHL and NHLPA, NBA, 150 US Colleges, the CFL, Hockey Canada and various soccer properties globally. At the PGA Show in Orlando, Levelwear unveiled its fall 2017 collection featuring a new women’s transitional activewear line –  Levelwear Verve, a modern collection of men’s polos, and the Insignia Program, a highly innovative logo treatment collection, that gives a rich gloss metallic like finish with custom embellishments. For more information, please visit www.levelwear.com.