Hamilton's Alena Sharp still a contender after 20 Years at the CPKC Canadian Open in Calgary

Alena Sharp finds it hard to believe she first competed at the Canadian women's golf championship two decades ago.

Despite missing the cut at the 2004 Legends on the Niagara course in Niagara Falls, Ont., she gained valuable experience and has since seized every opportunity to tee it up at the annual event.

"It doesn't seem like it's been 20 years," said the 43-year-old Sharp, who hails from Hamilton. "I remember when they announced my name on the tee and there was a lot of people there from Brantford where I grew up playing.

"I was just so nervous, I sniped it left into the rough. I made par on the hole, so I got underway."

When Sharp tees off at Earl Grey Golf Club in the afternoon wave of golfers on Thursday at the 2024 CPCK Women's Open, it will be her 19th appearance competing at the annual LPGA tournament.

"I've played so many great courses for the event and I'm just really happy to be there back in Calgary," said Sharp, whose best finish at the Canadian championship was in 2016 at nearby Priddis Golf and Country Club where she finished fourth and cashed a cheque for $116,607.

Having played a couple practice rounds on Earl Grey's Par 72, 6,856-yard layout, Sharp said that the course suits her game just fine.

"I grew up playing a tree-lined course playing Brantford Golf and Country Club, so it kind of reminds me of that," said Sharp, who finished in a tie for 19th place last Sunday at the Dana Open at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio. "The greens are all tilted, so it requires pretty precise shot making into the greens.

"It's playing long right now. I'm not sure if it'll firm up or not — definitely not getting any run on the drives yet. There's a lot of mid irons into the greens, so you have to have some