By the time the weekend rolled around at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada National Capital Open there was but two Eastern Ontario golfers and one amateur left playing at the Hylands Golf Club.

Already assured the low amateur title (if there was such a thing), over the final 36 holes Noah Steele of Kingston added rounds of 69 and 71 to his opening 67 and 68 to complete play at -9. That earned him a share of 27th place. Unfortunately two late bogies in his final round dropped him from a share of 12th place, but overall it was an impressive showing for a 19 year-old who also claimed the titles at the Flagstick Open and the Whig Standard Championship this summer. It was a first test against pros for the sophomore at Sam Houston State University.

He earned his way into the event after defeating former PGA TOUR member Matt McQuillan in a playoff at the Monday Qualifier.

Steele spoke with Flagstick immediately after his final round to give his assessment of the experience.

The post Steele Takes Low Amateur At 2017 National Capital Open To Support Our Troops appeared first on Flagstick.com.

Somebody needed to get hot to separate themselves from the field at the 2017 National Capital Open To Support our Troops and Mark Blakefield proved he was up to the task.

With a bottleneck developing early on Sunday at Hylands Golf Club, the Kentucky native burst ahead with a birdie barrage and did not look back.

As overnight leader Charlie Danielson waned with opening bogies, the title looked up for grabs for about a half-dozen golfers. Blakefield himself was not making much of a push after a bogey on his second hole of the day but that all changed on the 5th hole.

That is where the 35 year-old began a run of five straight birdies to distinguish himself and jump into the lead; one he would not relinquish. He added three more birdies on the back side and converted two pars from off the green on the last two holes to keep himself clear of a charging Kramer Hickok.

“You get gotta get it done, one way or another,” said Blakefield “Winning’s never easy, and hardly ever do you just get a walk in the park to the 18th green. Sometimes you have to come up with something when you need it.”

“Come up with something”, he did as his -20 total (65-66-68-65) earned him his first title on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada.

“Obviously it was a great week and I played great, but the one thing was that I threw a few shots away with some bad up-and-downs that I didn’t get. To get those two on the last two holes was fantastic, especially to make those two putts when I needed them,” added Blakefield.

With Blakefield safely in the clubhouse it was left to Hickok to try to make eagle on the final hole, a par four, but a par was all he could manage. It was still good enough for the runner-up finish and also moved him to first place on the TOUR’s Order of Merit.

Top Canadian

Finishing the week at 11-under par and sharing 12th place, Jared du Toit of British Columbia took the top spot among Canadians. For that he earned the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours and a $2,500 prize.

Regional Players

Amateur Noah Steele was the top player from Eastern Ontario. The 19 year-old from Kingston shared 27th place at -9. You can read more about it and hear his assessment of the week at this link.

Charity Wins As Well

The National Capital Open to Support Our Troops announced a donation of $78,200 to Soldier On, a Canadian Armed Forces program that supports currently serving members and veterans to overcome their physical or mental health illness or injury through physical activity and sport.

Final Leaderboard

The post Mark Blakefield Wins National Capital Open To Support Our Troops appeared first on Flagstick.com.

The 2017 CP Women’s Open, which will be held at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club on August 21-27, is set to be a monster of an event. Not only for the club itself, but for the entire Ottawa Valley, a nation that is celebrating a 150th birthday, and for the LPGA TOUR.

Most of the best players in the world will arrive to vie for a share of the $2.25 million USD purse and one of the most coveted titles on tour.

Among the many Canadians who will be in the field, and the one likely to get the most attention given her four LPGA wins achieved by the age of 19, is Brooke Henderson.

The Smiths Falls, Ontario teen will be a major story among a myriad of chapters that could possibly be written that week.

On June 21 she visited the host site for a media day and spent some time with Flagstick.com. In our conversation she addressed the importance of the event to her and the area, gave insight on her recent win at the Meijer LPGA Classic, and shared what she has learned from veteran Canadian pros Alena Sharp and Lorie Kane.

Click the play button to listen to the conversation.

The post One On One – Brooke Henderson Talks CP Women’s Open, Winning, and Mentorship appeared first on Flagstick.com.

After the completion of Monday qualifying for the 2017 CP Women’s Open at the Camelot Golf & Country Club today, the field of Canadians playing in the main event has grown by one.

A score of 70 (-2) or better was enough to earn one of the four spots available for the thirty-two players who competed at Camelot.

Leading the way as co-medalists were Hannah Hellyer, who grew up in Stirling, Ontario and is now the assistant professional at the St. George’s Golf Club in Toronto, and Madeline Sheils of the United States. Each posted a score of 69 (-3).

