TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 24, 2022

Lorie Kane

East Lake Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, here to wrap up with one of the biggest legends in the Canadian game, one of the biggest names to grace the LPGA Tour. Here with four-time LPGA Tour winner, Lorie Kane, playing in your 30th and final CP Women's Open. This has to be an incredibly bittersweet week for you, but still hopefully a fun week and a week worthy of being out here.

I guess I will start by saying you had a great career, meant so much to the game, but what led you to this decision to call this the final one?

LORIE KANE: Yeah, it's been something I've thought about for quite sometime. I think the pandemic kind of put us in a place. So if we can go back, if the pandemic doesn't happen and we end up in Shaughnessy in Vancouver where we should have played, I would've ended it there.

I felt that my circle was complete there, as it is here. I say that because, you know, in 1988 I met a gentlemen by the name of Jack McLoughlin at Shaughnessy Golf Club, and my dad a Jack Kane, and he introduced me to the game, and Jack McLoughlin made me the professional that I am.

So I would've ended it at Shaughnessy, but to decide to go here. In 2000 we came to play the last Du Maurier Classic, and never knowing that we were -- what women's golf would look like of that week.

I had a successful week in St. Louis. Won my first tournament after nine seconds and very close calls. I finally got over the threshold. I thought, well, if I can't be in Vancouver for my 30th, I'm going to be in Ottawa for my 30th. I still feel like I've completed the circle.

THE MODERATOR: It's a wonderful circle, one that has meant so much to Canadian golf. You are one of 18 Canadians in the field, and certainly a lot of those players look up to you. How has the game grown here in Canada since you started teeing it up at the CP Women's Open 30 years ago, since Jack took you under his wing?

LORIE KANE: Well, there is a name that comes to mind right off the bat, and that's Jocelyne Bourassa. Jocelyne is the reason -- back in the day she won the '75 La Canadienne, and Du Maurier came on board and we were a major championship.

Jocelyne worked hard. In fact, Jocelyne introduced me to the railroad. I owe Jocelyne a debt of gratitude. Now that she's gone, we can't forget the impact that she made.

I know that she and I that week in 2000 did every interview. She introduced to me to thousands -- I felt like thousands of people. I was coming off the win so there was a lot of excitement.

The funniest story I can tell you is that I was tired of talking. My face hurt. I sat in the hotel room and watched the reproduction of The Moose on the National Geographic Channel in Newfoundland. I was so fed up talking about me and golf that that's what I did.

When I look back, I said Jocelyne owes -- we owe Jocelyne -- or I owe Jocelyne more than anything that has ever come to me. We have a great group of young women who are making their way. I've heard a lot said about me passing of a torch. There is no torch. I think everyone that has played golf in this country has flown the flag as high as they can to make it better.

I learned that from Jocelyne. I learned that from Sandra Post. I learned that from of Dawn Coe-Jones. I learned that from Gail Graham, Lisa Waters, Nancy Harvey. Alena Sharp came on board. Now we have Brooke Henderson, the most winningest player in our country, man or woman. She just doesn't get enough credit for what she has done to date.

So, you know, what have I done? I haven't cured any worldwide diseases or cancer or made a difference. I just think I've been wanting to share a passion that I have for the game of golf and what golf has given me.

THE MODERATOR: That's beautifully said. I certainly couldn't add to that, except we hear around the LPGA to act like a Founder and to leave it better than you found it, and I think you're the definition of having done that.

LORIE KANE: Thank you very much, because that's what my parents have taught us, to leave it better than we found it.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for everything you've done. Questions?

Q. Congratulations on 30 straight tournaments. I wonder if you had any special moment out of the 30, whether it was Du Maurier Classic, the BMO Financial Classic, the CN or the CP Women's Open. Any one stand out to you?

LORIE KANE: No, there is a couple. So 2000 for sure. If there was a swing I would like to have back it was the swing on the 14th tee on Sunday. If I put that ball in the fairway, which if we were playing today I didn't hit it out of bounds -- there was an internal out of bounds at that course that week -- I may have that trophy in my hand.

Then I'll go back to one of the first -- I think I might have my dates wrong, but we played London under -- Canadian National was our first week, first year for the railroad to be involved. I played Sunday's round with Cristie Kerr and she ended up winning. I had another chance or felt like I had another chance there.

