Miyu Yamashita extended her commanding lead, while Canadian teenager Aphrodite Deng surged up the rankings on Saturday at the CPKC Women’s Open in Edmonton. Yamashita, representing Japan, carded a remarkable 5-under-par 65 in the third round, bringing her total score to 19 under for the tournament at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton.
Heading into the final day, Yamashita held a substantial six-stroke lead in the $2.75 million US event, aiming for her fourth LPGA victory and second win of the season. Despite a lone bogey on the 17th hole, the 25-year-old finished strong with a birdie on the 18th hole, expressing her fondness for the course and her excellent putting skills.
Her 54-hole total of 191 set a new tournament record, and her six-shot lead matched the tournament’s largest 54-hole lead. Meanwhile, Gina Kim of the United States and Japan’s Yuri Yoshida trailed Yamashita at 13 under after posting rounds of 6-under 64 and 66, respectively.
Sixteen-year-old Deng, hailing from Calgary, made a significant impact by shooting the lowest round of the day with a score of 63, elevating her to 10 under and a tie for sixth place. Deng, last year’s low amateur in Mississauga, Ontario, emphasized her focus on minimizing mistakes and learning from her previous rounds.
In a tournament first, four Canadian women aged 18 and under secured a spot in the CPKC Women’s Open’s weekend rounds. Among them, Anna Huang from Vancouver, Michelle Xing from Richmond Hill, Ontario, and Clairey Lin from Langley, British Columbia, continued to compete. Huang, 17, maintained a solid 7-under score, Xing, 18, posted 1 under, and Lin, 16, finished at 2 over after Saturday’s play.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ontario, showcased resilience by recovering from early setbacks to finish at 7 under after shooting consecutive 68s. Henderson acknowledged the need for improved putting performance while trailing Yamashita by 12 strokes.
As the tournament heads into its final day, Deng’s impressive performance and the competitive spirit of the field promise an exciting conclusion. The weather forecast for Sunday indicates a temperature of 26C with some haze from forest fires before potential thunderstorms later in the day.
