Creighton in control heading into final round of MCT Men’s Am
The NSGA’s MCT Insurance men’s amateur championship is Myles Creighton’s to lose. Seeking his first amateur title, Ashburn’s Creighton will go into Saturday’s final round with a four-stroke lead over Bruce Tomie of Northumberland Links and five up on Oakfield’s Greg Black.
The NSGA’s MCT Insurance men’s amateur championship is Myles Creighton’s to lose.
“Quite honestly if he shoots under par he’s going to win,” said Oakfield’s Greg Black, Creighton’s playing partner in the final group during Friday’s third round at Oakfield Golf and Country Club.
“It’s going to be a really tough chase tomorrow. I’m certainly not going to do anything crazy and try to shoot 65 to catch Myles.”
Seeking his first amateur title, Ashburn’s Creighton will go into Saturday’s final round with a four-stroke lead over Bruce Tomie of Northumberland Links and five up on Black.
Creighton, who entered the day with a one-shot advantage on Black, started his round with an eagle on the par-5 first hole and a birdie on No. 2. Four-under at the turn, Creighton laboured on the back nine as the strong breezes picked up but still finished the day with a 2-under 70.
“I’m very impressed with how solidly he played and quite honestly he didn’t make a single putt and he was still under par,” Black recalled. “That’s scary.”
“All of his mistakes that he made today were straight. Any mistakes off the tee were miss hits down the middle. He basically doesn’t get himself in any trouble and he doesn’t seem to get flustered by anything.”
Creighton and Black will be playing partners again on Saturday along with Tomie, the 2013 NSGA junior boys’ champion.
Tomie collected three birdies, a couple bogeys and eagled the par-5 17th for a 3-under 69 Friday. Only juniors Benjamin Chasse of Oakfield and Ewan Kelly Jr. of Ashburn had better third rounds. Each fired a 68.
Ashburn’s David Williamson and Trevor Chow and Ryan Dixon of River Hills are seven strokes off Creighton’s pace.
Creighton, who at 4-under for the tournament is the lone golfer in red numbers, feels confident heading into the final round.
“It’s under my control,” the 21-year-old said.
“If I go out and shoot under par and someone comes and shoots a low number and beats me, I’ll tip my cap to them. I’ll be aiming to shoot under par tomorrow
and play it like it’s any other day.
“I’ll go in tomorrow open-minded, get off to a good start and then try to finish this off.”
His play seems to be a continuation of a successful junior season at Radford University in Virginia. With the Radford men’s golf team, Creighton finished in the top 10 in every spring tournament he played in – winning two of them – and was named to the Big South all-conference team.
“Not to knock this course but the courses that we play (in college) are a little bit tougher than this,” Creighton said matter-of-factly. “This one is fairly stress free.
“Obviously when the wind kicks up it plays tougher. But I’ve been playing good lately and I’m just trying to roll with that. I’ve been playing a lot of golf so there’s no time to rest and it’s just been rolling for me.”
The afternoon breezes Friday made things precarious for the final group after the turn.
Chow, who started the day two shots back of Creighton, was 1 under after nine holes. But a double bogey on the par-4 10th led to a 40 on the back nine.
Black was also 1 under through the front nine after back-to-back birdies on Nos. 4 and 5. Over his final seven holes, the 33-year-old had three bogeys as the wind strengthened.
“I hit the ball pretty well today but it was hard to get anything close on the back nine,” Black said. “Our whole group struggled on the back as the wind kicked up. It was hard to get it close to the flag.”
Although nowhere near the 40 km/h gusts, which helped level the playing field during Thursday’s second round, Creighton agreed that the wind did play a factor down the stretch on Friday.
“It did get tougher on the back nine as the wind picked up,” the 54-hole leader said. “The front nine at a dead calm was as easy as it can play. But it did toughen later on but it wasn’t anywhere near the levels of what the wind was yesterday.”
Creighton leads the MCT Men’s Amateur heading into the third round.
Wind was the story of the second round of the MCT Insurance Men’s Amateur at Oakfield, where Myles Creighton leads by a single shot after 36 holes.
