OTTAWA, Ont. – When Michelle Liu qualified for the 2019 CP Women’s Open at 12 years, 9 months and 6 days old, it was a record that many thought would last for the foreseeable future.

Then came Lucy Lin.

On Monday, Lin earned a spot in the 2022 CP Women’s Open via a 3-for-1 playoff in the Final Qualifier at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont. and when she tees it up at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club on Thursday at the age of 12 years, 7 months and 12 days, she will become the youngest female ever to qualify for Canada’s National Women’s Open.

The Vancouver, B.C., native scrambled out the gates, making two bogeys and a double on her opening four holes. Five pars followed as she steadied the ship before shifting it into high gear. On the back nine, Lin, who finished as the runner-up in this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, rolled in four birdies to get into a playoff.

 “Honestly, I was just trying to hit every shot the best I can. [I] was a bit nervous, but I tried to just stay patient,” said Lin. “I had a rough start, but I had to come back.”

In the playoff, the 12-year-old made par on No. 7 at The Marshes to advance to her first ever LPGA Tour event.

“I had driver and then like a 128-yard shot and it was dark out, so I couldn’t see really well, but I just tried to do my swing and I tried to make my putt, but it was close,” said Lin.

In the end it didn’t matter. The champion of the NextGen Western Championship’s tap in par booked her ticket to the CP Women’s Open.

Lin says she thinks her mom, who follows her at every tournament, will be on the bag come Thursday and says she looks forward to “seeing those great players and having a great experience.”

The aforementioned Liu also advanced to her second CP Women’s Open with an even-par 72, author of the lowest score of the day along with Gianna Clemente, a 14-year-old from Estero, Florida. Canadian Vanessa Zhang posted a one-over par 71 to clinch her spot at the national championship.

“Just knowing how the overall experience works, I know that’s definitely something that will make the environment a little less foreign to me,” said Liu, who previously held the record as the youngest female to ever qualify for the tournament. “Having the experience of playing in an event where there are spectators and there are camera people, it not being the first time I’ve been in this situation will definitely, I hope, be advantageous to me.”

At the mere age of 12 in 2019, Liu, for obvious reason, found herself far back in the fairway from her older competitors. That is something she figures will change this time around.

“Over the three years from 2019 to today, you know, I hit my driver further, I think I’ve had a lot of experience because I’ve played in other events that really mattered, so I hope that can all coalesce into something that will help me play better.”

The CP Women’s Open takes place August 25-28 at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

OTTAWA, Ont. – Golf Canada, in partnership with the title sponsor Canadian Pacific (CP), announced today the names of 14 players that have earned tournament exemptions into the 2022 CP Women’s Open, August 22-28, at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

Lorie Kane headlines the list of 11 Canadians who have earned exemptions into the 2022 championship. The CP ambassador confirmed in late June that her record 30th career appearance will also be her final go around as a player at the CP Women’s Open. A member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Canada Sports Hall of Fame, Kane made her debut at Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship in 1991 and has played in each of the 29 tournaments since. In 2019, the Charlottetown, P.E.I., native broke the record previously held by World Golf Hall of Famer JoAnne Carner for the most all-time appearances at the event.

Joining Kane in the nation’s capital in late August will be LPGA Tour veteran, Alena Sharp. The Hamilton, Ont., native recorded a top-10 finish at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in mid-July. Sharp will be making her 17th appearance at the National Open Championship where she posted a career-best 4th place finish in 2016.

Also accepting invitations to the championship are a foursome of Team Canada Young Pro Squad members and Epson Tour professionals: Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Toronto, Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C., Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont. and Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont. The 30-year-old Lee-Bentham, in the midst of a career resurgence, will be returning to the CP Women’s Open for the first time since 2016. Osland will be making her third CP Women’s Open appearance having recently qualified for the US Women’s Open Championship as well as the LPGA Tour’s inaugural Palos Verdes Championship in April. Szeryk, who has posted five career top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour since her rookie season in 2019, will be making her seventh appearance at the CP Women’s Open while Costabile, who currently leads all Canadians on the Epson Tour money list, will make her debut at the CP Women’s Open.

