REGINA – Brooke Henderson stood at the Wascana Country Club podium and looked over at the CP Women’s Open trophy, resisting the urge to pick it up.

She may not have earned the right to do that yet, but veteran Lorie Kane thinks it’s only a matter of time.

Henderson will aim to be the first Canadian since Jocelyne Bourassa in 1973 to capture the women’s national championship when Regina hosts the tournament from Aug. 20-26.

“This trophy right here has been kind of haunting me all day,” Henderson said Monday at the tournament’s media day. “I really just want to pick it up but I have to work really hard for that.”

Kane, from Charlottetown, will be competing in this year’s event for a record 28th consecutive time. She said that Henderson’s legacy is just beginning.

“I know, mark my words, that child will have that trophy in her hand at some point in her career,” Kane said.

The 20-year-old Henderson has six career victories that includes one major title at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Henderson won earlier this year at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii in April.

She dedicated that victory to the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team, which was involved in an April 6 bus crash that killed 16 people and left 13 others injured.

Henderson said that seeing the progress on Twitter of some of the survivors has been incredible. She added that she’s not sure whether she’ll wear a green and yellow ribbon once again in August like she did when she won the Lotte Championship.

“I’m glad I was able to win it for them and being here in Saskatchewan, to win another one and dedicate it to them would be truly special as well,” Henderson said.

The Smiths Falls, Ont., native nearly missed the cut at last year’s CP Women’s Open at her home course in Ottawa, but birdied on her final hole of the second round to qualify for the weekend.

The following day, she fired a course-record 8-under 63 to jump up the leaderboard and eventually finished the tournament tied for 12th.

Henderson said that it will be a little bit different this year playing in Regina.

“I knew almost everyone in the crowd it felt like,” she said of last year’s event.

“But it doesn’t really matter where you come from in Canada, you’re Canadian, you’re part of the family and that’s how I always feel at Canadian Women’s Opens.”

South Korea’s Sung Hyun Park won the 2017 tournament and is expected to participate once again this year. A total of 156 golfers will compete at the 2018 CP Women’s Open which has a tournament purse of US$2.25 million with the winner receiving $337,500.

Henderson is currently 18th in the world rankings and fifth on the LPGA’s money list this year with $602,142.

She had to withdraw from the U.S. Women’s Open earlier this month and head home to be with her family after her grandfather Robert Moir died from cancer on June 1. He was 81.

Henderson admits that it’s been a challenging time since his death.

“It has been pretty tough last few weeks for my whole family as well,” Henderson said Monday afternoon. “Having great family and friend support and my CP family as well and knowing that they’re always there for me has really helped with a lot of things.”

She said that her grandfather was a big part of her life and that it’s sad to see him go.

“It’s difficult to know he’s not here any longer, but he’s in a better place now.”

REGINA – Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor Canadian Pacific (CP), has announced that many of the world’s top players have committed to compete in the 2018 CP Women’s Open from August 20-26 at Wascana Country Club in Regina.

The early player commitments to challenge for the $2.25 million USD purse—one of the largest prizes on the LPGA Tour—will include golf’s brightest stars along with rising talents in Canadian golf. Among player commitments are nine of the top 10 players from the 2018 LPGA Official Money list, including 14 of 15 in-year LPGA Tour event winners and 10 past CP Women’s Open champions.

No player will generate more excitement this August in Saskatchewan than Canadian sensation and CP ambassador Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., who will compete in her eighth career National Women’s Open. The six-time LPGA Tour winner and major champion has amassed 27 top-10s since joining the LPGA Tour in late 2015. The graduate of Golf Canada’s National Team program is a former world No. 1 amateur who represented Canada at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she finished T7.

“This is a really exciting time to be a Canadian golf fan and a fan of the LPGA Tour,” said Ryan Paul, Tournament Director for the CP Women’s Open.

“There is tremendous momentum in Canadian women’s golf with a depth of talent at all levels of the game. Combine that with arguably the strongest field on the LPGA Tour and we can guarantee that golf fans in Saskatchewan will be treated to a spectacular world-class event at the CP Women’s Open this August in Regina.”

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member and CP ambassador Lorie Kane, a four-time winner on the LPGA Tour, will be competing in Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship for a record 28^th consecutive time.

Joining Henderson and Kane in competing on home soil will be LPGA Tour members Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Maude-Aimée LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., and Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City. The six Canucks will be joined by several more Canadian professional and amateur golfers to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn leads a stellar list of early LPGA Tour player commitments confirmed for Wascana. Jutanugarn is a nine-time winner on the LPGA Tour, with her most recent victory coming at the U.S. Women’s Open earlier this month. The 22-year-old, who won the 2016 CP Women’s Open, currently ranks No. 2 in the Rolex World Rankings and is No. 1 on the LPGA Tour Official Money List.