By: Stephen Forest Published with the express permission of the LocalXpress
OAKFIELD – The wind blew and the scores soared on Thursday in the second round of the NSGA’s MCT Insurance Men’s Amateur at Oakfield Golf and Country Club.
One day after eight players managed to shoot par or better, including five who got into red numbers, only one managed to shoot par as strong breezes snapped flags and created whitecaps on tiny Fish Lake near the club’s signature par-3 13th hole.
Of the top 25 players on the leaderboard after 36 holes, only three managed to post a lower score in Round 2 than Round 1.
Ashburn’s Myles Creighton followed up a 3-under 69 on Wednesday with a 73 on Thursday to sit alone atop the leaderboard at 2 under for the tournament. Greg Black of the host club has rounds of 70-73 to stand at 1 under midway through the 72-hole provincial championship, while Ashburn’s Trevor Chow turned in the only level par scorecard on the day, a round of 72 that matched his opening round and he’s two off the lead.
“You can’t compare it to yesterday,” said Creighton, who hit an 8-iron from 105 yards on the 12th hole Thursday. He normally hits that club 165 yards.
Other players fell well down the leaderboard, including first-round leader Stuart Lenehan of Grandview, who carded an 81 after opening with a 67.
River Hills clubmates Ryan Dixon and Aaron Nickerson have identical scores of 71-76 after 36 holes.
They’re tied for fourth with Ashburn’s David Williamson (73-74) and Bruce Tomie of Northumberland (72-75) at 3 over.
Brett McKinnon of Lingan (72-76), along with Ashburn’s Jordan Ells (70-78) and Shaun Margeson (71-77) and Lenehan are tied for eighth at plus 4.
Creighton admitted he struggled on the back nine Thursday, mostly because of his putting.
“My putter let me down on the back nine,” he said. “I had four three-putts in five holes. If those are two-putts – they weren’t even hard putts – it’s a 69 in that weather and I’ll take that all day.”
It wasn’t that the 21-year-old was hitting bad putts but he couldn’t seem to get the pace of the greens.
“That’s not a (poor) putting (stroke), that’s just hitting it too hard.”
Black was poised to show off his home course knowledge but the wind helped level the playing field a bit.
“That’s our normal wind direction, but obviously it’s a little more windy than normal but it should have helped me on 12 and 13, especially 13 where it’s hard to gauge the wind coming off the lake,” he said.
Two under when he stepped onto the tee at the par-5 12th, he walked off the par-3 13th with a bogey and a double bogey on his scorecard.
While the others battled the wind or the greens, Chow hit green after green – 15 in all – on his way to a single birdie and one bogey on his round.
“I hit my driver really well today and even though I wasn’t hitting a lot of shots in close to the hole, I was getting within 10 to 30 feet on most holes and two-putting,” Chow said.
He decided the wise play was often to the fat part of the green and that a round of even par on a day like Thursday was going to be a great score.
“I don’t mind the wind,” he said. “I just try to get on the green or near the green and make a lot of pars and maybe the odd bogey and just grind it out.”
The wind was no friend to Lenehan.
“It’s not so much the wind conditions playing tricks on your ball but on your minds sometimes,” he said.
“Sometimes on the back nine — the wind got in my head and made me second-guess a lot of my shots.”
The 27-year-old said after his opening 67 that a low round like that affords a player a bit of a cushion against mistakes as the tournament plays out. He needed all of the cushion and more, but he’s clearly sees his glass as half full.
“Being in this position is great, actually … I shot 5 under yesterday and doesn’t mean I can’t do it tomorrow or the next day,” he said.
“There’s still some golf to be played.
“I definitely didn’t plan on shooting 81 today so I’m 4 over through two days of a tournament and I’m happy with 4 over in this field.”
Creighton, Black and Chow will tee off Friday at 9 a.m. in the last group off the first tee.
Black is looking forward to the round.
“I’ve got some experience in this position but it will be my first time at the Amateur,” he said. “It will be exciting to be in the final group.”
And he’s well aware how important home-course knowledge will be over the last two rounds.
“It’s a huge advantage to be from here. I know all the right spots to miss and where to hit the putts, but hitting them is not that easy.”
