​​February is Heart Month and Canadian Pacific (CP) announced two major charity partnerships that will benefit the beautiful hearts of children and adults in Ottawa through the 2017 CP Women’s Open and CFL regular season, playoffs and Grey Cup.

The overall campaign, titled “Beautiful Hearts”, will support the refurbishment of facilities that patients use every day at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and University of Ottawa Heart Institute and celebrate the resiliency and spirit of the human heart.

CHEO is the official beneficiary of the 2017 CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, August 21-27. The University of Ottawa Heart Institute will benefit from all funds raised through our partnership with the CFL throughout 2017.

“CP is excited to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary in the nation’s capital while supporting two world-renowned hospitals by bringing the best LPGA golfers and CFL players together,” said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO. “Through CP’s community investment program, CP Has Heart, the ‘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 all of 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.

“Technological advancements offering the clearest and most concise images for our doctors are a vital element of the Catheterization Lab and Interventional Suite upgrade that will be funded with the help of CP’s ‘Beautiful Hearts’ campaign,” said Kevin Keohane, CHEO Foundation President and CEO. “The result will be a technologically advanced suite that will allow doctors and technologists to more accurately diagnose, and more gently treat, vulnerable young patients.”

Born with a rare type of congenital heart malformation, Zander Zatylny underwent two open heart surgeries by age one. Now seven, Zander has had eight stents placed into both his right and left pulmonary arteries to improve blood flow. He requires regular monitoring and will need future interventions. He will benefit first-hand from real-time, 3D imaging that will guide his physicians during future procedures.

As children grow into adults, their care transfers to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. Four days after her birth in Vancouver, Olivia Hiddema had her first open-heart surgery. At age two, Olivia and her family moved to Ottawa where the doctors and nurses at CHEO monitored her regularly as she progressed through childhood. When Olivia turned 18, she graduated from CHEO to the Adult Congenital Heart Clinic at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute where she underwent a second open heart surgery at age 20.

Olivia will directly benefit from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s largest expansion in its 40 year history, adding 145,000 square feet of state-of-the-art clinical space to the existing facility. This expansion will allow the Institute to continue to serve the cardiac care needs of Canadians, as the referral centre for hospitals throughout Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, Nunavut, and for many more patients from coast-to-coast who come to Ottawa for life-saving procedures.

“The next five years will be the most exciting of the Institute’s history,” said Jim Orban, President and CEO of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation. “Partnerships like the one with CP Has Heart are vital to the Institute’s evolution and support like this ensures that world-class cardiovascular treatment, programs and patient care are available today, shaping the lives of so many Canadians tomorrow.”

This week, as part of the Ottawa Heart Institute’s “February is Heart Month” campaign, CP is matching donations to a maximum of $7,500, turning your support into up to $15,000 for the Heart Institute. Donate at FebruaryisHeartMont​h.ca​.

For every retweet, Facebook share or ‘love’ reaction of the “Beautiful Hearts” video from the @CFL, the League will donate 50 cents to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

Stay tuned to @CPhasHeart on Facebook and Twitter and at CPHasHeart.ca to see how you can further contribute and help both charities in the coming months.

TOKYO _ Board members at the club that will host the 2020 Olympic golf tournament failed to make a decision about changing their policy of excluding women as full members.

The Kasumigaseki Country Club came under scrutiny recently when the International Olympic Committee inquired about the club’s membership practice. The issue surfaced in mid-January when Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike urged Kasumigaseki to admit women as full members.

The club’s board of directors convened a meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday to discuss the issue but didn’t reach any conclusions.

All 15 board members have to agree to change the club’s by-laws. Kiichi Kimura, the chairman of the board, expressed bewilderment at the predicament.

“We discussed how we should respond after we ask our members how they feel,” Kimura said. “It’s extremely annoying the situation has evolved into what it is so quickly. Right now, we’re confused.”

Founded in 1929 as a private club funded by about 300 wealthy men, Kasumigaseki is one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs in the country and has hosted more top level tournaments than any other Japanese course.

To join Kasumigaseki, an applicant needs to obtain a reference from a current member and pay 8 million yen ($70,800) to become a regular member first, then pay additional 4 million yen ($35,400) to be a full member.

The club does not allow women to become full members or play on Sundays. Only full members can play any day of the week.

