The 2022 CP Women’s Open was the most successful to date with a record-setting attendance of more than 75,000 golf fans – a huge lift in the previous record of 55,000 when the event was last in Ottawa in 2017. Many in attendance were Brooke’s Brigade, who were showing their love from Monday onwards, and win or lose, Brooke Henderson continues to set an example and inspire young fans of all ages.

 

It should come as no surprise that in Ottawa, the secret to South African Paula Reto’s victory came from a Canadian.

Reto, who won the CP Women’s Open by one shot over Nelly Korda and Hye-Jin Choi Sunday, began working with Gareth Raflewski — the Irish-born Canadian short-game guru to the LPGA Tour’s best — this week.

“We just did some basic visualization especially on putts and being able to just execute those and that helped a lot,” said Reto, who needed only 24 putts in her first round on her way to a course-record 62.

“Obviously like those times when you go low like that, it’s just the putts drop and everything you see goes in.”

Raflewski said he got Reto’s set-up more aligned and that seemed to be the key.

“Her setup didn’t allow her to see the line over the ball so we got her head facing down more and taught her how to rotate her head down the target line,” Raflewski told SCOREGolf. Raflewski said it was the same tip he gave Reto’s countrywoman, Ashleigh Buhai, before she won the AIG Women’s Open earlier this month.

“Maybe I need to trademark it,” Raflewski said with a smile.

Reto shot matching 67s on the weekend to capture her maiden LPGA Tour title, finishing at 19-under for the week. She had notched six top-10 results prior to the win Sunday, and she won a pro event in South Africa earlier this season. But this is the biggest moment in her eight-year pro career by far.

“It does feel like it’s our sixth major and it’s the biggest tournament in Canada. It’s such an amazing accomplishment and I’m going to carry it with me for a long, long time,” said Reto.

In the LPGA Tour’s first 70-plus years of existence there had been only two winners from South Africa – Sally Little and Leeanne Pace – but that number doubled this month thanks to Buhai and Reto.

Reto said Buhai’s win was a big inspiration for her.

“I told myself ‘I also want to do it,’” said Reto. “It all worked out and to win on the LPGA Tour is such a dream.”

Reto, who shot a 5-under 31 on her front nine Sunday with just 11 putts, made things interesting when she hit her second shot into heavy rough near the green of the par-5 18th. But she hit a nifty chip-and-run to about 20 feet and took two putts for the win.

Korda, meanwhile, stormed back after a pair of bogeys on the front nine with birdies on Nos. 9 and 11 before dunking a 9-iron from about 130 yards for an eagle on the par-4 12th.

She was in the middle of the fairway on the par-5 18th but blew her approach shot right and couldn’t get up and down for a birdie.

“Paula played amazing this week and she went from (not having her LPGA Tour card in 2020 or 2019) to being a champion. Anyone can win, and that’s what’s great about golf,” said Korda.

Korda also alluded to the crowds being the most passionate she’s seen this year, especially for Brooke Henderson. But Henderson finished well back after a 2-under 69 Sunday.

Brooke Henderson birdied her opening hole of the final round, the par-5 10th, but she then bogeyed  12, 13 and 15. She added a birdie on the par-5 18th and three more on the front side but ended up tied for 49th.

She’ll be embarking on a four-tournament stretch that includes tee it up next week in Ohio at the Dana Open presented by Marathon, which promises to be much quieter than this one.

While Henderson struggled over the weekend, Alena Sharp thrived.

She won the Sandra Post medal as low Canadian for the third time, finishing at 10-under for the week and tied for 17th. She rolled in a birdie putt on the par-3 17th hole, wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater.

“It was a little big but once I rolled the sleeves up it was fine,” Sharp said with a laugh. “It was so good to finish the way I did on thew weekend. It’s great momentum going into the rest of the season.”

Maddie Szeryk, who hadn’t made an LPGA Tour cut all season, shot an even-par 71 Sunday to finish tied for 26th at 9-under.

Amateur Lauren Zaretsky, who is playing in her first collegiate event as a freshman on Wednesday in California, finished at 1-over, while Rebecca Lee-Bentham at 2-over rounded out the Canadian contingent.

Originally scheduled for 2020, Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club will finally play host to the CP Women’s Open in 2023 while discussions for future venues are not finalized, according to tournament director, Ryan Paul.