NOTES – The cutline of top 60 and ties was 16 over. … NHLer Nathan MacKinnon of Oakfield bounced back from an opening 83 to shoot 79 on Thursday. He missed the cut by two shots. … Play will be off both the first and 10th tees in the third round with play beginning at 7:30 a.m.
After a series of five events over two seasons, the Nova Scotia Golf Association is please to announce the team that will represent Nova Scotia at the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Joining Team NS for the girls are Meghan McLean and Heather McLean of Port Williams and Haley Baker of Halifax. The boy’s team is made up of Shaun Margeson and Benjamin Chassé of Fall River and Matthew Chandler of Chester. All players are members of the NSGA Provincial Junior Team and have been doing technical and mental performance training, and strength and conditioning work since January.
Nova Scotia Golf Association Head Coach and PGA of Canada Professional, Jeff MacDonald will be travelling with the squad as the coach. Anne Balser, a fellow PGA Professional, will serve as the team manager. For both, this will be their first Canada Games.
Jeff MacDonald is excited to see how Nova Scotia juniors stack up. He said, “All the Nova Scotia Juniors who made the team have competed in National Championships. They have great experience and can challenge anyone. They’ve worked hard and will enjoy this rare chance to compete for Nova Scotia.”
Canada Games medals will be awarded to teams and individuals after four rounds of play at Southwood Golf and Country Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Competition is scheduled to begin on August 8th.
In the last Canada Summer Games, held in 2013 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, the boys and girls both finished in 5th place in the Team competition. Four years earlier, in the first Canada Games where golf was contested, the girls finished 5th and the boys finished 7th. Competition is open to golfers who have not reached their 19th birthday.
Canada’s Austin Connelly qualifies for British Open
Canadian Austin Connelly won a four-man playoff at the British Open Qualifier at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club in Deal, England to secure his place at Royal Birkdale from July 20-23.
Connelly carded a 2-over-par 73 in round two of the qualifier to move to 1 under par (68-73) and finish in a tie for third with South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, England’s Guy Woodman, and Welshman David Boote.
“I’m so excited to get to play in The Open. This was only my second time on a links course and I didn’t get to play all the holes in practice,” said Connelly. “It was such a grind but generally I keep it straight and love hitting low, boring draws and love playing in the wind from growing up in Texas,”
The 20-year-old sunk a 15-foot putt on the first playoff hole to secure the third and final spot at the British Open up for grabs at the Royal Cinque Ports Qualifier.
Congratulations to all ?️’s who made it through qualifying.Those we’ve met before and those who’ve made their 1st @RoyalBirkdale_@TheOpen
— Royal Birkdale Golf (@RoyalBirkdale_) July 4, 2017
A graduate of the Team Canada Amateur Squad, Connelly turned professional at 18. He’s currently playing on the European Tour after earning status at the 2017 European Tour Qualifying School.
“I used to play with Todd Hamilton when I was growing up and I remember him beating Ernie Els in the 2004 Open. I may talk to him about what to expect at Royal Birkdale,” said Connelly. “This year I committed to the European Tour and Challenge Tour and I’m really enjoying it so this means a lot.”
His best result this year was a T8 at the Nordea Masters in June, the second top-10 of his rookie season.
Connelly joins Adam Hadwin (Abbotsford, B.C.) as the second Canadian in the British Open field.
River Hills Golf Club set to host the 2017 Women’s Amateur & Senior
RIVER HILLS GOLF CLUB IS SET TO HOST THE NSGA WOMEN’S AMATEUR & SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Nova Scotia’s top female golfers will converge at River Hills Golf Club for the chance to be crowned Provincial Champion.
River Hills Golf Club is set to host the 2017 NSGA Women’s Amateur & Women’s Senior Provincial Championships on July 7th- 9th. The 54 hole stoke play tournament will crown an Amateur and Senior Provincial Women’s Champion. The top three golfers from both the Amateur and Senior will be selected to represent Nova Scotia at their respective National Championships.
The 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Nationals will be held at the Cutten Fields Golf Club in Guelph, ON from July 25th-28th.
The Canadian Women’s Mid-Am and Senior Nationals will be hosted at the Humber Valley Resort in Little Rapids, NL, from August 22nd- 24th.
