EDMONTON, Alberta — Miyu Yamashita rebounded from a bogey on the par-3 17th with a birdie on the par-4 18th to take a six-stroke lead Saturday in the CPKC Women’s Open in a bid for a wire-to-wire victory.
Yamashita shot a 5-under 65 in calm conditions to get to 19-under 191 at Royal Mayfair, the tree-lined layout — and mosquito hot spot after record summer rain — tucked in a bend in the North Saskatchewan River.
The 25-year-old Japanese player — one of professional golf’s shortest players at 4-foot-11 — won the Meijer LPGA Classic in June in Michigan after taking the Women’s British Open and Maybank Championship last season as the rookie of the year.
A stroke ahead Thursday after an opening with a course-record 62, Yamashita had a 64 on Friday afternoon to open a five-shot lead.
Gina Kim (64) and Yuri Yoshida (66) were tied for second at 13 under, a shot ahead of Jennifer Kupcho (64) and two ahead of Somi Lee (65).
Aphrodite Deng, the 16-year-old amateur who won the 2025 U.S. Girls’ Junior, was the top Canadian, shooting 63 to get to 10 under. She was born in Calgary.
American Kiara Romero (69) also was 10 under in her first event as an LPGA Tour member. 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.
Canadian star Brooke Henderson, the 2018 and 2025 champion, was 7 under after a 68.
Top-ranked Nelly Korda shot a 69 to get to 4 under. Lydia Ko, the 2013 winner at Royal Mayfair as an amateur, was 2 under after a 69.
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