Two major events involving top Canadian players — one on the women’s side and one on the men’s side — wrapped up Thursday. Here’s what you need to know about them, as well as the latest developments in the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf battle: The CP Women’s Open is back. The LPGA Tour’s only Canadian stop returns from a two-year pandemic hiatus this week at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in the nation’s capital. Although no longer a major championship, the tournament formerly known as the Canadian Women’s Open (and about a million other names as sponsors have changed in and out) still offers one of the richest non-major purses on tour and attracts the most better players. Eighteen of the top 20 in the Race to the CME Globe – a season-long points competition that determines who competes in the Tour Championship – are expected to play in Ottawa. That includes world No. 1 (and defending CP Women’s Open champion) Jin Young Ko of South Korea and the winners of all five 2022 majors. Among that group is the woman who will be the overwhelming fan favorite this week. Canada’s Brooke Henderson is ranked fifth in the world after winning the second major title of her career last month at the Evian Championships in France. With 12 LPGA Tour wins – including the 2018 CP Women’s Open in Regina – the 24-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., has already won more major tour events than any other Canadian golfer in history. WATCHES | Can Canada’s Brooke Henderson win on home soil (again)?
A rejuvenated Brooke Henderson returns home for the CP Women’s Open
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls Ont., fresh off her 2nd major win, is looking to win the national championship for the 2nd time. Henderson is one of 15 Canadians set to compete in Ottawa. Maude-Aimee Leblanc (No. 111) is the next highest in the world rankings, while Monet Chun is the most interesting. The 21-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., won the Canadian Women’s Amateur last month before advancing to the final match of the prestigious U.S. Women’s Amateur. Although she was beaten by 17-year-old Saki Baba of Japan, it was another impressive performance from Chun, who earlier this year led the University of Michigan to its first conference championship. At the other end of the age spectrum, 57-year-old Lorie Kane, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, will be making her 30th and final appearance at the Canadian Women’s Open. The PGA Tour will crown the playoff champion. The top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings have been invited to this week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta. Canada’s Corey Conners moved into No. 24 after finishing tied for fifth yesterday at the BMW Championship in Delaware. For the Tour Championship at East Lake, players are given an initial rating based on their position in the standings. Top seed Scottie Scheffler, who is also ranked No. 1 in the world, starts at 10-under. Second Patrick Cantlay, who won yesterday in Atlanta, starts at 8-under and third Will Zalatoris at 7-under. The Conners are part of a group of players who will start at 1-under (there is an even group below them). Whoever has the lowest score after Sunday’s final round wins the FedEx Cup and the US$18 million prize that comes with it. More players are ready to switch to LIV Golf. British Open champion and world No.2 Cameron Smith, who has long been rumored to be leaving for his Saudi-sponsored PGA Tour rival, is reportedly among seven people to officially quit next Monday. This is the day after the Tour Championship ends — and just in time for the next LIV event, which starts on September 2nd in Boston. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour and its faithful are trying to figure out how to stop the bleeding after losing Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and other big names to their super-powered rival. Last week, Tiger Woods led a meeting of 20 elite players to talk about how to reshape the tour — and retain top talent. Woods and world No. 4 Rory McIlroy, LIV’s most outspoken critic, are reportedly backing a plan that would see something like 15 PGA Tour events set aside for a limited number of top players to compete for high purses — essentially, their own LIV-style browsing within the established browsing. The prize money wouldn’t be as impressive as LIV’s $25 million events, and there wouldn’t be nine-figure guaranteed contracts. But it’s much more tangible than the moral harassment the PGA Tour is currently resorting to in hopes of guilt-tripping guys into taking the Saudi money.
