O Canada, LPGA’s in town! (Please read that to the tune of the Canadian national anthem; I’m begging you.)
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Welcome back to Golf Thursday, everyone.
From Aug. 21–24, the LPGA is at the 51st CPKC Women’s Open in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada at Mississauga Golf and Country Club. The par-71 collaborative design by George Cumming, Donald Ross, Stanley Thompson and Doug Carrick will host the tournament for the first time. It’s also the first time in three years the championship will be played in the province of Ontario.
Mississauga has seen a lot in a year. With severe flooding putting the entire course underwater in July 2024, the grounds crew had their work cut out for them. But the course is back in shape and primed to host these world-class golfers.
Speaking of the field, this one’s going to be good. It’s always a treat to see Canadian and 2018 CPKC Women’s Open champion Brooke Henderson compete on home soil. She currently holds the title of being the most decorated golfer, male or female, in Canada’s history. Henderson leads the pack of 16 Canadians set to compete in this edition of the CPKC Women’s Open.
Several players are making their first starts back since the AIG Women’s Open, including newly crowned World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, World No. 2 Nelly Korda and World No. 3 and three-time (that’s right) CPKC Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko. While Thitikul has a win this year at the Mizuho Americas Open, she’ll still want a good finish here in Ontario this week. And Korda will be on the hunt for her first win of the season, looking to get a more consistent game back. That top spot in the World Golf Rankings is quite challenged these days. But, ultimately, that’s not why Thitikul plays the game.
“I don’t think we are just like oh, I want to do this week the best to win it to be able to be No. 1 in the world, to be stuck on No. 1 in the world as long as possible. I don’t think that’s the strategy that we playing out there,” Thitikul said in a pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
“We playing out there for winning each tournaments that we able to and then improving ourself every week that we can.”
To Ko, the CPKC Women’s Open is a special tournament. She notched her first LPGA Tour win at this tournament in 2012.
“Yeah, Canada feels a lot like New Zealand and the people here are so nice and they welcomed me as if I was a fellow Canadian,” Ko said in a pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
“I know that sometimes—I played in the past and some spectators were like, oh, if you were Canadian you would’ve been our second favorite Canadian. I said, I’m No. 1 favorite Kiwi, hopefully, so I’ll just stay that way.”
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It’s clear Ko has a lot of love for Canada and that Canadians have a lot of love for her. They’ll be cheering her on loud and proud this week, maybe just not louder than for their country’s own.
Also making her first start since the AIG Women’s Open is Lottie Woad, who is looking to build on her incredible start to her professional career on the LPGA Tour. The KPMG Women’s Irish Open and ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open champion is set for her first CPKC Women’s Open. She’ll play with Thitikul and Henderson in what’s bound to be a well-followed featured group on Thursday, Aug. 21 and Friday, Aug. 22.
Defending champion Lauren Coughlin has been having two dream years on the LPGA Tour. In 2024, she won her first LPGA Tour tournament at the CPKC Women’s Open and went on to win again at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open and make her first-ever U.S. Solheim Cup team. This year, Coughlin has earned almost $900,000 without a win and has five top-10 finishes, her most recent being at The Standard Portland Classic. She finished tied for seventh last week.
“Yeah, been playing really good the last few weeks. Played really well to start year as well. I mean, my game feels really good. I’m hitting the ball well. Started putting really well starting Scotland or so,” Coughlin said ahead of the tournament on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
“If I can make some putts, then I think I usually can play pretty well. Yeah, these greens are really good. Course looks great. It’s in amazing shape.”
You can watch Coughlin defend her title at the CPKC Women’s Open from Aug. 21–24 on NBC, Golf Channel and CBS.
See you next week for the recap, golf fans.
This week in women’s golf
LPGA News
Field finalized for 2025 FM Championship
Field breakdown: 2025 CPKC Women’s Open
Five things to know about the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open
How to watch the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open
Sister, sister: Meet the four sets of sisters who have won on the LPGA Tour
Akie Iwai wins Portland Classic to join twin sister Chisato as rookie LPGA Tour champion
Juli Inkster chasing history at The Standard Portland Classic
“Becoming Caitlin Clark” is available now!
Howard Megdal’s newest book is here! “Becoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar” captures both the historic nature of Clark’s rise and the critical context over the previous century that helped make it possible.
LET News
Folke ready for home test at Hills Open
Order of Merit leader Mimi Rhodes ready to go again in Sweden
Bringner looking to capitalise on home course advantage at the Hills Open
European stretch continues as the LET heads to Sweden this week
Kemp in winning team at PIF London Championship one year after accident
Du Toit reflects on special week at PIF London Championship
Epson Tour News
Erika Hara climbs to No. 3 in Race for the Card standings
Three things to know about the Dream First Bank Charity Classic
Field breakdown: 2025 Dream First Bank Charity Classic
Erika Hara secures LPGA Tour status through Epson Tour Race for the Card
Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic tools of a winner: Erika Hara
Erika Hara claims first win of the 2025 Epson Tour season at the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic
Julia Gregg ties 18-hole tournament record at the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic
Selanée Henderson Pendleton honors Walla Walla tribe at Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic
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Amateur News
Kiara Romero earns two LEAP points with T7 finish at Portland Classic
Kiara Romero earns Mark H. McCormack Medal, earns four points in LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway
Five at The IX: Akie Iwai wins The Standard Portland Classic to become the sixth rookie winner on the LPGA Tour this year
A bogey-free final round of 66 (-6) on Sunday, August 17, was more than enough for Akie Iwai to claim her first win on the LPGA Tour. She joins her sister, Chisato, as a rookie winner this season. The 23-year-old from Japan ended the tournament 24-under-par, four shots ahead of Gurleen Kaur and five ahead of her sister, who finished tied for third with Linn Grant. Here are some snippets from Akie’s post-win press conference at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.
Q. First things first, this is your first LPGA Tour victory. Could you just talk about how you feel right now?
AKIE IWAI: Amazing. So actually in the morning a little bit nervous, but I trust cheering in Japan, family, team. Yeah, I trust cheering, but that’s why I just won, yeah.
Q. And then what do you think about the reason all the many young Japanese golfers are having so much success on Tour this year? You, your sister, there is four now on Tour this year. What do you attribute the success to?
AKIE IWAI: Yeah, so many Japanese people this year won, so inspired me. That’s why I will do my best, I will do my best, yeah.
Q. Did Miyu’s win inspire you at all at the AIG Women’s Open?
AKIE IWAI: (Through translation.) Just not one of them. Just everybody plays well this year, so everything inspired me to play better this year.
Q. What has that been like for you as a rookie on the LPGA Tour? What has it been like to travel? You have quite the team that you travel with. What has it been like for you to do that this year?
AKIE IWAI: Actually I feel busy to moving, but everything good. It was fun because the team, yeah.
Q. How much fun do you all have on the road when you travel together?
AKIE IWAI: (Motions arms wide.)
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