Monet Chun knows she’s good. This week, she’ll get to see just how good.

The product of Richmond Hill, Ont., is one of four Canadians who will tee off at the U.S. Women’s Open, the third major of the women’s golf season. World No. 11 Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is the top-ranked Canadian in the field, with Chun, Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C., and Celeste Dao from Notre-Dame-de-l’Ile-Perrot, Que., all amateurs.

“It’s just an amazing opportunity, really,” said Chun after finishing practice at storied Pebble Beach Golf Links, which hosts the event this year. “I get a chance to see where I’m at.

“Obviously, I would love to turn pro but that won’t be until after I graduate school. So just a good test.”

All three Canadian amateurs are on the golf teams of NCAA schools. Chun plays for Michigan, Kim attends the University of Texas and Dao is at Georgia.

Chun qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open as the runner-up to last year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. Kim earned her berth at a qualifier at Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C., on May 15, and Dao did likewise at the Duxbury Yacht club in Duxbury, Mass., on June 7.

“I think we’re all pretty excited about it and really good opportunities for all three of us,” said Chun. “I think we just want to play the best we can out here.

“I think it shows that we’re heading in the right direction, that what we’re doing is helping a lot.”

Chun is currently ranked 95th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, having won the Lady Buckeye Invitational this year and the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. That makes her the highest-ranked Canadian on the women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings. Kim is 121st overall and Dao is 1,081st.

Chun said she just wants to focus on her game at the U.S. Open instead of setting any kind of targets for the week.

“I think once I get caught up in score, it’s just going to be a lot in my head,” she said. “So right now, I’m just playing to the best of my abilities and see where my game is at this point and try to make a goal set on that.”

Henderson qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open as the reigning Evian Championship winner, but also would have made it to Pebble Beach based on four other qualifications.

She tied for 15th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on June 25, six shots back of China’s Ruoning Yin. The Women’s PGA Championship was the second major of the season and the most recent event on the LPGA Tour’s calendar.

PGA TOUR _ RBC Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., is No. 10 on the FedEx Cup standings heading into this week’s John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. Adam Hadwin (35th), who is also from Abbotsford, joins him in the field with Adam Svensson (37th) of Surrey, B.C., and Michael Gligic (207th) of Burlington, Ont.

DP WORLD TOUR _ Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is in the field at Made in Himmerland at HimmerLand, Farso, Denmark. The only Canadian on the European-based DP World Tour, Cockerill is ranked 40th on the Race to Dubai standings.

Already the winningest player in Canadian golf history, Brooke Henderson wants more.

Henderson and fellow Canadian Maddie Szeryk have their sights set on bringing home a title when they tee off Thursday at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, which is the second major of the women’s golf season.

Henderson has 13 career wins, including the 2016 edition of the Women’s PGA Championship and last year’s Evian Championship.

“Your career is defined by how many majors you win or if you’re a major champion,” said Henderson from Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J.

“I was really fortunate that I was able to get my first major victory when I was really young, so I avoided a lot of those questions of when I was going to win my first one.

“I’m looking forward to the next opportunity I have to be in contention and in those final groups because it’s such an amazing feeling, especially in a major where there’s more pressure and more eyes on you. It’s exciting to have that opportunity.”

Henderson has been a model of consistency at the majors since 2020, shooting the most rounds in the 60s of any LPGA Tour golfer at the premier tournaments. The 25-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., said that it’s all about rising to the occasion.

“I love major championships,” said Henderson, who is 12th on the Race to CME Globe standings. “They’re very challenging and you have to play smart and when the opportunity is there, then you can play a little bit aggressive.

“I feel like that suits my game really well.”

Szeryk, from London, Ont., will play her second major of the season and third of her career. She missed the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open in 2017 when she was still an amateur, but tied for 18th at this year’s Chevron Championship.

The 26-year-old made the cut at her last four LPGA Tour events and is in the midst of her best-ever pro season ranked 63rd in the standings.