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Brittany Lincicome won the LPGA Tour’s Pure Silk Bahamas Classic on Sunday in wind and some late rain, beating U.S. Solheim Cup teammate Lexi Thompson with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.

Playing a group ahead of Thompson, Lincicome birdied the par-5 18th – after dropping strokes on 14 and 17 – for a 5-under 68 and 26-under 266 total. Thompson played the 18th as strong sideways rain blew through the Ocean Club, holing a 3-footer for her third straight par and a 70.

The first U.S. winner since Brittany Lang in the U.S. Women’s Open, the 31-year-old Lincicome won her seventh tour title and first since the 2015 ANA Inspiration. She’s projected to jump from 48th to 34th in the world ranking.

In the playoff on 18, Lincicome hit her second shot to 20 feet and tapped in for birdie. Thompson went through the green in two and missed a 15-footer to end the tournament.

Stacy Lewis, undone by a triple-bogey 7 on No. 14, was third at 25 under after a 71, and Gerina Piller (71) completed the Solheim Cup quartette atop the leaderboard at 24 under.

Lewis was second in 2014 and tied for second last year. She’s winless since June 2014.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., finished in a tie for 21st at 13-under 279. The 19-year-old shot a 70 in her fourth round. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., tied for 24th at 12 under and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was tied for 47th at 9 under.

Nelly Korda birdied the two late par 5s in a 67 to tie for fifth at 21 under in her first start as an LPGA Tour member. The 18-year-old Korda is the sister of Jessica Korda _ the 2014 winner who shot a 65 on Sunday to tie for 16th – and daughter of former tennis player Petr Korda.

Pornanong Phatlum matched Nelly Korda at 21 under, also finishing with a 67.

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Stacy Lewis had two back-nine eagles Saturday in the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Pure Silk Bahamas Classic to put herself in position again to end a long winless streak.

Lewis shot a 10-under 63 at Ocean Club to match Lexi Thompson atop the leaderboard at 23-under 196, one off the tour 54-hole record for relation to par set by Annika Sorenstam in the 2003 Mizuno Classic.

“That was probably the best round I think I’ve ever shot on tour in relation to par, so just a cool day,” Lewis said. “I didn’t exactly hit it perfect, got away with a few shots, but just took advantage of it. I didn’t even know what I shot there at the end of the day.”

Lewis was second in the event in 2014 and tied for second last year, one of her 11 runner-up finishes since her last victory in June 2014. She has 11 tour victories, including two majors.

Lewis holed out from the fairway for eagle on the par-5 11th, birdied the next two, and dropped a stroke on the par-4 14th. She birdied the par-3 17th and made a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th. She had four birdies on the front nine.

“I knew I needed to be aggressive out there today, and it wasn’t pretty at times, wasn’t perfect, but the scorecard turned out great,” Lewis said. “You’ve just got to take advantage. When those miss-hits work out good, you take advantage of it, and that’s what I did today.”

Thompson followed her tournament-record 61 on Friday with a 66. She birdied the final four holes on the front nine and added two more on 14 and 15.

“Coming out here with no wind, it’s just you have to make a lot of birdies to make a move on anybody,” Thompson said. “I shot 7 under and I’m tied, so it’s crazy, but we will see what tomorrow will bring.”

Gerina Piller was a stroke back, birdieing the final two holes for her second straight 65. Brittany Lincicome, the leader after each of the first two round, had a 69 fall two shots behind.

“Really just keeping it in the fairway and keeping it close, and I have had several tap-in birdies, which always helps,” Piller said. “The greens are in great condition and that helps when you hit the ball on line.”

Lewis will join U.S. Solheim Cup teammates Thompson and Piller in the final group Sunday.

“That’s where I wanted to be,” Lewis said. “When I walked up on 18, kind of said I needed that putt to make sure I was in that last group. I think it’s important just to kind of know what’s going on. I did a good job of not looking at leaderboard today, and I want to continue doing that so you get a feel for what’s going on. It’s definitely the goal. The goal coming in this week was to have a chance on Sunday, and I did that, so now it’s just go out there and play golf.”

Israel’s Laetitia Beck ended the run of U.S. players on the leaderboard, shooting a 66 to get to 16 under. Nelly Korda matched Lewis for the round of the day with a 63 to jump from tie for 32nd to a tie for sixth at 15 under in her first event as a tour member. The 18-year-old Korda is the sister of tour player Jessica Korda and daughter of former tennis player Petr Korda.