Also earning a spot in the LPGA event that gets underway Thursday at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club was Ming-g Kim and Alison Walshe, both of the United States and each recording a score of 70 on the day.

With the addition of Hellyer to the field that makes it fourteen Canadians who will vie for the 2017 CP Women’s Open title.

Pos	Player	+/-	Thru	Total
T1	Hannah Hellyer  Canada	-3	F	69
T1	Madeline Sheils  United States	-3	F	69
T3	Ming-g Kim  United States	-2	F	70
T3	Alison Walshe  United States	-2	F	70
5	Christina Foster  Canada	-1	F	71
6	Sarah-Eve Rheaume (a)  Canada	E	F	72
T7	Briana Mao  United States	+1	F	73
T7	Rachel Rohanna  United States	+1	F	73
T7	Julieta Granada (a)  United States	+1	F	73
T10	Anne Van Dam  Netherlands	+2	F	74
T10	Jessica Ip (a)  Canada	+2	F	74
T10	Céleste Dao (a)  Canada	+2	F	74
13	Salimah Mussani  Canada	+3	F	75
T14	Emily Tubert  United States	+4	F	76
T14	Monet Chun (a)  Canada	+4	F	76
T14	Alejandra Llaneza  Mexico	+4	F	76
T17	Cindy Lacrosse  United States	+5	F	77
T17	Emily Romancew (a)  Canada	+5	F	77
T17	Brogan McKinnon  Canada	+5	F	77
T17	Mathilde Denicourt (a)  Canada	+5	F	77
21	Sylvie Schetagne  Canada	+6	F	78
22	Kasumi Kuniyoshi (a)  Japan	+7	F	79
23	Linda Wang (a)  United States	+8	F	80
T24	Mackenzie Barrie  Canada	+9	F	81
T24	Haley Yerxa (a)  Canada	+9	F	81
26	Aram Choi	+10	F	82
27	Georgia Oboh (a)  England	+11	F	83
T28	Alison Timlin  Canada	+13	F	85
T28	Katherine Gravel-Coursol (a)  Canada	+13	F	85
30	Audrey Paradis (a)  Canada	+15	F	87
31	Jasmine Paton  Canada	+19	F	91
DID NOT FINISH
WD	Lory Paradis (a)  Canada

The post Canadian Contingent For CP Women’s Open Grows At Monday Qualifier appeared first on Flagstick.com.

Levelwear Golf wants you to spend a day “INSIDE THE ROPES” with your best golf buddy at the 2017 CP Women’s Open on Sunday, August 27th, 2017.

Simply click this link or the one in the image below (same link) and tell us about the person you would bring and why. Bonus points if that person is also the person who introduced you to the game.

The random draw from entries will be made on Friday, August 25th, 2017 at 2 p.m. and the one winner will be notified by Levelwear immediately.

Alternatively – follow this link: https://final-2.kickoffpages.com/

The (1) winner’s package consists of the following:

·         2 guests with “Inside the Ropes Access”

·         Participants will walk with the scorer and standard bearer for the group, close to the players during their round as spectators and look on from the other side of the ropes.

·         A quick inside the ropes orientation is mandatory prior to the start of play

·         Autographs and pictures will be done after the round

·         No cell phones, cameras, ipods, or electronic devices are permitted to be used during your time inside the ropes

·         A Levelwear Golf apparel package to wear the day of the event

****

Good luck and we hope to see you at the CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club, August 21-27, 2017.

The post Win “INSIDE THE ROPES ACCESS” at the CP Women’s Open Courtesy of Levelwear Golf appeared first on Flagstick.com.

Raoul Menard was the winner of the 2017 Rideau View Pro-Am on Monday, August 21st with his fine score of 8 under par 64. This makes two in a row for him at Rideau View as he was also the winner in 2016.

Flagstick caught up to Mr. Menard and asked what this win meant to him and he replied that he was very appreciative of being able to play on this great course and that he felt at home when he played at Rideau View. On his winning the first prize of $10,000, he indicated that every bit helps him along out on the PGA Tour Canada – MacKenzie Tour and that he used the prize money last year at the PGA Q-School.

Raoul is currently 114th on the MacKenzie Tour having played in 7 events and winning $2,321 so the prize money at Rideau View was certainly welcomed.

One stroke behind Raoul with his score of 65 was Chris Williams and two behind at 66 was Riley Fleming. Tied for 4th place with scores of 68 were Chris Hemmerich, Aaron Cockerill and Christobel Del Sol.

