Borovilos, John among Canadians making major debut this week at U.S. Women's Open

Globe and Mail

29-05-2025

Vanessa Borovilos is not the kind of person who normally tries to manifest a goal, but after just missing out on qualifying for last year's U.S. Women's Open, she put a piece of paper above her bed in Toronto to keep her focused on reaching the major.
She didn't bring the paper with her to Texas A&M, but the intention paid off – she'll tee it up in her second LPGA Tour event and first major this week.
'It just helps me check a box at the end of the day, saying like, 'Hey, did I do everything I could today to get to that goal on the wall?' ' said Borovilos. 'It doesn't just take one day of good practice, doesn't just take one day of good sleep, it's consistent effort over a long period of time, and I think that piece of paper just reminded me constantly.
'It helps me keep going.'
Borovilos has had a standout freshman season at Texas A&M, finishing no worse than 10th in any event so far in 2025.
She tied for 10th at the Moon Golf Invitational, tied for second at the Clover Cup, was solo second at The 'Mo' Morial, and won the singles title at the Chevron Collegiate on Feb. 25.
Still, Borovilos feels that playing against LPGA Tour players at Erin Hills Golf Course in Wisconsin will help sharpen her game.
'I think the more I can put myself in these situations and learn from the players early on, it's definitely going to help me in college,' said Borovilos. 'I mean, Erin Hills is no joke. I looked at the overview and it's fairway, rough, and then hay.
'I think that will get me more comfortable playing collegiate courses. I'll be able to play a major course and see where I need to improve my game. So it'll definitely help me next year.'
There are five Canadians in the field, headlined by Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., who is currently 48 in the Race to CME Globe standings. Vancouver's Leah John, Celeste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-L'Ile-Perrot, Que., and Vancouver's Anna Huang are also in the field.
Borovilos and John will be in a group together that tees off together Thursday morning.
John, who currently plays on the second-tier Epson Tour, will also be playing in her first major.
'I am so excited. I hope the feeling never goes away,' said John. 'It's always special, but I think doing things for your first time, there's nothing like it.
'I mean, I'm not on the LPGA yet, so playing with the girls on the big tour and coming in as an outsider from a qualifier, I'm pretty stoked.'
John, whose only LPGA Tour experience is at the CPKC Women's Open, Canada's national championship, said that she's also looking forward to testing her mettle against the best players in women's golf.
'This is one of the best fields I can be a part of,' she said. 'I can't wait to have a measuring stick like this.
'You watch them on TV and you watch them live, but being inside the ropes with them and competing against them will be a new experience.'
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., leads the Canadian contingent into the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Conners is eighth on the FedEx Cup standings heading into the signature event with a reduced field of only 72 players. He'll be joined by Nick Taylor (25th) of Abbotsford, B.C., Taylor Pendrith (30th) of Richmond Hill, Ont., Mackenzie Hughes (44th) of Dundas, Ont., and Adam Hadwin (122nd), also from Abbotsford.
Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is the only Canadian in the field at this week's Austrian Alpine Open at Gut Altentann Golf Club in Salzburg. Cockerill sits 120th in the Race to Dubai standings, the points list for the European-based tour. He moved seven spots up the rankings after tying for 31st at last week's Soudal Open in Belgium.
Calgary's Stephen Ames is the only Canadian playing in the Principal Charity Classic this week. He's 26th on the Schwab Cup points list heading into Friday's first round at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., is 10th on the second-tier tour's points list heading into this week's UNC Health Championship. He'll be joined at Raleigh Country Club in North Carolina by Vancouver's Stuart Macdonald (33rd), Matthew Anderson (47th), also from Mississauga, Myles Creighton (63rd) of Digby, N.S., Roger Sloan (118th) of Merritt, B.C., and Etienne Papineau (140th) of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.
Calgary's Hunter Thomson, a senior at the University of Michigan, finished as the No. 24 player in the PGA Tour University Class of 2025 to become the first Canadian to graduate from the program. As a result, Thomson has earned access to the North America swing on PGA Tour Americas and will be eligible to make his professional debut at the Explore NB Open in Fredericton, N.B., July 3-6.