“I’m so happy to be out here. It’s been my dream,” Korda said. “I was definitely nervous my first day and my first nine holes, and I’m glad I kind of got those nerves out of way, and now I can play some golf.”

Canadian Brooke Henderson was tied for 23rd at 10 under after a 73. Fellow countrywoman Alena Sharp also holds a share of 23rd after firing a 6-under 67.

U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster was 7 under after a 70. She’s starting her 35th tour season.

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn had a 72 to get to 3 under. She won five times last season and took the LPGA Tour player of the year award.

Lewis will join Thompson and Piller in the final group Sunday.

“That’s where I wanted to be,” Lewis said. “When I walked up on 18, kind of said I needed that putt to make sure I was in that last group. I think it’s important just to kind of know what’s going on. I did a good job of not looking at leaderboard today, and I want to continue doing that so you get a feel for what’s going on. It’s definitely the goal. The goal coming in this week was to have a chance on Sunday, and I did that, so now it’s just go out there and play golf.”

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Brittany Lincicome and Lexi Thompson led a U.S. Solheim Cup breakaway Friday in the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Pure Silk Bahamas Classic.

Lincicome shot an 8-under 65 to reach 17-under 129 at Ocean Club Golf Course, and Thompson had a career-best 61 to pull within a stroke.

“The way it’s been going the last two days, the putter has been making everything, which is obviously really fun. If I can keep that up, then it could be good on Sunday,” Lincicome said. “I’m just playing well, and still made everything today. Putter is on point right now and it’s exciting to see.”

Thompson was asked about the possibility of shooting 59.

“I thought about it, but I just wanted to keep on playing my own game and see where it goes,” Thompson said. “I was just pin-seeking the whole day. I was just trying to stay with my routine and have good tempo with my golf swing. That’s just all I’ve been working on.”

Lincicome broke the tournament 36-hole mark, and Thompson shattered the course record of 64 that Lincicome set Thursday. Lincicome had a hole-in-one on the par-3 12th, using a 7-iron from 161 yards.

“When it went in I was like, ‘Do I jump up and down or do I just wave my arms?’ There are so many thoughts that went through my head, but obviously it’s pretty fun,” Lincicome said. “I didn’t feel like I hit the greatest shot, but got away with it and pretty impressive.”

Gerina Piller was third at 14 under after a 65, and Stacy Lewis completed the Solheim Cup quartette at 13 under. Lewis had a 67.

“I’ve really been focusing on trusting my line and trusting my speed, trusting my stroke,” Piller said. “I feel like in my golf game, the long game tee to green I’m a feel player and it seems like my tendency to get on the greens, I kind of lock down and kind of get very mechanical. So really just focusing on really trusting what I have and trusting the line, speed that I choose.”

P.K. Kongkraphan and Megan Khang each shot 69 to reach 11 under. Canadian star Brooke Henderson (65) was 10 under along with Xi Yu Lin (67) and Austin Ernst (68).

U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster made the cut, following an opening 70 with a 72. She’s starting her 35th season on the LPGA Tour

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn advanced to the weekend on the number with rounds of 75 and 69.

She won five times last season and took the LPGA Tour player of the year award.

Michelle Wie dropped out, shooting 73-74.

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Lincicome played a six-hole stretch at Ocean Club in 6 under, capping the run with an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole. She added birdies on 11, 14 and 15, and had only 24 putts _ the first a 30-footer for par on No. 1.

“Putting, I have no idea,” Lincicome said. “We play, we play little games with my husband or friends or whoever, but it’s not like I go to the putting green and work on it for hours. Like it’s just one of those things, hit or miss. Like I had a par save on 16, I did it cross-handed. I putted the last little 2-footer in cross-handed. Just whatever I kind of feel, I just do it.”

The 31-year-old American won the 2015 ANA Inspiration for her second victory in the major and the last of her six LPGA Tour titles. She had the eagle and three birdies on the first four par-5 holes, then settled for a par on the par-5 18th.

“I was making everything _ 30-footers, 10-footers, 5-footers. It was a pretty easy day,” Lincicome said. “I didn’t really have to make too many par saves, which was nice. And would have loved to have had a 4 on that last hole to have no 5s on the scorecard.”

