Golf Away Tours ‘Attention to Detail’ ORORO PGA Women’s Championship of Canada Preview
Final event of the She Plays Golf Series with two exemptions into the CPKC Women’s Open on the line
By: Brendan Stasiewich, PGA of Canada
Quick Facts:
First-Place Cheque: $15,000
PGA of Canada Club Professional Purse presented by PING: $4,500
Field Size: 67 players
Course Details: TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley: Heathlands
Par 71/6,136 yards
Dates: July 3-5, 7:00 AM ET first tee time, 10:50 AM ET final tee time
2023 ORORO Women’s Champion of Canada: Alena Sharp
Format: 54-hole individual stroke play, cut to 30+ ties following second round
Schedule of events, pairings and results
When competing on the Heathlands track at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, players oughta’ pay attention to those little details, especially off the tee when staying out of the menacing fescue is paramount.
It really is all about getting the details right – just like how Golf Away Tours takes care of all the details when planning golf getaways – let’s take a deep dive into what players are in store for this week at TPC Toronto, the final stop of the She Plays Golf Series and second event on the PGA of Canada Championship schedule presented by Golf Avenue.
What’s at Stake
The top-two finishers in the event (not already exempt) will earn a coveted spot into the CPKC Women’s Open, which is just a few short weeks away at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, AB.
The four players who have already earned spots in the event thanks to She Plays Golf Series performances are: Lauren Kim, Anna Huang, Ellie Szeryk and Brooke Rivers.
The professional purse has been bolstered thanks to tournament title-sponsor ORORO Heated Apparel, with the top pro set to take home $15,000. The full purse breakdown can be found here.
13 PGA of Canada club professionals are competing for an additional $4,500 thanks to PING.
Most importantly (Though, $15k and a spot in Canada’s LPGA Tour stop sounds pretty good), the Lorie Kane trophy is up for grabs. Past champions include Kane (five times), Sharp (four times), Nancy Harvey (three times), Brooke Henderson (twice), Cathy Sherk (twice) and Jessica Shepley (twice).
Christine Wong was the last PGA of Canada professional to win the event, in 2021.
Another past champion will have her eyes on the leaderboard all week long; Women’s Team Canada Coach Salimah Mussani will be following the various Golf Canada team members in the field: Alissa Xu, Brooke Rivers, Ellie Szeryk, Katie Cranston, Lauren Zaretsky, Monet Chun and Nicole Gal.
Finally, this is the final chance for players to qualify for Canada’s PGA Women’s Cup team, heading to Oregon in early October. With Katy Rutherford and Caroline Ciot already locking in their spot thanks to their performances at last year’s ORORO PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, the three final spots will be finalized this week. Rankings can be found here.
The Golf Course
Opened in 1992, the Heathlands course harkens back to golf’s beginnings and the dune-swept hills of traditional Irish links. Once the carefully-guarded secret of local aficionados, the course has become a favourite of those seeking a traditional golf experience and a stirring challenge that pays homage to the simple-yet-brilliant creativity of classic golf design.
The course recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, representing decades of treasured memories and unforgettable rounds from those who now hold an affinity for Heathlands as one of Canada’s most classic golf experiences.
“The Heathlands course was the first on the property and Doug Carrick’s initial try at a links-style layout. He pulled it off brilliantly, and the course continues to hold up as one of the strongest tests in Canada,” wrote ScoreGolf’s Jason Logan.
The course is currently ranked #59 on ScoreGolf’s list of Top 100 Golf Courses in Canada.
The tournament scorecard can be found here.
The Field
In addition to the Golf Canada players in the field this week are a host of talented amateur and professionals looking to add their name to the Lorie Kane trophy.
After a pair of near misses in the previous two PGA Women’s Championships of Canada, Min-G Kim is primed and ready for a solid week at TPC Toronto – she finished T3 last year alongside Belinda Lin, two strokes ahead of professional Diana McDonald. All three players are in the field this week looking to one-up their great finishes from last year.
Playing alongside Kim at 9:40 AM ET is Katy Rutherford, the second-highest ranked woman on the PGA of Canada Rankings presented by ECCO Golf.
The highest ranked woman on the list is 2021 ORORO PGA Women’s Champion of Canada Christine Wong, who also claimed last year’s PGA of BC Women’s Championship.
Just behind them on the rankings is Caroline Ciot, who tied Rutherford for low PGA of Canada Club Professional honours at the 2023 edition of the event.
Click here to see the full field
The ‘TJ Rule(s)’ of the Week
With support from Golf Away Tours founder (and great player in his own right) TJ Rule, here are a few of the local ‘rules’ and things to watch for from a competitions standpoint.
- Officials will be using a few different teeing areas on select holes this week. The 353-yard 4th hole will likely be moved up to 274 yards during one of the competition days, giving some players the opportunity to drive the green.
- The 15th hole also has an option to move from 372 yards to 312 yards.
- Avoid the fescue! While keeping the ball in the short grass is always the recommended strategy in this sport, the Heathlands puts a premium on it. Even if a player can locate their ball in the fescue, that does not mean the ball will be playable. The player carding the lowest 54-hole total will likely be the one who is able to avoid ball searches throughout their three rounds.
- The Heathlands greens are undulating and challenging. Keeping the ball on the correct side of the hole will be of the utmost importance this week.
- Keep your eyes on the leaderboard in the morning. With tee times rolling from 7:00-10:50 during the first two rounds, and 7:00 to around 9:30 the final round, many players rounds will be well underway by the time fans have finished a cup of coffee, especially in Western Canada.
- Keep your eyes on the PGA of Canada’s Instagram account, where we will keep you apprised of all the action.
What Else is Going On?
Thanks to our tournament partners, we are excited to elevate the experience this week for both players and fans alike.
The 9th hole has been chosen as the ‘E-Z-GO ‘It’s Good to Go’ hole of the week. All players who make eagle on the 445-yard par 5 throughout the week will be put into a draw for a $250 cash prize.
Fans can follow along by selecting a player to be their Wesko e-Locks ‘Lock-of-the Week’, prior to the tournament beginning on Wednesday morning. Head to Instagram and comment your ‘Lock of the Week’ for the chance to win a PGA of Canada prize pack.
The leaderboard will be available throughout the week here.