There are four rounds left in the LPGA Tour regular season, and rookie Savannah Grewal is determined to be mentally present for all 72 holes.

Grewal, from Mississauga, Ont., and Alena Sharp, from Hamilton, are the only Canadians competing in this week’s ANNIKA, driven by Gainbridge. Grewal, 23, is close to earning a card for the 2025 LPGA Tour season, but she must at least qualify at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., to land it.

“Honestly, just one shot at a time,” Grewal said as he approached. “I think you go to every tournament and your goal is to go there and compete and be in contention, so that’s obviously always the goal of this event.

“But I think as long as I don’t look at the rankings too much and really focus on where I am at that moment, I think that’s probably what’s going to help me the most.”

Grewal is 96th in the Race to CME Globe, the LPGA Tour points list. The top 100 players on the elite women’s professional golf circuit will receive a card for next year.

“If I don’t play well there’s a chance I won’t keep my card for next year, but I feel pretty confident in my situation and I think as long as I stay present and don’t move forward not too far from myself, everything will be fine,” Grewal said.

Sharp is 126th in the rankings and will likely need to finish in the top six at ANNIKA, depending on the performance of the golfers ahead of her in the rankings, to return to the tour in 2025 without qualifying any other way.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is not playing this week. At 13th in the standings, she is already assured of a place on next year’s circuit and will also compete in the CME Group Tour Championship next week.

The 146th Maude-Aimée Leblanc, from Sherbrooke, Quebec, and the 192nd, Maddie Szeryk, from London, Ontario, are not on the field this week. As a result, they will both have to requalify to return to the LPGA Tour next season.

Grewal gained some critical points at least one week at the LOTTE Championship, ultimately placing in a tie for 54th place. She started strong with a 68 in the first round and maintained her strong position with a 70 in the second round. However, a 74 in the third round and a 76 in the fourth round put her in this week’s high-stakes position.

“I think as long as I focus on my breathing and just go there and enjoy being there, have fun with it, I think that will probably be the best thing for me,” he said. Grewal said.

“I think last week I did a really good job in the first two rounds and I think after the cut I kind of started to get ahead and look at those leaderboards.”

PGA TOUR — The fall ball season continues with the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., is not only the highest-ranked Canadian in the event at 51st, he is also the highest-ranked golfer in the field, period. Also in action will be No. 57 Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and No. 176 Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C.

CHAMPIONS TOUR — Danny King of Aurora, Ont., was tied for fourth at 4 under Wednesday after two rounds in the first qualifying stage of the 2025 PGA Tour Champions at Buckhorn Springs Golf and Country Club in Valrico, Florida. Martin Plante (74) of St-Sauveur, Que., and Dennis Hendershott (73) of Brantford, Ont., were tied for 36th at plus-5. Craig Watkins of Georgetown, Ontario. was disqualified. Mike Woodcock (79) of Chatham, Ont., was tied for 43rd with 16 points during the qualifying round at Grand Bear Golf Club in Saucier, Mississippi. Calgary’s Stuart Patterson withdrew after one round.

DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Manitoba, will be part of the second duo to start the DP World Tour Championship on Thursday. Throughout the season, his goal was to reach the European Tour Final at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He was 49th in the Race to Dubai rankings after last week’s HSBC Championship in Abu Dhabi, with the top 50 golfers on the DP World Tour reaching his championship tournament.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 13, 2024.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press