This year’s CP Women’s Open will mark the return of the LPGA Tour to Canada for the first time since 2019 – and Golf Town Athlete Brooke Henderson can’t wait!
Brooke and four-time LPGA Tour winner Lorie Kane were on site at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club at the end of June to help celebrate this year’s CP Women’s Open and help to kick off the celebrations for what should be a very exciting week in Ottawa.
“Not being able to spend a week with fans has been a little bit sad so to have the tournament back and have it in Ottawa so close to home and be able to celebrate the best players in the world come out… it’s just going to be phenomenal!” says Brooke.
The CP Women’s Open was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally set for Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in 2020, it will be played there in 2023 instead. Ottawa Hunt last hosted the CP Women’s Open in 2017.
“The CP Women’s Open always receives terrific community support, but when we’re in Ottawa that backing is intensified,” said Laurence Applebaum, the CEO of Golf Canada. “With our 2017 event in Ottawa for Canada’s 150 celebration and the excitement around Brooke [Henderson] competing so close to home, we set records for attendance, volunteer enrollment and left a meaningful charitable contribution.
“I’m certain the community will embrace all facets of the event when the stars of the LPGA Tour return to Ottawa.”
Some exciting announcements were made just a few weeks ago as tournament organizers look ahead to this year’s event. All of the top 10 on the 2022 money list to this point have committed to teeing it up in Ottawa, plus 41 of the top 50. World No.1 Jin Young Ko will lead the way, as she finally gets to defend her title from 2019.
Nine Canadians were part of the early commitment list including Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Maddie Szeryk, and Alena Sharp – all with LPGA Tour status this year.
The reigning Canadian Women’s Amateur champion, Lauren Zaretsky, has earned an exemption along with Anna Davis – who won the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Kane will play in her record 30th CP Women’s Open. A member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and recent inductee into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, Kane said that the 2022 edition of the CP Women’s Open would be her final playing appearance in Canada’s national championship.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a while and I just think it’s the right time,” said Kane.
Ottawa Hunt will be hosting its fourth CP Women’s Open and has continued to work its way back into championship form after a major storm in the Ottawa area in mid-May caused extensive damage to the course – including the loss of 1,100 trees.
Despite that challenge, the membership of the club has already shown up in droves to help. The volunteer list was filled in April, the earliest volunteer spaces have ever been sold out in championship history.
While there will be plenty of fun things for fans to do at the course, the most exciting new thing for 2022 is the installation of “The Rink.” Yes, the buzzy hockey-themed hole complete with fan-pounding rink boards from the RBC Canadian Open the last couple of years will make its CP Women’s Open debut on the par-3 17th!
“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 addition 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 a can’t-miss summer celebration.”
Brooke Henderson’s day in Ottawa was one of celebration as well.
She was gifted the key to the city from Ottawa mayor Jim Watson (“Brooke Henderson is a remarkable golfer and an inspirational young woman. Whether you’re a golfer or not, people from Ottawa, Canada, and around the world marvel at her accomplishments,” he said) and hundreds of members of the Brooke Brigade enjoyed a meet-and-greet with Brooke at Golf Town in the city’s east end!
“It’s pretty crazy. Starting it at Golf Town and having people of all ages, but especially the juniors come out to say ‘hi’ was pretty cool. Some of them are just so cute and so happy. It makes you feel really good inside as a person and a golfer,” said Brooke. “Then to come (to Ottawa Hunt) and see the love and support from Ottawa… it’s all pretty amazing, and the best way to sum it up is the love and support is awesome.”
This year’s CP Women’s Open goes from August 22-28.