Tag: CPKC Women’s Open

Megan Khang wins for first time on LPGA at 2023 CPKC Women’s Open in Canada

“I’m pumped to finally get the first one,” she said.

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Jin Young Ko was four shots back heading into the final round the Cognizant Founders Cup in May. She would go on to win there, which is tied for the largest comeback on the LPGA this season.

To start the final round of the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada on Sunday, Ko was five shots back of leader Megan Khang. Was another large come-from-behind win in the making?

On the 18th hole, Ko missed the green left with her approach but got up-and-down for par to finish at 9 under, good for the clubhouse lead.

Moments later, Khang, who was at 8 under after a bogey on No. 17, had her best shot of the week, stuffing her second shot on the challenging closing hole to about five feet. There had been only four birdies all day on the 18th hole and Khang needed to make the fifth in order to force a playoff.

Seeking her first LPGA win in her 191st career start, Khang then calmly poured in the putt to post a 2-over 74 and get into her first career playoff.

On the first playoff hole, Ko teed off first but pulled her tee shot left. Khang striped hers down the middle of the fairway, then hit an approach similar to the one she had in regulation, her ball rolling a little farther and nestling just into the fringe. Ko’s third shot, meanwhile, found a greenside bunker and after blasting out, she faced a 40-footer for bogey but missed, and ended up taking a 6 on the hole.

That set the stage for Khang, who putted from the fringe to about a foot before holing out for par to seal the deal on her first LPGA victory.

“My game has kind of been trending and has matured in the last couple of years,” she told Golf Channel on the 18th green moments after winning. “It was juts a matter of time.”

Khang, already locked into a Solheim Cup spot for the U.S. team, said she spoke with other members of that squad who have tasted victory for some inspiration.

“I’m pumped to finally get the first one,” she said.

Khang is the ninth first-time winner on the LPGA in 2023. She earned $375,000 for the win.

Canadian favorite Brooke Henderson finished tied for 13th. Alexa Pano, who won her first LPGA title last week, tied for 22nd. Nelly Korda shot a pair of 75s over the weekend and tied for 32nd. Lydia Ko shot 82 on Saturday and finished at 13 over and in last place of all the golfers who made the cut.

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Searching for first LPGA win, Megan Khang has impressive stretch in Canada

Khang flipped the script and the 25-year-old made five straight birdies on the back nine.

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After finishing her opening round with three straight bogeys, Megan Khang was eager to clean things up a little during the second round of the CPKC Women’s Open at Shaughnessy Golf Club & Country Club in Vancouver. She certainly didn’t want another similar stretch like the one that pulled her down the leaderboard a bit on Thursday.

But while others struggled to score during Friday’s action, Khang flipped the script and rather than stringing bogeys together the 25-year-old made five straight birdies on the back nine, posted a 66 and leapfrogged the rest of the field and grab the clubhouse lead at 7 under after the early wave at the LPGA event.

Khang was one of just two players to break 70 in the morning wave, with the other being local favorite Brooke Henderson. But after struggling to a 75 in the opening round, Henderson’s 68 on Friday merely got her back in the mix, not near the top of the leaderboard. At 1 under, she trails Khang by six strokes. Linn Grant is a stroke behind Khang while Jin Young Ko sits two strokes back with Nelly Korda three off Khang’s pace.

“Today, it was a solid day. You know, yesterday I felt pretty good myself. You know, it’s never a good feeling finishing three bogeys in a row so obviously I knew I could play some pretty good golf out here,” Khang said. “Each day is different but, yeah, no, kind of mid-round my ball striking got pretty hot and then my putter was just getting hot as well.

“So just kind of like staying patient out there. The front nine felt monotonous making one birdie, but on this kind of golf course par is definitely your friend, and sometimes it’s a really good par out there.”

While the CPKC Women’s Open marks the last event for players to qualify for the 2023 U.S. Solheim Cup team, Khang needn’t worry about her position as she joins Lilia Vu, Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz as players who have already clinched a spot. And while Khang has been a force on the LPGA since electing to forego college and turning professional at 18, she’s still searching for her first win.

She knows that despite two solid rounds, there’s plenty of work to be done if she’s finally due for her initial victory.

“Honestly, this golf course I feel like you can’t really get too comfortable on. These fairways are tight and the greens are fast and firm, so I’m not taking anything for granted,” Khang said. “I’m just going out there just trying to deal with one shot at a time. And, you know, I’m obviously in the morning wave right now, and so Yuka clearly plays this golf course just as well.

“So it’s kind of, you know, anyone’s game out there. I’m trying not to look at anyone else but just stay within myself.”

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How did Rose Zhang fare in her first competitive round in Canada?

Two of her last three events were her worst in her half-dozen since turning pro.

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Each week seems to bring a new milestone for Rose Zhang, the LPGA rookie who has taken the golf world by storm this summer.

