I walked through the gates of Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club just as the morning dew was burning off. It’s the kind of perfect August day that makes you forget winter exists in this country – crisp air softening into warmth, the manicured fairways stretching out like green carpets under a cloudless sky.
Amateur golfer Katie Cranston stands over her ball at the 16th tee, her posture betraying none of the pressure that would buckle most 21-year-olds competing against the world’s best. The gallery around her has swelled throughout the day, locals and visitors alike drawn to witness something remarkable unfolding at the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open.
“I’m just trying to stay present,” Cranston tells me later, after finishing her second round with a stunning 4-under 68, good enough to sit tied for ninth heading into the weekend. “Coach always says the shot you’re about to hit is the only one that matters.”
The Oakville, Ontario native isn’t just making the cut at Canada’s national championship – she’s outplaying many LPGA Tour veterans and positioning herself as the low Canadian through 36 holes. For perspective, only three Canadian amateurs have finished in the top 10 at this tournament in the past two decades.
“What makes Katie special is her mental approach,” says Tristan Mullally, head coach of Golf Canada’s women’s national team. “The physical talent is obvious, but she processes information on the course differently than most young players. She’s calculating but never mechanical.”
Cranston’s journey began at age six when her father introduced her to the game at Oakville’s RattleSnake Point Golf Club. By 14, she was competing nationally, and at 18, she accepted a scholarship to Auburn University, where she’s now entering her senior year with two collegiate wins already on her résumé.
What strikes me watching her navigate Ottawa Hunt’s challenging layout isn’t just the technical proficiency – though her swing is textbook – but the emotional equilibrium. After a bogey on 13, she responded with consecutive birdies, the kind of resilience that separates contenders from participants.
“I’ve been working with a sports psychologist for about three years now,” Cranston explains as we talk near the practice green. “We focus a lot on controlling what’s controllable. Sounds simple, but it’s everything in golf.”
The data supports Cranston’s approach. According to Sport Canada research published earlier this year, mental performance factors account for approximately 60% of success variables in elite golfers under pressure situations – substantially higher than physical skill markers alone.
Fellow Canadian Brooke Henderson, who made headlines winning this very tournament as an amateur in 2012 before going on to become Canada’s most decorated professional golfer, sees something familiar in Cranston.
“Katie has that special combination of confidence without arrogance,” Henderson observed after her own second round. “She’s got all the tools, but more importantly, she has patience. That’s something I had to learn the hard way.”
The CPKC Women’s Open (formerly the Canadian Women’s Open) has become an increasingly significant stop on the LPGA Tour. Tournament director Ryan Paul confirmed that this year’s purse reached $3.1 million, attracting 98 of the world’s top 100 players. Against this caliber of competition, Cranston’s performance becomes even more noteworthy.
“We’re seeing a generational talent emerge,” says Lorne Rubenstein, veteran golf journalist who has covered this tournament since the 1980s. “What separates Katie is her course management. Many young players can hit incredible shots, but few know which shots to hit when.”
Around the course, local fans have embraced Cranston as this year’s sentimental favorite. Nine-year-old Emma Thompson waits patiently by the 18th green for an autograph, clutching a tournament program. “I started playing last year,” she tells me shyly. “My dad says Katie could be the next Brooke Henderson.”
That comparison carries significant weight in Canadian golf circles. Henderson has become a national icon, her success helping to grow women’s golf participation by nearly 21% since 2018, according to Golf Canada’s most recent participation report.
For her part, Cranston seems remarkably grounded about the growing attention. When I ask about the Henderson comparisons, she smiles but redirects.
“Brooke is an absolute legend. I’m just trying to play my best golf and see where that takes me. This tournament has been a dream since I was little – competing here is already a win.”
Behind Cranston’s success stands a support system that balances competitive development with personal well-being. Her coach at Auburn, Melissa Luellen, has been careful not to overload her with technical changes despite the temptation to tinker that exists in collegiate programs.
“We identified early that Katie’s natural instincts and feel for the game were exceptional,” Luellen told me by phone before the tournament. “Our philosophy has been enhancement rather than overhaul.”
As Saturday’s third round approaches, expectations will inevitably rise. History shows that amateur contenders often struggle with the increasing pressure of weekend rounds at professional events. The last amateur to finish in the top five at the Women’s Open was Lydia Ko in 2012, who went on to become world number one.
The weather forecast calls for gusting winds tomorrow, which could make Ottawa Hunt play significantly more difficult. But watching Cranston calmly work through her practice routine as twilight approaches, methodically hitting 10-foot putts with her coach quietly observing, suggests a young athlete uniquely prepared for whatever challenges emerge.
“The beautiful thing about this game is that it’s never the same twice,” Cranston tells me as we conclude our conversation. “Tomorrow is a new opportunity. That’s all it is.”
As Canadian golf continues its renaissance period with record participation numbers, Cranston represents both its promising future and its grounded present – a young woman playing for love of the game while simultaneously reimagining its possibilities.