Leaderboard

The post Raoul Menard Repeats At RideauView Pro-Am appeared first on Flagstick.com.

(Ottawa, Ontario) – Since the Fall of 2015, the world has known that the 2017 CP (Canadian Pacific) Women’s Open was coming to the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club. In that time Brooke Henderson has transformed from fledging pro to an established LPGA star with four wins, including a major championship, to her credit.

And in that timeline the expectations on her have only grown – from herself and her fan base, and for what may happen this week in Ottawa. You only need to check the billboards and busses around the National Capital to see that she is the face of this championship. Of course, 155 of the other best players in the world will do their best to ruin the party. It is not a coronation after-all, it is a golf tournament where four rounds need to be played to determine a winner.

In the meantime, as the clock counts down to her opening tee shot on Thursday, and a day into the CN Women’s Open festivities, Brooke Henderson says she is still feeling prepared for the days ahead. And she is also surprised by what has gone on so far.

“Yesterday I was in a Pro-Am, Brooke & Friends Pro-Am raising money which was absolutely amazing, ” Henderson shared during a media conference Tuesday afternoon after a practice session. “But the thing I was most surprised about was I was out with my group and we were having fun, and all of a sudden there were hundreds of people watching, and it was a Monday Pro-Am, you know. Still like four days away from competition, and they were out there cheering me on.”

Positive Vibes

The early audience was startling to the Smiths Falls-raised pro, but in a positive way.

“It was kind of relaxing. It kind of got my mindset on ‘I can handle this’. This is really exciting. I made an eagle on number 9 naturally, and that’s when the biggest crowd was there. I was like, wow, if I can do this today, I think good things might happen on the weekend when I can kind of channel their energy and support for me and kind of use it in my own game and use it to make eagles, to make birdies or to make that clutch par save on the weekend when I really need it.”

Asked whether that matched her expectations from even a few months ago, the 10th ranked player in the world admitted they had changed slightly.

“So I think, if anything, I thought I’d be a little bit more nervous this week. But right now I’m just enjoying everything and trying to embrace it the best that I can.”

In that vein you can sense that she believes that fate and fan support will be on her side this week.

“It’s such an amazing opportunity for me to be able to play at home in our nation’s capital, Canada’s 150th anniversary. CP, I’m a very proud ambassador of them, and for them to support this event as well. Everything’s kind of coming together. I’m also a member here at this Ottawa Hunt Club, so everything’s kind of the perfect fit. I’m really looking forward to four days of competition, and hopefully I can get off to a fast start, and then I can use the enthusiasm and momentum from all the fans and propel me the rest of the week. I’m super excited and can’t wait to get started.”

***

Henderson will begin her quest for the CP Women’s Open title on Thursday at  8:16 a.m. and Friday at 1:31 p.m. She is paired with Cristie Kerr and So Yeon Ryu.

***

Full Field Draw

The post Reality Arrives For Brooke Henderson at CP Women’s Open appeared first on Flagstick.com.

(Bath, Ontario)— The Investors Group Ontario Bantam Boys’ and Girls’ Championships wrapped up on Aug. 23 from Loyalist Country Club in Bath. Once again the players faced a rain delay, although round two’s was nowhere near as long as the delay during round one. The day finished late for the winners but at the end of the two-day event it was Courtice’s Ethan Cardwell taking the Boys’ title, while Markham’s Raesa Sheikh captured the Girls’ Championship.

Cardwell, from the Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, began the day two-shots off the lead thanks to an opening round of even par (72). After three pars to open the round, he dropped a stroke with a bogey on the fourth. He would get it back with a birdie on the ninth and was even after the front nine. Cardwell moved to one-under for the day thanks to another birdie on the 12th. After a bogey on the 16th, he added one more birdie on the 18th. That brought him to one-under (71) for the day and one-under (72-71-143) for the championship. While he did need to wait for one more group to finish, Cardwell would still be declared the winner by two shots.

“This win means a lot to me,” said Cardwell. “I lost by two shots last year, with a good, solid closing round, so it definitely felt good to get the win this year. I have been hitting the ball really well lately, my ball-striking has been key and when my putts have dropped, my scores have been good, whether last week at the (Ontario) Juvenile Championship or here.”

Starting in the second to last group, Cardwell said he had a plan in mind to chase down the leaders. “Coming into the day I picked a number. I thought about 70 or 69 but when I saw the weather, I realized I just needed to stay patient. I dropped a big putt on nine and just waited for my chances.”