Three-time Canadian Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko will be looking for a record-setting fourth title. The New Zealand native’s wins in 2012, 2013 and 2015 tie her with Americans Meg Mallon and Pat Bradley for most victories at Canada’s National Women’s Open. The 21-year-old has 15 LPGA Tour victories in total.

Defending CP Women’s Open champion Sung Hyun Park will be looking to capture her fourth LPGA victory this August in Regina. The native of South Korea currently holds the No. 6 spot on the Rolex Women’s Golf Ranking.

Lexi Thompson, who occupies the No. 3 spot on the Rolex Women’s World Rankings, will look to add her first victory in Canada to an already impressive golf resume that includes nine career wins on the LPGA Tour.

So Yeong Ryu, who won the inaugural CP Women’s Open in 2014, will also be competing at Wascana. Ryu, Jutanugarn, Park and Ko are among 10 past champions competing this year along with Brittany Lincicome (2011), Michelle Wie (2010), Katherine Kirk (2008), Cristie Kerr (2006), Laura Davies (1996) and Juli Inkster (1984).

Jutanugarn (No. 1) and Henderson (No. 5) join seven other top-10 players on the LPGA Tour Official Money List who are confirmed to compete in Regina later this summer. Other top-10 commitments include Moriya Jutanugarn (No. 3), Minjee Lee (No. 4), Hyo Joo Kim (No. 6), Jessica Korda (No. 8), Pernilla Lindberg (No. 9) and Eun-Hee Ji (No. 10).

Other exciting early commitments include in-year LPGA Tour winners Annie Park, who recently earned her first LPGA victory at the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer and Jun Young Ko, who won this year’s ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open. International stars Shanshan Feng, ranked No. 4 on the Rolex World Ranking along with world No. 14 Anna Nordqvist are also committed to compete.

The 156 golfers teeing-it-up at Wascana Country Club will represent one of the strongest fields on the LPGA Tour with more than 92 of the 100 players on the LPGA Tour Official Money List expected to compete.

CP Has Heart Charity Campaign to benefit the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation

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 will be 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.

With a nature theme running throughout the hospital, the “Frog Pod” will be specifically used to treat pediatric cardiology patients and will include three echocardiography exam rooms, a pulmonary function technology lab, an exercise challenge room, and a regular exam room. Directly across the hall, included in the pod, is a staff echo cardiology reading room.

“CP is extremely proud to partner with Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, and to bring the 2018 CP Women’s Open to the great city of Regina,” said CP President and CEO, Keith Creel. “Saskatchewan is a vital region to our company, and we are honoured to support the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, as they help to strengthen the youngest hearts across the province.”

The funds raised through CP Has Heart will undoubtedly go a long way in helping children’s healthcare in Saskatchewan.

“We are sincerely thankful to CP, Golf Canada and the CP Women’s Open for supporting our efforts to help Saskatchewan’s little hearts through further development of the provincial pediatric cardiology program at our new children’s hospital,” said Brynn Boback-Lane, President and CEO of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundations. “This heartwarming gift will have a tremendous impact on Saskatchewan’s young patients, their families and our entire pediatric cardiac team.”

In addition to being a world-class sports property, the CP Women’s Open leaves a lasting legacy in the event’s home community.

“Golf Canada is proud to work alongside incredible partners at CP and the LPGA Tour in bringing world-class golf to Wascana Country Club, the city of Regina and the province of Saskatchewan for the first time ever,” said Golf Canada’s CEO Laurence Applebaum. “We are honoured to work alongside our partners in supporting the CP Has Heart Campaign which will make a difference in the lives of so many through the support of pediatric cardiac care at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.”

CP Inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit to take place during tournament week

As part of the weeklong excitement of the CP Women’s Open, Golf Canada is proud to announce that the inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit will take place Tuesday, August 21 at Hotel Saskatchewan. Keynote speaker Hayley Wickenheiser, five-time Olympic medalist, will be joined by the likes of LPGA Champion Lorie Kane; CP Vice-President of Grain and Fertilizer, Joan Hardy; and many more like-minded businesswomen from across the province for a day of networking, empowerment and philanthropy.

KIDS 17-AND-UNDER GET IN FREE

Golf Canada and CP are committed to offering a fan friendly, family event with the CP Women’s Open. To introduce more juniors to the sport, children aged 17-and-under get FREE admission to the CP Women’s Open for the entire week.

Tickets for this year’s CP Women’s Open are available here.

