SO YEON RYU’S COURSE RECORD 63 LEADS CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN’S OPEN

Jennifer Kirby sits tied for 8th and leads Canadian contingent after a 5-under 67

24 opening-round birdies on the par-3, 17th hole raises $120,000
for Children’s Health Foundation through CP Birdies for Heart

Tickets for Friday and weekend rounds still available; Free admission for children 17 & under
LONDON, Ont. (Golf Canada) – So Yean Ryu fired a bogey-free 9-under 63 to set a course record and take the opening-round Canadian Pacific Women’s Open lead at London Hunt and Country Club.

With her opening-round 63, Ryu sets the new competitive course record at London Hunt and Country Club. The previous course record 8-under 64 was tied by Na Yeon Choi earlier on Thursday during the opening round.

Ryu’s 9-under 63 ties the lowest score relative to par at the Canadian Women’s Open previously set by Song-Hee Kim in 2009 who shot 9-under 62 at Priddis Green Golf and Country Club.

“I heard it's the low score for the first round, so I feel really great about that,” Ryu said. “When I was warming up [today] my shots were really bad, so I had zero expectation…but I played really well, so I'm really happy with what I did.”

As a 2-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Ryu, ranked No. 9 in the world, carded nine birdies Thursday. She currently holds a one-stroke lead over Choi heading into second–round action.

Ryu has come close to winning this season, posting nine top-10 finishes. Her season best finish was a second place result at the Marathon Classic in July.

“You know, if you think about like positive way, it could be. If I think about really like negative way, I’ve fail so many times, but at the same time I’ve learned so many things, so I think this kind of things bring me to more bigger things,” Ryu continued.

Anna Nordqvist sits in solo third after a 7-under 65. Azahara Munoz, Danielle Kang, Xi Yu Lin and recent major champion Inbee Park sit three back in a tie for 4th at 6-under-par.

Two-time defending champion Lydia Ko opened with a 2-under 70 and currently sits in a tie for 34th after the opening round.

Canada’s Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont. leads the way for the Canadian contingent after posting a 5-under 67. The Team Canada Young Pro Squad member carded five birdies in her bogey-free opening round playing alongside Canadian amateur sensation Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont. and Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham.

Henderson, Bentham and amateur Elizabeth Tong of Thornhill, Ont. all have a share of 34th place after 2-under 70s.

THE FOLLOWING ARE OPENING-ROUND CANADIAN SCORES FOR THURSDAY, AUGUST 21st, 2014:
T8 – Jennifer Kirby, 67, -5
T34 – Elizabeth Tong (a), 70, -2
T34 – Brooke Henderson (a), 70, -2
T34 – Rebecca Lee-Bentham, 70, -2
T34 – Sara-Maude Juneau, 70, -2
T59 – Sue Kim, 71, -1
T81 – Alena Sharp, 72, E
T81 – Jennifer Ha (a), 72, E
T99 – Maude-Aimee Leblanc, 73, +1
T99 – Lorie Kane, 73, +1
T99 – Erica Rivard, 73, +1
T117 – Nicole Vandermade, 74, +2
T117 – Samatha Richadale, 74, +2
T132 – Jessica Wallace, 75, +3
T132 – Natalie Gleadall, 75 +3

CP BIRDIES FOR HEART – 24 BIRDIES RAISE $120,000:
Title sponsor CP has stepped up to encourage players to make birdies on the 17th hole during tournament play by offering to donate $5,000 for each birdie made to the Children’s Health Foundation in support of paediatric heart health programs.

During Thursday’s opening round, 24 birdies by LPGA Tour players raised $120,000 for charity. CP Birdies for Heart is one of the fundraising activities taking place at CP Women’s Open, with all proceeds going to Children’s Health Foundation to support cardiac research and care of children with congenital heart disease from London and across Southwestern Ontario.

PLAYER INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS FROM THURSDAY:
Transcripts and audio files from interviews with So Yeon Ryu, Brooke Henderson, Jennifer Kirby, Karin Sjodin, Anna Nordqvist, Azahara Munoz, Sara Maude Juneau, Lorie Kane, Xi Yu Lin, Na Yeon Choi, Mi Hyang Lee, Caroline Masson, Inbee Park and Danielle Kang are available online here.

TICKETS, PARKING & DIRECTIONS:
Tickets for all days at the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open are still available by purchasing onsite at the main admission gate or online at www.cpwomensopen.com. Children 17 and under get in free all week with a ticketed adult.

Directions and parking information for spectators is available by clicking here.

PAIRING AND START TIMES – ROUND 2:
Pairings for the second round of the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open are available here.

BROADCAST SCHEDULE:
The following is the broadcast schedule for coverage at the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.*

Friday, Aug. 22
•    12 noon ET – Second Round – Part I  (TSN / RDS2)
•    3 p.m. ET – Second Round – Part II (TSN / RDS2)

Saturday, Aug. 23
•    2 p.m. ET – Third Round (TSN2 / RDS2)

Sunday, Aug. 24
•    2 p.m. ET – Final Round (TSN2 / RDS2)

*Schedule subject to change