Miyu Yamashita extended her comfortable lead while Aphrodite Deng, a young Canadian golfer, made significant progress in the rankings during the third round of the CPKC Women’s Open held in Edmonton. Yamashita, representing Japan, showcased exceptional skill by carding a remarkable 5-under-par 65, elevating her total score to 19 under for the tournament at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton.
Heading into the final day of the $2.75 million US event, Yamashita held a commanding six-stroke lead, 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 sixth birdie on the 18th, expressing her satisfaction with the course conditions and her putting performance.
Yamashita set a new tournament record with a 54-hole score of 191, matching the record for the largest lead after 54 holes. Gina Kim from the U.S. and Japan’s Yuri Yoshida trailed behind Yamashita at 13 under after posting impressive scores of 6-under 64 and 66, respectively, in the third round.
Aphrodite Deng, a 16-year-old talent from Calgary, delivered a stellar performance by carding the lowest round of the day with a 63, propelling her to 10 under and a tie for sixth place. Deng, last year’s low amateur in Mississauga, focused on minimizing mistakes and learning from her previous rounds to achieve her outstanding results.
In a notable first for the tournament, four Canadian female golfers aged 18 and under made the cut at the CPKC Women’s Open. Among them, Anna Huang from Vancouver, Michelle Xing from Richmond Hill, Ontario, and Clairey Lin from Langley, British Columbia, continued to compete over the weekend. Huang, 17, maintained a solid position at 7 under after a level-par 70, while Xing, 18, posted a 71 to finish at 1 under. Lin, aged 16, carded a 72 to stand at 2 over par.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson from Smiths Falls, Ontario, bounced back from a challenging start to finish at 7 under, trailing Yamashita by 12 strokes. Henderson, a two-time winner of the tournament, expressed determination to finish strong and improve her performance in the final round.
With favorable weather conditions expected for the concluding day, including a forecast of 26°C with some haze from forest fires before possible thunderstorms in the late afternoon, the CPKC Women’s Open promises an exciting finish for both players and spectators alike.