For more information on the NSGA Women’s Amateur Championship please: CLICK HERE
For more information on the NSGA Women’s Senior Championship please: CLICK HERE
Stuart Lenehan fires a 67 to take the first round lead at the MCT Men’s Amateur
Stuart Lenehan fires a 67 to take the first round lead at the MCT Men’s Amateur
Stuart Lenehan – Photo credit Christian Laforce – LocalXpress
OAKFIELD — Stuart Lenehan’s first round of the MCT Insurance Men’s Amateur turned on his first swing of the day.
It was one he hooked badly off the tee on his opening hole at Oakfield Golf and Country Club on Wednesday morning.
“It didn’t start out very well,” he said. “I hooked one in the woods on 10 with a 4-iron about 20 yards in and got lucky that it bounced out and I started out with a par instead of a seven.”
Three holes later the 27-year-old had an eagle and birdie on his scorecard and was on his way to an opening-round 5-under 67 and the first-round lead.
Myles Creighton of Ashburn is two shots back after a 69, while clubmate Jordan Ells and Oakfield’s Greg Black are tied for third at 70.
Tied for fifth with rounds of 71 are Ryan Dixon and Aaron Nickerson of River Hills and Shaun Margeson of Ashburn.
Past champion Brett McKinnon of Lingan shot 72, while 2015 winner David Williamson of Ashburn carded a 73.
Lenehan’s 67 is his career low round in the Amateur.
“That’s my lowest score outside my own golf course in a tournament so that’s kind of nice to do it in a really good field,” he said.
After a practice round on Monday, Lenehan figured he could be around even par even if his game wasn’t sharp. He admitted he would have been happy with a round of 1 or 2 under.
“When I made eagle-birdie on 12 and 13 — my third and fourth hole — I was thinking I could probably finish in the 60s with a good head start of 3 under through four.”
Lenehan wasn’t the only competitor to come out blazing.
Creighton was 5 under through 10 holes after starting on the back nine and making eagle on the par-5 first.
“I hit it really well all day,” said Creighton, who recently won the Rice Planters Amateur in South Carolina. “I putted good on the front nine and had it 5 under though 10. I was just rolling along and hitting it good coming in and had a three-putt and made a dumb bogey on the last hole.”
The 21-year-old from Ashburn hit 17 greens and two of Oakfield’s four par 5s in two strokes.
“When you do that, it’s hard to shoot high,” he said.
Ells, 22, was cruising along at 2 under through 10 until he found a divot on the second hole, his 11th of the day.
It was one of two bogeys on his second nine but they were offset by two birdies.
“I hit 14 greens today so I just need to get a few more putts to fall,” he said.
And Black rebounded from an early bogey on his third hole with four birdies before a bogey on his final hole in his round of 70.
While Creighton and Ells represent the youth movement in Nova Scotia golf, Nickerson is proudly carrying the flag for the older competitors.
At 47, he was six years older than the combined age of his playing partners on Wednesday and was better than both of them.
“I’m noticing a younger wave of better players and the older fellas like me, Glenn Robinson, Stevie Ward, we’re starting to feel like Ducky Webber and Gerry MacMillan used to feel,” he joked, referring to the two Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame members and past Amateur champs.
Nickerson is a two-time Mid-Amateur champion looking to add an Amateur crown. He’s got the game to do it and it’s rounding into form at the right time.
“I left a few out there today,” he said.
After an uphill three-putt on the 17th hole, he battled home.
“I just got more determined from then on and just grinding and focusing more and got her in with a 71.”
After playing in the morning draw on Day 1, Lenehan will play in the afternoon draw on Thursday. Don’t expect a change in strategy now that he’s posted a low score.
“I play this course crazy aggressive,” he said. “I hit driver almost everywhere. I’m normally pretty accurate with it and I hit it a decent way. When I start to lay off, that’s when I start to hit bad shots.
“I’ve got to stay aggressive. I think most people would stay the same.”
The field will be cut to the top 60 and ties after Thursday’s second round.
NOTES — NHL all-star Nathan MacKinnon of Oakfield teed off in the afternoon flight and drew a nice gallery around the 10th hole for his opening tee ball. He shot 83 in his Amateur debut. “I started a couple of years ago and I’ve practised a lot and love playing in the summer after I work out or skate,” he said after his round.
