Tee 2 Green with Barry Sharpe - - June 12/09

If you ever needed proof that attending a CN Canadian Women's Tour event or a Canadian Tour championship is like looking in the window at the golf stars of tomorrow Yani Tseng is the latest example.

Of course, earlier we had Canada's own Mike Weir when he used to visit Mayfair Lakes while perfecting his game with the Canadian Tour. But few young prodigies who have passed our way have risen to stardom quite as qujickly as young Yani Tseng.

In 2007, Tseng, a native of Taiwan, came to British Columbia to play in the CN Ladies tournament at Vancouver Golf Club and claimed her first professional victory. The win earned her an exemption into the Canadian Open that year where she tied for sixth.  Last year she became a successful rookie on the LPGA Tour.

Now, in her second year as a professional, she currently sits second on the Rolex Rankings and fourth on the LPGA Official Money List.  A two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Tseng became the fastest player in LPGA history to cross the $2 million mark in career earnings.  With six top-ten finishes so far this season, including a victory at the LPGA Corning Classic, the 20 year-old, reigning LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year has just confirmed she's returning to Canada looking to improve upon her third place finish of 2008. 

First however, she's hoping to defend her title this week at the McDonald’s LPGA Championship.

Natalie Gulbis and Morgan Pressel will also be among the players coming to Calgary's Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club in September 3-6 to challenge for the $2.75 million (US) purse and turning the 2009 CN Canadian Women’s Open into one of the strongest fields in women's professional golf. The glory days of the Du Maurier Classic are back in Canada. The LPGA doesn't call this tournament a major. They don't have to. The players do.

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The Canadian Olympic Committee has posted a poll on their website asking: "What sport would you like to see added to the 2016 Olympic Games?" Many of the major movers behind the game of golf, like the R & A, the USGA, the PGA TOUR and the RCGA are pushing to have golf returned to the Olympic summer program, believing that if it is accepted at the Olympic level it can't help but grow the game of golf globally, even while costs for the average player continue to escalate and put the sport out of reach for many.

One of the reasons the game of soccer has enjoyed its unchallenged status as the most popular sport on the planet has as much to do with the cost to play the game as with the time it takes to reach an enjoyable level of participation. Soccer, or football as most nations call it, can be played on a road, in a backyard, a schoolyard or a park and for many the only equipment needed is a ball filled with air. On the other hand a well equipped golfer often walks to the first tee---unless riding in a power cart---carrying anywhere between $500 and $5,000 worth of clubs, balls shoes and a bag.

In the province of British Columbia golf and all things related to it---from manufacturing equipment, to teaching lessons, attracting tourism and raising charity dollars---this is an industry that is said to generate more than $1.5 billion to the provincial economy annually. Whether more young players will be encouraged to take up golf simply because it's suddenly recognized as an Olympic sport, is rather doubtful.

Playing for one's country is something few athletes get to experience, however, it's hard to imagine an Olympic championship surpassing that precious moment six years ago when Mike Weir donned his green jacket at the Masters.

Oh Canada.