Canada's Sharp, Henderson ready for 'electric atmosphere' at Olympic golf tournament

Alena Sharp arrived in Paris for her third Olympics on Friday.

The first stop for the 43-year-old Canadian golfer was the Athletes' Village, even though she isn't staying there, choosing instead to lodge near the golf course about an hour outside of the city.

On Saturday, Sharp checked out some beach volleyball at the base of the Eiffel Tower in the afternoon, then watched the Canadian women's soccer team's quarterfinal match against Germany at Canada House with other athletes at night.

She followed 2023 Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor for his first nine holes of the day, then walked alongside Corey Conners for his final three.

"I honestly was blown away by how many people were out here on Sunday watching the men. Like, I knew it was going to be a sold-out crowd, but I didn't realize how many people there were," Sharp said.

"Walking down the first hole, it was hard to get close to Nick when he teed off. And then even down by the green, the whole backside of the green was full of people. It was unbelievable. 

"And hopefully we have that as well. I mean, such an electric atmosphere. And I couldn't even watch Corey hit his last putt because it was so many people around the 18th."

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For a third straight Games, Sharp, of Hamilton, Ont., and Smiths Falls, Ont.'s Brooke Henderson will represent Canada in the Olympic women's golf tournament. Action begins Wednesday at 3 a.m. ET and continues through Saturday's final round.

Sharp, who won bronze at the Pan Am Games last year, said golf takes on a different feeling when you represent your country.

"I'm a proud Canadian and whenever I can play for Team Canada, I've done it. There's no better thing than playing for your country. Golf