“I’m starting to feel more just at peace and at ease with it all and not super stressed,” said Szeryk, who’s in her sophomore LPGA Tour season. “Even my off weeks, I’m still making the cut.

“I’m not up top but I’m still making cuts and learning from it. That’s just been really exciting to see, I’m getting more comfortable out here and not as stressed out by everything.”

WORLDWIDE GOLF ASSOCIATION – Henderson was asked at Wednesday’s news conference about the LPGA Tour joining the as-yet-unnamed worldwide golf association involving the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

“There’s a lot of unknowns right now. I don’t think we know a lot out here on Tour,” she said. “But I hope if anything further is to happen that the LPGA would be part of the conversation.”

EPSON TOUR – Hamilton’s Alena Sharp sits ninth in the Epson Tour’s race for the card heading into this week’s Island Resort Championship in Harris, Mich. Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., is 37th on the money list and Quebec City’s Sarah-Eve Rheaume is 134th. Those three will be joined at Sweetgrass Golf Club by Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont.

PGA TOUR – Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., is the top Canadian in the field at this week’s Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. He’s No. 32 in the FedEx Cup standings. No. 35 Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., No. 36 Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and No. 119 Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., are also in the field.

KORN FERRY TOUR – Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., leads the Canadian contingent into the Compliance Solutions Championship in Norman, Okla. The fourth-ranked player on the second-tier tour will be joined at Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club by Edmonton’s Wil Bateman and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C. They are 45th and 99th on the points list, respectively.

CHAMPIONS TOUR – Alan McLean, the club pro at Echo Valley Golf Club in London, Ont., is in the field at DICK’S Sporting Goods Open starting Friday at En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, N.Y.

PGA TOUR CANADA – Etienne Papineau of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., is the top-ranked player overall on the third-tier PGA Tour Canada after he won last week’s Royal Beach Victoria Open. He’ll be back in action at the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open in Waskesiu Lake, Sask.

LATINOAMERICA TOUR – Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., sits 16th on the Totalplay cup standings heading into the Jalisco Open GDL this week. Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald is 17th and will also be in the field at Atlas Country club in Guadalajara, Mexico. Max Sekulic of Rycroft, Alta., Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que., and Blair Bursey of Gander, N.L. will also play in the second-last event of the Latinoamerica Tour season.

DP WORLD TOUR – Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is the lone Canadian at the BMW International Open at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried in Munich. He’s 35th on the Race to Dubai Rankings.

Rose Zhang dominated amateur golf like no other female in the modern game. Now the Stanford star is ready to take on the best.

Zhang announced Friday she is turning pro, ending an amateur career in which the 20-year-old sophomore set the Stanford record with 12 wins — one more than Tiger Woods — in only 20 tournaments.

She won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, followed that with her second straight NCAA titles and was No. 1 in the amateur world ranking for 141 weeks, another record.

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She will have no shortage of opportunities — the remaining four majors, including the U.S. Women’s Open and the Women’s British Open — have given her special exemptions.

The Women’s Open is at Pebble Beach, the most iconic of U.S. Open venues, for the first time. While no longer an amateur, Zhang is the first player to get a special invitation to the U.S. Women’s Open without having LPGA status since Michelle Wie West.

“This is a big moment for our sport, and I’m very appreciative of the USGA for the opportunity to be part of it,” Zhang said.

Even rarer is getting an invitation to the Women’s British.

“Rose Zhang is an incredibly talented golfer who has already written her name into the history books as an amateur golfer,” said Martin Slumbers, the CEO of the R&A. “It is very rare that we grant a special exemption for the AIG Women’s Open but we believe that Rose’s exceptional achievements to date warrant her inclusion in the field at Walton Heath.”

Zhang will make her debut next week in the Mizuho Americas Open, a new tournament hosted by Michelle Wie West at Liberty National in New Jersey.