Earning the silver medal was Toronto’s Beni Long. Long, from The Country Club, found himself two-over at the turn, however he would find his groove on the back nine with birdies on the 12th and 15th. That helped him finish one-over (73), which is where he ended the tournament (72-73-145).

There was a six-way tie for the bronze medal at a tournament total of three-over. Sharing the medal were: Toronto’s Alex Long (79-68-147), Burlington’s Peter Blazevic (76-71-147), North York’s Gerry Mei (76-71-147), Tecumseh’s Nicholas Tanovich (73-74-147), Little Britain’s Justin Matthews (70-77-147), and Oakville’s William Herbert (71-76-147).

In the Girls’ Championship, Sheikh, from Cedar Brae Golf Club, had a rough start to the round as she found herself five-over at the turn. However, she would settle down on the back nine. She bogeyed the 10th but then birdied the 12thbefore pars on the next four holes. After a bogey on 17, Sheikh found herself on the par-five 18th putting for eagle. She would drain the 15-foot putt for eagle and the win. She finished the day four-over (76) to bring her tournament total to four-over (72-76-148).

Afterwards, Sheikh spoke about the putt that won it all. “It was really scary at first, I didn’t believe that it went in. I was very shaky but I’m glad that it did drop.”

Sheikh acknowledged that she had some struggles early on but talked about how she remained calm. “I tried to shake it off the best that I could. I made myself restart on the back nine and told myself that it was a new nine and just tried to go low.”

Taking the silver medal was Oshawa’s Madelin Boyd. Boyd, from Lakeridge Links Golf Club, had the low round of the day, an even par (72). Boyd bogeyed the opening hole but quickly got the stroke back with back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes. She would bogey 12 and 16, but ended the day strong with a birdie on the 18th. She completed the tournament at six-over (78-72-150).

Rounding out the podium was London’s Jillian Friyia. Friyia, from Highland Country Club, had a share of the lead entering the round. She would battle during the final round and found herself five-over as she made the turn. She would add a pair of bogey’s on the back nine but was able to hang onto the bronze medal finishing the day seven-over (79) and the tournament seven-over (72-79-151).

Girls Leaderboard

Boys Leaderboard

The post Ontario Bantam Championship Decided at Loyalist Country Club appeared first on Flagstick.com.

Five years ago Dr. Michael Hurdzan of Ohio created a new vision for the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club’s golf course, one in keeping with the design of the historic layout, but modernizing the course for its long term future.

This week the 73 year-old former President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects is a very attentive spectator at the CP Women’s Open. He is keenly watching as some of the best female players in the world take on his creation.

On Friday morning we sat down with Hurdzan, also the co-designer of the host course for this year’s U.S. Open – Erin Hills, to get his thoughts on how the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club has progressed from his original vision and how he sees it playing for the top LPGA players. He even provided some insight on where spectators should be watching this week for maximum viewing pleasure.

Dr. Michael Hurdzan on the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club Design and the CP Women’s Open

The post Architect’s Thoughts – Dr. Michael Hurdzan on The Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club appeared first on Flagstick.com.

Brooke Henderson had hearts fluttering on Friday as she languished near the cut line at the 2017 CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.

Saturday was equally emotional, but in a whole new way.

The crowds roared as the teen from Smiths Falls made eight birdies in her third round to climb the leaderboard. Her closing birdie, completing a course record 63, set the fans into a frenzy.

Henderson met with the media immediately afterward to share her own elation and detail how the day played out inside the ropes.

The post Post Round Interview: Brooke Henderson’s 63 at CP Women’s Open appeared first on Flagstick.com.

(Ottawa, Ontario) – On a golf course that many competitors have referred to as “major championship” quality this week, two players who have worked hard to minimize mistakes are leading the CP Women’s Open.

Besides that though, they have little in common save for a score of ten under score after three rounds over the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club. They got there in two every different ways.

Larsen, 24, is a one-time LET TOUR winner ranked 140 in the world. She bombs it off the tee. Her tour stats this week say she is averaging 265 yards a poke but she has had several drives roll out thirty yards beyond that.

Five-under par to start day three, she had accumulated 13 birdies in the first two days but marred her progress with far too many bogies. That changed Saturday as she had just one blemish against six birdies. Her lone mistake came on the 7th hole.

“Today was a just kind of a little bit more solid. I still had a lot of good birdie opportunities and luckily less bogies,” she shared after her round. “Playing really solid and even though I had a little bit of a cold part of the front nine I still kept going and then four under on the back nine was really nice to finish off with.”

Larsen, the 2015 Ladies European Tour Player of The Year, is playing her first CP Women’s Open and is looking very comfortable.

