After finishing her range session, Lorie Kane grabbed a wedge, turned around, and hit a few balls from the left side.
She shanked one and duffed another. She then went at it again, finally making solid contact on a couple more after a quick regroup.
With that, Kane exited range left to applause from the crowd.
“Pardon the expression, but come hell or high water, I’m going to have fun,” Kane said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Kane, a four-time LPGA Tour winner, will tee off for her 30th and final CP Women’s Open on Thursday at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.
Since Kane made her professional debut at the 1991 Canadian championship, much has changed, but one constant has been the Canadian’s presence at her home tournament each year.
The Charlottetown native has stated that she will not be retiring from golf.
“I never wanted to come to this tournament feeling like I was taking up space. … The next thing for me is to continue to grow the game, continue to work at making it more available to people across our country, to find another me in Atlantic Canada,” Kane said.
Kane has no intention of competing seriously — she joked that she’s lobbying the Tour to allow her to play the forward tees — but her competitive side hopes to play into the weekend.
As a result, Kane will spend the tournament with her family. Charlotte, her niece, is her caddie. Her seven-wood headcover is a tribute to her father, Jack, who died in July.
“The back of the headcover is my dad’s cashmere sweater. My dad was always in a cashmere sweater, and [Halifax’s Dormie Workshop, a golf equipment company] put it together so beautifully,” Kane said.
“Charlotte had them inscribe on the bottom: ‘Leave it better than you found it.'”
Kane will be joined in Ottawa by Canadians ranging from 24-year-old Brooke Henderson, who has 12 pro victories and two majors, to 21-year-old Monet Chun, who recently reached the final of the US Women’s Amateur Open.
Perhaps no competitor better exemplifies Kane’s enormous impact than 12-year-old Lucy Lin, who grew up on the opposite coast in Vancouver and only qualified for the tournament through Monday’s final qualifier.
“Lorie is incredible,” said Henderson. “Growing up, she was women’s golf in Canada. I looked up to her and she’s been a great friend and mentor. I think all of Canada just loves her dearly, so it is sad that this is her last one.”
