Mary Ann Hayward leads Super Senior division; Team Ontario holds one-shot lead in Inter-Provincial Team Championship<\/p>\n
Play was delayed an hour to start due to frost<\/p>\n
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. \u2013 Andrea Kosa is the clubhouse leader following the opening round of the 2026 Canadian Women\u2019s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, at Pine Hills Golf Club in Rocky Mountain House, Alta. on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Kosa of Calgary, Alta. finished with a 1-over 74 with a birdie and 15 pars during her round to sit atop the leaderboard in the race for the Ada MacKenzie Challenge Trophy.<\/p>\n
Pine Hills requires accuracy off the tee and that is one aspect that stood out in Kosa\u2019s game on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy driver was working really well for me except for on one hole so I can\u2019t complain and it was just a nice day, the weather was nice, it was a nice day to play golf,\u201d said Kosa.<\/p>\n
While she considers length to be an advantage of her game, keeping the ball in play off the tee will be an area of focus to avoid the rough, which has provided a challenge for the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything was working nicely today so no complaints, it\u2019s a fickle game, it could go the wrong way tomorrow,\u201d Kosa said with a laugh, adding that the hour delay this morning didn\u2019t have a negative impact on her preparation as she took it in stride simply saying, \u201cyou just wait a little longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trailing behind Kosa are Tina Papatolis of Issaquah, Wash. and Canadian Golf Hall of Famer and three-time champion Mary Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont. who both finished with rounds of 2-over 75.<\/p>\n
A trio of golfers are tied for fifth at 3-over (76) including Robin Krapfl of Peoria, Ariz., Julie Streng of Greensboro, N.C. and Diane Irvin of Pacific Palisades, Calif.<\/p>\n
In the Super Senior division, Hayward who is defending champion, leads Krapfl and Irvin by one stroke. Hayward is seeking her third Super Senior division title in five years.<\/p>\n
Hayward is also part of Team Ontario who find themselves atop the leaderboard for the Inter-Provincial Team Championship by one over Team Alberta. Hayward is joined a pair of past Senior national champions including two-time winner Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. and three-time champion, Terrill Samuel of Etobicoke, Ont. Kyrinis shot a 5-over 78 to have her score count along with Hayward at a combined 7-over. Samuel finish with a 6-over 79 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Team Alberta sits second at 8-over with Kosa\u2019s 1-over and Daniela Pacheco of Calgary, Alta.\u2019s 7-over 80 counting toward the team total. Teammate Gisselle Willimus of Edmonton, Alta. shot a 15-over 88. The two-time defending champions, Team British Columbia sit third at 12-over. Since 2002, Team British Columbia and Team Ontario have claimed the Katherine Helleur Trophy 11 times each. Team Alberta was the last province outside of B.C. or Ontario to win in 2001.<\/p>\n
The opening round of the tournament was delayed for an hour due to frost and began at 9:30 a.m. MDT.<\/p>\n
The Canadian Women\u2019s Senior Championship features a pair of competitive divisions, the Senior division and the Super Senior division that run concurrently throughout the competition\u2019s 54 holes. After 36 holes the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties based off the Senior division with a minimum of five Super Seniors making the cut and anyone within 10 shots of the lead in the division.<\/p>\n
Conducted since 1971, the Canadian Women\u2019s Senior Championship has featured many of the country\u2019s top senior golfers. Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members Marlene Streit, Gayle Borthwick, Marilyn O\u2019Connor, Margaret Todd and Mary Ann Hayward all own senior championship titles.<\/p>\n
The winner of the Canadian Women\u2019s Senior Championship will earn an exemption into the field at the 2026 U.S. Senior Women\u2019s Amateur Championship, set for September 26 \u2013 October 1 at the Portland Golf Club in Portland, Ore. Additionally, spots in the 2027 U.S. Senior Women\u2019s Open, 113th Canadian Women\u2019s Amateur Championship, 2027 Canadian Women\u2019s Mid-Amateur Championship and a 10-year exemption into the Canadian Women\u2019s Senior Championship.<\/p>\n