She’ll continue to lean on her length and ability to make birdies as she pursues her first LPGA victory.

“I’ve made 21 (actually 19) birdies so far, so I know it’s scorable, if you just keep your focus off your card, and I did today. So I know I can score low on this course. If you kind of hit the fairways, then it’s quite easy out there.”

Easy or not, Sunday will be a different setting for the Dane as the record Canadian crowds will be lining the fairways. She does not seem phased. For now.

“Yeah, I mean, that will kind of be a new experience for me. While I have Sophie (caddie Sophie Gustafson, a 5-time LPGA winner) there with me, so I’m sure she can kind of help me stick to the plan and keep me calm out there. I mean, I won before on the LET, so, yeah, I’m ready.”

Mighty Mouse

The dynamic game of Broch Larsen is in sharp contrast to that of Mo Martin. Martin, 34, is a veteran with a game that leans on one big thing.

Her greatest asset? Accuracy.

She has only missed seven greens this week in Ottawa.

Since joining the LPGA TOUR in 2012 she has just one win to her credit, but it is one that may help her on Sunday as she pursues her second.

The triumph came at the 2014 Ricoh British Women’s Open and this week that may be an advantage as, according to Martin, the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club has a major-like setup. She noted that during her practice rounds.

“Yeah, right away it was pretty obvious it was going to play like an Open. It’s thick grass, and it’s got a big soaking on Monday from the rain. So that made it even thicker. There are still some puddles out there, but it’s just in great shape. The greens are super fast, and some very tricky pin placements out there. So they’re tricking it up like an open too.”

With that in mind the 56th ranked player in the world has her plan ready for Sunday.

“It’s just course management. It’s just doing your work, doing your homework before and knowing how to play the course once the tournament comes and adjusting to anything that changes.”

***

Martin and Broch Larsen will have company on Sunday. They will be joined in the final group by In Gee Chun who sits one back of the lead at -9.

The trio will hit the first tee at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club at 1:05 p.m.

***

Full Leaderboard 

The post Tee For Two – Nicole Broch Larsen and Mo Martin Share Lead At CP Women’s Open appeared first on Flagstick.com.

It may not have been the fairytale ending at the 2017 CP Women’s Open but ultimately it ended with one pretty damn good champion.

Canadian victory hopes fell on local girl Brooke Henderson, who started the final round three strokes short of the leaders, but she could only manage an even par round (71) to earn a share of 12th place. It did earn her the Sandra Post Medal for the Low Canadian Professional but the big prize went to a player from a far more distant locale.

LPGA TOUR rookie Sung Hyun Park distinguished herself on Sunday with a closing 64 at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club to win the 2017 CP Women’s Open.

The 23 year-old South Korean is no stranger to trophies having lifted the United States Open chalice earlier this year. In her short time as a professional she has also earned ten wins on the Korean LPGA TOUR.  She can play the game, and she proved it this week on a stern test in Canada’s National Capital.

As the lead changed numerous times on a day when nobody seemed to want the title, it was Park who stepped up and easily erased a four-stroke overnight deficit.

“I think it was a perfect game today,” said the Seoul native via an interpreter. “Everything was — there were no mistakes today, and I think it was perfect.”

And perfect it was. Park put seven circles on her card on Sunday against no squares, crowning the two-stroke victory over countrywomen Mirim Lee with birdie on the final hole.

As the reigning United States Women’s Open Champion she is a fitting victor given the course conditions this week. Her -13 total was hard-earned on a layout that several of her fellow competitors mentioned as being at a “major championship” level.

A Nice Fit

“I just feel comfortable on this golf course,” shared the champion. “I think this golf course fits my game. My shots and putting was good. I think this week was just perfect for me. I feel a little nervous when I play in the last group. But I was not today.”

A testament to the number of player in contention over the final round was the five-way tie for third place. That was shared by Shanshan Feng, Nicole Broch Larsen, Marina Alex, Cristie Kerr and In Gee Chun.

For her victory Park earned (USD) $337,500, boosting her year-long earnings to $1,878,615. She is also projected to move to 4th place in the race To The CME Globe.

She also joins countrywomen So Yeon Ryu and In-Kyung Kim as the only multiple winners this year on the LPGA TOUR.

***

While Brooke Henderson finished in a share of 12th place it also proved to be a good week for one other Canadian. Brittany Marchand, a Symetra Tour member playing on a Sponsor’s Exemption, tied for 30th place at -3 total.

Final Leaderboard

The post A Perfect Walk In The Park – Sung Hyun Park Wins 2017 CP Women’s Open appeared first on Flagstick.com.

