Canadian teenagers closed in on leader Miyu Yamashita of Japan following the first round of the CPKC Women’s Open on Thursday. Yamashita shot an impressive 62 at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, taking a one-stroke lead over Nasa Hataoka and a two-stroke lead over Kiara Romero from the United States.
Vancouver’s Anna Huang and amateur Michelle Xing from Richmond Hill, Ont., both 17 and 18 years old respectively, were three shots behind the lead at 5-under-par 65, tied for fourth place alongside Ruoning Yin from China and Yuri Yoshida from Japan.
Yamashita, 25, who triumphed at June’s Meijer LPGA Classic, made eight birdies and expressed satisfaction with her putting performance, stating, “It’s been a while since I finished the first round in good position.”
Defending champion Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., finished the round with a birdie, reaching 3 under. Henderson emphasized the importance of her performance and her eagerness to continue playing well in the upcoming rounds.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda from the United States also finished at 3 under. Both Huang and Xing were on track to qualify for the cut for the first time in their careers after two attempts each.
The first round took place under mostly cloudy skies with a temperature of 24°C, and players had to contend with occasional clouds of insect repellent due to Edmonton’s significant rainfall since June 1, creating a mosquito-infested environment.
Players had to wear long sleeves and pants to protect themselves from mosquito bites and rough terrain. Xing, who wore short sleeves, lamented being bitten on her arms and emphasized the importance of hitting fairways to avoid the rough.
Huang and Xing shared their experiences of being bitten by mosquitoes, with Huang noting that she had to wear long sleeves despite the warm weather. Henderson showcased resilience by bouncing back with birdies after making bogeys, emphasizing the challenge of staying in the fairway to avoid penalties.
Amateur Clairey Lin from Langley, B.C., shot a commendable 68 in her tournament debut. Tour veteran Maude-Aimee Leblanc from Sherbrooke, Que., joined her at 2 under, while other Canadian players delivered varying performances throughout the round.