Some of the brightest young amateur talents on the Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad will also be joining the field in Ottawa. Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., the highest ranked Canadian on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, earned a spot by way of winning the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship. Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., who plays for Clemson University and competed at the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, also joins the strong Canadian contingent in Ottawa. Fellow Team Canada athlete Sarah-Eve Rhéaume will join LPGA Tour member Maude-Aimée Leblanc in representing La Belle Province at Ottawa Hunt. The 21-year-old Furman University product won the ORORO PGA Women’s Championship of Canada to earn her first CP Women’s Open start.

Team Canada’s National Junior Squad will be represented by a pair of budding stars in Katie Cranston and Lauren Zaretsky. Cranston, 18, of Oakville, Ont., was crowned champion of the 2022 Women’s Porter Cup and will make her first appearance at the professional ranks. A unique consideration for 2022—following two years of event cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic—Golf Canada will honour select exemptions that were previously earned since the last CP Women’s Open was hosted in September of 2019. That leads to Zaretsky, the 2021 Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion, who did not get a chance to play in a CP Women’s Open last year due to the event cancellation. The 18-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., is coming off a T17 finish at the U.S. Junior Girls Championship and will be playing in Canada’s National Open Championship for the first time.

Rounding out the list of early exemptions are 2022 British Women’s Amateur champion, Jess Baker, 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion, Anna Davis, and, finally, the no. 1 ranked player on the Epson Tour, Lucy Li.

“Together with CP we are very proud to welcome this exceptional group of Canadian and international athletes to the celebrated return of the CP Women’s Open,” said Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “Extending playing opportunities through tournament exemptions has always been an important component of the CP Women’s Open and we are very pleased that these talented amateur and professional players can join us at Ottawa Hunt for the 48th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship.”

The Canadian and international players earning exemptions will join a field a stellar field of LPGA Tour stars led by Canadian sensation, two-time LPGA major champion, and honorary Ottawa Hunt member Brooke Henderson, as well as the defending champion and current world no. 1 ranked Jin Young Ko. The pair will also be joined by 87 of the top 100 players on the LPGA Tour’s Race to the CME Standings including global stars Minjee Lee, In Gee Chun, Jennifer Kupcho, Lydia Ko, Lexi Thompson, Ashleigh Buhai, Nasa Hataoka, Nelly Korda, Jessica Korda, Charley Hull, Celine Boutier, Hannah Green, Sei Young Kim, Anna Nordqvist and Danielle Kang.

The field will include seven past CP Women’s Open champions, and 13 of 17 in year winners including all five 2022 LPGA Tour Major winners.

The final field including additional exemptions (excluding Monday qualifiers) will be confirmed on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. Four spots will be up for grabs at the Monday qualifier which will be played at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont., on August 22.

CP HAS HEART CHARITY CAMPAIGN TO BENEFIT THE CHEO FOUNDATION:

Canadian Pacific and Golf Canada are proud to support the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Foundation as the primary charitable beneficiary for the 2022 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. Among the charitable engagements tournament week will be the Birdies for Heart hole on no. 15 at Ottawa Hunt with $5,000 donation made for every birdie made on the hole during the four rounds of the competition. In addition, CP is also proud to support a community beneficiary in the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation in support paediatric cardiac care. In the nine years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, more than $13 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in Canada.

CP WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT RETURNS TO KICK OF TOURNAMENT WEEK:

Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific will host the fifth annual CP Women’s Leadership Summit on Tuesday, August 23 at the Infinity Convention Centre as part of the weeklong excitement of the 2022 CP Women’s Open. The CP Women’s Leadership Summit will bring together like-minded businesspeople from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment, and philanthropy. The Summit, which will be headlined by renowned Canadian venture capitalist Arlene Dickinson as the keynote speaker, will also raise awareness for the CP Women’s Open, with attendees receiving access to the tournament during the week. For more information about the CP Women’s Leadership Summit, including panels, tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.cpwomensopen.com/wls.

