Canadian teenagers closed in on leader Miyu Yamashita of Japan at the CPKC Women’s Open following the first round on Thursday. Yamashita scored a season-low 62 at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, putting her one stroke ahead of Nasa Hataoka from Japan and two strokes ahead of Kiara Romero from the United States.
Vancouver’s 17-year-old Anna Huang and 18-year-old amateur Michelle Xing from Richmond Hill, Ont., were tied for fourth place at 5-under-par 65, three shots behind the leader, alongside Ruoning Yin from China and Yuri Yoshida from Japan.
Yamashita, 25, who won the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan in June, made eight birdies and expressed satisfaction with her putting performance. Defending champion Brooke Henderson from Smiths Falls, Ont., finished at 3 under, aiming for a third win in her home LPGA tournament.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda from the United States also finished at 3 under. Both Huang and Xing were on track to make the cut for the first time in their careers after two previous attempts each. They expressed their goals to perform well over the weekend.
The first round took place under mostly cloudy skies with a temperature of 24°C and intermittent clouds of insect repellent due to the high rainfall in Edmonton since June 1, creating a mosquito-infested environment.
Players, including Huang and Xing, faced challenges from the rough, which not only housed insects but also made it difficult to strike the ball cleanly. Henderson highlighted the importance of staying in the fairways to avoid penalties.
In her tournament debut, 16-year-old amateur Clairey Lin from Langley, B.C., shot a 68, while tour veteran Maude-Aimee Leblanc from Sherbrooke, Que., finished at 2 under. Other Canadian amateurs also displayed solid performances in the opening round.
The competition continues with players looking to improve their positions in the upcoming rounds.
