Field announced for 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open
08/15/2012
Coquitlam, B.C. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada in partnership with CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) announced today the field of competitors set to challenge for the 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open, August 20-26 at the Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C.
In all, the field at The Vancouver Golf Club will feature 48 of the top 50 players on the current LPGA Official Money List including defending champion Brittany Lincicome, world no. 1 Yani Tseng, Stacey Lewis, Michelle Wie, Suzann Pettersen, Paula Creamer, Na Yeon Choi, Cristie Kerr, Karrie Webb, Morgan Pressel, Ai Miyazato and teenage sensation Alexis Thompson.
Eight of the event’s former champions will be competing at The Vancouver Golf Club including Brittany Lincicome (2011 CN Canadian Women’s Open), Michelle Wie (2010 CN Canadian Women’s Open); Suzann Pettersen (2009 CN Canadian Women’s Open); Katherine Hull (2008 CN Canadian Women’s Open); Cristie Kerr (2006 CN Canadian Women’s Open); Meena Lee (2005 BMO Financial Group Canadian Women’s Open); Karrie Webb (1999 du Maurier Classic) and Laura Davies (1996 du Maurier Classic). The winner’s share of the $2.0 million USD purse will be $300,000 USD.
The current field includes 15 Canadians looking to become the first Canadian to win an LPGA Tour event on home soil since Canadian golf legend Jocelyne Bourassa’s historic victory in 1973 at La Canadienne Golf Championship. Set to compete are Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., Lorie Kane of Charlottetown, P.E.I., Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Richmond Hill, Ont., Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., Isabelle Beisiegel of Saint-Hilaire, Que., Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., Kirby Dreher of Fort St. John, B.C., Sara Maude Juneau of Fossambault, Que. as well and Natalie Gleadall of Stratford, Ont. as Team Canada members Augusta James of Bath, Ont., Jisoo Keel of Coquitlam, B.C., Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. and Christine Wong of Richmond, B.C. who was recently granted a tournament exemption.
LPGA Tour rookie Maude-Aimée LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que. was originally scheduled to compete but a recently diagnosed stress fracture in her back will force her to miss the remainder of the 2012 LPGA Tour season.
British Columbia golf will also be well represented with a B.C. contingent of Samantha Richdale (Kelowna), Sue Kim (Langley), Kirby Dreher (Fort St. John), So Yeon Park (Vancouver), Christine Wong (Richmond) and Coquitlam’s own Jisoo Keel looking to impress in front of the hometown crowd.
Five members of Team Canada will challenge the world’s best golfers including National Amateur Team members Augusta James, Brittany Marchand, Christine Wong and Jisoo Keel as well as National Development Squad member Brooke Henderson who’s victory at the CN Canadian Women’s Tour event earlier this year made her the young golfer ever to win a professional golf tour event (14 years, 9 months & 3 days). Henderson will be the youngest player ever to compete for Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship.
In addition, a pair of notable international amateur golfers will compete by way of exemption including the world’s no. 1 ranked amateur – 15-year old Lydia Ko of New Zealand. Ko, who recently won the 2012 US Women’s Amateur was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Junior Girls and finished as low amateur at the 2012 US Women’s Open. Also competing will be 2012 Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Amateur champion Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand. Currently ranked no. 2 on the world amateur golf ranking, the 16-year old Jutanugarn lost to Ko in the semi-finals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
“The field is set and we are looking forward to another tremendous showcase as the world best professional and amateur golfers challenge for Canada’s National Women’s Open title,” said Tournament Director Sean Van Kesteren. “With the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation designated as the event’s community beneficiary, our hope is that Canadian golf fans will continue to show their support for the CN Canadian Women’s Open and help us raise even more money for children’s hospitals through the CN Miracle Match Program.”
The only players in the top 50 on the current LPGA Official Money List not competing at The Vancouver Golf Club are Se Ri Pak (shoulder injury) and Caroline Hedwell (hip injury).