2022 CP WOMEN’S OPEN WELCOME “THE RINK” FAN EXPERIENCE:

Golf Canada is pleased to introduce the fan-favourite Rink hole spectator experience to the CP Women’s Open for the first time. The energetic hockey-themed hole, complete with fan-pounding rink boards, volunteers dressed as referees and a surrounding hospitality experience will be situated on par-3 17th hole at Ottawa Hunt.

CP WOMEN’S OPEN BROADCAST:

The 2022 CP Women’s Open will feature four days of domestic and international television broadcast coverage including Canadian broadcast partner TSN as well as international coverage on GOLF channel. For the first time ever, the CP Women’s Open will also be broadcast on US network television with Sunday’s final round coverage on CBS. A full schedule of TV Times and on course activities can be found at www.cpwomensopen.com.

KIDS 12-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 12-and-under get FREE admission to the CP Women’s Open for the entire week.

GOLF CANADA MOBILE APP EXPERIENCE

Spectators at Ottawa Hunt will experience the CP Women’s Open like never before by downloading the Golf Canada Mobile App on their iOS or Android device. Essential features include a live map, mobile ordering, leaderboard & pairings, tickets, breaking news, and unique events. Golf enthusiasts can also use the Golf Canada Mobile App to enhance their everyday golf experience while playing! Find golf courses, track your game, set up matches against friends, access GPS yardages and more. Click here to download.

When Smith Falls, Ont., native Brooke Henderson returns to Ottawa for the CP Women’s Open later this summer, she will undoubtedly be greeted with a rock star reception from the hometown crowd.

Having recently won her second career major at the Amundi Evian Championship, Henderson is now the only Canadian golfer to have captured multiple majors – Mike Weir and Sandra Post both have one each to their names.

While the former Canadian National Team Member led throughout the first three rounds at the Amundi Evian Championship, she did run into a bit of turbulence in the fourth round and had to dig deep to secure her second major.

Despite not playing her best golf in the final round, Henderson stayed composed and was clutch when she needed to be.

“Not the start that I wanted, but I stayed pretty patient, as patient as I could under those circumstances,” she said right after winning at the Evian Resort Golf Club in France.

“The saying is that majors are won on the back nine on Sunday, so I just tried to keep that frame of mind, and knew I was still in it if I could have a solid back (nine).”

Heading into the 18th hole, Henderson was tied at 16 under with American Sophia Schubert but she would drain an eight-foot birdie putt on the final hole to secure the victory.

“I made some clutch putts and shots down the stretch, which really helped. I’m just super excited to have my second major championship win; 12 wins on tour is pretty cool, too,” noted the Canadian LPGA superstar. “Really excited for what the rest of the season holds.”

Two other big tournaments on Henderson’s radar include the Women’s British Open in early August and the CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt Club from Aug. 22-28.

The 24-year-old was home last month for media day and to promote the return of the CP Women’s Open to the nation’s capital. The LPGA superstar spoke about her fond memories from the last time the tournament was held in Ottawa.

“In 2017, when I showed up on Thursday morning, my tee time, I think, was 8 o’clock and I was thinking there’s going to be a couple of people watching. But when I showed up to the first tee there was lines of people on both sides – it was just a phenomenal experience,” said Henderson, who is an honorary member at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum recalls the excitement around the 2017 CP Women’s Open.

“Many will know this story, but Brooke had to make a birdie on her 18th hole in order to make the cut. And what does Brooke do? She makes birdie,” Applebaum recalled.

“She goes out the next day and shoots 63 – a course record. It was a spectacular 24 hours and it was amongst one of most amazing things I’ve ever seen. We have been continually amazed by this athlete over last few years.”