“Rose is one of the greatest amateur golfers in the history of the sport – male or female – and we are thrilled to welcome her into our field,” said Jerry Rizzieri, the president and CEO of Mizuho Securities USA.

It was an example of the hype that Zhang brings with her to the professional game. But then, she has been facing expectations ever since she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur and the U.S. Girls Junior. She was the eighth player to win both, but the first to win the Women’s Amateur (at age 17) before the Junior.

Along with the two NCAA titles — Stanford won the team title last year — the final piece of an incomparable career was the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, already among the elite amateur events because it is held at the home of the Masters.

She also will player the Kroger Queen City Championship in Cincinnati, an event run by Excel Sports, the management agency with whom she signed.

Zhang grew up in Irvine, California, and spent two years at Stanford. Her 12 career titles — the last won was the NCAA — broke the record previously held by Tiger Woods, Patrick Rodgers and Maverick McNealy. She tied the Pac-12 record set by Lorena Ochoa at Arizona.

Zhang first reached No. 1 in the women’s amateur ranking in September 2020. She broke Lydia Ko’s record of 130 consecutive weeks at No. 1, and overall record (141 weeks) that was set by Leona Maguire.

Along with the two Opens, the KPMG Women’s PGA at Baltusrol and the Amundi Evian Championship in France, Zhang has accepted invitations to play the Dana Open near Toledo, Ohio, and the CPKC Women’s Open. She could qualify for other LPGA events by finishing in the top 10.

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While turning pro, Zhang said she would finish her degree at Stanford.

Canada’s National Women’s Open Golf Championship renamed following the historic rail merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern

May 17, 2023 – Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) have announced the tournament known since 2014 as the CP Women’s Open is now the CPKC Women’s Open.

The renaming of Canada’s National Women’s Golf Championship follows the historic combination of title sponsor, Canadian Pacific, with Kansas City Southern. The two railway companies came together April 14, 2023, to become CPKC, the first single-line railway network connecting Canada, the United States and Mexico.

“We are extremely proud to partner with CPKC in this new chapter of the railway’s storied, iconic history,” said CPKC Women’s Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “CPKC remains a major supporter of women’s golf globally and we look forward to introducing the new CPKC Women’s Open brand across the tournament.”

“This event, the lone Canadian stop on the LPGA Tour, showcases CPKC’s continued commitment to our world-class championship that raises significant amounts of money for children’s heart health in a host communities across Canada,” Paul added.   

The 2023 CPKC Women’s Open will be played August 22-27, 2023, at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, B.C.

In nine years of title sponsorship of the CPKC Women’s Open, more than $13.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in the event’s host communities. The 2023 charitable beneficiary of the CPKC Women’s Open will be the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation in Vancouver, B.C.

For more information about the CPKC Women’s Open, visit www.cpkcwomensopen.com

Coquitlam, B.C. – After a competitive 36-holes, Gabriela Ruffels of Indian Wells, California and Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C. have earned direct exemptions into the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open by finishing atop the leaderboard at the U.S. Women’s Open Qualifier at The Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C.

Ruffels, 23, shot a combined 7-under with rounds of 69 and 68 to earn her spot in the U.S. Women’s Open for the third time in her career and credited solid play and patience for getting her back to the U.S. Women’s Open this year, “I hit a lot of fairways out there, hit a lot of good approach shots, hit a lot of greens and was just tapping in for par pretty much the whole day and then just had to stay patient and the birdies came.”

Ruffels won the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur and finished T13 in the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open as an Amateur and is excited to return to Pebble Beach, “I love USGA events, especially at Pebble it’s going to be really historic and unique. I love Pebble, it’s one of my favourite places so being able to go this year is just amazing,” said Ruffels.

Kim, 17, shot a combined 5-under with rounds of 70 and 69 to earn her place in the U.S. Women’s Open. The Team Canada member found herself one back heading into the second round, “I just told myself to keep chasing as if I’m one stroke back the entire round. My dad and I were just working together to push as hard as we could, save our pars whenever we could and make birdies when there was the opportunity, so I think that was key.”

