Teen golfers made their mark at CPKC Women’s Open, signal bright futures

Michelle Xing, who turned 18 in July, was a late addition to the field under a sponsor’s exemption. The golfer from Richmond Hill, Ont., also made the cut after two previous attempts to finish at 3 under.

Amateur Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C., made the cut in her tournament debut at age 16 and finished 3 over.

“The young talent coming out of Canada right now is phenomenal,” said Canada’s women’s head coach Salimah Mussani.

“When you have all these girls under the age of 18 doing these things, they are the future. They are the next Brooke Hendersons. They are the next 15, 20 years of Canadian women’s golf. And they’re going to be inspiring that next pool that starts to pick up the game.”

Henderson, whose 14 career wins includes two CPKC titles, finished tied for 13th in Edmonton and was looking up the leaderboard at a couple of Canadian teenagers.

“It’s amazing to see so many Maple Leafs at the top of the leaderboard,” Henderson said. “Just amazing scores all week by all of them. It’s really cool to see that and to be a part of it, and I feel like the future is really bright for the next few years.

“The national team has always had a really strong program, but it seems like they’re really doing a great job right now, which is cool to see. The players, I don’t know any of them that well, but what I have seen is that they work extremely diligently, very hard, and they’re very eager to try to be better.”

The 28-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., may not know the Canadian teenagers personally, but they know her.

“Brooke has been someone I looked up to the most,” Huang said. “Ever since I started playing golf she was definitely my idol. To play alongside her now in these big events is really special.”

Xing was thrilled that Henderson had a locker near hers at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club.

“She’s a role model for all of us,” Xing said.

The last time multiple players under 18 from any country made the LPGA cut in Canada was in 2014 — a 16-year-old Henderson and a 17-year-old Lydia Ko from New Zealand.

Deng was the first Canadian to win the U.S. Girls Junior Championship in 2025 and Lin kept the title in Canada this year.

“Everyone’s motivating each other and we see everyone winning these tournaments and we all want to be better,” Deng said.

Added Mussani: “Knowing how to win is a thing. How to close a tournament is a thing. These girls are doing it already.”

Deng and Lin have both committed to Stanford, which this year captured a third NCAA women’s golf title in five years.

Xing was schedule to fly to California on Monday to start her freshman year at UCLA. All three are on Golf Canada’s NextGen women’s team.

“They’re some of my best friends, and they’re my teammates, and they are very talented,” said Lin, who will play in the world junior golf championship Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 in Brampton, Ont.

“When I met them on the team, I just immediately knew that these girls are so hardworking and they have the will to get better.

“I’m getting pushed to get better by them, and in return I hope that I kind of do the same.”

Huang’s four European Tour wins over the last 11 months made her the youngest since Ko to claim a quad on that tour.

“I don’t see anything that’s going to stop her from continuing to win,” Mussani said.

“The things she does in the background, her rest, her recovery, her preparation, her ability to reflect after a round, it’s just all very mature.”

Top-10 results for Huang and Deng in Edmonton gave both entry into the LPGA’s FM Championship starting Thursday at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 24, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Teen golfers made their mark at CPKC Women’s Open, signal bright futures

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