Canadians look to end long drought

REGINA — England’s Georgia Hall can relate to the pressure that Canadian golfers may be feeling at the CP Women’s Open.

Hall won the Women’s British Open earlier this month at Royal Lytham to become the first British player to win the tournament since 2009. She didn’t think about any added tension during her breakout performance and instead focused on the excitement at hand.

“Just enjoy being at home and enjoy having your family and friends come and watch,” Hall said Wednesday.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., headlines the list of 16 Canadians in the field this week at the Wascana Country Club.

The world No. 14 has one win and eight top-10 finishes this season.

Jocelyne Bourassa was the last Canadian to win this tournament, taking the 1973 title in Montreal.

“That’s a long time,” Henderson said. “I would love to win this tournament ... It’s kind of like the sixth major for me.”

Henderson finished in a tie for 12th last year in Ottawa. She has an afternoon tee time for Thursday’s opening round with new world No. 1 Sung Hyun Park of South Korea and Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist.

Other Canadian LPGA Tour regulars include Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Anne Catharine Tanguay of Quebec City and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont. Canadians playing on the Symetra Tour include Jennifer Ha of Calgary, Saskatoon’s Anna Young, Augusta James of Bath, Ont., Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont., and Megan Osland of Kelowna.