Four additional spots into the field will be determined on Monday, August 20th as players will tee it up in the CN Canadian Women’s Open Monday Qualifier at Morgan Creek Golf Course in South Surrey, B.C.
CLICK HERE for a link to the field of competitors set to challenge for the $2.0 million USD CN Canadian Women’s Open at The Vancouver Golf Club.
The 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open will help to raise money for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the official charitable beneficiary of the CN Miracle Match campaign in 2012. To date since 2006, CN Miracle Match has helped to raise close to $6.5 million in support of children’s hospitals in the name of the CN Canadian Women’s Open.
OPEN MONDAY QUALIFIER – FOUR SPOTS AVAILABLE
The final four spots into the 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open will be up for grabs at the Open Monday Qualifier set for August 20th at Morgan Creek Golf Course in South Surrey, B.C. The Monday Qualifier is open to a maximum of 60 players (professional or amateur) with a Golf Canada Handicap Factor/USGA Index of 2.0 or better.
CN MIRACLE MATCH PROGRAM NOW ACCEPTING DONATIONS
The 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open will help to raise money for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the official charitable beneficiary of the CN Miracle Match campaign in 2012.
CN Miracle Match is a national charitable initiative designed to rally communities across Canada behind a very worthy cause, supporting children’s hospitals. Each year since 2006, CN and Golf Canada have raised funds to support children’s hospitals in the CN Canadian Women’s Open host cities by matching funds raised through various initiatives that are connected with the championship. In the past six years, the CN Miracle Match program has raised nearly $6.5 million for children’s hospitals.
Individuals and corporations looking to support the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation can visit www.CNMiracleMatch.ca to make their donation.
ABOUT THE 2012 CN CANADIAN WOMEN’S OPEN
Stars of the LPGA Tour will challenge for the 2012 CN Canadian Women’s Open from August 20-26 at The Vancouver Golf Club. The CN Canadian Women’s Open is proudly sponsored by CN, CVS Controls Ltd., TaylorMade adidas Golf, Molson Coors Canada, The Globe and Mail, The Delta Burnaby Hotel & Conference Centre, Reader’s Digest, Shaw, The Glenlivet, AutoCanada and CBC. Tickets can be purchased online, at www.cncanadianwomensopen.com, or by phone, at 1-866-571-5742.
ABOUT CN
Canadian National Railway Company -- and its operating railway subsidiaries – spans Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to the Gulf of Mexico, serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the key metropolitan areas of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., Green Bay, Wis., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America. For more information on CN, visit the company’s website at www.cn.ca.
ABOUT GOLF CANADA - LOVE THE GAME. GROW THE GAME.
Golf Canada is the governing body of golf in Canada, representing more than 340,000 members at almost 1,500 clubs across the country. Recognized by Sport Canada as the National Sports Organization (NSO) for golf in Canada, Golf Canada is responsible for promoting participation in and a passion for the game of golf in Canada.
A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada actively conducts championships, programs and services to help shape the present and future of golf in Canada. High performance athlete development, Golf in Schools presented by Callaway, Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum and CN Future Links, Canada’s national junior golf program, are only some of the initiatives the association leads for golf in Canada. As the authority for golf in Canada, the association also administers the Rules of Golf, amateur status and handicapping and course rating.
In addition, Golf Canada conducts Canada’s most prestigious golf championships. The RBC Canadian Open and CN Canadian Women’s Open attract the best professional golfers in the world, while regional junior and national amateur championships provide world class competitive opportunities for Canada’s top golfers to showcase their talents.
For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit us online at www.golfcanada.ca.
Media Contacts:
Dan Pino
Director, Corporate Communications
1-800-263-0009, ext. 406
M: (416) 434-5525
dpino@golfcanada.ca
Louis-Antoine Paquin
Manager, Corporate Communications
514-399-6450
M: (514) 971-6450
louisantoine.paquin@cn.ca