Inaugural event focused on networking, empowerment and philanthropy to be held Tuesday, August 21^st at Hotel Saskatchewan

 Tickets and corporate partnership opportunities are now available

REGINA – Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP), is proud to announce that the inaugural CP Women’s Leadership Summit will take place Tuesday, August 21 at Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina as part of the weeklong excitement of the 2018 CP Women’s Open.

The CP Women’s Leadership Summit will bring together like-minded businesswomen from across the country for a day of networking, empowerment and philanthropy. The Summit will also raise awareness for the CP Women’s Open, with attendees receiving access to the tournament during the week as a thank-you for their participation.

The keynote speaker for the inaugural CP Women’s Leadership Summit will be Canadian Olympic hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser. The five-time Olympic hockey medalist and Saskatchewan native will join a confirmed list of participating panelists that includes Joan Hardy, CP’s Vice-President of Grain and Fertilizer; LPGA Tour professional and CP ambassador Lorie Kane; Lesley Hawkins, General Manager with adidas Golf, Canada; and Shannon Cole, Senior Director of Brand Marketing with RBC. Rogers Sportsnet Central Co-Anchor Evanka Osmak will act as the emcee for the event.

“I am thrilled at the opportunity to promote diversity in both business and sport by participating in the first ever CP Women’s Leadership Summit,” said Joan Hardy, CP Vice-President, Grain and Fertilizer. “I engage with a variety of customers across Saskatchewan every day, and I look forward to bringing together a group of women who are leaders in what they do, and discuss what motivates, challenges, and inspires us to work hard and enhance our careers.”

For Golf Canada, introducing the Women’s Leadership Summit as part of Canada’s National Women’s Open Golf Championship aligns with the organization’s commitment to developing a more inclusive culture in Canadian golf.

“Launching the CP Women’s Leadership Summit is an extension of our efforts to encourage more women and girls to engage with golf and use the CP Women’s Open as a platform to bring together like-minded businesswomen in the spirit of networking, idea-sharing and empowerment,” said Mary-Beth McKenna, a member of Golf Canada’s championship management team who is leading the event. “All of our speakers are leaders in their respective industry who will provide participants with an inspiring experience and wide array of perspectives.”

The CP Women’s Leadership Summit begins at 10:00 am on August 21 at Hotel Saskatchewan and will feature networking opportunities, a question-and-answer session with panelists along with a three-course lunch.

For more information about the CP Women’s Leadership Summit, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.cpwomensopen.com/wls.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – Brooks Koepka has the game to win a U.S. Open on any course.

One year after Koepka overpowered the wide fairways of Erin Hills in a U.S. Open remembered for low scoring, he navigated his way through the brutal conditions of Shinnecock Hills and closed with a 2-under 68 to become the first repeat champion in 29 years.

Curtis Strange, the last player to go back-to-back in this major, watched the entire final round Sunday as the Fox Sports reporter on the ground, and they shared a brief hug off the 18th green after Koepkatapped in for bogey and a one-shot victory.

“Man, it feels good to hold this thing again,” Koepka said with the silver trophy in his arms.

His victory Sunday might not have been possible if not for grinding out a 72 on Saturday in conditions so severe the last 45 players to tee off in the third round didn’t break par. The USGA conceded the course was over the top and pledged to give it more water and slow it down.

Bogeys gave way to birdies, and no one took advantage like Tommy Fleetwood of England. He made eight birdies – none on the two par 5s – and missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 63, only the sixth player in U.S. Open history to go that low.

“Yeah, but I wanted a 62,” said Fleetwood, who finished one shot back and had to settle for the silver medal.

Fleetwood was one shot behind when he finished, and Koepka still had 11 holes to play as Shinnecock Hills began to get crisp under another sunny sky.

Koepka never lost the lead.

With a putting performance and calm demeanour reminiscent of Retief Goosen when he won the previous U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, in 2004, the 28-year-old Koepka began the back nine with three pivotal putts – one for birdie, one for bogey, one for par.

The biggest might have been his bogey on the nasty little par-3 11th.

Koepka pulled it to the left, down the slope and into thick grass. He chopped that up the slope with so much speed that it raced across the green and into the bunker. He blasted that out to 8 feet and made the putt to keep his lead at one shot.

“I think that was like making a birdie, maybe even making an eagle,” he said. “Because it could have been a big momentum shift there, and we could have been playing tennis just going back and forth. To make bogey there was pretty incredible and I think kind of the reason why we won.”

He wasn’t through. He hacked out of the hay over the green at No. 12, pitched beautifully to 7 feet and made the par. Two holes later, after another drive into grass so thick he wasn’t sure he could get it out, Koepka rolled in an 8-foot for another par save.