Kim who will be attending the University of Texas later this fall will be headed to the U.S. Women’s Open for the second straight year, “I still can’t wrap my head around it, it’s so surreal. I did it last year and that took a while to sink in, so I think I’ll wake up tomorrow feeling a little happier and excited.”

Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver, B.C. will be the first alternate. The Team Canada NextGen member finished 2-under with rounds of 69 and 73. Today’s qualifier marked the first time that a U.S Women’s Open Qualifier has been hosted in Canada. The field in Coquitlam at The Vancouver Golf Club featured 57 golfers with a combination of both professionals and amateurs competing for two direct exemptions. A record 2,107 entries are competing in qualifiers for spots into the field of 156 players for the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open. This year’s tournament runs from July 6-9 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California.

For the full leaderboard click here.

Even after appearing in 42 majors – and winning two – Brooke Henderson is still learning how to balance the pressure and opportunity of playing in the biggest tournaments of the women’s golf season.

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., is the highest ranked Canadian at this week’s Chevron Championship, the first major of the LPGA Tour season. The 25-year-old Henderson said that she tries to stick to her usual preparation routines while being mindful of playing on some of the biggest stages in women’s golf.

“Everyone has these weeks circled on their calendar and they’re trying to peak for these events, but at the same time, you can’t go too far outside of what you’re comfortable with and what you’re used to,” said Henderson, while seeking shelter from the rain at The Club at Carlton Woods. “We play almost every week out here on tour, so we know what works and what doesn’t.

“I think sometimes you can put a little bit too much pressure on these weeks but at the same time you have to elevate.”

Henderson certainly elevated her game at majors last season, arguably having her best-ever season at the biggest five tournament’s on the women’s golf calendar, including winning The Evian Championship on July 24. She also tied for 13th at last year’s Chevron Championship, tied for 15th at the U.S. Open Women’s, tied for 16th at the Women’s PGA Championship, and tied for seventh at the Women’s British Open.

“I don’t think it will ever get old,” she said about playing in a major. “You walk in here and the atmosphere is just different. Everybody’s super excited and really focused and it’s just the next level.

“These weeks are just next level and you have to really bring your A game if you want to compete.”

Henderson will be joined by Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., in The Woodlands, Texas. It will be the 26-year-old Szeryk’s first appearance at a major as professional, having played in the U.S. Women’s Open as an amateur in 2017.

Szeryk qualified for the Chevron based on her CME Race to the Globe rankings. She’s 65th entering play this week. Like Henderson, Szeryk noticed a difference when practising on Monday.

“I was out playing and it struck me ‘I played my way into a major,”’ said Szeryk. “How exciting is that? I’m just going to enjoy every moment of it.

“We get there and there’s a player gift, they’ve got a fancy coffee bar, the food is great. I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, this is a major.”’

Despite it being a greater stage with one of the largest purses on the LPGA Tour, Szeryk said she isn’t especially intimidated.

“It is a major and it’s supposed to be this big thing but the field is also pretty similar from week to week,” she said. “Obviously, you have all of the top players, but it’s still the same people, my same friend group is out here.

“I’m just trying to not make it bigger than any other tournament.”

Although in many respects the Chevron Championship looks like any other week on the LPGA Tour, it is very different than previous editions of the same tournament.

Originally called the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle when it was founded in 1972, the event has had several name changes but is still colloquially known as “the Dinah Shore.” Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., just outside of Palm Springs, has always hosted the event until this year. Chevron became the named sponsor last year and moved it to the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at The Club at Carlton Woods, a luxury course in The Woodlands, Texas, just outside of Houston, this year.

“It’s all bigger and better here in Houston, which is pretty cool,” said Henderson. “I think we’re all a little bit sad to lose the tradition and history that Palm Springs had like the (winner’s) leap into Poppie’s Pond and the connection with Dinah Shore.

