Mississauga native Savannah Grewal couldn’t have asked for a better early birthday gift — an LPGA tournament in her hometown. The 23-year-old, who turns 24 next month, is competing against some of the world’s top golfers at the prestigious CPKC Women’s Open, held for the first time at the historic Mississaugua Golf and Country Club.
Grewal, currently ranked 304th in the Rolex World Golf Rankings, opened Thursday with a four-over 75 on the par-71, 6,661-yard course, placing her in a tie for 71st midway through the first round. For the young Canadian, the event is another chance to build on her budding career, which includes a standout fourth-place finish at the 2024 Blue Bay LPGA tournament in China. Last season, she made the cut in 10 of 21 tour events, earning nearly $192,000.
She’ll have to hold her own against a formidable 156-player field that features five of the world’s top 10 golfers and 19 of the top 25. Among them are No. 1-ranked Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, U.S. star Nelly Korda, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko — a three-time CPKC Women’s Open champion and Olympic gold medalist — and Australia’s Minjee Lee. Also in contention is South Korea’s Haeran Ryu, ranked ninth in the world.
Canadian golf legend Brooke Henderson, a 13-time LPGA Tour winner, leads the homegrown talent alongside 15-year-old amateur sensation Aphrodite Deng, who electrified the crowd with a five-under 66 to take an early share of the lead on Thursday. Henderson, ranked 58th in the world, was set to tee off later in the day.
Defending champion Lauren Coughlin of the U.S., ranked 14th, is also chasing the $412,500 winner’s share of the $2.75 million purse in what marks the 51st edition of Canada’s national women’s championship.
The Mississaugua Golf and Country Club, founded in 1906, is no stranger to golf history. The course has hosted six Canadian Open championships on the PGA Tour and has long been a stage for elite amateur, senior, and women’s competitions. This week, it adds another chapter as the world’s best descend on Mississauga, with hometown hopeful Grewal determined to make her mark.