Koepka seized control with a wedge to 3 1/2 feet for birdie on the par-5 16th for a two-shot lead, and he never flinched until it no longer mattered. Koepka pulled his approach to the 18th off the grandstand, pitched on to about 12 feet and two-putted for a bogey.

He finished at 1-over 281, 13 shots higher than his winning score at Erin Hills last year. It was the first time since 2013 at Merion that no one broke par in the U.S. Open.

“I enjoy the test,” Koepka said. “I enjoy being pushed to the limit. Sometimes you feel like you are about to break mentally, but that’s what I enjoy. I enjoy hard golf courses. I enjoy playing about the toughest in golf you are ever going to play.”

That it was, starting on Thursday, and especially on Saturday.

Koepka opened with a 75, the highest first-round score by a U.S. Open champion since Raymond Floyd at Shinnecock Hills in 1986. He was 7 over for the championship through seven holes of the second round when he ran off six birdies for a 66 to get back in the game.

Dustin Johnson, part of the four-way tie for the lead to start the final round, couldn’t keep up with one of his best friends. Johnson was one shot behind at the turn until a trio of three-putt bogeys on the back nine. A birdie on the final home gave him an even-par 70 to finish alone in third and remain No. 1 in the world.

Koepka moved to a career-best No. 4 in the world ranking.

A year ago, Johnson called him on the eve of the final round to offer advice. On Sunday, they were playing side-by-side without exchanging words, each trying to play a course that was considerably softer than the previous day.

“We didn’t really speak too much,” Koepka said. “He was busy grinding his tail off and I was busy grinding mine. We’re extremely close. I love the guy to death. It would have been fun to dual it out with him coming down the end, having to make some putts.”

Only one of them did, which is why Koepka is the U.S. Open champion.

Americans have won the last five majors – all of them in their 20s – and Koepka joined an elite group as only the seventh player to go back-to-back in what is regarded as golf’s toughest test. Next up is Pebble Beach, and a chance to join Willie Anderson as the only player to win three in a row. Anderson won his third straight in 1905. Ben Hogan won three straight that he played, missing in 1949 after nearly getting killed when his car struck a bus.

Masters champion Patrick Reed flirted with the second leg of the Grand Slam. He was tied for the lead when he ran off five birdies in his opening seven holes. Reed spent too much time in the high grass on the back nine and closed with a 68 to finish fourth.

Golf Canada is proud to celebrate the 70 adoptions that occurred during Adopt a School Week thanks to the efforts of golf enthusiasts and industry partners across the country.

In total, the figure translates to an additional 8,400 elementary, intermediate and high school students being introduced to the sport through the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program.

The coast-to-coast campaign was elevated by support from Canadian industry partners—the Provincial Associations, PGA of Canada and the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA).

A matching program for the first 30 adoptions was made possible by the Canadian Seniors Golf Association (CSGA), who continue to be a leader in supporting Adopt a School Week. In the campaign’s three years of running, the CSGA has helped to adopt over 78 schools in Canadian communities from coast-to-coast.

Golf Town, the official retailer of Future Links, driven by Acura, will continue to collect funds until June 30 as part of a fundraising initiative at retail locations across the country.

Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for close to 50% of over 3,500 registered schools delivering the curriculum. For Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer, that number presents a great opportunity to build community relationships.

“With Golf in Schools adoptions, our hope is to help establish a connection between facilities and schools in respective communities across Canada,” said Thompson. “Establishing that link can enhance the school’s delivery of the program, while also contributing towards future membership numbers at the corresponding facility.”

Click here to learn more about Golf in Schools.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — The U.S. Open wants to be the ultimate test in golf, and sometimes that leads to a series of trick questions.

One of them was 14 years ago at Shinnecock Hills.

A year after Jim Furyk tied the U.S. Open scoring record at Olympia Fields, the 2004 U.S. Open was so bone dry and lightning fast that only three players broke par on the weekend, none on Sunday. Fans having to move to the side because of a golf ball rolling toward them is not unusual, except when the player hit the shot with his putter from the green. Tee shots that landed on the seventh green rolled off the putting surface and into a bunker.

One year after Rory McIlroy broke the U.S. Open scoring record at Congressional, no one broke par at Olympic Club in 2012 when Webb Simpson won.

Moments like this lead to criticism that the USGA overreacts. Justin Rose sees it another way.

“When everything is in balance, it’s kind of boring,” he said. “And I think in life, the closer you get to the edges, that’s where the excitement is. So I would say the USGA is not reactionary. It’s counterbalancing. So if you go too far one way, you’ve got to come back the other way. You don’t want to fall off the edge.”