U.S. Solheim Cup teammate Stacy Lewis was two strokes back along with Megan Khang and P.K. Kongkraphan. Lewis is winless since June 2014.

Gerina Piller was at 67 with Celine Herbin and Simin Feng.

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn had a 75. She won five times last season and took the LPGA Tour player of the year award. Top-ranked Lydia Ko is skipping the tournament.

Fifth-ranked Lexi Thompson opened with a 69, and U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster had a 70 to start her 35th season on the LPGA Tour.

Defending champion Hyo Joo Kim shot 71, Canadian star Brooke Henderson closed with a bogey for a 72, and Michelle Wie had a 73.

Five Canadians will be among the 108 competitors kicking off the LPGA Tour season on Thursday in the Bahamas for the fifth edition of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.

The event will be the debut of 14 rookies, including Calgary’s Jennifer Ha, who earned full status in December with a T8 result at Qualifying School. Fellow Canadians Brooke Henderson, Alena Sharp, Maude-Aimee Leblanc and Augusta James are also scheduled to begin their seasons in the Bahamas.

“Yeah, actually I didn’t intend on putting the clubs away for as long as I did, but I think a break is good considering how busy it was last year and I just really enjoyed the rest and relaxation,” Henderson said with a smile. “So right after seeing me we spent a few weeks in Florida and just kind of vacationed a little bit in the sun,” Henderson said. “And then we went back home for a month where it was snowy and cold, we built snowmen, went to tons of hockey games, and just enjoyed seeing friends and family at home.  The last few weeks we went back down to Florida to practice and train and get ready for the season where, you know, practicing just a few little things that I wanted to be a little bit better at this year.”

The break did Henderson good as she enters 2017 motivated to build on an impressive 2016 season where she won twice including her first major at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

“You know, I’d love to get a few more wins and move my world ranking up a little bit. Being number two last year, you know, and then slipping back to eight kind of    it’s a good feeling to be number two so I’m trying to get back there and repeat that.”

The process of trying to climb back up the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings begins tomorrow for Henderson at the Ocean Club.

“You know, this course looks a lot different than it has,” Henderson admitted. “I actually played two years ago too.  I won the money qualifier, but it looks a lot different and looks a lot more scoreable. I think I was a little bit intimidated by it.  But it looks like if the wind stays down a lot of birdies can be made and a low score. So hopefully everything goes my way this week and I get a Top 10 or finish high.”

Rounding out the Canadian contingent is Quebec’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay, who Monday-qualified with a 71 to join the field.

In 2016, Hyo Joo Kim captured her third title on the LPGA Tour with a final round 7-under par, 66 to win at 18-under par, two-strokes ahead of Stacy Lewis, Anna Nordqvist and 2015 champion Sei Young Kim.

Click here for tournament information.

CARLSBAD, Calif., – Today Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) announced that it has reached a Staff Pro agreement with LPGA Tour star Michelle Wie. In addition to being one of the most popular players in the sport, and of its greatest phenoms ever, Wie has been one of the most accomplished players on the LPGA since joining the Tour full-time in 2009.

A 27-year-old Hawaii native, Wie has been in the spotlight since the age of 10, when she became at the time the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship. At 13, she became the youngest player ever, male or female to win a USGA adult event at the 2003 Women’s Amateur Public Links and the youngest player to ever make an LPGA cut. At 14, she became the youngest female ever to play in a PGA Tour event at the Sony Open, and at 16 she turned professional. Despite being one of the most recognized players in the game already, Michelle chose to attend Stanford University in addition to competing professionally.

Since playing full-time on the LPGA Tour, Wie has won 4 times, highlighted by her major victory at the U.S. Women’s open, been among the top-ranked players in the world, and competed on 4 U.S. Solheim Cup teams. She’s also known for being one of the longest hitters on the Tour, and one of its biggest stars both inside the ropes and while engaging her fans through social media.

“Joining Callaway feels like a natural partnership,” Wie said. “I believe that they make the best equipment in golf, and that their clubs are really going to help me have a great year. I also admire how they make the game fun and accessible to fans, and make them feel like they are part of the experience. That’s something that’s really important to me.”

As a Full Callaway Staffer, Michelle will use Callaway clubs, balls and an Odyssey Putter.