By Chris Stevenson, Rideau View Golf Insider

So, when do we get to do that again?

Short of Brooke Henderson lifting the trophy on the 18th green at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in the golden rays of the late afternoon sun on Sunday, you couldn’t have asked for a better week of championship golf at the CP Women’s Open.

Henderson, the star of the show from Smiths Falls, did her best to provide the theatrics, making the cut on Friday on the number, crafting a sublime bogey-free, course-record 63 on Saturday to get into contention and make Sunday interesting.

She had a final round 71 and had her best finish in this tournament with a tie for 12th, but after a bogey on the first hole and bogey on the par-5 sixth, she was never really a factor despite how hard the thousands that line the fairways wished for it to happen.

Still, a great week.

Storylines? There was 70-year-old Al Pollock taking one for the team, getting hit by Henderson’s drive on his left forearm on the sixth hole on Friday and keeping the ball from the cedars and Henderson from making a sure bogey as she rode the cut line.

It was American veteran Cristie Kerr, who played 54 holes with Henderson, draping an arm over her shoulders Friday on the 15th hole when she could see the toll the pressure the home game was taking out of the 19-year-old.

“She had so much pressure on her this week, you know, more than a major, I told her,” Kerr said. “I was joking around, but it was true. Look at all the people out here for her, they all want her to do well and she wants to do well for them. You could see she was tight. I didn’t want her to miss the cut.

“I just thought it would be really good for the tournament if she played better. So I just kind of put my arm around her and I said, ‘it’s time to dig, kid,’ and she said, ‘I’m digging.’ I said, ‘dig harder.’”

Henderson birdied the ninth hole (her last of the second round) to make the cut on the number.

Her 63 on Saturday was Henderson at her best, aggressive, booming drives, playing aggressively, bending the course to her will.

Henderson faced a different kind of pressure on Sunday. She didn’t want to let anybody down by missing the cut on Friday. Now it was about winning.

“I wasn’t nervous, but I had some tension,” Henderson said. “I wanted it so badly that it kind of affected me a little with some of the shots that I hit. Some of the putts, they were so close to going in, it kind of got me down a little bit that they just rubbed the edge or stayed on the lip a couple of times.”

It started with bogey on the first hole. A flag tucked on the left demanded a shot to the middle of the green and a look from there. She’s won four times, including a major, but she’s still got stuff to learn.

“At the last second I wanted to chase the pin,” she said, “and you couldn’t chase that pin it was so close to the left edge.”

Bingo. If that was a lesson learned, it’s an even better week for her.

Not to mention just dealing with the weight of expectations and being pulled in a bunch of different directions as the week unfolded.

Brooke Henderson’s dad and coach, Dave, saw it all.

“To get a 12th, is absolutely spectacular,” he said, “and it’s over the top under that kind of pressure,” he said.

A Return Engagement? 

It might all add up to an historic week. The numbers will have to be tallied, but it could be an attendance record for the Canadian Women’s Open, somewhere north of 77,000.

It would have been a good week to hit the drive through for a coffee in Smiths Falls. No wait, given it seemed like everybody was at the Hunt.

“It was trending to be a record and certainly today is going to be no exception,” Golf Canada tournament director Bill Paul said as he stood by the 18th green for the closing ceremony. “I think the way Brooke finished on Saturday set everybody up for Sunday.

“We knew coming to Ottawa in 2017, 150th birthday, nation’s capital, we knew it was going to be special. We know Ottawa has got a pretty passionate market for supporting sports and especially golf, a great golf market. We had a good formula. A young lady that lived about 45 miles west of here that certainly made a big difference in it. We’ve had record crowds over the last four or five years of this tournament. It’s been a very, very special week.”

So, when do we get to do it again?

Golf Canada and CP have a natural drawing card in Henderson playing close to her hometown. Even having the tournament in Montreal, a pretty easy commute for her thousands of fans, is not a bad Plan B (next year’s tournament is in Regina).

“We’re excited to come back here with or without Brooke,” said Paul. “You’ve had four great tournaments here (also at the Hunt in 1994 and 2008 and at Royal Ottawa in 2000). It’s a great market for us. We’d be a fool not to come back, but what is the right time to come back? This one just finished. Ottawa is always going to be in our minds to bring this event back here.”

Henderson was the drawing card and handled it magnificently.

“These crowds were so incredible,” she said. “I just could never have imagined this many people coming out to watch me golf. It’s amazing. Definitely a week I will remember forever.”

She’s not the only one.