That’s the question going into the 118th U.S. Open that starts Thursday.

Might the USGA lean toward going easy on players because of what happened the last time at Shinnecock Hills? Or will it make it tougher on them because of the record scoring last year at Erin Hills? Brooks Koepka tied the record to par at 16 under, and six other players finished at 10 under or lower.

“We’re confident this should be a marvelous test,” said Mike Davis, the chief executive of the USGA who has been in charge of setting up the courses for the U.S. Open since 2006 at Winged Foot, when the winning score was 5 over.

Davis believes Shinnecock Hills is right where the USGA wants it, even with a light, steady rain on the final day of practice.

Wednesday is never the measure of how a golf course presents itself.

McIlroy is among those who likes what he sees. It’s not a U.S. Open if players are not complaining, but it’s been a quiet three days ahead of competition. The biggest question is whether the fairways are narrow enough.

They are tighter than last year at Erin Hills, for sure, and an average of 15 yards wider than in 2004.

“Honestly, I think they’ve got it right,” McIlroy said. “It presents guys with options off the tee. You have to make a decision basically on every tee box what you’re going to do. I’m obviously not that old, but when I watched U.S. Opens on TV and saw these long, narrow corridors of fairways and thick rough, that’s what I was used to at a U.S. Open. … If you look at the venues that are coming up, they’re very traditional venues like Oakmont, Winged Foot, Pebble Beach.

“Maybe you’ll see more of what we perceive as a traditional U.S. Open setup.”

Rain was expected to yield to plenty of sun over the next four days, with the strongest wind on Thursday. Davis said he already has called several audibles on the original plan of where to put the pins on the greens, an example of the USGA not wanting the course to get on the wild side.

Davis also said the winning score is not an issue at a major where par tends to be at a premium.

“Never since I’ve been at the USGA — and it’s been almost 30 years — I’ve never heard anybody at the USGA say we’re shooting for even par,” Davis said. “But we talk incessantly, ‘How do we get the course to be really a great test of golf?’ As we say, get all 14 clubs dirty to make sure that these players are tested to the nth degree.”

And what makes a good championship inside the ropes?

The quality of the winner? Different players have won the last 15 U.S. Opens, the longest stretch of the four majors. The margin? The last playoff was 10 years ago when Tiger Woods won at Torrey Pines. Three of the last four U.S. Opens have been decided by three shots or more.

“You need some great players in the mix,” Rose said. “You need some great story lines.”

This U.S. Open is not lacking for either. Five players have a chance to replace Dustin Johnson at No. 1 in the world this week. Woods is hitting the ball well enough to win any week if he ever gets all parts of his game working together. To win a record-tying fourth U.S. Open would cap off an unlikely comeback following four back surgeries. Phil Mickelson, in the USGA record book with his six runner-up finishes, needs only this trophy to complete the career Grand Slam.

“And then just a good test of golf where people think, ‘Wow, they’ve really stepped up and played great golf under pressure,”’ Rose added. “I think that’s what people would like to see in this tournament is that guys are tested to the ends of the ability, to whether they can cope or not. And I think that’s part of the charm … not charm, but part of the allure of this tournament.”

The ultimate test starts Thursday. Results won’t be available until the end of the week.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — It was a dream, one that hardly even seemed possible, back in the days when Garrett Rank was a member of Golf Canada’s National Men’s Team from 2012-14.

One of his teammates was Mackenzie Hughes and now, four years later, the band will be back together again, this time on one of golf’s biggest stages.

Rank and Hughes have taken different paths to get to this U.S. Open at the demanding, undulating and windswept Shinnecock Hills, but they will be together Thursday morning, along with Australian Aaron Baddeley, at 7:18 a.m. off the 10th tee.

Rank, from Elmira, ON, has been one of the popular stories in the early days of the tournament. Coming off his second full season as a referee in the NHL, he has been a media darling. He was the first player in the media centre on Monday and has done a steady stream of interviews since.

The 30-year-old deserves all the attention he has been getting, from winning a battle with testicular cancer in 2011 to putting together an impressive amateur career to establishing himself as a referee in the best hockey league in the world.

He had a hat trick at the Canadian Mid-Amateur championship, winning it three times in a row and finished runnerup in the 2012 U.S. Mid-Am. Winning the Canadian Mid-Am got him a ticket to three RBC Canadian Opens, making the cut in 2016. (Last year, he played the par-3 seventh hole, made to look like a hockey rink, in a referee’s sweater).

