Canadian teenagers were close to catching up with Japan’s Miyu Yamashita at the CPKC Women’s Open following the first round on Thursday. Yamashita shot an impressive 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.
Anna Huang from Vancouver, aged 17, and Michelle Xing, an 18-year-old amateur from Richmond Hill, Ont., were both three shots behind the leader at 5-under-par 65, tied for fourth place with Ruoning Yin from China and Yuri Yoshida from Japan.
Yamashita, 25, who previously won the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan, showcased her skills with eight birdies. She expressed satisfaction with her putting performance, stating, “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., finished with a birdie to end the day at 3 under par, aiming for her third victory in the LPGA tournament hosted in her home country. Henderson emphasized the importance of her performance, saying, “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 the round at 3 under par. Huang and Xing were in a good position to make the cut for the first time in their careers after two attempts each.
Huang expressed her confidence, stating, “Definitely making the cut would be a really big goal for me, and then hopefully some good weekend golf.” Xing, a late addition to the field with a sponsor’s exemption, highlighted her aspiration to make the cut as an amateur, especially in a Canadian event.
The first round took place under mostly cloudy skies with a temperature of 24°C, and players faced occasional clouds of insect repellent due to Edmonton’s 56 centimeters of rain since June 1, creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Players wore long pants and sleeves to protect themselves from insect bites, with Xing sharing her experience of being bitten on the front side while wearing short sleeves. She emphasized the importance of hitting fairways to avoid the rain-thickened rough that houses insects and affects club performance.
Henderson’s performance included birdies on the back nine, despite encountering challenges in the rough. She maintained focus on staying in the fairway to avoid penalties, aiming to improve her score in the following rounds.
Amateur player Clairey Lin from Langley, B.C., had a strong debut with a 68, while tour veteran Maude-Aimee Leblanc from Sherbrooke, Que., finished at 2 under par. Other Canadian players delivered varying performances, with some aiming to improve in the upcoming rounds.