Digby’s Creighton captures Rice Planters Amateur golf championship in S.C.
Myles Creighton, a member of Ashburn Golf Club who just completed his junior season at Radford University in Virginia, was victorious in a one-hole playoff Saturday at the rain-shortened Rice Planters Amateur championship at the Snee Farm Country Club in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
by: Glenn MacDonald
Published with the express permission of the Localxpress
Golfer Myles Creighton has just completed his junior season at Radford University in Virginia. (RADFORD UNIVERSITY / File)
Before he heads home to Nova Scotia, Digby’s Myles Creighton added another amateur golf victory in the United States.
Creighton, a member of Ashburn Golf Club who just completed his junior season at Radford University in Virginia, was victorious in a one-hole playoff Saturday at the rain-shortened Rice Planters Amateur championship at the Snee Farm Country Club in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Creighton used a final-round 2-under-par 70 to tie College of Charleston’s Michael Sass of Louisville, Ky., at 213, and then won the playoff with a two-putt par.
“I didn’t think what I shot (Saturday) was going to be good enough,” Creighton said in a news release. “This is awesome. I don’t know what to say.”
“I had a terrible practice round. Wednesday (the scheduled opening round that was delayed by heavy rains) I was 2-over after three holes. But then they stopped play and when I came back Thursday to complete the round, I scored well.”
Creighton started the final round three shots off the lead. He made the turn at 2-under 34 and played the back nine even-par with a birdie on the par-5 13th and an eagle-3 on 16.
The Rice Planters Amateur is considered as one of the top amateur events in the U.S.
On Friday, Creighton was named to the VaSID (Virginia Sports Information Directors) all-state university second team.
Creighton capped off his season in the Big South championship tied for fourth individually with a six-under 210 last month. The fourth place finish earned him a spot on the Big South all-championship team. He was the only Radford player named to the Big South all-conference team for his play all season.
He finished in the top 10 in every spring tournament he played in this season, including two victories.
Creighton was also a member of the Big South all-academic team and was the first Highlander named Big South scholar athlete of the year.
The 2014 Nova Scotia junior boys’ champion, Creighton has entered into next week’s Nova Scotia amateur championship at Oakfield Golf & Country Club.
Notable past champions of the Rice Planters Invitational include: Brooks Koepka (2009), Stewart Cink (1993), Tom Lehman (1982), Hal Sutton (1979).
Canadian content ready to shine in Ottawa as the CP Women’s Open converges on nation’s capital for Canada 150
As part of Canada 150 celebrations, the nation’s capital is hosting the stars of the LPGA Tour, including a strong Canadian contingent led by last week’s LPGA Tour winner Brooke Henderson. Golf Canada, in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP), has announced many of the world’s top players have committed to play in the 2017 CP Women’s Open from August 21-27 at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.
Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn leads a stellar list of early commitments set to challenge for the $2.25 million USD purse, one of the largest prizes on tour. A six-time winner on the LPGA Tour, the Thailand native recently climbed to No. 1 in the Rolex World Rankings following her victory at the 2017 Manulife LPGA Classic in Waterloo, Ont.
Three-time CP Women’s Open champion and world No. 2 Lydia Ko of New Zealand will be searching for a record fourth Canadian Women’s Open title. Ko’s three Canadian titles (2012, 2013 and 2015) ties the 20-year-old with Meg Mallon and Pat Bradley for most victories at Canada’s National Women’s Open. A 14-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Ko held the No. 1 world ranking for 85 weeks prior to Jutanugarn.
World No. 3 So Yeon Ryu, who won the inaugural CP Women’s Open in 2014, will also compete at Ottawa Hunt. Jutanugarn and Ryu are among nine of the top-10 players on the LPGA Tour Official Money List who have confirmed their intention to compete in the nation’s capital later this summer.
Other top-10 commitments include In Gee Chun, Christie Kerr, Canada’s Brooke Henderson, Inbee Park, Anna Nordqvist, Sei Young Kim and Sung Hyn Park.
No player will generate more excitement this August in Ottawa than Canadian sensation Brooke Henderson of nearby Smiths Falls, Ont., who will compete in her seventh career National Open, this time in front of hometown crowds at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.