This season, despite being limited to less than a dozen rounds of golf during the winter as he worked 73 regular-season games in the NHL, he qualified for the U.S. Open with a pair of 71s at the Ansley Golf Club’s Settindown Course in Atlanta.

Hughes turned pro in 2013 and won the RSM Classic in 2016.

After playing 14 holes with Hughes, from Dundas, ON, and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, BC, on Tuesday, Rank put in a good session on the range with coach Dave Smallwood and was then interviewed live on The Golf Channel.

The whirlwind will ease Thursday morning when he can step onto the tee where there will be a familiar face.

“That was great for me. I couldn’t have got a better group, I don’t think,” Rank said. “I attended Mackenzie’s wedding. We’re great friends. We played on the Canadian national team for three years together, so very comfortable. It will be kind of nice for me, as I’m sure I’ll be really anxious and nervous and just to have that familiar face beside me in battle is huge.

“And then it’s cool, like Aaron Baddeley growing up was a huge name and still is a big name in golf. Secretly, it’s cool. Like I saw all the guys on the range today and I’m just there kind of like a little fan boy, so it’s cool to see those guys and be able to play with them, as well.”

Canada’s Garrett Rank is a popular man this week at the #USOpen ??⛳️? @golfchannel

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Jun 12, 2018 at 6:20pm PDT

Stephen Walkom, the NHL’s director of officiating, said the same qualities that make Rank an up-and coming referee serve him well on the golf course.

“I think he’s going to be really happy when the tournament starts,” Walkom said. “Once the tournament starts, it’s like a hockey game starting. He’s going to feel at peace, I’m sure. In golf, you have to be mentally tough and I think there are similarities with hockey, recovering quickly from a bad shot or a missed call. Garrett’s got a real passion for hockey and for the game of golf.

“On behalf of all the guys (on the officiating staff), we’re all extremely proud of Garrett and all that he’s accomplished qualifying for the U.S. Open. All the guys are going to enjoy it and wish him the best of luck. It’s great for Garrett. He’s going to have the chance to do something he dreamed about as a kid.”

With the spotlight turned on him, Rank has been taking the opportunity to spread the word Canada isn’t just about hockey.

“Yeah, growing up in Canada, you’re kind of born with a pair of skates on your feet, so hockey is probably our number one sport. But golf is getting there,” he said. “I’ve had a great opportunity with Golf Canada for three years on their Canadian Men’s National Team and have represented them in many international competitions. Obviously, I owe a huge debt to them. I wouldn’t be here without the guidance and support their staff has given me.”

Rank said his goal is to make the cut at Shinnecock. He said he had some issues with the wind, which shifted from the east to southwest on Tuesday, and that’s what kept him on the range.

Rank’s coach, David Smallwood, said what Rank has done getting here is remarkable for a guy who has a full-time job.

“You know what? For somebody who spends 72 nights dropping a puck, this is a part-time gig for him. He gets a few opportunities (to play) when he refs some Florida games and some mini-camps with me in Florida. We’d like it to be a couple more, but he’s busy with all the travel and stuff.

“It’s not the best situation to be able to come out here and compete with the best players in the world, but he’s a helluva an athlete, a helluva player and a helluva guy. When you have talent, you have talent. Is he as sharp mentally? Does he not question stuff because he’s a little rusty or not? He’s had three or four tournaments in the spring. He’s had some playing time. He just hasn’t had the range time.

“It’s a whirlwind,” Smallwood said as Rank headed off to talk to The Golf Channel. “We were planning on being out of here by now just relaxing at the house. It hasn’t worked out that way, so we’re going to do some chipping, some putting, some media. It’s a busy week.

“It’s a bucket list thing and we’re just all so excited about his opportunity this week.”

MEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Joey Savoie gained nine places in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for fifth at the St. Andrews Links Trophy, two strokes shy of the winning the score. The result vaulted the Golf Canada National Team member up to a career-best No. 75 in the world rankings and he moved past Garrett Rank to take over the No. 2 spot in Canada.

Fellow Golf Canada team member Hugo Bernard finished in a tie for 28th at the St. Andrew Links event. That was good enough to boost his career-best world ranking three places, moving him up to No. 47 in the world.

Biggest move:Jordy Lutz of Winnipeg gained 1,496 spots in the world rankings after winning the Manitoba Match Play Championship. The fourth seeded golfer knocked off the second seed Colwyn Abgrall 2&1 in the championship match.

WOMEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Maddie Szeryk picked up three more places in the world rankings to improve to a career-best No. 16 in the world for the Golf Canada National Squad member who just completed a successful collegiate career at Texas A&M.

