Brooke Henderson is making strides at the CPKC Women’s Open in Edmonton, with room to improve her game. The defending champion hailing from Smiths Falls, Ontario, is vying for her third victory in Canada’s LPGA tournament and carded a 68 in the second round on Friday, placing her at 5-under par. As the tournament progresses, Henderson finds herself trailing clubhouse leader Soo Bin Joo of South Korea by four strokes, with Joo holding a score of 9 under at Edmonton’s Royal Mayfair Golf Club.
Henderson was cruising at 7 under until a couple of back-nine bogeys dented her scorecard. A wayward tee shot on the penultimate hole veered left, hitting a spectator. Henderson promptly apologized to the individual and offered a golf ball as a gesture.
Aphrodite Deng from Calgary, who claimed the title of the tournament’s low amateur in Mississauga last year, wrapped up her round with consecutive birdies to finish at 3 under with a solid 67.
In this $2.75-million US event, the top 65 players and those tied with them will advance past the cut. Canadian teenagers Anna Huang from Vancouver and Michelle Xing from Richmond Hill, Ontario, both starting the day three shots behind the leader at 5 under, had their tee times scheduled for the afternoon session.