A year later, at the 2018 CP Women’s Open in Regina, Henderson became the first Canadian in 45 years to win Canada’s national open.

The tournament was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but will make its long-awaited return to Canada this year at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

Tournament Director Ryan Paul speaks about the excitement building around the return of the LPGA’s best this year.

“Golf fans in this community have gotten behind our National Women’s Open Championship in a major way,” he said. “We can’t wait to get back to Ottawa Hunt and put on a can’t miss summer celebration.”

Henderson will be joined by fellow Canadians Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Maddie Szeryk, Alena Sharp, Jaclyn Lee, Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Selena Costabile, Monet Chun, and Lorie Kane—who earlier announced this year will be her last. A number of other Canadians are expected to receive exemptions into the star-studded 156-player field in the coming weeks.

One of the new additions for 2022 is the rink which will be situated on the par-3 17th hole. Having also played hockey as a goaltender growing up, Henderson is eager to test out the hockey themed hole later this summer.

“I was super excited when Golf Canada mentioned that they were going to bring The Rink over to the LPGA Tour. I think the fans are going to be so wild and fired up. It will be super exciting and I’m really excited to seeing what it looks like,” she said during media day in June.

Now with 12 LPGA victories and two majors to her name, the 24-year-old Canadian is arguably – at present – the most successful Canadian athlete across all the major sports.

And she is eager to continue that success on home soil later this summer.

“My sixth major on the LPGA Tour is always this one. This is a huge week for me, for us, and I always want to play my best,” said Henderson about the CP Women’s Open.

Given all the success, there’s definitely and buzz and excitement surrounding her homecoming at the end of August. And the 24-year-old from Smiths Falls is eager to bring her ‘A’ game for the pumped up and energetic Canadian golf fans later this summer.

IRVINE, Scotland – Ayaka Furue of Japan ran off six straight birdies in the middle of her round and rallied from a four-shot deficit with a 10-under 62 to win the Women’s Scottish Open on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title.

A seven-time winner on the Japan LPGA _ once as an amateur _ Furue became the second rookie to win on the LPGA Tour this year, and she did it in style at Dundonald Links.

Starting the final round four shots behind Celine Boutier of France, the 22-year-old finished the front nine with four straight birdies and added two more to start the back nine. She never let up, playing bogey-free to win by three.

“I was four shots back. I thought it would be difficult to catch the top, good players. But I’m very happy I played good golf and I was able to come out as a winner,” Furue said. “I had the right mindset. I thought I had to go low, and I played very well.”

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., opened the day in a tie for third, but dropped to a tie for eighth. Her round of 72 included a pair of bogeys and a double-bogey.

Boutier was still in good shape until making three bogeys on the back nine for a 69.

“I started making some bogeys and I feel like it’s not easy, playing in the final group. Then obviously when someone just has their day, you just can’t do anything about it really,” she said.

Furue finished at 21-under 267 and won $300,000, along with valuable momentum going into the final major of the year next week in the Women’s British Open at Muirfield.

She began to show her full potential late last year on the Japan LPGA when Furue won three tournaments in a four-week stretch and tied for third in the other. Furue finished second on the money list behind Olympic silver-medalist Moni Inami, earned an LPGA card through the qualifying tournament and came into the Women’s Scottish Open at No. 30 in the world.

Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea (66) and Cheyenne Knight of the United States (67) tied for third, four shots behind.

Lydia Ko of New Zealand, the 36-hole leader, faded to a 71-71 weekend and tied for fifth.

IRVINE, Scotland – Canada’s Maude-Aimee Leblanc started and finished with birdies for a 66 on Saturday, which lifted her to a tie for third place after Day 3 of the Women’s Scottish Open.

Leblanc, a 33-year-old from Sherbrooke, Que., is tied with Germany’s Leonie Harm on 14 under, one shot off the lead.

Lydia Ko was joined by Celine Boutier at the top of the leaderboard.