One change in the Top 10 saw Jessica Ip take over the No. 8 ranking in Canada from Valerie Tanguay.

Biggest Move: Taylor Kehoe of Strathroy, Ont. gained 269 spots in the world rankings after finishing sixth at the AJGA the Memorial Junior event, which included a second round 70 which led all golfers that day.

MEN’S TOP 10

Both Nick Taylor and Austin Connelly shared the honour for the biggest move among the Top 10 this past week.

Taylor gained nine places in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 30th at the PGA’s FedEx St. Jude Classic. The result was worth 1.51 world ranking points, his second points-paying finish in his last three tournaments. The result enabled him to move up to No. 4 in Canada.

Connelly gained nine places in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 19th at the European Tour’s Shot Clock Masters – the first golf tournament of its type to feature a shot clock. The result was worth 1.62 world ranking points for the former Golf Canada National Team member.

Despite missing the cut at the Web.com Tour’s Rust-Oleum Championship, Roger Sloan moves back into the Top 10 following a seven week absence, moving past Richard T Lee, who lost 25 spots in the world rankings to relinquish the No. 10 ranking

Outside the Top 10, Justin Shin picked up 149 spots in the world rankings after finishing third in the PGA Tour China Series’ Guilin Championship. It was his third straight top 10 result and second top three finish. The result was worth 2.40 world ranking points, moving him up to No. 12 in the Canadian rankings.

Wes Heffernan gained 155 spots in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for sixth at the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event in Victoria.The result allowed him to take over the No. 17 ranking in Canada.

Other notable results: No. 3 Benjamin Silverman finished 67th at FedEx St. Jude Classic; No. 5 Mackenzie Hughes and No. 9 David Hearn both missed the cut at FedEx St. Jude Classic; No. 8 Corey Conners finished 68th at the FedEx St. Jude Classic;

WOMEN’S TOP 10

Anne-Catherine Tanguay made the biggest move among the Top 10, picking up 29 spots in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 36th at the Shoprite LPGA Classic. It was her career best result to date on the LPGA Tour and was worth 1.08 world ranking points.

Brittany Marchand extended her string of collecting world ranking points in each LPGA tournament she’s competed in this year. Marchand picked up 0.79 world ranking points after finishing tied for 45th at the Shoprite LPGA Classic. She also gained three places in the world rankings.

Augusta James was the only other Top 10 player to make positive gains this past week, picking up three places after finishing in a tie for 13th at the Symetra Tour event in Indiana. The result was worth 0.28 world ranking points for the Golf Canada Young Pro squad member.

Top ranked Brooke Henderson dropped a spot to No. 17 in the world despite finishing in a tie for 28th at the Shoprite LPGA Classic. The result was counted for 1.35 world ranking points. It was her first tournament back since having to withdraw during the U.S. Women’s Open due to a death in the family.

Other Notable Results: No. 3 Maude-Aimee Leblanc missed the cut at Shoprite LPGA Classic; No. 7 Samantha Richdale was disqualified from Symetra Tour Indiana event; No. 10 Elizabeth Tong missed the cut at Symetra Tour Indiana event;

by Bari Gourley – Golf NB

The middle of June has arrived and the golf season is in full swing! Golf NB has run two of it’s tournaments and we are looking forward to the rest of our schedule. I love to see golfers out on the courses, driving ranges and putting greens. What a great way to spend 5-6 months of the year. Golf is an incredible game when you can start in “Little Swingers” junior programs at the age of 4 and play into your 100s (if you are so blessed)! It is a game that allows for some people to take a competitive path and pursue a very low handicap and play in high level tournaments to golfers who just want to play for fun and exercise without the experience of tournaments.

Many people feel that they do not play well enough for tournaments but that is not the case. Our Golf NB tournaments and most club events have different divisions for handicap groupings with both gross and net prizing. That is why your handicap is so important, it was made for you to play even with everyone so you have just as good a chance to win a net prize as the next person. The NB Ladies Provincials is an amazing event that accepts golfers of all levels. If you are a 30 handicap you probably won’t win the Provincial title but you could win your division’s gross or net prize. The NB Ladies is also a wonderful social event and with the Miramichi Golf Club hosting, it is will promise to be a fun event. They even have a boat tour and bbq all lined up for the competitors this year so a good time will be had by all!

The NB Junior Championship invites all juniors with a valid handicap to come play at the Hampton Golf Club from July 3-5^th. Golf is a game where you can meet new people who will become your friends for a lifetime. Remember there is a Pee Wee division for those kids aged 12 and under, Bantam division for ages 13-14, Juvenile division for ages 15-16 and the Junior division for ages 17-18. If you want to try tournament golf, have a valid handicap and can play 18 holes of golf visit www.golfnb.ca to register.