You know, on a nongolf side, it's all the great kids that I've met through the CP Has Heart program. Some of you may or may not know, but Kyle, who was an ambassador at Magna, has passed. He was a 20 year old.

He's mom shared with me that they would never have known the joy they had and the heart that was given to him at five months that they would have gotten 20 years. So those are more important to me than the almosts, the could haves.

Aurora will share her story with us this week with the idea that we will raise for money.

Q. You just spoke with a lot of modesty and humility about your role in Canadian golf. With that being said, all the younger Canadian golfers cite you as an inspiration. Just yesterday Brooke spoke at length about you. What does that mean to you, and do you think about your legacy often in this sport?

LORIE KANE: No. I try not to think about that because I -- like I said, I love what I do. I love to share. I never wanted to be anything more than the best I could be.

In my family, my older sister, Mary Lynn has an expression, lift and climb, and that was given to her by -- or she read that about a piece from the chief justice female back in the 1800s.

What it means is on your way up, you bring someone with you. In the peak of my time on tour I had a hold of Annika Sorenstam's foot and Karrie Webb's foot and Se Ri Pak's foot and Juli Inkster's foot, and I just said, I'm not letting go.

So if the Brooke Hendersons of the world learned anything from me, yeah, it's humbling, and I'm proud if they feel like I've helped them along the way. That's just how I am.

Q. As a follow up, as you play this week, is there a particular moment you'll treasure? Is there a hole, the first tee that you are really looking to...

LORIE KANE: So I'm trying to lobby to play the forward tees, but I don't know if that's going to happen. In all fairness, yeah, I'm just really happy I'm here. I have my niece, Charlotte, on the bag this week. Danny wasn't able to come. He had other commitments on the PGA TOUR.

I want to have as much fun as I can. I'm going to walk Thursday and Friday with some pretty cool people in Sarah Jane Smith and her husband Duane, and Alena Sharp and Sarah.

So the next two days will be really good. Don't get me wrong. I want to play the best golf I can and I want to be around the weekend. The course is in unbelievable shape, but it's long for me.

Q. Lucy Lin is 12 years old. She Monday qualified for this tournament. When saw that, how young she was, what did you think?

LORIE KANE: What was I doing when I was 12? I think I just joined Belvedere Golf Club because you had to be 12.

Yeah, it's amazing what's happening in the world of golf and women's golf that kids are this young playing at this level.

But hats off to her. Wish her the best.

Q. And in terms of women's professional golf from when you started to now and as you look ahead, what do you think about women's professional golf now and is there momentum behind it? Is there more momentum than you've seen maybe in the last little while? How can you describe where we are at with women's professional golf?

LORIE KANE: I still don't think we get enough credit for the athletes that we are. The current women playing on the LPGA Tour, they're the best in the world. They deserve way more respect.

Their respect is coming. Purses are increasing. Visibility is increasing. We have a great product. Just look at Canadian Pacific. They invest in us. The KPMGs of the world invest in us. The monies are getting higher.

Will we ever get to par with men? I don't think so, but I don't think we need to to be successful. I think we just need to be taken seriously. I think the game is at its height, but still has places to go.

Q. Just a couple things: How do you find a balance between having fun this week and maybe stopping to smell the roses, too? Because it is your last trip around this tournament.

LORIE KANE: Yeah, I'm going to be leaning on Charlotte to probably keep my head in the game. I don't like hitting bad golf shots, so that's the fun side. When that happens, it's not fun.

But I look at the bigger picture now, and that is I made this choice to make this my last, and pardon the expression, but come hell or high water I'm going to make sure I have fun.

Q. Could you just tell us the story about the head cover?

LORIE KANE: Yes. So I lost my dad a month ago. I hear you, dad. I have some very good friends. The Dormie workshop boys from Nova Scotia, the Bishop brothers.

My niece, Charlotte, decided we are going to need an extra club in the bag this week, so to speak. There was a head cover made, and on the front in garnet red is the St. Dunstan Saints. That was my father's hockey team that he coached. So St. Dunstan's in now the University of Prince Edward Island.

My dad coached. My grandfather coached the team my dad coached. On the front of the head cover it says St. Dunstan Saints, and the back of the head cover is my dad's cashmere sweater. My dad was always in a cashmere sweater.

