Miyu Yamashita extended her lead at the CPKC Women’s Open in Edmonton, while Aphrodite Deng, a young Canadian golfer, made a notable climb up the leaderboard on Saturday.
Yamashita, representing Japan, showcased a remarkable performance with a 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. With a comfortable six-stroke advantage heading into Sunday, she aims for her fourth LPGA victory and second win of the season.
Despite a lone bogey on the 17th hole, Yamashita finished strong with a final birdie on the 18th, expressing her satisfaction with the course conditions and her putting skills.
Her 54-hole score of 191 set a new tournament record, and her substantial lead tied the record for the largest lead after 54 holes. Following closely behind were Gina Kim from the U.S. with a 6-under 64 and Japan’s Yuri Yoshida with a 66, both trailing Yamashita at 13 under.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Canadian golfer Deng, who previously excelled as the low amateur in the tournament last year, delivered an exceptional round of 63, elevating her to 10 under and a tie for sixth place.
Deng was among four Canadian female golfers aged 18 and under who made the cut at the CPKC Women’s Open, a first for the tournament. Others included Vancouver’s Anna Huang, Michelle Xing from Richmond Hill, Ontario, and Clairey Lin from Langley, British Columbia, who continued to compete through the weekend.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson from Smiths Falls, Ontario, rebounded from early setbacks, finishing the day with a score of 7 under. Despite trailing Yamashita by 12 strokes, Henderson remained optimistic about her performance and aimed for a strong finish in the upcoming rounds.
The final day of the tournament is expected to see a high of 26 degrees Celsius with some forest fire smoke before possible thunderstorms later in the afternoon.