First, Zhang captured the 2023 NCAA individual title. She then moved on to a victory in her first LPGA event as a pro, the Mizuho Americas Open. After that came three top-10 finishes in her first three majors.

But this week? The milestone came in the form of an international border.

“I’m so excited. This is the first time I’ve been here in Canada,” Zhang said in advance of the CPKC Women’s Open at Shaughnessy Golf Club & Country Club in Vancouver. “That says a lot because I’m from Southern California and there’s a lot of Canadians over there, especially in the winter when they’re practicing.

“So now that I’m here, it’s beautiful. Weather is amazing. Golf course is in top-tier shape. So really excited to see some crowds out there and just have fun.”

And as she’s seemed to do with ease, Zhang had more fun Thursday during the event’s opening round. After a sluggish start, the phenom rolled to a 33 on her second nine in some trying conditions, finishing the day with a 69 and a spot in second place behind leader Yuka Saso.

Considering that two of her last three events were her worst in her half-dozen on tour, Zhang was happy to battle through and put herself in prime position.

“I’m feeling really good. From the start I had some errant tee shots, and it’s something that you can’t really afford on this golf course since it’s so narrow,” she said. “I was able to have some lucky bounces, lucky outs, and I capitalized on that. So really glad how the day went. Just keep it going the next couple days.”

She had an advantageous morning tee time on Thursday, but will go off in the afternoon Friday and she knows that could be a gamechanger of sorts. Still she’s been equal to the task nearly each week in her short tenure on the LPGA. Despite missing the cut at one of her six events, the Dana Open, Zhang has already eclipsed the $1 million mark in earnings this season.

She said she’ll be ready for whatever Friday throws at her.

“You can never be too comfortable, especially on this golf course. Every day the conditions are going to be changing,” she said. “I know the wind picks up in the afternoon, so tomorrow’s tee time I’m going to be aware of that and just keep doing what I’m doing and prepare for that.”

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With two majors and a No. 1 ranking, Lilia Vu is finally cashing in — by getting a cat

Vu is returning to action this week at the CPKC Women’s Open in Vancouver.

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It wasn’t long ago that Lilia Vu was contemplating life outside of golf, like during her rookie season on the LPGA, when she made just one cut in nine starts and took home a whopping $3,830 in prize money.

But the year 2023 has been transformative for the former UCLA star, one that’s seen the potential she flashed during an amateur career that included titles at the World Amateur Team Championship, Curtis Cup and Palmer Cup come bubbling to the surface.

Vu started things by winning in her second start of the season at the Honda LPGA Thailand then she cashed in at the year’s first major, the Chevron Championship in Houston, winning a playoff and taking home a $765,000 check. She didn’t stop there, adding the 2023 AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club near London, which also brought another huge payday.

Vu is returning to action this week at the CPKC Women’s Open in Vancouver, Canada, and with a pair of major titles under her belt, she unveiled a little insight into the spoils that a successful year has afforded her.

For example, after capturing the second major, Vu is now in the market for … a cat.

Wait, what?

That’s right, as per a deal she made with her father after winning the Chevron, Vu is now looking to add a feline companion to her team.

“I still feel like me. I feel like nothing has really changed. Only thing is my dad tried to bribe me. He was basically saying if I won another major we can get a cat, so I’ve been browsing for that,” Vu explained. “(That was) a deal before the major, so been browsing on cats, kitties.”

Vu, who made just one cut during her rookie campaign and then spent the next two seasons toiling on the Epson Tour, became the first American to win two majors in a season since 1999 and has since ascended to No. 1 in the world rankings.

“I think it’s definitely different. I think I can view golf in a different way now and just have fun and know that my game is good enough to be out here and just keep doing what I’m doing,” Vu said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever feel like I deserve (being No. 1), but I know I’ve put in a lot of work, and I found that my game works best when I’m having fun and just doing my thing and not thinking too much about it. Just playing one shot at a time and knowing that I can win.”

After last week’s ISPS Handa World Invitation drew a weak field, this week’s event at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club has 14 of the 16 winners on the LPGA this season, including Canadian hero Brooke Henderson, who captured this event in 2018. Vu will be paired with Henderson and Nelly Korda on the first two days with the trio heading off at 1:21 p.m local time on Thursday.

Still, the stiff competition won’t do much to intimidate Vu, especially since she’s still playing from a house money perspective. Sponsors are starting to line up behind her now, but that wasn’t the case at the season’s start.

“I won my first two events without any sponsorships. There is a lot of opportunities now, but I have my team that can handle that for me. It’s definitely been really cool and nice to see that,” she said. “It’s still a learning process. I’ve never been in this position. I really think if I keep everything the same way it will turn out okay. I have a great team and they’re there to help at any moment.”

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