Canadian teenagers were in close competition with leader Miyu Yamashita of Japan following the first round of the CPKC Women’s Open on Thursday. Yamashita achieved a season-best score of 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 Anna Huang, aged 17, and 18-year-old amateur Michelle Xing from Richmond Hill, Ont., were tied for fourth place at 5-under-par 65, trailing the leader by three shots along with China’s Ruoning Yin and Japan’s Yuri Yoshida.
Yamashita, aged 25, who previously won the Meijer LPGA Classic in Belmont, Mich., showcased an impressive performance with eight birdies. Expressing her satisfaction, she mentioned, “It’s been a while since I finished the first round in good position. My putting was really nice, so I felt really good.”
Defending champion Brooke Henderson from Smiths Falls, Ont., who is aiming for her third victory in the home LPGA tournament, ended the day with a birdie to reach 3 under par. Henderson commented, “I feel it was very important and it felt great. I really wanted it. I hit it really hard. I’m glad I hit the hole, but to see it go in was really nice.” World No. 1 Nelly Korda from the United States also finished at 3 under par.
Both Huang and Xing are on track to make the cut for the first time in their careers after two attempts each. Huang expressed her ambition, saying, “Definitely making the cut would be a really big goal for me, and then hopefully some good weekend golf.” She also mentioned feeling more confident this year compared to previous years, attributing her confidence partly to the supportive crowds.
Xing, who received a sponsor’s exemption to join the field as an amateur, highlighted the significance of making the cut at an LPGA event, especially in Canada, stating, “It would mean a whole lot.”
The first round was played under mostly cloudy skies with a temperature of 24°C, and occasional clouds of insect repellent due to Edmonton experiencing 56 centimeters of rain since June 1, creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Many players wore long pants and sleeves to protect themselves from insect bites. Xing, who wore short sleeves, remarked on being bitten multiple times. She emphasized the importance of hitting fairways to avoid the rough, which not only houses insects but also hinders club performance.
Henderson started strong by birdying her first three holes on the back nine but faced challenges with rough on the 16th hole, resulting in a bogey. She emphasized the need to stick to the fairway to avoid penalties and mentioned her ability to bounce back quickly after making a bogey with a birdie. Henderson finished the round at 3 under par.
Amateur player Clairey Lin from Langley, B.C., made her tournament debut with a solid score of 68. Tour veteran Maude-Aimee Leblanc from Sherbrooke, Que., also performed well at 2 under par. Other Canadian players showcased varying performances, with Leah John from Vancouver scoring 1 under, Savannah Grewal from Mississauga, Ont., scoring 70, Lauren Kim from Surrey, B.C., Aphrodite Deng from Calgary, and Shauna Liu from Maple, Ont., all scoring even par. Vanessa Borovilos from Toronto scored 2 over, Eileen Park from Red Deer, Alta., scored 78, Katie Cranston from Oakville, Ont., scored 74, Alena Sharp from Hamilton scored 77, and Tillie Claggett from Calgary scored 78.