SHOAL CREEK, Ala. — Celeste Dao stood on the first tee at the Shoal Creek Club on Wednesday and had her picture taken.

The 17-year-old from Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., a member of Golf Canada’s National Development Squad, posed with Canadian star Brooke Henderson before they teed off for a practice round in preparation for the U.S. Women’s Open which gets underway Thursday.

Dao, who qualified for the second major of the women’s season with rounds of 71-69 at Cape Cod National Golf Club last week, wanted to capture a big moment in her young career, a moment she said she never thought she would experience this early in her career.

“I would not have imagined me being here. If you asked me in January what were my goals this year, I wouldn’t say being in the U.S. Open. That is a really high level for me. Being here, I’m so, so happy,” she said.

After a practice round with veteran Alena Sharp of Hamilton on Monday and nine holes with Henderson on Wednesday, who were both gracious to take a young player under their wings the week of a major, Dao was thrilled with the experience.

“It was great, playing with the best in Canada,” she said after her round Wednesday with Henderson.

What did she pick up?

“(Henderson)’s great around the greens. I was looking at her and how she managed to take notes of the greens with her sister (her caddie, Brittany) and calculating everything. She does that much more than me. It was really fun to watch that and how she spots her targets off the tee,” Dao said.

Henderson, 20, said she was happy to oblige Dao and recalled her days as a teenager (not so long ago) and the thrill of being on such a big stage.

“It’s pretty cool to see young, up-and-coming Canadians,” Henderson said. “She was hitting it really well today. I think she is just really excited to be here. She should be. It’s really amazing. It was one of the best experiences I ever had, so I think she will really enjoy this week.”

Dao said her goal for the week is “watching the girls and getting the most experience. For a score, I will try and make the cut.”

Dao said Sharp gave her some tips on how to manage her nerves on the biggest stage in women’s golf.

“She talked to me a lot, just giving me advice to manage the stress on the first tee. She said stick to the routine. Breathe and stick to the routine. It’s normal to feel stress. Enjoy the moment and go,” she said.

Dao has spent the past three months in Victoria, BC, with the national development squad. She had her first international victory at the beginning of the month when she won the Mexican Junior Girls Championship with a final round 66 and prevailed in a three-hole playoff over Mexico’s Corey Lopez.

“My year was really great,” Dao said. “Each step is bigger for me and I try to achieve bigger goals. It’s great so far.”

The experience here at the U.S. Open is going to help her the rest of this season, she said.

“This is going to give me a boost. Just learning all this. Once you see the greatest, it helps you so much.”

Brooke Henderson has played more on the LPGA Tour than anyone else the last two years, so it was interesting to see her skip a tournament in the middle of the season last week.

But with the U.S. Women’s Open starting Thursday at Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Ala., the young Canadian wanted to get as prepared as she could be for what is usually the toughest test on tour.

“The majors bring that little bit extra,” said the native of Smiths Falls, Ont., who took a pass on the Volvik Championship in Ann Arbor, Mich.

“It’s a completely different atmosphere and it’s the greatest feeling in the world to know you’re competing and have a chance to win a major. Having won one in 2016 was the coolest thing ever, so I’m just really excited for when I can hold another major trophy.”

The lone major triumph for Henderson, 20, was the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, when she toppled then No. 1-ranked Lydia Ko in a playoff. She has won six times on the LPGA Tour, including once this year at the Lotte Championship in April.

Henderson returned to her home in Naples, Fla. last week in order to get used to the different kind of grass she’ll play on this week, along with the sticky early-June heat.

In 2013, when Henderson was just 15, she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open, and went on to make the cut, her first on the LPGA Tour. Her best result is a tie for fifth, which came in 2015.

“The U.S. Women’s Open has always been special to me,” said Henderson. “Some tournaments just mean a little bit more to you and you feel a little more confident and that’s what I feel at the U.S. Women’s Open.”

Shoal Creek is no stranger to hosting big events, including the 1984 and 1990 PGA Championships. But Shannon Rouillard, the U.S. Women’s Open championship director, says the setup for this week’s championship will be unique.

She says the United States Golf Association has intentionally narrowed some fairways and also added some closely mowed areas around the greens to force players to think about the shot they’re going to play versus just chopping out of thick rough.

Rouillard, who also runs the U.S. women’s amateur championship, remembers watching Henderson as a 14-year-old, and says she is a tremendous player. However, she’ll still need to bring her A-game this week.

“She hits the ball a long way, she’s a good putter ? but she’s still going to have to make the shots, think her way around the course, and manage her game accordingly,” Rouillard said.

