08/21/26 09:56:00
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08/21 21:54 CDT Yamashita opens 5-stroke lead in CPKC Women's Open as players
fight mosquitoes
Yamashita opens 5-stroke lead in CPKC Women's Open as players fight mosquitoes
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) --- Miyu Yamashita opened a five-stroke lead Friday in
the CPKC Women's Open as players again fought mosquitoes on the tree-lined
course tucked in a bend in the North Saskatchewan River.
A stroke ahead Thursday after an opening 8-under 62, the 4-foot-11 Yamashita
shot 64 in the afternoon to get to 14 under at Royal Mayfair.
"I'm really happy," Yamashita said through a translator. "With two rounds to
go, I just want to focus on my game and keep playing like this."
The 25-year-old Japanese player won the Meijer LPGA Classic in June after
taking the Women's British Open and Maybank Championship last year.
"Rather than focus on the score, I'm thinking about how I can make birdies,"
the 2025 LPGA rookie of the year said.
American Kiara Romero was tied for second in her first event as an LPGA Tour
member. She followed an opening 64 with a 67.
The 20-year-old Romero is the second player to earn LPGA Tour membership
through the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway, following Lottie Woad last year.
"Honestly, I'm just really grateful to be out here," Romero said. "I just came
out here with the mindset to just go out and have fun and just enjoy it and
just remember that it's just golf at the end of the day."
Soo Bin Joo (63) and Yuri Yoshida (66) joined Romero at 9 under.
"I like this golf course. I love Canada. It's so pretty," Joo said. "All the
trees are so pretty and I'm enjoying it, except for the mosquitoes. Gosh, it's
so bad."
Ruoning Yin closed with a double bogey for a 67, leaving her 8 under with Nasa
Hataoka (69).
Seventeen-year-old Anna Huang was the top Canadian. She was 7 under after a 68.
Canadian star Brooke Henderson, the 2018 and 2025 champion, was 5 under after a
68.
"I love this event," Henderson said. It's so amazing and such a cool
opportunity to be able to play in front of all the Canadian fans. They just
show me so much love and support year after year. Even early this morning the
fairways were lined with people coming out to watch."
Top-ranked Nelly Korda shot 70 to remain 3 under. Lydia Ko, the 2013 winner at
Royal Mayfair as an amateur, was 1 under after a 69.
This is the final week of qualifying for Americans to make the Solheim Cup team
for the Sept. 11-13 matches in the Netherlands.
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