LPGA : CPKC Women's Open
**Miyu Yamashita increased her already healthy lead and Canadian teenager Aphrodite Deng vaulted up the leaderboard Saturday at the CPKC Women’s Open.
Japan’s Yamashita turned in a 5-under-par 65 in the third round to get to -19 for the tournament at Edmonton’s Royal Mayfair Golf Club.
Her 14-under 126 in her first 36 holes was a tournament record. The 25-year-old gave nothing back Saturday.
Yamashita took a 6 stroke lead into Sunday at the US$2.75-million event seeking the 4th LPGA win of her career and her second this season. However she has won 13 times on the JLPGA Tour before coming to America. She also won Player of the Year in 2022, 2023.
Her Japanese colleague, Yuri Yoshida carded a 66 and Gina Kim of the U.S. posted a 6-under 64 on Saturday to trail Yamashita at -13 under.
CANADIANS
On the bright side 6 Canadians made the cut and 4 are teenagers, which apparently is a record.
16-year-old Aphrodite Deng from Calgary, who was the tournament’s low amateur last year in Mississauga, Ont., shot the day’s lowest round of 63 to get to -10 under T6.
“It felt really great, but I wasn’t really counting how low I was shooting,” Deng said. “I was just trying to learn from my first two days and make the least mistakes as possible.”
‘Deng was born in Calgary and was four years old when her family moved to the United States. The teen, who is on Canada’s NextGen team, appreciated the cheers that increased in frequency and volume Saturday as she rattled off a bogey-free round.
“I’m so grateful for all the support,” she said. “Every time I play this event, there’s so many people out here supporting me.”
Vancouver’s 17 year old Anna Huang 70 -7, and Deng’s fellow-amateurs Michelle Xing 71 -1 of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Clairey Lin of Langley, B.C 72 +2., continued playing into the weekend.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson recovered from three-putting the ninth to be +1 at the turn with three straight birdies on her back nine. She shot a second straight 68 to be -7 .
“I feel like I didn’t get out of my round what I really should have,” said Henderson, who hit 16 greens in regulation. “It just came down to a few putts I missed. I missed quite a few inside six feet today actually, which I haven’t been doing, so it was a little bit unusual.
“I might hit a few putts here after the round just to get a feel for it again. I feel like I gave myself a lot of good looks. That’s all you can ask for. Hopefully I’ll do the same tomorrow, but make the putts.”
Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., shot 72 to sit +1. Savannah Grewal of Mississauga was +3 over after a 74.
WEATHER
The forecast for Sunday’s final round is 26 C with some forest fire smoke before giving way to thunderstorms in the late afternoon.
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