Henderson has been solid from tee to green this year, sitting in the top 10 in a handful of key statistical categories. However, she is 73rd in putting average, and has used four different putters this year.

Henderson says she has returned to an older putter that she used for her first LPGA Tour win in 2015, and had that putter in her bag two weeks ago en route to a tie for fourth at the Kingsmill Championship, her fifth top-10 finish of the year.

Her biggest strength is with the driver, and according to Tom Lehman, the former No. 1-ranked golfer in the world who won back-to-back Regions Traditions titles on PGA Tour Champions in 2011-12 at Shoal Creek, that will be a key for success this week.

“If you had to get right down to brass tax, like what is absolutely necessary, you have to drive the ball well. It’s a great driver’s golf course. It’s a sensational course for those who drive the ball well,” Lehman said. “The longer you can hit it, the straighter you can hit it, the bigger advantage you have.”

Henderson never has played Shoal Creek and admits there is a lot of pressure to “learn one of the toughest courses in America.”

But she’s excited for the opportunity to play for one of golf’s biggest titles.

“I do feel that the major championships do fit my game a little bit, because the courses are longer, I tend to play better on tougher courses generally which is always a good thing,” Henderson said. “As long as I’m feeling healthy and not tired, I feel like mentally I can out-grind a lot of the players out there, which is always a really great thing.”

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Minjee Lee birdied the 18th hole Sunday for a one-stroke victory over In-Kyung Kim at the LPGA Volvik Championship.

Lee, who turned 22 on Sunday, three-putted for a bogey on No. 17, dropping into a tie with Kim, who finished her round around the same time. So Lee needed a birdie to win on 18, a reachable par 5. Her second shot landed a few feet to the right of the green, and she calmly chipped to about 3 feet

She made the putt to finish at 4-under 68 and 16 under for the tournament. It was the Australian standout’s fourth career victory and first since 2016.

Kim (67) shot a 32 on the back nine and birdied No. 18, but it wasn’t enough to force a playoff at Travis Pointe Country Club.

Moriya Jutanugarn (65) finished third at 14 under.

Lee took a two-stroke lead into the final round, and that was her margin over playing partner Stacy Lewis before Lewis (71) bogeyed No. 7 and 8. Kim emerged as the biggest threat to Lee when she birdied four of the first five holes on the back nine. Lewis is playing five months’ pregnant with her first child.

Kim and Lee were briefly tied at 15 under, but then Lee made a tap-in birdie on the par-5 14th, while Kim bogeyed 15.

Lee saved par on 15 despite a wayward drive into a bunker, and she’d actually gone 38 consecutive holes without a bogey before making one on the par-4 17th. That, combined with Kim’s birdie on 18, left the two golfers tied, but Lee still had the 18th to come.

Su Oh (68) and Lindy Duncan (69) finished at 13 under, and Megan Khang (67) was another stroke back. Lewis _ playing five months’ pregnant _ finished at 11 under along with Ariya Jutanugarn (69) and Danielle Kang (70).

Lee lost this event by one stroke last year. Shanshan Feng, the 2017 winner, finished tied for 21st this time.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc was the top Canadian finish at the championship. The Sherbrooke, Que. native ended the tournament at 4-under. Fellow Canadians Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. finished with a 1-under.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Britany Marchan shot an even 72 on Saturday at the LPGA Volvik Championship in Ann Arbour, Mich. She started off strong recording two birdies on holes 3 and 4 but then but slowed down recording bogeys on holes 7, 11 and 16 with one more birdie on hole 14.

Minjee Lee shot a 4-under 68 to take a two-stroke lead into the final round, with Stacy Lewis tied for second playing five months’ pregnant.

Lee capped a bogey-free third round with a birdie on No. 18 to get to 12 under, and the Australian standout will try to celebrate her birthday with her first victory of the year. She turns 22 on Sunday.

Lewis (67) birdied five of the last six holes to match In-Kyung Kim (67), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (69) and Lindy Duncan (69) at 10 under. There were nine players within three strokes of Lee.

Play was interrupted for about two hours by a weather delay, but everyone was able to finish.

Lee lost this tournament by one stroke last year.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Brittany Marchand of Orangeville Ont. is the top Canadian through 36 holes, tied for twelfth at the LPGA Volvick Championship at Travis Point Country Club. The 25-year-old will enter round three at 5-under after a second-round 69. Maude-Aimee Leblanc (71) of Sherbrooke, Que.  is 1 under while Anne-Catharine Tanguay (70)  of  Quebec City missed the cut at 1 over.

After losing in a playoff last weekend, Nasa Hataoka is making another bid for her first LPGA Tour victory.