France’s Boutier shot a 5-under-par 67 – five birdies on the front nine – to make up four shots on the New Zealander, who could manage only a 1-under 71.

“I really like links golf and playing in windy conditions. I feel like my ball flight is pretty low and so I never really have trouble keeping it down which is an advantage here because the ball doesn’t get affected as much,” Boutier said. “And I had some good memories of playing well in the past so that’s always helpful.”

Ko offset three bogeys with a birdie finish at Dundonald Links.

“My irons were not as sharp so I don’t think I set myself up for as many easier kind of 15 feet and birdie opportunities,” she said. ”I know it wasn’t the best golf I’ve played, but I was able to scramble around. I don’t think it was as bad as I think, and I think because I had two really low rounds it makes me compare more to the past couple days.“

Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea (70) and Lilia Vu of the United States (71) were two off the lead going into the last round.

No. 1-ranked Jin Young Ko was at 1 under overall, and defending champion Ryann O’Toole at 4 under.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Brooke Henderson’s six-year wait for a second major championship title is over.

The Canadian ended a wild final round at the Evian Championship by rolling in an 8-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole to win by one stroke on Sunday.

Henderson, a native of Smiths Falls, Ont., was soaked in champagne by fellow players on the 18th green after an even-par round of 71 that saw her finish on 17-under 267 and ahead of Sophia Schubert, an LPGA rookie who was one of many to make a run at Henderson at Evian Resort Golf Club.

Five players were tied for third a further shot back: Mao Saigo (64), Lydia Ko (66), Charley Hull (67), Hyo Joo Kim (67) and Carlota Ciganda (68).

Henderson, who won the Women’s PGA Championship in 2016 at the age of 18, started the final round with a two-shot lead over So Yeon Ryu. It was wiped out after the first hole thanks to a birdie from Ryu and a bogey from Henderson.

“My coach, my dad, and my mom’s support, and of course Brit (Henderson, her sister and caddie) who’s out there all the time with me, it’s just amazing, and it’s going to be really cool whenwe can all celebrate together.

So began a crazy final round of the fourth major of year, featuring four-putts from Henderson and Ryu, a spectator picking up a ball that dribbled into the rough and landed by her feet and _ at one stage on the back nine _ a seven-way tie for the lead.

In total, there were 13 changes of leader, with Henderson only knocked out of it – briefly – when Schubert (68) made birdie at No. 12 to move onto 15 under.

Henderson held herself together and managed to keep pace with Schubert with birdies at Nos. 14 and 15. The pair were tied for the lead after reaching the 18th, with Schubert playing in the group ahead of Henderson.

Schubert’s birdie putt came to rest barely an inch from the cup just after Henderson had a wild hook off the tee, only for the ball to ricochet off the trees and back out to the rough.

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Henderson laid up and, from 107 yards, sent her third shot to 8 feet. The birdie putt never looked like missing and Henderson bent her knees as the ball fell into the cup.

She was a major winner again.

Henderson will headline the stellar field teeing it up at the CP Women’s Open in Ottawa at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club from Aug. 22-28. Click here to purchase tickets.
 

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) – Brooke Henderson stood over a birdie putt from three feet at the 18th green, a three-shot lead going into the final round of the Evian Championship seemingly at her mercy.

For the first time on Saturday – maybe all week, given her dominance of the fourth women’s major of the year – her putting stroke let her down.

Henderson missed it left, to gasps from spectators around the green at Evian Resort Golf Club. The Canadian couldn’t believe it. Probably those hoping to chase her down on Sunday, too.

Seeking her second major title after the Women’s PGA Championship in 2016, Henderson had to settle for a 3-under 68 in the third round and a two-shot lead on 17-under par – two off the 54-hole record for the tournament.

She is still in a position of strength after opening with two straight 64s, but that missed putt at No. 18 might prove costly.

The closest challengers to Henderson are a former No. 1 and a player breaking new personal ground at a major.

