Canadian teenage golfers were in close pursuit of Japan’s Miyu Yamashita after the first round of the CPKC Women’s Open on Thursday. Yamashita shot a remarkable 62 at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, leading by just one stroke over Nasa Hataoka from Japan and two strokes over Kiara Romero from the United States.
Among the contenders were Vancouver’s Anna Huang, 17, and Michelle Xing, an 18-year-old amateur from Richmond Hill, Ont., both trailing by three shots at 5-under-par 65, tied for fourth place with Ruoning Yin from China and Yuri Yoshida from Japan.
Yamashita, a 25-year-old who claimed victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan, expressed satisfaction with her performance, highlighting her strong putting skills. Defending champion Brooke Henderson from Smiths Falls, Ont., finished the round with a birdie, ending at 3 under.
The tournament saw low scores, with World No. 1 Nelly Korda from the United States also finishing at 3 under. Huang and Xing were in a good position to make the cut on Friday, aiming for their first career cut after two attempts each.
The opening round was played under mostly cloudy skies with a temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. The players had to contend with mosquitoes due to Edmonton’s heavy rainfall since June 1. Many players wore long sleeves and pants to protect themselves from insect bites.
Henderson faced challenges with rough terrain but managed to recover with birdies after bogeys. Young amateur Clairey Lin from Langley, B.C., debuted with a solid 68, while Canadian veteran Maude-Aimee Leblanc from Sherbrooke, Que., performed well at 2 under. Other Canadian amateurs showcased their skills, contributing to an exciting start to the tournament.