Hataoka shot a 4-under 68 on Friday, and the Japanese teenager led by one stroke over Minjee Lee after the second round of the Volvik Championship. Hataoka, who is coming off the first two top-10 finishes of her LPGA career, made seven birdies at Travis Pointe Country Club. She began her round on No. 10, and her best stretch came toward the end, when she birdied Nos. 4, 5 and 6.

“I’m really comfortable playing the LPGA,” the 19-year-old Hataoka said through a translator. “I’ve really got confidence now.”

Hataoka made the cut nine times in 17 starts as a rookie in 2017, and she has made significant strides of late. She tied for seventh at last month’s MEDIHEAL Championship and nearly won a week ago at the Kingsmill Championship in Virginia.

Hataoka finished the second round in Michigan at 9 under. Lee (69) was also solid Friday. Gaby Lopez (68), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (70) and Lindy Duncan (70) were a stroke behind Lee in a tie for third.

Hataoka did not make a single bogey in last week’s three-round tournament, and she didn’t have any in the first round in Michigan. She finally made a few Friday, but that didn’t stop her from taking sole possession of the lead.

“I kind of feel like not really perfect, but I just kind of try to (be) aggressive,” she said.

Lee, who lost by one stroke on this course last year, is in contention again.

“I guess the fairways are pretty generous and I think the greens are a little bit on the trickier side to read,” Lee said. “As long as your iron shots are pretty solid, I think you’re going to be in good position around this golf course.”

Lee birdied the first two holes, and the only blemish on her scorecard Friday came on the par-5 14th. After missing the fairway to the right, she hit an aggressive shot out of the rough that went straight toward a water hazard well in front of the green. She settled for a bogey after taking a drop.

“I thought the ball was sitting OK in the rough, but it must have been a bit funny, or underneath it,” she said. “I made a mistake. I thought it was good enough to hit 3-wood there.”

Lee lost last year in Michigan to Shanshan Feng, but Feng will have some ground to make up in her attempt to repeat. She shot 69 on Friday but is still eight strokes behind the leader.

Ariya Jutanugarn was 6 under after a second consecutive 69.

Lopez made only six pars in the second round, tied for the fewest of the day, but her eight birdies and four bogeys put her near the top of the leaderboard.

“It was a little bit of an up and down,” she said. “There’s so many opportunities out here to make birdie, that the most important thing to do is just to be patient, to be in the moment and not to get ahead of yourself. I think I came back from a couple mistakes that I did.”

NOTES: In contrast to Lopez, Brittany Lincicome parred all 18 holes Friday and made the cut at 1 under. … Paula Creamer (71) triple bogeyed the par-4 13th. She followed that with an eagle on the very next hole but missed the cut by a stroke.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Brooke Henderson made a late run at the Kingsmill Championship on Sunday, missing out on a three-person playoff by one stroke . The Smiths Falls, Ont., native finished the rain-shortened event at 13 under par to collect a fourth place finish.

“I just had a lot of great energy today. I started off with three birdies right off the start. Felt like I could really go low today, which is a great feeling,” said Henderson. “I came up a little bit short this week, but just to be in the hunt again and to feel that kind of adrenaline and to see my name at the top of leaderboard, it’s always a lot of fun.”

Henderson made it interesting down the stretch with three consecutive birdies in her last four holes, making a charge at the leaders.

“Yeah, it was pretty awesome. I just felt like — I was in the groove, and I felt like I could make birdies and I could make a charge, so I’m really happy I was able to do that,” added Henderson.

Highlights from @BrookeHenderson’s final-round 65 at the @KingsmillLPGA ??? pic.twitter.com/4kSBOW7M1n

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) May 21, 2018

Ariya Jutanugarn arrived at Kingsmill Championship with no expectations, and it was a strategy that paid off handsomely.

The 22-year-old Thai star birdied the second hole of a playoff Sunday to win the LPGA Tour event for the second time in three years.

“I’m going to say I didn’t expect anything this week because I think I have been playing … very good like the last few tournaments and I’m still not winning the tournaments,” she said. “So show up this week, I just tell myself I’m not going to expect anything. I’m going to really focus on the things under my control and make sure I’m going to have good commitment every shot.”

“When I’m thinking about winning, I never win,” Jutanugarn said. She became the 12th winner in as many events on the tour this season.

Jutanugarn closed with a 5-under 66 to match Nasa Hataoka (67) and In Gee Chun (68) at 14-under 199.