***

Follow me on Twitter: @CJ_Stevenson

The post No Brooke Henderson Win But Still A Victory For Golf at The CP Women’s Open appeared first on Flagstick.com.

Taking care of your body is in important step in achieving your best results on the golf course, and feeling better away from the fairways as well.

In the second of this Five-Part Video Series produced in cooperation with the AMPED Sports Lab and Ice Complex, Chelsea Roesler, Registered Physiotherapist (BA Kin, MSc. PT), will teach you some TPI-Certified golf specific stretches and exercises to build the proper flexibility and strength for an efficient golf swing!

For more on AMPED Sport Lab and Ice Complex, check them out at www.ampedsportslab.com

#AmpedSportsLab

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KZG, a company that specializes in clubs meant to be custom fitted and built by a club fitting professional, has introduced its LDI Irons (Long Distance Irons).

They say the irons are designed for those looking to rekindle their youth-like distances.

“We designed the LDI Irons specifically for golfers who want greater distance with optimal forgiveness”, reports Jennifer King, President of KZG.  “Seniors especially want to make their game ‘young again’, and have been frustrated with the loss of distance. To cater to these golfers, we now offer the LDI Irons to literally give them the kick they need.”

The LDI feature an insert of forged 17-4 stainless steel with a micro-milled face and laser cut scorelines. The body of each iron head is a softer 431 steel that is heat treated to give a softer, more vibration- dampening feel.  This softer material also allows for easier adjustments for the golfer’s unique swing.

The larger clubhead should be a real confidence builder. The wider and heavier sole offers stability and aids in getting the ball launched. The deep perimeter weighting provides extra forgiveness.

KZG offers 14 distinctly different iron models to be able to perfectly fit every golfer. The LDI are suited for seniors, recreational players, golfers with slow swing speeds, and beginners.

Available in RH and LH from #4-9, PW, AW and SW. They can be purchased in any configuration or in singles, making the LDI suitable for players who may want to just start with a few irons before moving into a full set.

The post Product Watch – KZG LDI Irons appeared first on Flagstick.com.

eQuinelle has an exciting offer that will allow you to enjoy our award-winning golf course at an exceptional price for the rest of 2017 and to save on 2018 membership. Check out our offer at [...]

The post eQuinelle Golf Club – Join Now, Enjoy The Rest of The Season, And Save! appeared first on Flagstick.com.

It’s that time of year in Canada. Time to tuck away the shorts and consider some outerwear pieces to keep you comfortable during the cooler Fall golf season.

Galvin Green, a leader in high-performance golf apparel, is providing new options in that market with the introduction of their new Autumn/Winter Insula™ Lite outerwear range.

The company claims the products marry, “exceptionally soft, lightweight material with advanced thermal regulation technology for remarkable breathability, warmth and comfort.”

A key to the design is the Insula Lite fabric that uses built-in air chambers which help store body heat but not in an excessive fashion. Air flow is maintained for extra comfort.

“Our engineers continue to push the envelope, bringing leading-edge fabrications and designs to the marketplace,” says Jonathan Wong, President of Galvin Green Canada. “Insula Lite is a go-to piece that players can depend on to comfortably play well into colder weather.”

An early adopter of the Multi-Layer Concept in golf clothing, the Insula Lite range adds another Warm Layer piece to the extensive Galvin Green Product line.  The collection also includes a men’s Dean half-zip pullover featuring a mélange design and the Derry full-zip vest. Rounding out line is the Dash pullover with PrimaLoft padding and the Duke half-zip hoodie.

For more details:

 www.GalvinGreen.com

Facebook.com/GalvinGreen

@GalvinGreen

The post Galvin Green Introduces Insula™ Lite Range For Fall/Winter 2017 appeared first on Flagstick.com.

At the end of September, Titleist will be bringing their 718 line of irons to retail shelves.

In advance of that we recently spent some time at the Titleist Canada National Fitting Centre in Vaughan, Ontario to test the new clubs (more details on that in future posts) and get more insight on their features and advantages.

In doing so we also took some time to speak with Ryan Penny, the Club Product Manager for Titleist Canada. He gave us the company’s perspective on the new irons, what they are all about, and even more details on the new categories they are delving into with these products.

Here is our latest Product Watch Podcast…

Ryan Penny, Titleist Canada Club Product Manager on Titleist 718 Irons

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Brooke Henderson is off to the right start in her attempt to win three straight LPGA Cambia Portland Classic titles. That’s hard to fathom when you consider she is still more than a week away from turning 20 years of age.

Coming off a tie for 12th under tremendous pressure at the CP Women’s Open in Ottawa, the teen and major championship winner opened her title defence in at the Columbia Edgewater Golf Club with a score of 67 (-5).

