Class I Briefs: CPKC, NS, CSX

(CPKC)

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) announces the early commitments scheduled to compete in the CPKC Women’s Open. Also, Norfolk Southern’s (NS) Lamberts Point Coal Facility meets the needs of the Class I’s key energy customer, CONSOL Energy; and CSX welcomes more than 20 Leadership Development Program associates to its team.

CPKC

CPKC, Golf Canada and the LPGA Tour on June 24 announced the early commitments scheduled to compete in the historic 50th playing of the CPKC Women’s Open, July 23-28 at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alta.

Since 2014, this tournament, which is the marquee event of the CPKC Has Heart community investment program, has helped raise more than $19 million to support cardiac research, equipment and care across North America, according to the Class I.

The list of early commitments features eight of the current top-10 and 83 of the top-100 players on the 2024 Race to the CME Globe Standings.

Thirteen-time LPGA Tour winner and the winningest golfer in Canadian history Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., will lead a field that includes three-time CPKC Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko, Minjee Lee, Jennifer Kupcho, In Gee Chun, Danielle Kang, Sei Young Kim, Linn Grant and Maja Stark. Lexi Thompson will also be competing in her final CPKC Women’s Open after announcing she will be retiring from competitive golf at the end of the 2024 season.

Defending champion Megan Khang is among eight past CPKC Women’s Open champions competing for Canada’s National Open Championship, including Paula Reto (2022), Jin Young Ko (2019), Brooke Henderson (2018), Ariya Jutanugarn (2016), Britney Lincicome (2011), Cristie Kerr (2006) and three-time winner Lydia Ko (2015, 2013, 2012) who will be chasing a record fourth CPKC Women’s Open title.

Earl Grey Golf Club will welcome nine LPGA Tour in-year winners, including 2024 U.S. Women’s Open champion, Yuka Saso. Joining Saso are, Lydia Ko (Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions), Patty Tavatanakit (Honda LPGA Thailand), Hannah Green (HSBC Women’s World Championship and JM Eagle LA Championship), Baily Tardy (Blue Bay LPGA), Rose Zhang (Cognizant Founders Cup), Linnea Strom (ShopRite LPGA Classic), Lilia Vu (Meijer LPGA Classic) and Amy Yang (KPMG Women’s PGA Championship).

Henderson, a CPKC Ambassador who made history at the Wascana Country Club in Regina in 2018 becoming the first Canadian since the late Jocelyne Bourassa, 45 years earlier to win Canada’s National Women’s Open, will be joined by fellow Canadians, Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Maddie Szeryk and Alena Sharp. In addition, Team Canada athletes Lauren Kim and Anna Huang earned exemptions through the Peloton Glencoe Invitational and Ellie Szeryk and Brooke Rivers through the GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open, both as part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series, earlier this month.

“We are thrilled to have this world-class tournament, with the world’s best golfers, back in Calgary, the home of CPKC’s global headquarters,” said CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel. “This year, our goal is to raise over $2.75 million to support the Alberta Children’s Hospital and the important work being done to help the youngest hearts across Alberta.”

The 156-player field will be competing at Earl Grey Golf Club for the first time in tournament history. This, the Class I says, marks the seventh time the province of Alberta will host the CPKC Women’s Open and first since 2016.

The Calgary golf community is ready for the return to the city with a full roster of more than 1,300 volunteers confirmed for the event, strong advanced ticket sales and one of the largest corporate build footprints in event history with a record number of public viewing and hospitality locations built on over half of the golf course.

“We are less than a month away and are very excited to be back in Calgary and the province of Alberta for the 50th playing of the CPKC Women’s Open,” said Ryan Paul, CPKC Women’s Open Tournament Director. “Golf fans in Calgary are in for a very memorable week at a beautiful golf course where the world’s best will compete for our National Open Championship. The CPKC Women’s Open is one of the top three women’s sporting events in Canada and this year is shaping up to be a special one.”

One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open returns to Calgary riding momentum from being named the LPGA Tour’s Tournament of the Year back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023. The 2023 tournament also won additional awards for Best Sponsorship Activation and Best Volunteer Appreciation at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. Golf Canada and CPKC also received Gold Driver Awards for Best Sponsor Activation in 2019, 2022 and 2023 as well as Best Community and Charity Engagement in 2017, 2019 and 2022.

NS

Following the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, which impacted the Port of Baltimore, Lamberts Point successfully met the demand for additional export coal from CONSOL Energy, according to NS.

“Recent investments in people and infrastructure have increased our ability to support our customers,” the Class I stated. “Using a ‘Team of Teams’ approach, NS quickly responded to CONSOL’s service needs, enabling the company to continue operations.”

“Since last year, we’ve enhanced our ability to support our coal customers so that we can better meet their current and future service needs,” said NS Chief Operating Officer John Orr. “We continue to surpass our own production records thanks to the commitment of our crew members to provide customer-centric, operations-driven service.”  

“Norfolk Southern is committed to strengthening the world economy and our close partnership with CONSOL Energy is one example of how we are supporting our customers to be successful,” said NS Chief Marketing Officer Ed Elkins. “Team members from across Operations and Marketing stepped up to keep energy moving across global markets.”

Orr and Brad Yeatts, Group Vice President, Coal, recently discussed the importance of how NS met the needs of CONSOL. Listen to what they had to say below:

CSX

CSX announced via X (formerly Twitter) that it has welcomes more than 20 Leadership Development Program associates to the #ONECSX team.

“Over the next year, they’ll gain leadership skills through top-notch training and hands-on experience, immersing themselves in our vibrant culture and the railroad industry,” CSX wrote in the post.