Jutanugarn and Hataoka both birdied the first extra hole, with Chun dropping out. The 19-year-old Hataoka putted first on the second extra hole and missed badly from just off the back of the 18th green before Jutanugarn rolled in a 15-footer for her eighth career victory.

“I couldn’t believe I played in a playoff in such an early stage in my career,” Hataoka said. “I’m just going to try to keep going for the rest of the year.”

Jutanugarn’s older sister, Moriya, won the HUGEL-JTBC Championship in Los Angeles in April for her first LPGA Tour victory

Jutanugarn started the day two shots behind Chun and used a stretch of five birdies in six holes to build a two-shot lead before making bogey at the par-5 15th,, one of the easiest holes on the course.

“After that I got a little bit mad, but my caddie just told me … we can’t go back and change anything,” she said. “All we can do is just what we have now. Try to hit a good shot.”

Hataoka, playing with Chun in the final threesome, birdied No. 15 to join Jutanugarn at 14 under, and Chun made a long birdie putt on the par-3 17th to also get to 14 under.

It was the eighth top 10 finish of the season for Jutanugarn, the only player on the women’s tour to have made the cut in every event she’s played.

It was the fourth playoff in the history of the tournament.

The tournament was cut from 72 holes to 54 when rain washed out play Saturday.

Megan Khang was fifth after her third straight 67.

Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., finished at 3 under, while Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was at 1 over.

.@BrookeHenderson on her 4th place finish at the @KingsmillLPGA ???? pic.twitter.com/M0oUeV0w3p

— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) May 21, 2018

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Canada’s Brooke Henderson was able to beat the rain at the LPGA Tour’s Kingsmill Championship, entering the clubhouse with a 6-under 65 before the heavy rainfall began at the Resort River’s Course on Friday. Play has been postponed indefinitely, forcing the tournament to be reduced to 54 holes.

Sixty players failed to finish the second round. They will do that beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. After that, the field will be cut and tee off on the first and 10th holes at 10:30 a.m.

In Gee Chun leads among players who have finished two rounds. She is at 11 under, with Austin Ernst and Nasa Hataoka one shot back.

In Gee Chun shot a 5-under 66 on Friday to take the lead in the suspended second round of the LPGA Tour’s Kingsmill Championship.

Three-quarters of an inch of rain fell overnight on Kingsmill Resort’s River Course, delaying the start of play an hour. Storms developed again in the afternoon and play was suspended for more than hour, then finally called for day at 7:25 p.m.

Chun played in the morning. The South Korean star had six birdies and a bogey to get to 11-under 131.

“I felt good,” Chun said. “I could see the putting lines very well today.”

Chun’s two victories came in major championships in the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open and 2016 The Evian Championship.

“I really like this course,” Chun said. “I always happy to play here and see all the good people from here. Everything was very comfy. Everything is very comfy.”

Austin Ernst (65) and Nasa Hataoka (66) were a stroke back after bogey-free rounds.

“Just really solid,” Ernst said. “Hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens, and then my speed was really good, so I never really had to work too hard all day.”

Ariya Jutanugarn (67) and Angel Yin (66) were 9 under, and Megan Khang (67) was in at 8 under. Jessica Korda also was 8 under with four holes to play.

“Every year here is just like all weather pretty bad,” Jutanugarn said. “Just keep changing.”

Canada’s Brooke Henderson had a 65 to get to 7 under.

“It was a great day,” Henderson said. “I’m happy to move up the leaderboard as much as I did today.”

Defending champion Lexi Thompson (69) and three-time winner Cristie Kerr (68) were 3 under.

Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., is T20 at 5 under par. Maude-Aimée LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., sits tied for 30th at 3 under par.

Wolfville, N.S. – More than 800 graduates from Acadia University will receive their diplomas at ceremonies taking place May 13-14, joining Acadia’s more than 30,000 alumni worldwide. In addition, Acadia will confer Honorary Degrees on individuals who have distinguished themselves in public service, education and professional sports. Among those Honorees will be Canadian LPGA Tour professional Lorie Kane.  Kane, an Honoured Member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame who graduated from Acadia in 1988, will receive a Doctor of Humanities.

“Our Honorary Degree recipients exemplify in every way how each of us can use our background and experience to make significant and meaningful contributions to our communities, our country and to the world,” said Acadia President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Peter Ricketts.

Kane has triumphed on the golf course and is recognized as a leader for the sport. Since her rookie year on the LPGA Tour in 1996, she has won nearly $7 million in career earnings. In that time, she recorded four LPGA Tour victories and 99 top-ten finishes, including eight in majors.