As she left the course in the morning wave Henderson was one stroke off the lead of In Gee Chun.

Brooke had just one blemish on her card on Thursday, on the par 3, 8th hole. Overall it was a fairly clean round that saw her hit 10/14 fairways and 15/18 greens in regulation.

She was asked if it felt like she was starting back right where she left off last year.

“A little bit. I would’ve liked to finish a little bit lower today. I was 4-under through the front nine and things were going really well. I tried to make a few more birdies on the back but they just didn’t fall. Hopefully tomorrow I can play a little bit better on that side. 5-under is a great start.”

Even though it is a good start, Brooke is keenly aware that winning the same event three times in a row in a big feat.

“I think it’s just exciting for me to know that I have that opportunity to do that. Last year I wanted to defend really badly and that was kind of a main goal of mine. This year I would love to win again, but I know there are a lot of great players in the field this week and I will have to shoot minus-5 or better every single day.”

It has already been a good week for Henderson. She recorded her 5th career hole in one on Wednesday during the Pro-Am, playing alongside LPGA Hall of Fame member Nancy Lopez.

It was also a positive first round for a couple other Canadians. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp started her week with a 69 (-3) while Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Quebec turned in a 70 (-2).

Jennifer Ha of Calgary struggled to a 75 while Augusta James of Bath, Ontario.was still on the course and over par at the time of this post.

The post Fast Start For Henderson at Cambia Portland Classic appeared first on Flagstick.com.

The biggest benefit of having the CP Women’s Open in Ottawa last week was not the golf spectacle w were all treated to, it was the charitable benefits of the event.

While Sung Hyun Park toured the course in -13 to take the top prize, he biggest winner was the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and those who, due to health reasons, have to use their services.

As a result of the event the title sponsors, Canadian Pacific (CP) made a $2 million donation to a renovated catheterization lab and interventional suite at CHEO.

The total donation is the result of several fundraising efforts of the CP Has Heart campaign. Through CP Birdies for Heart, CP contributed $5,000 for each birdie made by a player on the 15th hole during tournament play. A total of 45 birdies represents a $225,000 donation. CP also matched all donations made online at www.cheoheart.com  from April 1 to the end of the tournament.

“I have not been to a golf tournament before that had this level of support from the community and the fans,” said Keith Creel, CP President and Chief Executive Officer. “It was a privilege to watch Sung Hyun Park lead the field of world-class talent, including CP ambassadors Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane, while simultaneously supporting CHEO’s important work. CP supports the cause of heart health because it’s an issue that touches so many Canadians. As part of ongoing Canada 150 celebrations, it’s our honour to leave a lasting charitable legacy here in the nation’s capital.”

To celebrate Canada’s sesquicentennial, CP launched the Beautiful Hearts campaign this year. In addition to the CP Women’s Open donation to CHEO, CP is sponsoring the Canadian Football League regular season, playoffs and the Grey Cup in Ottawa. That sponsorship will support the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

Both of the Ottawa-based organizations CP is supporting with its Beautiful Hearts campaign are offering lifesaving care to Canadians who suffer from heart ailments. Children with congenital heart defects that benefit from CHEO’s work will later go on to receive care from the Ottawa Heart Institute.

“The CP Women’s Open coming to Ottawa is an incredible boost for our region, and all of us at CHEO are incredibly thankful that CP chose CHEO as the beneficiary of the CP Has Heart program,” said CHEO Foundation President and CEO Kevin Keohane. “The CP Has Heart campaign will help the doctors, nurses and staff provide the best care possible for patients and families at CHEO. CP, the LPGA, Golf Canada, the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, and the community have come together to support CHEO’s patients and for that we can’t thank them enough.”

CP ambassadors Lorie Kane and Brooke Henderson also contributed to the CHEO donation by participating in the Monday Brooke and Friends pro-am. Proceeds from the pro-am were split between the Golf Canada Foundation and the Team Henderson Foundation. Henderson also announced that her foundation will give back $5,000 to CHEO.

“On behalf of all the players this week, especially the Canadian contingent, I want to thank the fans and the community for the support,” said Smiths Falls, Ontario’s Brooke Henderson, the top Canadian at 7 under par and the new course record holder at Ottawa Hunt with her Saturday 63. “Joining Lorie as a CP ambassador and seeing the long-term impact of CP’s sponsorship of this tournament has been a privilege. A huge thanks to everyone who donated to CHEO and to CP for bringing the tournament and their charitable legacy to Ottawa.”

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