Red Deer junior golfer wins national title, earns spot at CPKC Women’s Open
Eileen Park, a 17-year-old member of the Red Deer Golf and Country Club, has been crowned champion at the 2026 PGA Women’s Championship of Canada, held at Smiths Falls Golf and Country Club on Thursday.
Park closed out the tournament with steady play over the final round to hold off challenger Katie Cranston, finishing with tournament totals of 67-73-69. Her performance secured the national crown and an exemption into the 2026 CPKC Women’s Open, scheduled for Aug. 19-23 at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton.
- Champion: Eileen Park (Red Deer Golf and Country Club)
- Final rounds: 67, 73, 69
- Prize: Exemption into 2026 CPKC Women’s Open (Edmonton)
Park, a Team Canada NextGen athlete, began the final day tied for the lead and opened with a birdie on the first hole. As the round unfolded, Cranston mounted pressure — including an eagle on the front nine — but Park found the necessary birdies on the back nine to pull away and secure the title.
“I looked at the leaderboard and I just saw Katie making a lot of birdies and she was catching up to me,” Park said. “So it’s kind of scary. But I was like, ‘It’s OK, I have more holes left. And if I make birdies as well, then it will just keep me on top.’”
It is Park’s first tournament victory in two years. She described the triumph as especially meaningful because the championship was played at the home club of Brooke Henderson, a two-time winner of this event. Park said winning on a course associated with Henderson made the achievement feel "like a dream come true."
The exemption into the CPKC Women’s Open represents a significant step for the Red Deer athlete. Park has noted she has longed to compete in that national professional event since childhood and plans to treat the experience as both an opportunity to learn and to enjoy playing among elite competition.
| Round | Score |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | 67 |
| Round 2 | 73 |
| Round 3 | 69 |
For Red Deer’s golf community, Park’s victory highlights the continued emergence of young talent from local clubs and the effectiveness of high-performance pathways such as Team Canada NextGen. Her progress to a national championship and entry into a major national event will be followed closely by coaches, peers and supporters in the region.
Park’s next competitive appearance at the CPKC Women’s Open in Edmonton will offer a chance to measure her game against higher-level professional fields and gain experience on a larger stage, a common next step for promising junior athletes moving toward a professional career.