In 1998, she won the Heather Farr Player Award, given by the LPGA Tour to the golfer who demonstrates determination, perseverance and spirit through hard work, dedication and love of the game.  In 2000, she won the William and Mousie Powell Award given by the LPGA Tour to the golfer whose behavior and deeds best exemplifies the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA. In 2006, she became a member of the Order of Canada.

Prior to turning pro in 1993, Kane represented Canada as a member of the Canadian International Team from 1989 to 1992. She was also a member of the 1991 Canadian Commonwealth Team and the 1992 Canadian World Amateur Team. As a CP Ambassador, she embodies ongoing support of women’s golf through the CP Women’s Open and helps advocate and elevate the CP Has Heart charitable campaign which raises money and awareness for heart health.

Congrats to CP ambassador @LorieKaneLPGA on @AcadiaU’s announcement that she will receive an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree! With her dedication to @CPHasHeart, we couldn’t think of anyone more deserving. ❤️?? https://t.co/Tr8I3jiFOx pic.twitter.com/A9p5fWWS3x

— Canadian Pacific (@CanadianPacific) May 2, 2018

Golf fans in Saskatchewan will be able to watch Kane compete live at the 2018 CP Women’s Open, taking place August 20-26 at Wascana Country Club in Regina.

LOS ANGELES – Inbee Park’s flirtation with retirement is in the rear-view mirror.

Backed by a large contingent of South Korean fans, Park shot a 5-under 66 for a one-shot lead Thursday in the opening round of the HUGEL-JTBC LA Open in the LPGA Tour’s return to Los Angeles after a 13-year absence.

Showers ended shortly before Park’s threesome, including second-ranked Lexi Thompson, teed off at windy Wilshire Country Club just south of Hollywood.

Using a new putter, Park birdied four consecutive holes on the back nine before a bogey on the par-4 17th. She quickly recovered and rolled in birdie putts on the second and fifth holes to finish off her round.

“I never played a tournament outside Korea having this much Korean supporters out,” Park said. “I almost feel like I’m playing back home. It’s almost like a little Korea.”

That applies to the food, too, with nearby Koreatown’s restaurants beckoning.

“Too many,” Park said.

The third-ranked Park banished the blade-style putter she used in her Founders Cup victory last month in Phoenix, a playoff loss in the ANA Inspiration and a tie for third last week in Hawaii. She went back to one that feels more comfortable and has brought her success in the past.

“Last week was just an awkward week where I missed a lot of short ones and I just wasn’t really comfortable with the putter,” Park said, “so I just wanted to have a different look.”

The 29-year-old Hall of Famer recently said she was 50-50 about retiring before returning to the tour in early March after a six-month break. Momentum has been going her way ever since.

Marina Alex was second. Thompson was one of seven players at 68 in partly sunny and unseasonable temperatures in the low 60s.

Alex tied Park with a birdie on No. 11. The American dropped a stroke with a bogey on the par-5 13th before rallying with a birdie on No. 14 to share the lead.

Alex found trouble on the par-4 17th. Her ball crossed over a winding creek, bounced and then rolled into the water, leaving Alex looking for it. Eventually, she salvaged a bogey to drop a shot behind Park. After a bad tee shot on 18, Alex managed a par to close at 67.

“I made a lot of the putts that I shouldn’t, I wouldn’t have expected to make,” she said. “I made two great saves on 17 and 18. Kind of got away with some not-so-solid golf shots in the beginning, and I capitalized on some great putts.”

Thompson returned from a two-week break after finishing tied for 20th at the ANA Inspiration, the year’s first major.

She bogeyed her second hole, the par-4, 401-yard 11th, before settling down and birdieing four of the next eight holes, including the 14th, 15th and 16th.

“I changed a little thing that slipped my mind that I was working on earlier in the year,” said Thompson, declining to share the change in her putting technique. “I don’t want to jinx it.”

ANA winner Pernilla Lundberg was among those in the logjam after a 68.

Natalie Gulbis was among five players tied for 10th at 69. Playing sparingly the last two years, Gulbis put together a round that included four birdies and two bogeys.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was the low Canadian at 1-under 70 to tie for 15th. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (74) was tied at 75th, Maude-Aimee Leblanc (75) of Sherbrooke, Que., was in a group tied for 96th and Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay was 5-over 76 to tie for 115th.

Top-ranked Shanshan Feng struggled to a 74 with five bogeys and two birdies.

The venerable course with views of the Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory wasn’t any kinder to eighth-ranked Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie.

Both had up-and-down rounds that included three bogeys and a double-bogey on No. 10 for Kerr and five bogeys, including three in a row, for Wie. Wie, ranked 14th, had a few putts that lipped out.