Past Champions Ready to Battle at 2018 CP Women’s Open
Golf Canada – REGINA (Golf Canada) — Newly minted Rolex Ranking No. 1 Sung Hyun Park is excited to return to Canada and defend her 2017 CP Women’s Open title.
A more confident and experienced Park enters this week’s event at Wascana Country Club after taking her fifth career victory at last week’s Indy Women in Tech Championship driven by Group 1001, which bumped her ahead of Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn for the top spot in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
“I am so excited and happy to be ranked No. 1,” said Park, who became the first LPGA Tour rookie to reach the top of the world rankings when she held the spot for one week in November 2017. “Nothing has really changed. It does put a little bit of pressure on me, but I just want to maintain that type of play. I’m still going to focus on what I need to get done this week.”
The early portion of the 2018 season brought Park into a difficult patch in her game. Through her first 15 events, she grabbed two wins, but also uncharacteristically missed six cuts and only earned two other top-10 finishes. The hyper-competitive Park started to question if she would be able to live up to the lofty expectations set by her fans – and by herself. Now with those doubts cast aside, Park pursues more success in the last stretch of the 2018 season.
“I now have a lot more experience under my belt,” said the 24-year-old with five career LPGA Tour wins. “Even though I’ve had a couple missed cuts this season, I still feel like this is a really great season for me and I think I can win more tournaments this year.”
Most people don’t excel at professional sports at age 15. But most people aren’t Lydia Ko. The New Zealander won the 2012 CP Women’s Open as a 15-year-old amateur, becoming the youngest winner in LPGA history.
“I think even at that time it didn’t really settle in,” said Ko, who followed her maiden win up with another win in 2013 as an amateur and tacked on a third Canadian national title in 2015 as a professional. “I think you’re so young that you don’t really know what’s going on. Obviously, you’re super excited and super happy to have won, but, you know, I think I feel like I was very lucky right now looking back more than I was actually at that time. It was a lot to take in.”
Three years removed from that last win and Ko is primed for her fourth victory north of the border. The 21-year-old comes to Regina off a T16 finish at last week’s Indy Women in Tech Championship driven by Group 1001, and hopes to better her Canadian performance from 2017, when she missed the cut for the first time in her CP Women’s Open career.
“Every time I come back to Canada I feel like it’s another home for me,” said Ko. “It’s always great to come back to a place where you feel really welcomed and you don’t feel like a stranger. The crowds are there on practice rounds and Pro-Ams. That’s how excited they are to see us. I think that’s a cool thing for us to play in front of these massive crowds.”
The opening-round of the 2018 CP Women’s Open begins at 7:00 am off the first and 10th tees.
CP WOMEN’S OPEN OPENING CEREMONY
Representatives from Golf Canada, the LPGA Tour and Treaty 4 will gather Thursday morning at Wascana Country Club for the singing of the Treaty 4 anthem and blessing of the land. The ceremony will take place on the 1st tee at 6:40 a.m.
PARK, JONES TO RECEIVE ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 1 CADDIE BIB ON FIRST TEE
For the second time in her LPGA Tour career, Sung Hyun Park has reached No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. In recognition of that achievement, her caddie, David Jones, will receive the green Rolex Caddie Bib from Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada, prior to her 1:43 p.m. tee time.
ROAD TRIP TO WASCANA
A slew of junior golfers were on hand at Wascana Country Club today after making the 300 km trek from North Dakota to Regina. The group of juniors from Eagle Ridge Golf Club were treated a meet and greet experience on the range with LPGA Tour player and fellow North Dakotan Amy Olsen.
PAIRING AND START TIMES – ROUNDS 1&2…
Pairings for the first and second rounds of the 2018 CP Women’s Open are available here.
INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS, AUDIO FILES AND VIDEO…
Interview transcripts, audio MP3 files, as well as downloadable royalty-free images and broadcast quality videos for all media interviews and scrums are available online here.
MEDIA GUIDE
Download the 2018 CP Women’s Open Media Guide by clicking here.
CP HAS HEART IN SUPPORT OF JIM PATTISON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
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 is 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. To find out more or donate, click here.
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…
Anyday Grounds (Thurs) – Tournament week $55
Anyday Grounds (Fri-Sat) – Tournament week $55
Anyday Grounds (Sun) – Tournament week $55
Full week entry (Grounds) – Tournament week $105
Full week entry (Clubhouse) – Tournament week $200
TELEVISION COVERAGE…
Thursday, August 23 – Golf Channel – 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Friday, August 24 – Golf Channel – 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 25 – Golf Channel – 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday, August 26 – Golf Channel – 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
The stars of the LPGA Tour will challenge for the CP Women’s Open from August 20-26, 2018 at Wascana Country Club in Regina. The CP Women’s Open is proud to name Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation as the official tournament charity for 2018. Funds raised will be dedicated to pediatric cardiology space as well as specialized equipment and are being matched by CP through its CP Has Heart community program. The CP Women’s Open, Canada’s National Women’s Open Golf Championship, is proudly sponsored by CP, RBC, Steam Whistle, Levelwear, Dilawri Auto Group, The Glenlivet, Golf Town, CVS Controls Ltd., Mott’s Clamato Caesar, Regina Hotel Association, Tourism Saskatchewan, City of Regina and the Government of Canada. For more information on volunteer opportunities, tickets or corporate hospitality, visitwww.cpwomensopen.com or call 1-866-571-5742.
ABOUT CANADIAN PACIFIC
Canadian Pacific is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States with direct links to major ports on the west and east coasts, providing North American customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of CP.
ABOUT CP HAS HEART
At CP, we know that a railroad may serve as the arteries of a nation, but at its heart is community. That’s why, through CP Has Heart, we’ve already committed more than $12 million to help improve the heart health of men, women and children across North America. And along the way, we’re showing heart whenever we can. Find out more on www.cpr.ca or @CPhasHeart.
ABOUT GOLF CANADA
Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada representing 319,000 golfers and 1,400 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s mission is to grow participation, excellence and passion in the sport while upholding the integrity and traditions of the game. By investing in the growth of the sport and introducing more participants of all ages to the game, our goal is to be relevant to and respected by all Canadian golf enthusiasts from coast to coast. For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visitwww.golfcanada.ca.
For more information:
Dan Pino
Director, Media and Public Relations
Golf Canada
(c) 416-434-5525
(e) dpino@golfcanada.ca
Mallory McCredie
Advisor, Media Relations
Canadian Pacific
(p) 403-319-7178
(e) Mallory_Mccredie@cpr.ca