Brooke Henderson is in contention at the CPKC Women’s Open in Edmonton, with room to maneuver after her second-round performance. The defending champion, hailing from Smiths Falls, Ont., is aiming for her third victory at Canada’s LPGA tournament and currently stands at 5-under par following a solid round of 68 on Friday.

Heading into the final two rounds, Henderson trails clubhouse leader Soo Bin Joo of South Korea by four strokes, with Joo sitting at 9 under at Edmonton’s Royal Mayfair Golf Club. Henderson had reached 7 under but encountered setbacks with two back-nine bogeys, one of which resulted in her tee shot hitting a spectator after drifting left. Henderson promptly apologized to the woman and offered her a golf ball as a gesture of goodwill.

Aphrodite Deng from Calgary, the low amateur in last year’s tournament in Mississauga, Ont., closed out her round strongly with consecutive birdies, carding a 67 to reach 3 under.

The cut line at the $2.75-million US event is set at the top 65 players and ties. Canadian teenagers Anna Huang from Vancouver and Michelle Xing from Richmond Hill, Ont., who began the day just three shots behind the lead at 5 under, had afternoon tee times for their rounds.