Iwai opens 3-stroke lead in CPKC Ladies's Open

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Akie Iwai took a three-stroke lead into the weekend within the CPKC Ladies’s Open in her bid to win for the second straight week.

Iwai adopted her opening 7-under 64 with a 69 on Friday to get to 9-under 133 at Mississaugua Golf and Nation Membership.

The 23-year-old Japanese participant received the Portland Basic on Sunday to hitch twin sister Chisato as a rookie LPGA Tour champion. She’s making an attempt to maintain it easy and never get forward of herself.

“No change thoughts. No change swing. Simply focus my golf,” she mentioned.

Jeeno Thitikul, the Thai star making her first begin since taking the No. 1 spot on this planet from Nelly Korda, had a 70 for a share of second place with Minjee Lee (67) and Leona Maguire (70).

Slumping Canadian star Brooke Henderson rebounded from a gap 71 with a 66 to get to five underneath. The 2018 champion received the final of her 13 LPGA Tour titles in January 2023.

“I am proper there,” Henderson mentioned. “Simply received to maintain going, put two extra strong rounds collectively.”

She performed alongside Thitikul and Lottie Woad, the Ladies’s Scottish Open winner who shot 75-69 to overlook the reduce by a stroke. Defending champion Lauren Coughlin additionally dropped out, taking pictures 74-70. She received final yr in Calgary.

Akie Iwai, a six-time winner on the JLPGA Tour, is enjoying in Canada for the primary time. On Friday on the tree-lined course, she performed the entrance 9 in even par with two birdies and two bogeys. She birdied the par-5 thirteenth and par-4 seventeenth on the second 9.

“At the moment, additionally I gave many birdie possibilities, however I simply did not get,” she mentioned. “I left putts quick.”

Chisato Iwai, the winner at Mayakoba in Could in Mexico, additionally missed the reduce by a stroke with rounds of 75 and 69.

Korda was 4 underneath after her second 69. She had a double bogey on the par-3 third.

Aphrodite Deng, the 15-year-old Canadian novice who was tied for second after a gap 66, shot 73 to drop right into a tie for fifteenth at 3 underneath.