Kane likes her Pan Am chances
COQUITLAM, B.C. — Lorie Kane is primed for a busy summer on home soil.
The Charlottetown golfer will compete in the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open at Vancouver Golf Club in August, but before that she will represent her country at next month’s Pan Am Games in Toronto.
“I’ve been joking that I might be the oldest chick in the (athletes’) village,” said the 50-year-old Kane. “I get excited when the Olympics roll around, be it winter or summer. We as Canadians, that’s what we learn to watch.
“Now to have an opportunity to be a part of that, it’s going to be really exciting.”
At the Pan Ams, Kane will team up with Brooke Henderson, the 17-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., who tied for fifth over the weekend at KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and has been making waves in the golf world.
“We have one goal and that is to win as many medals as we possibly can first and foremost,” Kane said after Monday’s CP Women’s Open media event. “Brooke and I will do the best to represent the best we can.”
Kane has made just two starts this season, missing both cuts, but was encouraged by her performance at the Manulife LPGA Classic in Waterloo, Ont., earlier this month.
“It may shock people if I say that (my game is) probably the best it’s been,” said Kane. “People judge by results and I do too, but I saw a lot of good things happen at Manulife. I just need to get into some more tournaments. Unfortunately my (ranking) isn’t great, but we will get some tournaments coming up here.”
Apart from the thrill of trying to win a medal for her country, Kane said that playing at the Pan Ams will hopefully get her in good form heading to the national championship at Vancouver Golf Club.
“The Pan Ams will be great for me,” she said. “That will be four rounds that I can play and really test things and see how I’m doing. I’d like to be peaking in August. I really think I can still challenge to win and that’s my ultimate goal.”
Kane has earned nearly $7 million in her career, but has not won an LPGA event since 2001. She has been amazed at the rise of players like Henderson and 18-year-old Lydia Ko, who won the Canadian title in 2012 as an amateur at Vancouver Golf Club and will return in 2015.
Ko also won the 2013 Canadian title at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton.
“You can’t hold them back,” said Kane. “They’re old beyond their days. Yeah, they have no fear, but they’re very tactical in what they do and how they play the game.