So Yeon Ryu, a two-time major winner from South Korea, shot 65 after three birdies on her last four holes and was alone in second place. The top-ranked player in 2017, when she won the ANA Inspiration for her second major, she hasn’t been in contention this deep into one of women’s golf’s biggest five tournaments for three years.

Two strokes further back on 13 under was Sophia Schubert, ranked No. 283 and without a top-50 finish in a major. The American birdied her last four holes for a 66 and was in new territory alone in third place in just her fifth appearance in a major.

Olympic champion Nelly Korda started the third round in second place, three strokes behind Henderson, but could shoot only even-par 71 _ the worst score of the current top 20 on a warm and still day when only a few tough pin placements kept very low scores off cards.

Korda was on 11 under overall, six shots off the lead and in a five-way tie for sixth with, among others, top-ranked Jin Young Ko (67).

Above them in a tie for fourth place, five behind Henderson, were Carlota Ciganda (67) and Sei Young Kim (68).

If the end to the 2021 tournament is anything to go by, there’s plenty to play for on Sunday.

Minjee Lee made up a seven-shot deficit to third-round leader Lee Jeong-eun in the final round last year and beat her in a playoff.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) – Brooke Henderson is setting the pace in record-breaking style at the Evian Championship.

The Canadian shot a second straight 7-under 64 to take a three-stroke lead after the second round of the fourth major of the year on Friday.

She is the first player in the history of the U.S. LPGA to begin a major with two rounds of 64 or lower.

And Henderson, who is 14 under for the tournament, thinks there’s a reason for her fast start.

“I’ve been having a lot of crepes in France,” she said, smiling. “To keep the momentum going, I’d better have some more.”

Nelly Korda is the only player in the 132-woman field within four shots of Henderson.

The Olympic champion and former No. 1 was three back, having finished birdie-eagle at the picturesque Evian Resort Golf Club to shoot 67.

It is Korda’s fifth event since returning to competitive action after more than four months out because of surgery on a blood clot on her arm.

South Korean players Sei Young Kim (65) and So Yeon Ryu (66) were tied for third place on 9 under, five shots adrift of Henderson. Among the bunch of six players on 8-under par was a Frenchwoman, Perrine Delacour, after her round of 68.

Henderson, who won her only major title at the Women’s PGA Championship in 2016, started her afternoon round four shots behind Korda – who was part of the morning wave – and birdied her first two holes.

There was a bogey at No. 3 and a birdie at No. 9, before Henderson went on a roll over the back nine. She had back-to-back birdies from No. 11 and then made putts from 15 feet, 8 feet and 10 feet for birdies on the final three holes.

“It feels really nice to get off to a fast start in a major championship,” Henderson said.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to do that. To get it this far under par is really awesome and I feel like I’m hitting the ball really well, which is nice, and making some putts.”

The highlight of Korda’s round was her second shot at the par-5 18th, a high fade which landed in the middle of the green and rolled to inside 3 feet from the cup. She made no mistake with the putt for eagle.

Korda said she has been suffering from jet lag and barely slept ahead of the early start to her second round, which opened with what she described as 10 “stress-free” pars.

Like Henderson, Korda has won one major championship – last year’s PGA Championship – and was No. 1 in the world when she stopped playing in February.

Now she is No. 3 and is coming off three top-10 finishes in that little stretch since her return.

First-round leader Ayaka Furue shot 72, nine strokes worse than Thursday, and was in a five-strong group on 7 under.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) – Nelly Korda is just trying to enjoy herself at the Evian Championship after a four-month injury layoff that has given her more perspective about her golf.

Not that she felt so great taking a shot while standing barefoot in a slimy lake.

“I’ve never done anything like that and I must say, it was really gross,” Korda said about her adventure at No. 18 midway through an 7-under 64 that left her a stroke behind first-round leader Ayaka Furue on Thursday in the fourth major of 2022.

