Miyu Yamashita extended her lead at the CPKC Women’s Open in Edmonton, while Canadian teenager Aphrodite Deng made significant progress up the standings on Saturday. Yamashita, representing Japan, delivered an impressive 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 six-stroke advantage heading into Sunday’s final round, Yamashita aimed for her fourth LPGA victory, the second of the season. The 25-year-old recovered from a lone bogey on the 17th hole by securing a sixth birdie on the 18th, expressing her fondness for the course and her strong putting game.
Yamashita’s 54-hole score of 191 set a new tournament record, with her sizable lead matching the all-time record for the largest 54-hole lead. Gina Kim of the United States and Japan’s Yuri Yoshida trailed behind Yamashita at 13 under after posting impressive rounds of 6-under 64 and 66, respectively.
Calgary’s 16-year-old sensation, Aphrodite Deng, who was the top amateur in last year’s tournament, climbed the leaderboard with the day’s lowest round of 63, reaching 10 under and sharing sixth place. Deng highlighted her focus on minimizing mistakes and learning from her previous performances.
In a first for the tournament, four Canadian female players aged 18 and under, including Anna Huang from Vancouver and amateurs Michelle Xing from Richmond Hill, Ontario, and Clairey Lin from Langley, British Columbia, made the cut. Huang, Xing, and Lin showcased their skills with solid performances, continuing to compete over the weekend.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson from Smiths Falls, Ontario, displayed resilience after a challenging start, finishing the day at 7 under. Despite trailing Yamashita by 12 strokes, Henderson remained optimistic about her performance and aimed for a strong finish in the tournament.
The weather forecast for Sunday’s final round predicted a temperature of 26°C with some forest fire smoke before potential thunderstorms in the late afternoon.