“But so far this week, it’s been an amazing experience here in Houston. (…) I think they’re just trying to make improvements and continue to grow the women’s game.”

 2024 marks first time the historic club will play host to the stars of the LPGA Tour; 50th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship returns to Alberta for the 7th time and first since 2016 

Through Canadian Pacific’s community investment program, CP Has Heart, the event will once again be making a significant contribution to pediatric cardiac care in the host community 

(February 28, 2023) – The stars of the LPGA Tour are headed back to Calgary as Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) have announced that the 2024 CP Women’s Open will be contested at the historic Earl Grey Golf Club from July 22-28, 2024. 

The 2024 CP Women’s Open will mark the 7th time that the province of Alberta has hosted Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship and first since 2016. The 2024 event will be the 50th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship and the first time that Earl Grey will challenge the stars of the LPGA Tour. 

“Together, with our partners at Canadian Pacific and the LPGA Tour, we are very excited to bring the 2024 CP Women’s Open to the world-class city of Calgary and the prestigious Earl Grey Golf Club,” said CP Women’s Open Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “Calgary and the province of Alberta is home to a tremendously passionate golf community, and we are excited to see the LPGA Tour’s best challenge one of Canada’s premier golf courses.” 

Through its CP Has Heart campaign, CP will once again be making a significant charitable contribution to the host community. In its nine years of title sponsorship from 2014-2022, the campaign has raised more than $16 million for children’s cardiac care in the tournament’s host communities. 

“On behalf of the Canadian Pacific team and our more than 2,000-strong Calgary-based employees, we are proud to be part of such a tremendous event and excited to bring the tournament back to Calgary, an integral city within our rail network and home to CP’s headquarters,” said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO. “We look forward to continuing CP’s significant charitable legacy in our home community through CP Has Heart.” 

A host community beneficiary of the 2024 CP Women’s Open will be named by CP and Golf Canada at a later date. 

Originally founded in 1919 as a five-hole layout and now on its current site overlooking the picturesque Glenmore Reservoir since 1932, Earl Grey is world-class championship facility located in the heart of Calgary. The club, which features an 18-hole championship course as well as a nine-hole Par 3, has hosted numerous major provincial, national and international competitions including the Alberta Men’s Open, the Alberta Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships, the Alberta Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships, The Alberta Junior Boys Championship, and the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, in addition to the Alberta Men’s Amateur Championship, the Canadian Junior Girls Championship, and the former Peter Jackson Championship. 

“We are excited to welcome the very best LPGA Tour players to Earl Grey Golf Club for the 2024 CP Women’s Open,” said Marion Burnyeat, Earl Grey Club President. “Hosting this historic tournament gives us the opportunity to share our championship golf course to challenge the top players in the world. The local golf community will come together in 2024 for this world-class tournament supported by the volunteer spirit for which Calgary is known.” 

The Tournament Partners of the LPGA awarded the CP Women’s Open with Tournament of the Year in 2022. Golf Canada and CP also received Gold Driver Awards for Best Sponsor Activation in 2019 and 2022 as well as Best Community and Charity Engagement in 2017, 2019 and 2022. 

“Hosting this prestigious event is a tremendous opportunity to showcase to the world the outstanding local partners and experiences that make Calgary the Ultimate Host City,” says Cindy Ady, CEO of Tourism Calgary. “It has been a pleasure to work alongside Golf Canada to secure the CP Women’s Open for the city and we are thrilled to welcome world’s best female golfers to Calgary in 2024.” 

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 $2.35 million USD. The 2023 CP Women’s Open is being held at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver from August 21-27, 2023. 

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 to inspire the nation’s next generation of female golfers. Brooke Henderson’s historic victory in 2018 was the first time a Canadian had won the National Open since golf legend Jocelyne Bourassa 45 years earlier. 

Information about volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2024 CP Women’s Open at the Earl Grey Golf Club will be available in the coming weeks. 