The boys put it together so beautifully, and had them inscribe on the bottom, leave it better than you found it.

So it's under the 7-wood or on top of the 7-wood, so I'll be hitting that 7-wood probably a lot this week.

That's the meaning behind the head cover. Thanks.

THE MODERATOR: Dad sounds like my kind of guy.

LORIE KANE: Yeah, definitely was.

Q. He was a legend. What does the next chapter for Lorie Kane look like?

LORIE KANE: Well, that's a good question. I'm not retiring from playing golf. I really want to not play -- I wanted this to be my last because I never wanted to come to this tournament feeling like I was taking up space.

So as hard as it is for me, and I've questioned myself, like maybe I shouldn't have done this, but I know it's right because the next thing for me is to continue to grow the game, continue to work at making it more available to people across the country, to find another me in Atlanta, Canada. I know that he or she is out there.

I think the plans and the programs that Golf Canada has in place right now are going to allow us to find that person. I certainly hope that my relationship with Canadian Pacific continues. They're family. I love what they have to do and the ability I have to connect on the charitable side, the customer side, the experience of helping them do business in the communities that they run their rail.

And also in that, to continue to promote women's golf.

Q. Just wondering, you talked about all the Canadian women that helped you as you were coming in and clearly the role you played. What is it about the Canadian contingent of women that seems to generation after generation look out for one another?

LORIE KANE: Yeah, that's a good question. I think it's just being proud Canadians. We like to share, or at least I think we do. We all have something we can learn from each other. I even think on the men's side I see it, and it's great.

Like golf is lonely. As I've said, there is two things I know that are difficult: Railroading isn't easy, and either is golf. If you're on the road on your own a lot, there is long days on golf courses, and then lonely nights in hotel rooms. I think if you feel a part of something, as I know I did, and I'm hoping that the other Canadian girls can find comfort in being supportive of each. At the end of the day we're just playing the golf course.

I hope what that can continue. I know it helped me a ton.

Q. You talk about having fun. Have any plans for the 17th hole?

LORIE KANE: Yes, I do. (Smiling.) I'll be donning my Leafs jersey, and...

Q. Yeah. (Applause.)

LORIE KANE: And Charlotte will be donning -- I spent the weekend last weekend with Niagara Falls with Bobby Orr and Doug Gilmour, and Killer gave me a really cool hat that he has with 93, so Charlotte will wear that.

Yeah. That's about what I've got. (Smiling.)

Q. (No microphone.)

LORIE KANE: I'll tell you, a highlight of today was having Daniel Alfredsson introduce himself to me. I thought that was pretty cool.

THE MODERATOR: Good way to wrap things up. Before we do, I'm going to turn it over to Golf Canada. Our friends have a quick presentation.

LORIE KANE: Before Liz says anything, and I don't know what she has up her sleeve, I need to thank you guys. Our stories don't get told, our tires don't get pumped without good media. And the Canadian media, you do a great job telling our stories. I can't imagine that your jobs are easy these days with all the different type of technology, but thank you from the bottom of my heart for making the last 30 years really, really special.

(Applause.)

LIZ HOFFMAN: Wow. (Laughter.) You know, you are pretty special. You said, I don't know what I've done. Well, you're a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, a recipient of the Order of Canada, and have just done incredible things for communities in Canada and across this country.

You are a role model for all of us.

But today Golf Canada, we introduced two awards this year, the community spirit awards, two community spirit awards, Golf Canada Foundation and Golf Canada. We are going to name them and rename them, the new Lorie Kane Community Spirit Awards. So both awards will be named in Lorie's honor.

I just honestly told her a few minutes before because I thought I best tell her first. I said, you just need to say yes. But we have a full press release for you. They are to a person who is over 19 who gives to the game of golf and the community, and there will be a $5,000 grant to the community program of their choice, and to someone who is -- a recipient who's under 19 who gives back to golf that their community, and that will be in the form of a scholarship to the program that they're involved in.

So, cool. The Lorie Kane awards. And I have to say, best get your application in by August 31st, because we'll be naming them this fall.

LORIE KANE: Thank you very much, Liz.

(Applause.)

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Lorie. Thank you everyone. Any final words?

LORIE KANE: Let's have a good week.