Golf tournaments are not only for the elite gofers, they are for every golfer. 2018 should be the year you play in your first tournament. Golf is a game where it is you against the golf course, play well against the course and see how you finish with your peers. Remember golf is a game for a lifetime and keeps you Active for Life which is why so many of us love this game.

Adam Hadwin’s work on his all-around game has resulted in a steady PGA Tour season, but he hopes it pays bigger dividends at a U.S. Open course known to reward versatile golfers.

The native of Abbotsford, B.C., will tee off at his fourth career U.S. Open when the major tournament kicks off Thursday at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, a storied and notoriously tricky course.

“I like tradition and tournaments where par means something,” Hadwin told The Canadian Press in a recent interview. “My game suits that pretty well, which should go hand-in-hand with the U.S. Open.

“I’m really of the mindset that it doesn’t matter what the golf course is, I can adapt my game to fit anything.”

Hadwin, Canada’s highest-ranked male golfer, has enjoyed a successful if unspectacular season. He has three top-10 finishes and hasn’t missed a cut so far.

He arrived at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Sunday, a day earlier than usual for a tournament week, to check out the course for the first time.

Shinnecock, established in the 1891, is hosting its fifth U.S. Open. The course on Long Island in New York has implemented larger greens and wider fairways since 2004, the last time it played host.

Jeff Hall, managing director of rules and Open Championships for the United States Golf Association, said the last three U.S. Open champions at Shinnecock _ Raymond Floyd (1986), Corey Pavin (1995) and Retief Goosen (2004) _ knew how to play the game in a variety of ways.

“If it required knocking the ball down they’d do it. Move it left? move it right? they could do it. It really is a complete examination,” he said. “I don’t think it punishes a long player or favours a long player, you just need to be able to play a lot of shots.”

That could favour Hadwin, who took last week off to work on basics like set-up, alignment, ball position and posture.

The 30-year-old feels his well-rounded game is taking shape just in time for the second major tournament of the season.

“I feel like I’m hitting it well. I’m hitting the ball both ways and I’m seeing different shots,” he said. “It gives me a lot of confidence moving forward that I’m continually doing the right things and I’ve just got to keep at it.”

NO RANK AMATEUR

Garrett Rank, a full-time NHL referee who played only four rounds of golf during the hockey season, was co-medallist at his qualifying site in Georgia and will play his first U.S. Open this week.

Rank, of Elmira, Ont., worked 73 games during the regular season and three playoff games in his second NHL season.

But his golf resume is just as impressive.

He is a three-time Canadian Mid-Amateur Champion and represented Canada at the Pan-Am Games in 2015.

He said U.S. Open-style golf fits his game because he enjoys shooting around par, hitting long irons into greens, and playing steady.

“If it was a tournament where I had to shoot super low, I would probably be a little more uncomfortable,” he said.

Rank was diagnosed with testicular cancer in his early 20s, but since has received a clean bill of health.

“2018 has been pretty cool,” he said. “Playing with the best players in hockey on the ice, and now obviously I’ll play with the best golfers in the world at the U.S. Open. It’s a pretty cool life I’m living right now and I’m very thankful for that.”

HOPEFUL HUGHES

It’s been a year of learning Mackenzie Hughes, but the native of Dundas, Ont., he said he’s hopeful his performance at the U.S. Open qualifier will be a springboard for success.

Hughes shot 10-under par over a 36-hole qualifier in Tennessee to finish tied for second. This will be his second U.S. Open after also qualifying in 2013.

The 27-year-old and his wife, Jenna, welcomed their first child last fall and Hughes has been trying to balance fatherhood with the demanding schedule of professional golf.

He’s made only five cuts in 14 events this year, but is encouraged by his result in the qualifier and is eager to tee it up at another major.

“I’m excited to play, and I know I’m good enough to play well in it,” he said. “It’s one of those things where now that I’m in I’m going to try to treat it like any other event, prepare, and play well.”

WAITING GAME

Toronto’s Mark Hoffman and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., will await their fate this week as both finished as first alternate at their qualifiers.

Conners, who notched his best ever PGA Tour finish at the Fort Worth Invitational in May, lost in a three-man playoff for two spots at Springfield Country Club in Ohio.

He qualified for the 2017 U.S. Open at the same site, but went on to miss the cut.

Hoffman lost in a two-man playoff for one spot at Canoe Brook Country Club in New York. He’s returning from an ankle injury after tearing two ligaments in March, and says the 36-hole qualifier was the first time he’s walked that much in months.