CPKC WOMEN'S OPEN

August 27, 2023

Brooke Henderson

Megan Khang

Wayne Sparrow

John Brooks

Dave McCarthy

Bob Weeks

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Press Conference

BOB WEEKS: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the closing ceremonies and our trophy presentation, my name is Bob Weeks. I'm happy to be your host.

First of all, before we get into the formal part of this, Shaughnessy, Vancouver, wow. (Applause.)

You guys did a great job. We've had lot of these over the years, but I can tell you there has been nothing like this. Fantastic support from everybody here in the city. Whether you're a volunteer or a spectator, congratulations to all of you.

I would now like to introduce Golf Canada president, Dave McCarthy. (Applause.)

DAVE McCARTHY: Thank you, Bob. After three years in waiting, what an unbelievable finish to celebrate the return of the CPKC Women's Open to Vancouver. (Applause.)

Golf Canada, along with CPKC, the LPGA Tour, and the Shaughnessy Golf Club are pleased to acknowledge the Musqueam Nation on whose ancestral territory we are today.

Golf Canada is pleased and honored to acknowledge the indigenous peoples of Canada who have been for centuries the custodians of the places we live, work, and play.

To our dear friend Chief Wayne Sparrow and all the Musqueam. Thank you for your generosity, of your welcome, and your wonderful support of this championship. Without your support in partnership with Shaughnessy, none of this would be possible.

Chief, thank you.

(Applause.) (Drum beat.)

This has been a very special week with our friends at Shaughnessy and over 1200 volunteers that welcomed the 49th playing of our national championship. Golf Canada cannot host our amazing national championships across the country without the great support of our host clubs, their members, and our volunteers. Thank you. (Applause.)

To superintendent Andrew Hart and the incredible grounds team, what you have done to prepare for this championship has been exceptional. Thank you. (Applause.)

Golf Canada is so proud of our incredible partnership with CPKC and the LPGA Tour for your collaboration with this historic championship, specifically to John and everyone at CPKC. What you have done to leave a legacy in our host community is incredible, truly incredible.

Thank you. (Applause.)

It has been a tremendous honor to host the world's best players. Thank you everyone for welcoming us back to Vancouver. (Applause.) (Drum beat.)

BOB WEEKS: Thank you, David. At the start of the week we had 15 Canadians in our field ranking from some young amateurs to some seasoned professionals.

In addition to trying to win the overall title of course, they were playing for the Sandra Post Low Canadian Award which is given out to, oddly enough, the low Canadian in the field, and I would like to call up Ashley Zibrik who's the Shaughnessy PGA of Canada director of golf here to help me with this next award.

First of all congratulations to you and your team. It's been a long week I'm sure. It's been a wonderful one.

No surprise everybody here, I think the winner is obvious from the lady standing behind me right now. The winner is Brooke Henderson. (Applause.) (Drum beat.)

So, Brooke, I know you would rather have the big trophy, but you already got that one once so we have to wait a little bit. What did it mean to you to come back here to Vancouver, to Canada, and play so well in front of all these fans

BROOKE HENDERSON: Well, first of all congratulations to Meg. I'm super happy for you. (Applause.)

Meg just said to me, it feels like junior days. It does standing up here during the award ceremony, so that's pretty cool.

Vancouver has been absolutely amazing. To play here at Shaughnessy, such a beautiful course and in Musqueam territory, it's really an honor. To win the Sandra Post Low Canadian Award is a big deal to me. Sandra Post is definitely a Canadian legend, so to win this in her name is a great feeling to me.

Thank you to all the amazing fans that came out this week. I felt your love and support and it was phenomenal. (Applause.)

I'm very proud ambassador of CPKC, and I thank you them so much for their continued support of the women's game, of me, and also CPKC Has Heart, which raised an incredible amount of money this year to help the local community and healthcare.

So that's amazing. Thank you to my family and All Mighty God. Thank you.

BOB WEEKS: Thank you, Brooke. I would now like to call upon John Brooks, CPKC chief marketing officer to say a few words.

JOHN BROOKS: Thank you. First of all, I want to maybe echo Brooke's and thank the fans. Let's give the fans a round of applause. (Applause.)

It was tremendous to be back here in Vancouver. Certainly Shaughnessy put on quite a show this week and certainly our LPGA professionals put on the real show.

What a tremendous week of golf it was. We are super proud. This is our tenth year of being the title sponsor for of this event, and it gets better and better every year.

Congrats to Megan and Jin Young for that tremendous finish that we all got to witness here. (Applause.) (Drum beat.)

As much as it's about the golf, it's also about giving back and CPKC Has Heart. I'm super proud to announce that we set an all-time record in terms of charitable dollars this year. We wrote a check this morning for nearly $3.5 million.

