OTTAWA –
Lorie Kane patted her heart to thank the hundreds of fans who cheered her on as she walked up the 18th fairway at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.
Behind Kane, her niece Charlotte Jenkins – who served as her caddy – waved to the crowd to add even more volume to the chants. As Kane reached the edge of the green, she bowed to thunderous applause.
The loving tribute was a fitting farewell to one of the most successful and influential golfers in Canadian history.
Kane, who turns 58 this December, previously announced that this year’s CP Women’s Open would be her last. Knowing she would miss Friday’s cut, fans, officials and volunteers turned out to watch her very last round at the women’s national golf championship.
“It’s very humbling,” Kane said of the ovation. “I love to entertain, but when it’s totally aimed at you, it’s really — it’s awkward.”
That instinct to entertain carried through to her last two holes.
On hockey-themed number 17, Kane donned a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey and wore a mischievous grin as “Lorie! Lorie!” Chants erupted. morphed into boos and shouts of “Go Sens!” and “Everyone but the leaves!” She stopped to poke a fan at that hole with her fist, pointing to his Maple Leafs windbreaker before tossing him a souvenir.
“I only played golf to put a smile on people’s faces,” Kane said. “I know the Leafs jersey didn’t do quite as well as I had hoped, but it was fun.”
After getting a rousing ovation as she approached the 18th hole, Kane missed her first putt. As the crowd groaned, she shrugged in laughter with an exaggerated shrug before firing her final shot, ending 28 Over.
Kane thanked Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith, her playmates on Friday and Saturday as she completed her final two rounds at the CP Women’s Open.
Sharp shot a 1-over-72 and ended the day in 57th place with 3-under par when the game was called due to darkness. She said it was an honor to play alongside Kane, who has had such a positive impact on her career.
“I grew up watching her and then playing with her out here on the LPGA tour, it’s awesome. She’s a legend,” Sharp said. “It’s cool to be a part of (Kane’s Final Rounds).
“For all her achievements, I think she inspired everyone to play well. You can win on the LPGA Tour.”
Charlottetown native Kane has won four times on the LPGA Tour. In 2000, she won the Canadian Press’s Bobbie Rosenfeld Award for Sportswoman of the Year. In 2006, she was inducted into the Order of Canada and inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and the Canada Sports Hall of Fame.
Maddie Szeryk (68) of London, Ontario was the bottom Canadian after two rounds. She had her second consecutive day without a bogey to sit 13th at 7 under.
“I just played really solid. I hit a couple of greens and putt well,” said Szeryk, who had consecutive rounds without a bogey for the first time in her career.
Brooke Henderson, from near Smiths Falls, Ontario, shot a 3-under 68 to sit in a tie for 32nd place at 5-under. Amateur Lauren Zaretsky (71) of Thornhill, Ontario also made it, level on points with Sharp at 3 under.
Toronto’s Rebecca Lee-Bentham was through 15 holes and under on 4 when the horn sounded. She will continue her second round early Saturday morning, trying to stay under the 2 under the cutline.
Several Canadians missed the cut on Friday. Selena Costabile, also of Thornhill, Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Valerie Tanguay of St. Hyacinthe, Que., Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., and Megan Osland of Kelowna, BC will not play in the third or third fourth round.
Amateurs Vanessa Zhang, Michelle Liu and 12-year-old Lucy Lin, all from Vancouver, will not compete in the weekend rounds. Amateurs Katie Cranston of Oakville, Ontario, Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ontario, Yeji Kwon of Port Coquitlam, BC, Sarah-Eve Rheaume of Boischatel, Que., and Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ontario also missed the cut.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on August 26, 2022.