Wie will add to Callaway’s tremendous group of talented young players, a list that includes Patrick Reed, 2016 Masters Champion Danny Willett, Wes Bryan, Ollie Schniederjans, Ryo Ishikawa, Branden Grace, Thomas Pieters, and Daniel Berger, whoofficially joined the company as a Tour Staffer this week.

VAUGHAN, Ont. – Golf Town, Canada’s number one destination for golf gear, apparel and services, has announced today a three year endorsement deal with LPGA Canadian professional golfer Brooke Henderson. The 19 year old, now ranked No. 8 in the world, quickly rose to prominence in 2016 with fifteen top 10 finishes, and three LPGA Tour victories including her first major; the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

“I’m so excited to be able to partner with Golf Town and act as an ambassador for them both on and off the course,” said Brooke Henderson. “Growing up, my family would always stop at Golf Town’s around the country to pick up golf gear when I played in junior tournaments, so it will be really fun to head back there as a professional.  We have some great customer events and in-store visits planned and I’m very thankful for the partnership!”

The agreement includes intellectual property rights, Golf Town branding on Henderson’s touring bag, in-store appearances as well as digital and social media content.

“We are excited to partner with one of the most iconic Canadian golfers,” said Chad McKinnon, President of Golf Town. “Our partnership is based on shared values; inspiring more young Canadians to get into the game. Brooke is our first sponsored athlete and there is a reason behind this. While Brooke is a very committed athlete, she’s accessible, refreshing, and connects emotionally with a younger audience. Working closely with Brooke will support our brand transformation and grow the game of golf in Canada.”

This announcement is the first in a series to come from Golf Town, which has recently come under new ownership and management and is strategically rebuilding its presence in Canada.

Here’s the new logo on the bag as well! #readyfor2017 pic.twitter.com/LFsPBiRLUO

— Brooke Henderson (@BrookeHenderson) January 24, 2017

ORLANDO, Fla. – Brooke Henderson did a question-and-answer session with actor Jack Wagner and former pitcher Mark Mulder. On Friday, the Canadian star will tee off alongside Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson and former hockey star Mike Modano.

Henderson and fellow LPGA Tour players Lexi Thompson, Brittany Lang and Brittany Lincicome are joining PGA Tour Champions players and celebrities in the Diamond Resorts Invitational.

“It’s really exciting to meet actors like Jack and get to meet awesome athletes,” Henderson said. “It’s kind of eye-opening for me to see the different talent and how they can go from their careers and go to golf, which is secondary to them, but they’re really, really good. I’m excited for the week.”

The women will play from the same tees as the senior professionals in the modified Stableford event at Tranquilo at Four Seasons Resort Orlando. The LPGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions players are competing for a $750,000 purse, and the celebrities are playing for $500,000.

John Daly will open with signers Jake Owen and Colt Ford.

“To be able to play with Colt Ford and Jake Owen tomorrow is awesome,” Daly said. “They are good buddies, and we’re going to have a nice time. That’s kind of what it’s all about.”

Colin Montgomerie, Kenny Perry and Mark Calcavecchia are among the 27 PGA Tour Champions players in the field. The celebrity field includes Larry Fitzgerald, Patrick Peterson, Justin Verlander, John Lester, John Lackey, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Denny Hamlin, Michael Waltrip and Larry the Cable Guy.

“Whenever you have the opportunity to give back and show others that you care about them and playing golf for a great cause, you can’t beat it,” said Peterson, who will open with Arizona Cardinals teammate Fitzgerald alongside Perry. “I’m happy that I got the invite. Wish I was playing (football) this weekend, but it’s a great getaway to kind of relax and let the football life go for a couple weeks.”

Mulder is grouped with Thompson and Mardy Fish, the former tennis player who won the title year when it was a celebrity-only competition.

“It’s become a little bit more normal, I guess, the more and more of these tournaments I play in,” Mulder said. “It’s still not a great feeling on the tee. Baseball is what I did, and now it’s kind of turned into golf. I was never nervous on the baseball field, but this isn’t technically what I do.”

Swung for the fences today with @BringerOfRain20. On to the weekend with NFL legends @BUrlacher54 and Sterling Sharpe tomorrow! #DRIGolf pic.twitter.com/Nxqkg2WjAn

— Brooke Henderson (@BrookeHenderson) January 14, 2017