World’s Best Golfers Ready To Battle As CP Women’s Open Makes First-Ever Visit To Saskatchewan
The Wascana Country Club In Regina, Sask. Is Set To Host 89 Of The Top 100 Players On The LPGA Tour Money List Including Canadian Sensation Brooke Henderson - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf
REGINA, Sask. (Golf Canada) — Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP) announced the field of competitors set to challenge for the 2018 CP Women’s Open taking place August 23-26 at The Wascana Country Club in Regina, Sask.
Defending champion and world no. 4 Sung Hyun Park will lead a stellar field that includes world no. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, world no. 5 Lexi Thompson, world no. 6 Shanshan Feng, world no. 7 Minjee Lee, world no. 9 Jessica Korda and world no. 10 Georgia Hall as well as Canadian superstar Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont.
Park, winner of the 2017 event at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club headlines a group of six past champions coming to Regina including three-time winner Lydia Ko (2012, 2013, 2015) in search of her record fourth title. Other past champions confirmed include Brittany Lincicome (2011), Katherine Kirk (2008), Cristie Kerr (2006) and Juli Inkster (1984). Previously confirmed past champion Michelle Wie was forced to WD due to injury.
Other global LPGA Tour stars confirmed among the 156-player field include Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Anna Nordqvist, Carlota Ciganda, Nasa Hataoka, Moriya Jutanugarn, Danielle Kang, Charley Hull, Sandra Gal, Caroline Masson, Pernilla Lindberg and Natalie Gulbis.
With the one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour, Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship will feature 14 in-year LPGA Tour winners and 89 of the top 100 players on the LPGA Tour’s Official Money List.
“We are thrilled to welcome the world’s best golfers to The Wascana Country Club as the CP Women’s Open proudly makes its first-ever visit to the great province of Saskatchewan,” said Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “The CP Women’s Open will feature one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour along with the very best rising talents in Canadian and international golf. Golf fans in the province of Saskatchewan and across Canada will be treated to a world-class event when the stars of the LPGA Tour tip it up in Regina.”
A full field list of players confirmed to compete in the 2018 CP Women’s Open is available by clicking here.
The field of 156 competitors will vie for the US$2.25 million purse with the champion taking home $337,500.
FIFTEEN CANADIANS TO COMPETE AT THE WASCANA COUNTRY CLUB….
Smiths Falls, Ont., native Brooke Henderson, a six-time LPGA Tour winner and CP ambassador headlines a list of 15 Canadians set to challenge for the CP Women’s Open.
Joining Henderson are LPGA Tour regulars Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que. and Anne-Catharine Tanguay of Quebec City along with Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. and Symetra Tour players Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Augusta James of Bath, Ont., Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont. and Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C.
Saskatoon, Sask. native and Symetra Tour player Anna Young will have a home crowd advantage as the four-time Saskatchewan Women’s Amateur champion makes her first ever start in the CP Women’s Open.
CP ambassador and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Lorie Kane of Charlottetown will make her record tying 28th start in Canada’s National Women’s Open.
Among the Amateur contingent, three members of Team Canada will compete including National Amateur Squad members Grace St. Germain of Ottawa, Ont. and Naomi Ko of Victoria, B.C. as well as 17-year old National Development Squad athlete Celeste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, Que. Also playing on an exemption is 17-year old Tiffany Kong of Vancouver.
The Canuck contingent will look to become the first Canadian to win an LPGA Tour event in Canada since Jocelyne Bourassa won La Canadienne in 1973.
FINAL FOUR EXEMPTIONS TO BE DECIDED AT ROYAL REGINA GOLF CLUB….
On Monday, August 20, the LPGA Tour conducted an 18-hole stroke play qualifier at Royal Regina Golf Club to determine the final four exemptions directly into the 2018 CP Women’s Open and Saskatoon's Bobbi Brandon picked up one of the four spots. Click here for results.
A full field list of players confirmed to compete in the 2018 CP Women’s Open is available by clicking here.
CP HAS HEART IN SUPPORT OF JIM PATTISON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Canadian Pacific will continue its history of making a substantial donation to the host community through its CP Has Heart community investment program. In the four years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $6.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in communities across Canada.
This year, the campaign is supporting pediatric cardiology at Saskatchewan’s new Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon. Funds raised through the CP Women’s Open will help assist a dedicated cardiology space and specialized equipment in the new hospital, currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2019. To find out more or donate, click here.
FIRST-EVER CP WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE DURING TOURNAMENT WEEK
As part of the weeklong excitement of the CP Women’s Open, Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific are proud to announce that the inaugural CP Women’s Leadership Summit will take place Tuesday, August 21 at Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina. Keynote speaker and four-time Olympic gold medalist Hayley Wickenheiser will be joined by Sportsnet host Evanka Osmak; LPGA champion Lorie Kane; CP Vice-President of Grain and Fertilizer, Joan Hardy; adidas golf Canada General Manager, Lesley Hawkins; RBC Senior Manager, Brand Marketing, Shannon Cole; Dr. Andrea Lavoie, Interventional cardiologist with Saskatchewan Health Authority and many more like-minded businesswomen from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment and philanthropy. Click here for more information.
TELEVISION COVERAGE…
Thursday, August 23 - Golf Channel - 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Friday, August 24 - Golf Channel - 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 25 - Golf Channel - 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday, August 26 - Golf Channel - 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.