Coming off her impressive come from behind win at last week’s Meijer LPGA Classic, the four-time winner and major champion has amassed 18 top-10s since joining the LPGA Tour in late 2015.
The graduate of Golf Canada’s National Team program is a former world No. 1 amateur and represented Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she finished T7.
A proud ambassador for CP, Henderson will lead the Canadian contingent into Ottawa as part of the Canada 150 celebration events being hosted in the nation’s capital. World No. 71 and Canadian Olympian Alena Sharp of Hamilton will look to improve on her top-five finish at the 2016 CP Women’s Open as she competes in her national
Open for the 13th time. Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member and CP ambassador Lorie Kane, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour will be competing in Canada’s National Open Championship for a record 27th consecutive time.
The world’s best will be at Ottawa Hunt to compete for the CP Women’s Open trophy, with a strong Canadian contingent led by Smiths Falls Brooke Henderson.
LPGA Tour members Jennifer Ha of Calgary and Maude-Aimée LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., are also set to compete and will be joined by several more Canadians to be announced in the coming weeks.
Jutanugarn, Ko and Ryu will be among 10 past champions competing this year along with Brittany Lincicome (2011), Michelle Wie (2010), Suzann Pettersen (2009), Cristie Kerr (2007) and Katherine Kirk who won the event in 2008 when Ottawa Hunt last hosted the stars of the LPGA Tour.
The field of 156 golfers teeing it up at Ottawa Hunt is expected to again represent arguably the strongest field on the LPGA Tour, carrying over from the 2016 event which welcomed 96 of the top 100 players on the LPGA Tour money list.
“We are thrilled to bring the stars of the LPGA Tour back to Ottawa Hunt as part of the special Canada 150 celebrations happening in the nation’s capital and across Canada in 2017,” said Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “Ottawa is a tremendous golf market with passionate golf fans and no doubt the global stars of the LPGA Tour and Canadian talents led by hometown hero Brooke Henderson will make for a truly special event in 2017.”
Information regarding tickets, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the CP Women’s Open can be found at www.cpwomensopen.com.
CP Has Heart Charity Campaign to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario…
Now in its fourth year, CP’s community investment program, CP Has Heart is committed to raising funds in support of children’s heart health in the host community of the CP Women’s Open. The 2017 edition of Canada’s National Women’s Open is proud to have the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) as the beneficiary charity.
The CP Has Heart fundraising activities tied to the CP Women’s Open and CHEO are part of CP’s overarching “Beautiful Hearts” campaign across the Ottawa region which will also run during the CFL regular season, playoffs and Grey Cup
The “Beautiful Hearts” campaign will support the refurbishment of facilities that patients use every day at CHEO and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and celebrate the resiliency and spirit of the human heart.
“At CP, we take great pride in our history of connecting Canada and are thrilled to be in Ottawa for this celebration connecting Canadians with the world’s best golfers – including our CP Ambassadors Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane – and connecting CHEO with opportunities to further its important work,” said Keith Creel, CP President and CEO.
“Our family of 12,000 railroaders is excited about the tournament, but more than that, we are excited to leave a charitable legacy in the nation’s capital. CP Has Heart’s ‘Beautiful Hearts’ campaign will bring crucial support to both CHEO and the Ottawa Heart Institute this year.”
Each year, CHEO touches the lives of more than 500,000 infants, children and youth from Eastern and Northern Ontario, Western Quebec and Nunavut. To better care for these patients, CHEO will be embarking on a $1.8 million project to upgrade the hospital’s Catheterization Lab and Interventional Suite. A redesigned space, specialized equipment and pediatric specific training will be critically important elements in the health and wellness of CHEO’s patients.
Through August 27, 2017, CP will match all donations made towards pediatric cardiac care and research at cheoheart.com. CP will also donate $5,000 to CHEO for every birdie made by a player on the 15th hole at Ottawa Hunt during this year’s championship.
The 15th hole will also feature the 15th Green CP Fan Zone where golf fans can donate $20 to upgrade their grounds pass to access a covered greenside bleacher and viewing area with all proceeds to benefit CHEO.