Korda was tied for second place with No. 10-ranked Brooke Henderson of Canada, who posted 64 by holing a double-breaker for eagle at No. 9, also her last hole.

Korda’s approach shot at the par-5 18th hole – her ninth of the day after starting at No. 10 – ended up rolling down a bank on the front right of the green and into the water. Her caddie ran up to the green and saw it was possible to make contact with the ball, so Korda removed her golf shoes, waded into the lake, and splashed out to the edge of the green.

Korda went on to make par.

“It was really slimy,” Korda said, making a face before laughing.

The American missed a 12-foot birdie putt at her last hole but still shot her lowest round of the year, continuing her impressive comeback after time out following surgery on a blood clot in her arm.

This is her fifth event since returning to competitive action on June 16 and she has three top-10s in that time. She was No. 1 in the world when she stopped playing and now is No. 3.

“I think I’m a little more chill about it all,” she said. “I’m trying to enjoy myself as much as possible on the golf course.

“I don’t know if my caddie will agree because I do obviously get frustrated here and there but I am trying to remind myself that I’m lucky to be out there. Just enjoy every moment.”

That’s pretty much what Furue did.

A seven-time winner in her native Japan, the No. 31-ranked Furue is looking to back up a fourth-place finish at the major in France last year and rolled in nine birdies after her solitary bogey, at No. 13.

She responded by making birdie at six of her next eight holes and then three of her last four. The one at No. 9, her last hole, was from 8 feet and ensured she shot 63 for her lowest round at a major.

American golfer Cheyenne Knight was in the clubhouse in fourth place at 6 under, a stroke ahead of top-ranked Jin Young Ko and another two-time major champion, Lydia Ko.

In Gee Chun, who won the Women’s PGA Championship last month, was in a tie for 10th place at 4 under.

Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor Canadian Pacific (CP), has announced that many of the world’s top players have committed to compete in the celebrated return of the 2022 CP Women’s Open from August 22-28 at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in Ottawa.
 
Leading the charge is defending champion Jin Young Ko, currently ranked no. 1 in the world and no. 9 on the current LPGA Tour Money List, who won in 2019—more than 1,000 days ago—prior to the past two of cancellation due the global pandemic.
 
Local favourite and 11-time LPGA Tour winner Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., an honorary member of Ottawa Hunt currently ranked no. 10 on the LPGA Tour money list, will join Ko in leading a field of early commitments that include 16 of the top 20 players on the current LPGA Tour money list (10 of the top-10 & 41 of the top-50), seven past CP Women’s Open championships, and 11 in year winners including all 2022 Major winners.
 
The early player commitments to challenge for the $2.35 million USD purse—one of the largest prizes on the LPGA Tour—will include golf’s brightest stars along with rising talents in Canadian golf.
 
Henderson, a CP Ambassador who made history at the Wascana Country Club in Regina in 2018 becoming the first Canadian since the late Jocelyne Bourassa 45 years earlier to win Canada’s National Women’s Open, will be joined in Ottawa by fellow Canadians Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Maddie Szeryk, Alena Sharp, Jaclyn Lee, Rebecca Lee-Bentham and Selena Costabile, as well as a collection of talented Canadian athletes who are expected to receive tournament exemptions in the coming weeks to compete in Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship.
 
Reigning Canadian Women’s Amateur champion Lauren Zaretsky of Thornhill, Ont. has also earned an exemption along with US amateur standout Anna Davis who won the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
 
Canadian golf legend Lorie Kane of Charlottetown, PEI, a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, Order of Canada, and recent inductee into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, will compete in her record 30^th CP Women’s Open. A four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Kane has confirmed that the 2022 event will be her final playing appearance in Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship.

The 156-player field will be returning to the national capital for a fifth time with Ottawa Hunt ready to host their fourth CP Women’s Open and first since 2017. The club is working its way back to premium form following a major storm back in mid-May which caused extensive damage to the golf course including the removal of 1,100 trees on the property.
 
