History in Canada
Canada has a rich history of hosting LPGA tournaments, dating back to 1966 when Kathy Whitworth beat Mickey Wright by three strokes at the Supertest Ladies Open at Sunningdale Golf Course in London, Ontario. This includes the du Maurier Classic, which was a major championship on the LPGA from 1979-2000.
This week’s Manulife Financial LPGA Classic marks the 47th tournament to be played in Canada and will be the first of two events there this year, with the CN Canadian Women’s Open slated for Aug. 23-26.| Here is a list of LPGA events played in Canada: | |||
| Year | Tournament | Site | Winner |
| 1966 | Supertest Ladies Open | Sunningdale GC, London, Ontario | Kathy Whitworth |
| 1967 | Supertest Ladies’ Open | Sunningdale GC, London, Ontario | Carol Mann |
| 1968 | Supertest Canadian Open | Bayview GC, Toronto | Carol Mann |
| 1968 | Willow Park Ladies Invitational | Willow Park CC, Calgary | Carol Mann |
| 1969 | Ladies’ Supertest Open | Bayview CC, Toronto, Ontario | Sandra Haynie |
| 1969 | Tournament of Champs | Glendale G&CC, Winnipeg, Manitoba | Carol Mann |
| 1969 | Molson’s Canadian Open | Shaughnessy G&CC, Vancouver, BC | Carol Mann |
| 1973 | LaCanadienne Golf Championship | Montreal GC, Montreal | Jocelyne Bourassa |
| 1974 | Peter Jackson Ladies Classic | Canadian GC, Montreal | Carole Jo Skala |
| 1975 | Peter Jackson Classic | St. George’s CC, Toronto | JoAnne Carner |
| 1976 | Peter Jackson Classic | Cedar Brae G&CC, Toronto | Donna Caponi |
| 1977 | Peter Jackson Classic | Lachute G&CC Montreal | Judy Rankin |
| 1978 | Peter Jackson Classic | St. George’s GC, Islington, Ontario | JoAnne Carner |
| 1979 | Peter Jackson Classic | Richelieu Valley CC, Montreal | Amy Alcott |
| 1980 | Peter Jackson Classic | St. George’s GC, Islington, Ontario | Pat Bradley |
| 1981 | Peter Jackson Classic | Summerlea CC, Dorion, Quebec | Jan Stephenson |
| 1982 | Peter Jackson Classic | St. George’s G&CC, Toronto | Sandra Haynie |
| 1983 | Peter Jackson Classic | Beaconsfield GC, Montreal | Hollis Stacy |
| 1984 | du Maurier Classic | St. George’s G&CC, Toronto | Juli Inkster |
| 1985 | du Maurier Classic | Beaconsfield CC, Montreal | Pat Bradley |
| 1986 | du Maurier Classic | Board of Trade CC, Toronto | Pat Bradley |
| 1987 | du Maurier Ltd. Classic | Islesmere GC, Laval, Quebec | Jody Rosenthal |
| 1988 | du Maurier Ltd. Classic | The Vancouver GC, Coquitlam | Sally Little |
| 1989 | du Maurier Ltd. Classic | Beaconsfield GC, Montreal | Tammie Green |
| 1990 | du Maurier Ltd. Classic | Westmount G&CC, Kitchener, Ontario | Cathy Johnston |
| 1991 | du Maurier Ltd. Classic | Vancouver GC, Coquitlam, BC | Nancy Scranton |
| 1992 | du Maurier Ltd. Classic | St. Charles CC, Winnipeg, Manitoba | Sherri Steinhauer |
| 1993 | du Maurier Ltd. Classic | London Hunt & CC, London, Ontario | Brandie Burton |
| 1994 | du Maurier Ltd. Classic | Ottawa Hunt Club, Ottawa, Ontario | Martha Nause |
| 1995 | du Maurier Ltd. Classic | Beaconsfield GC, Pointe-Claire, Quebec | Jenny Lidback |
| 1996 | du Maurier Classic | Edmonton CC, Edmonton, Alberta | Laura Davies |
| 1997 | du Maurier Classic | Glen Abbey GC, Oakville, Ontario | Coleen Walker |
| 1998 | du Maurier Classic | Essex G&CC, Windsor, Ontario | Brandie Burton |
| 1999 | du Maurier Classic | Priddis Greens G&CC, Calgary, Alberta | Karrie Webb |
| 2000 | du Maurier Classic | Royal Ottawa GC, Aylmer, Quebec | Meg Mallon |
| 2001 | Bank of Montreal Canadian Women’s Open | Angus Glen GC South, Markham, Ontario | Annika Sorenstam |
| 2002 | Bank of Montreal Canadian Women’s Open | Summerlea G&CC, Vaudreuil-Dorian, Quebec | Meg Mallon |