(Applause.) (Drum beat.)

So we're super proud of those dollars going to BC Children's Hospital, the Royal Inland Hospital Foundations, to put that money towards heart health across North America.

With that, I think we got some hardware to give away. You want to come up here? I got something for you. (Applause.)

BOB WEEKS: Megan you've waited a long time for this day. You've worked extra hard to many times, come so close so many times. What does it feel like to finally get over the line and get your win?

MEGAN KHANG: I mean -- I know I'm short -- honestly, it's been an amazing rollercoaster ride. You never take any round for granted, and going into today obviously I knew there was a lot at stake. I think over the past eight years I've been on tour, with each day I'm learning something new and kind of growing as I keep on learning, and it's nice to kind of have a nice finish at the end of the week.

BOB WEEKS: I got to ask you. Your score was up here an the board a couple seconds ago and it had that little red circle around the 18th hole. What was going through your mind back in the fairway knowing you had to make a birdie on this last hole.

MEGAN KHANG: I mean, everyone knows Jin Young is a phenomenal player. Her record shows for itself. Sei Young and I were kind of going back and forth today. It was very stressful.

And then I think coming down 16 it was just kind of like I looked at the leaderboard and I was like, oh, there is Jin Young. So the bogey on 17 put a damper on the mood, but seeing that she had par'd 18, it kind of gave me the opportunity to say, hey, let's give it one last go, give it our best shot, because it's not over until it's over.

BOB WEEKS: And it's true. Now that you've won once, you know how easy it is. They're just going to keep going, is that it?

MEGAN KHANG: I wish it was that easy, but it's tough to win out here. All these ladies are very talented and it's definitely tough. I'm not taking the one for granted and hopefully this does open the door to more opportunities, but only time will tell.

BOB WEEKS: All right, congratulations. I would also like to the call up the Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow to present a special gift from the Musqueam to the winning player and winning caddie.

(Applause.) (Drum beat.)

CHIEF WAYNE SPARROW: My name is Wayne Sparrow. I'm elected chief of the? Musqueam First Nation. My traditional name is (in Musqueam). I just want to take this opportunity on behalf of our community to welcome each and every one of you here.

It's such a privilege and honor as the leader of our community to be able to welcome everyone here. I know it was a long time coming. When Ryan and Shaughnessy came to Musqueam, it was our leaders, not just myself that said by all means let's host and let's do it together.

So many times as First Nations people in the past we are forgotten about. We said when we do major world events like this we want to walk side by side.

I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge a very good friend of mine here, Ken. A few years ago when the men were here, you built that bridge between our community and this club, and we would not be here if it wasn't without the work you did with Chief Campbell.

I also want to acknowledge the Shaughnessy staff now that have been working with us to come, and we built on that.

I know our members here always saying to us that we have to teach our culture in our teachings. So once again, I want to thank each and every one of you and all the sponsors. I've been involved in a lot of big events, and this week was amazing.

We get the limelight, we get to come out on events like this, but these volunteers and the people behind the scenes that the audience doesn't see need a big huge round of applause for all the hard work they do.

(Applause.) (Drum beat. )

In closing, now that we have everybody here, let's have you back. (Applause.) (Drum beat.)

Let's hear it? No golf claps. Let's hear it and let's get this tournament, both the men and women, back here in Vancouver.

Thank you.

BOB WEEKS: Thank you, Chief. This closes our closing ceremonies, but we invite you to join us one year from now at the Earl Gray Golf and Country Club in Calgary, Alberta for the next CPKC Women's Open.

Megan wants to say one more thing.

MEGAN KHANG: I mean, I think it's clear to say this tournament wouldn't happen without CPKC, Golf Canada, and the Musqueam Band. Everyone who has made this tournament possible, you guys are the reason we're here and why us ladies get to do what we love.

I know none of us take it for granted. I've loved coming to Canada every since my first year on tour, and I've always said that CPKC Open is our non-major major. (Applause.) (Drum beat.)

To the fans, the volunteers, you guys are awesome. I mean, I know I'm clearly from the U.S. but to hear some people say my name out there in the crowd definitely got me going, and this is all for you guys, too.

I wouldn't be able to lift this trophy without you all. To all my sponsors, thank you for always having my back and always supporting me through thick and thin. My family as well, and my boyfriend. It's a team effort, and, you know, I don't forget that.

So to my caddie, thanks for picking me up when I kind of was running low on steam and for dealing with some of my temper tantrums out there.

But it's a team effort and thank you everyone. Thanks for making this such a memorable week. (Applause.) (Drum beat.)

BOB WEEKS: All right, ladies and gentlemen, we'll see you in one year in Calgary. Have a good evening and thank you again for attending.