Canada’s Brooke Henderson is No. 1 on the LPGA Tour standings.

She was elevated to the top spot on the Race to CME Globe rankings on Monday after winning the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

Henderson won the season-opening elite 29-player tournament by four strokes.

The native of Smiths Falls, Ont., now has 13 professional wins, the most in Canadian golf history.

Henderson finished 2022 third in the Race to CME Globe rankings and seventh in the Rolex Rankings.

The 25-year-old remains in seventh in the Rolex Rankings, which evaluate a player’s performance over a rolling two-year period weighted in favour of the current year.

The Rolex Rankings are sanctioned by 10 women’s professional golf tours across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Brooke Henderson has had the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions circled on her calendar for eight weeks.

The Canadian golf superstar has always enjoyed the elite, 29-player pro-am event that starts the LPGA Tour season, but had never won it. She was also looking forward to returning to competitive golf after playing through a sore back at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship on Nov. 19.

She more than met that challenge.

Henderson led the Tournament of Champions from wire to wire, finishing the fourth round 2-under 70 on Sunday for an overall score of 16-under par, four shots better than Sweden’s Maja Stark and England’s Charley Hull. Her 13 professional victories are the most in Canadian golf history.

“I was really looking forward to playing this week,” said Henderson. “I always love this event. It’s so unique and fun playing alongside celebrities and the atmosphere, it’s just a lot different than a regular LPGA tournament.

“To come out and win this week is really the dream start to 2023 and hopefully I can just keep it going.”

Henderson, whose 13 professional wins are the most in Canadian golf history, said it’s a goal of hers to win at least two tournaments each year.

The 25-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., won twice on the LPGA Tour last year, at the ShopRite LPGA Classic on June 12 and the Evian Championship on July 24.

“My goal is always to win a couple of times every year, hopefully more than twice, so maybe this year will be the year when I can win more than twice out on tour,” said Henderson, who said that she and her sister Brittany, who serves as her caddy, are looking forward to playing the Honda LPGA Thailand on Feb. 23 and the HSBC Women’s World Championship on March 2.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to go out there and continue the momentum that we built up this week, and fire some low scores and see what happens.”

Henderson finished 2022 seventh in the Rolex rankings and third in the Race to CME Globe rankings. It’s projected that she will hold the No. 1 spot in the Race to CME Globe rankings on Monday.

On top of addressing her ailing back, Henderson switched to TaylorMade clubs and had her wisdom teeth pulled during the winter break.

“The off-season was really busy. Lots of things happening, a lot of big changes,” said Henderson. “But I couldn’t be happier with the start this week with the new clubs and I felt confident with them.”

Stark has committed herself to adding multiple hours each week to her time spent practising putting, and it showed in her hot play over the final nine holes. Three over through seven, she birdied six of her final 10 holes.

“It gives me a lot of confidence,” Stark said. “I feel I’ve had a good week with my driver and some good irons. The putting, too. I feel like if it keeps going like this, it could be the best year yet.”

Hull was pleased with her finish given the challenges of trying to get her game ready in England in mid-winter. She spent three days practising in Morocco before continuing on to Orlando.

Retired tennis player Mardy Fish of the United States won the celebrity side of the pro-am tournament. He ran away with the celebrity division, making 152 points in the Modified Stableford format. Fish also won the title two years ago. Former MLB pitcher Mark Mulder (136 points) was runner-up.

Annika Sorenstam, a 72-time winner on the LPGA and Lake Nona resident who played among the celebrities and athletes, tied for third with military veteran Chad Pfeifer.

There’s an argument to be made that 2022 was the most successful year in Canadian golf.

Brooke Henderson, Mackenzie Hughes, and Adam Svensson’s combined four wins between the LPGA and PGA Tours were highlights of the season. But the achievements of Canadian golfers were not limited to those victories.

Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith became the first two Canadians to compete in the Presidents Cup at the same time, Mike Weir was named the first-ever Canadian captain of the International team for the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club, and the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open both returned after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s only getting better and that’s been shown on the golf course and it continues to show,” said Hughes, who won the Sanderson Farms Championship on Oct. 2 for the second PGA Tour title of his career. “It’s very exciting to be part of that winning group this year and to add to that total.

“I think that in the years to come you’re going to see those records continue to fall. I wouldn’t be surprised to see us eclipse that total, once again, in 2023.”

Henderson won the 11th and 12th tournaments of her career, adding to her all-time Canadian record. She was victorious at the ShopRite LPGA Classic on June 12 and then won her second career major at the Evian Championship on July 24.

Despite playing through the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship with an injured back, Henderson was still in contention to win the LPGA Tour’s player of the year in the tournament’s final round. Although Henderson tied for seventh at that tournament and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko won the annual award, it was still impressive finish to an exceptional year for the Canadian.

“I just love being in contention and being near the top of the leaderboards on the weekend. Hopefully, I can do more of that in 2023,” said Henderson, who won two tournaments each LPGA Tour season in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. After the circuit lost its 2020 season Henderson won once in 2021 and was eager to start a new streak of multi-win years.

“Hopefully, I can do more of that in 2023. I really wanted to get off to a hot start (in 2022) and try to get more top 10s and be in better positions on the weekends, especially coming off a year where I won one.”

The same day Henderson was finishing out her season, Svensson won on the PGA Tour for the first time of his career with a two-stroke victory at the RSM Classic.

On Sept. 22, Conners and Pendrith made their Presidents Cup debuts. The two best friends were the first Canadian duo to play in a Presidents Cup at the same time, with Hughes and Adam Hadwin also considered to make the International team at the best-on-best tournament at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, N.C.

The next Presidents Cup will have even more of a maple flavour as Royal Montreal Golf Club hosts the 2024 edition and Weir serves as the International team’s captain. The Canadian Golf Hall of Famer joked that after his was introduced as the team captain at Bell Centre on Nov. 30 his phone was blowing up with messages from Canada’s PGA Tour players eager to make the team.

“We have a huge country land-wise to try to bring everybody together as best we can and make sure that they feel like this is part of our golf legacy,” said Weir after closing the Toronto Stock Exchange on Dec. 1. “We want people coming from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, from the East Coast, Halifax.

“I’m hoping they want to come and see the best players in the world compete.”

Top-flight professional golf made its return to Canada in 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic put the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open on hiatus for two years.

Golf Canada reported the RBC Canadian Open drew a record 135,000 spectators to Toronto’s St. George’s Golf and Country Club as superstar Rory McIlroy won the national title for the second consecutive time.

The CP Women’s Open drew over 70,000 fans to Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, earning Tournament of the Year honours from the Tournament Partners of the LPGA. Tourism Ottawa said that the event had an expected economic impact of $13.4 million as the National Capital Region’s hospitality sector tried to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-government protests that gridlocked Ottawa in February.

In recognition of the economic benefits of hosting the two national golf championships, Canada’s Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario gave Golf Canada $4.4 million in September. The non-repayable investment is earmarked for the RBC Canadian Open and theCP Women’s Open.

Mona Fortier, president of the Treasury Board and member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, said the investment will help the tournaments stimulate local economies.

The men’s championship is typically held in the Greater Toronto Area and will be at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in 2023, while the women’s event travels across Canada, with next year’s tournament scheduled for Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.

Garrett Ball, Golf Canada’s chief operating officer, said in September that the organization was approached by the federal development agency about the investment in 2021. He said that the money will go, in part, a new double-decker hospitality suite as well as the development of new mobile phone apps for spectators at the two events.

“Simply put these are innovative assets, that will benefit the championships for the foreseeable future,” said Ball. “In fact, at the RBC Canadian Open in June, these assets were major factors in the announcement of record sales, record crowds, and record media impressions.”