The 2022 edition of the CP Women’s Open will be a be celebrated return to the LPGA schedule and the community is excited with a full roster of 1,300 volunteers confirmed for the event. Ottawa golf fans turned out in record fashion in 2017 to cheer on Henderson, the local sensation along with the stars of the LPGA Tour. Ticket sales are moving with great pace and one of the largest corporate build footprints in event history will see fan and hospitality structures located on holes 15 through 18.
 
“Together with our friends at CP we are very proud after two years of cancellation to be back in our nation’s capital in a big way for the celebrated return of the CP Women’s Open,” said Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “Golf fans in this community have gotten behind our National Women’s Open Championship in a major way and with the additional of fabulous new fan and partner activations as well as digital enhancements to the tournament experience, we can’t wait to get back to Ottawa Hunt and put on an can’t miss summer celebration.”
 
EARLY PLAYER COMMITMENTS:
Ko and Henderson are two of seven past CP Women’s Open champions confirmed for Ottawa Hunt including, Ariya Jutanugarn (2016), So Yeon Ryu (2014), Katherine Kirk (2008), Cristie Kerr (2006) and three-time winner Lydia Ko (2015, 2013, 2012) who will be chasing a record fourth CP Women’s Open title.
 
Ko and Henderson, currently ranked no. 9 and 10 respectively on the LPGA Tour Money List, will be among 16 of the current top-20 players (10 of top-10 / 41 of top-50) on the 2022 LPGA Money List confirmed for Ottawa Hunt including Minjee Lee (1), In Gee Chun (2), Lexi Thompson (3), Jennifer Kupcho (4), Hye-Jin Choi (5), Lydia Ko (6), Atthya Thitikul (7), Mina Harigae (8), Nasa Hataoka (11), Jessica Korda (13), Hyo Joo Kim (14), Celine Boutier (16), Xiyo Lin (17), Eun-Hee Ji (19), and Madelene Sagstrom (20).  
 
CP HAS HEART CHARITY CAMPAIGN TO BENEFIT THE CHEO FOUNDATION:
Canadian Pacific and Golf Canada are proud to support the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Foundation as the primary charitable beneficiary for the 2022 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. Among the charitable engagements tournament week will be the Birdies for Heart hole on no. 15 at Ottawa Hunt with $5,000 donation made for every birdie made on the hole during the four rounds of the competition. In addition, CP is also proud to support a community beneficiary in the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation in support paediatric cardiac care. In the nine years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, more than $13 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in Canada.
 
CP WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT RETURNS TO KICK OF TOURNAMENT WEEK:
Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific will host the fifth annual CP Women’s Leadership Summit on Tuesday, August 23 at the Infinity Convention Centre as part of the weeklong excitement of the 2022 CP Women’s Open. The CP Women’s Leadership Summit will bring together like-minded businesspeople from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment, and philanthropy. The Summit will also raise awareness for the CP Women’s Open, with attendees receiving access to the tournament during the week. For more information about the CP Women’s Leadership Summit, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.cpwomensopen.com/wls.  
 
2022 CP WOMEN’S OPEN WELCOME “THE RINK” FAN EXPERIENCE:
Golf Canada is pleased to introduce the fan-favourite Rink hole spectator experience to the CP Women’s Open for the first time. The energetic hockey-themed hole, complete with fan-pounding rink boards, volunteers dressed as referees and a surrounding hospitality experience will be situated on par-3 17^th hole at Ottawa Hunt.
 
CP WOMEN’S OPEN BROADCAST:
The 2022 CP Women’s Open will feature four days of domestic and international television broadcast coverage including Canadian broadcast partner TSN as well as international coverage on GOLF channel. For the first time ever, the CP Women’s Open will also be broadcast on US network television with Sunday’s final round coverage on CBS.
 
KIDS 12-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 12-and-under get FREE admission to the CP Women’s Open for the entire week.