| 2003 | BMO Financial Group Canadian Women’s Open | Point Grey G&CC, Vancouver, B.C. | Beth Daniel |
| 2004 | BMO Financial Group Canadian Women’s Open | Legends on the Niagara, Battlefield, Niagara Falls, Ont | Meg Mallon |
| 2005 | BMO Financial Group Canadian Women’s Open | Glen Arbour GC, Halifax, Nova Scotia | Meena Lee |
| 2006 | CN Canadian Women’s Open | London Hunt&CC, London, Ontario | Cristie Kerr |
| 2007 | CN Canadian Women’s Open | Royal Mayfair GC, Edmonton, Alberta | Lorena Ochoa |
| 2008 | CN Canadian Women’s Open | Ottawa Hunt&GC, Ottawa, Ontario | Katherine Hull |
| 2009 | CN Canadian Women’s Open | Priddis Greens G&CC, Priddis, Alberta | Suzann Pettersen |
| 2010 | CN Canadian Women’s Open | Coquitlam, British Columbia | Michelle Wie |
| 2011 | CN Canadian Women’s Open | Mirabel | Brittany Lincicome |
New venue is a public course
Grey Silo Golf Course, the site of this week’s tournament, is located about 70 miles west of Toronto. The course is situated along the Grand River and is owned by the city of Waterloo. Being a public course is one of the main reasons tournament organizers chose Grey Silo as the site.
Grey Silo’s normal course routing will be altered for this week’s tournament. The 160-yard, par-3 16th hole, which plays over water, will be the 17th hole. The 450-yard, par-5 17th, which has no water, will be the finishing hole. There are also consecutive par-5 holes on the front nine (Nos. 4 and 5).
Home country participants
There are nine Canadians in the field this week. They include Lorie Kane of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ontario; Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ontario; Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Quebec; Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ontario; Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Richmond Hill, Ontario; Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C.; and amateur Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ontario, who was a member of Alabama’s NCAA championship team.
Statistically speaking
Two Canadians are at the top of the driving categories on the LPGA. Samantha Richdale leads the LPGA in Driving Accuracy at 85.7 percent. Maude-Aimee Leblanc is second in Driving Distance at 278 yards, just one yard behind Brittany Lincicome.
New tournaments
This week’s event is the third new tournament on the LPGA schedule this season. The ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open started the season in Australia. The LPGA LOTTE Championship in Hawaii was the second new tournament of the season. The Jamie Farr Toledo Classic is scheduled for Aug. 9-12 in Sylvania, Ohio, and the Kingsmill Championship in Virginia on Sept. 6-9.
Next tournament after a major
Only five players have won the Wegmans LPGA Championship and come back with a victory in the next tournament, still the most week-after success of any major on the LPGA. Shanshan Feng, the winner of the Wegmans LPGA two weeks ago, is aiming to join that group this week. The consecutive winners include:
|
Player |
Date of LPGA Championship Win |
Tournament won next week, date |
|
Beverly Hanson* |
July 17, 1955 |
Battle Creek Open, July 31, 1955 |
|
Nancy Lopez |
June 11, 1978 |
Bankers Trust Classic, June 18, 1978 |
|
Jan Stephenson |
June 13, 1982 |
Lady Keystone Open, June 20, 1982 |
|
Patty Sheehan |
June 3, 1984 |
McDonald's Kids Classic, June 10, 1984 |
|
Sherri Turner |
May 22, 1988 |
LPGA Corning Classic, May 29, 1988 |
*An unofficial event, the Virginia Hot Springs Four-Ball, was staged between Hanson’s win at the LPGA Championship and her win at the Battle Creek Open.
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