As spectators at the Canadian Women's Open made their way around the Vancouver Golf Club on Saturday, most were asking just one question: What happened to all the Canadian golfers?
The answer: Just one - Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont. (shot a 2-under 70 on Saturday to sit in a tie for 32nd) - of the 15 Canadians who qualified for the tournament made the cut, enabling them to play on the weekend.
So what's the matter with women's golf in sa国际传媒?
Absolutely nothing, according to one of the greatest Canadian female golfers ever to play the game, Lake Cowichan's Dawn Coe-Jones.
"Oh, not to worry. We have a lot of really great young players in this country," said Coe-Jones, who took time away from her summer home in Honeymoon Bay to do colour commentating for CBC's weekend broadcast of the tournament.
"You can't judge it by this tournament, especially. It's just one of those things that they didn't have their games this week. But you could see them turn around next week and see them playing well."
Coe-Jones, who turned pro on the LPGA Tour in 1984 and made more than $3.3 million over her 25-year career, says home course advantage for the Canadians, most of the time, isn't that at all.
"Oh, this is a tough tournament to play in if you're Canadian," she said. "I played in 24 of them - only missed one when I was pregnant - and you put so much pressure on yourself to win the golf tournament. But in reality, it's always a tough field, and just because you're Canadian doesn't guarantee you're going to win the tournament.
"You just have to embrace the tournament and enjoy it but some of these girls just get really tight because it's in sa国际传媒," she said. "But that being said, we really do have such a lovely group of young players coming up in sa国际传媒, so no one should be concerned at all."
Coe-Jones points to teenager Brooke Henderson of Smith Falls, Ont., as a perfect example of a young Canadian with huge potential. She shot rounds of 77 and 76 in her first Canadian Women's Open.
"I went and supported her earlier in the week and was totally impressed," Coe-Jones added. "Her golf game at 14 is just amazing. She hits shots that. . . . When I was 14, I was just advancing the ball. . . . She cuts it, knocks it down - those sorts of things that are just a testament to her talent. And such a nice kid, which is also important."
Coe-Jones will finish up her TV duties - "Just a special favour to CBC. I wouldn't want to do it for a living. It's too tough" - today and then return to the Island for a few more days of R&R. Although Mother Nature may force her to stick around Lake Cowichan for a few extra days before returning home to Tampa.
"Well, I don't know if I want to return home now with that [tropical storm] Isaac due to hit any day," she added. "My husband said just stay a few extra days and enjoy yourself, so I think that's what I'll do."