Since 2014, the CP Has Heart charity campaign has raised more than $4.5 million in support of children’s heart health.
Kids 17-and-under Get in Free… Golf Canada and CP are committed to offering a fan friendly, family event with the CP Women’s Open. To introduce more juniors to the sport, children aged 17-and-under get FREE admission to the CP Women’s Open for the entire week.
Brooke Henderson wins Meijer LPGA Classic to collect fourth LPGA title
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - JUNE 18: Brooke Henderson of Canada imitates a selfie as she poses with the championship trophy during the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic at Blythefield Country Club on June 18, 2017 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Brooke Henderson made it a special Father’s Day.
With father and coach Dave Henderson and other family members watching, the 19-year-old Canadian won the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday for her fourth LPGA Tour title, holding off Michelle Wie and Lexi Thompson by two strokes in cool, windy conditions.
“It was just like the perfect day,” the Smiths Falls, Ont., native said. “My dad is my coach, he’s a great father to both my sister (caddie Brittany) and I, and he’s one of our best friends. He’s with us all the time, and he gave me a lot of lines early in the week that I didn’t know, that I wouldn’t normally take without him there. But he said, ‘If you want to win and you want to contend, you need to take these lines off the tee.’
“I did that and I had an advantage over the rest of the field all four days. So this win, I say it’s for him, but it really is for him because I probably wouldn’t have done it without him.”
Henderson closed with a 66 on the Blythefield layout that was reduced to a par of 69 – the fifth hole was played as a par 3 instead of a par 5 – the final two rounds because of flooding.
Wie finished with a 65, and Thompson had a 69.
Henderson finished at 17-under 263 and earned $300,000. She led after each of the first two rounds, shooting 63-67 at a par of 71, and had a 67 on Saturday to drop a stroke behind Thompson.
Henderson won twice last year, taking the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for her first major, and successfully defending her title in the Cambia Portland Classic.
But she hadn’t won an LPGA tournament since, a winless drought that spanned nearly a year before breaking it Sunday.
“It’s kind of been a little bit tougher season for me, I haven’t got the results that I’ve been really looking for,” Henderson said. “But this week I played really well and things kind of started to turn around for me. So to get my fourth win is super exciting and I’m just excited for the rest of the summer now.”
Henderson had three birdies in a bogey-free round. She birdied Nos. 7 and 8, while Thompson faltered.
“I missed a short one on 10, which I would have liked to have, but then I made a great birdie on No. 11,” Henderson said. “I had zero bogeys on a day like today where it was super windy. And any day on Sunday, there’s that little bit of extra pressure and you’re in contention so you want to play really well so you might push a few more shots than you would like.”
Thompson was 1 over on the first five holes with two bogeys.
Thompson hit one of the longest drives of the day on No. 9, put her approach shot within 20 feet and made the birdie putt to tie for the lead. But she bogeyed No. 10 to fall out of the lead.
“I hit my driver great the whole day, so that was definitely a positive,” Thompson said. “I didn’t roll the putter that well today. It is what it is. I hit two great last putts. I almost made the two long ones.”
Wie shared the lead early in the round and wound up with five birdies and no bogeys.
“It was tough out there,” Wie said. “The wind just started blowing and it was just interesting. Some spots are really wet, some spots are dry, but overall I felt like I played good this week and I’m happy about it.”
Su Oh (64), Madelene Sagstrom (65) and Moriya Jutanugarn (66) tied for fourth at 14 under.
Second-ranked Lydia Ko had a 68 to tie for 10th at 12-under. Top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn, coming off a playoff victory last week in Canada over Thompson and In Gee Chun, had a 69 to for 22nd at 9 under.
Henderson said she’ll be taking the next week off after playing in a charity event Monday in Rhode Island. Her next tournament will be KPMG PGA Championship, where she’ll look to defend her title from last season.
“It’s really exciting and it gives me a lot of confidence going into that tournament knowing that I’m coming off a win,” she said. “Hopefully I can go there to Olympia Fields and defend the championship that really defined my career last year.”
Henderson is the 15th different winner on the LPGA Tour in 2017 and the first from Canada. She is the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour in 2017 and the youngest since her last victory.
