Henderson and Lee lead CPKC Women's Open after spectacular rounds

Brooke Henderson and Minjee Lee lead the CPKC Women’s Open

Canadian star Brooke Henderson made an impressive eagle from a bunker on the 17th hole, delighting her fans and achieving a 6-under par 65 on Saturday. This performance placed her at the top of the CPKC Women’s Open leaderboard, sharing the lead with Minjee Lee.

“Before entering the bunker, I thought, ‘I can do this. It’s very doable,’” Henderson commented. “I was very happy with where the tee shot ended up and had a very good line in the bunker. I knew I had to hit it softly because it was very fast. It was nice to land it right where I wanted and see it go in.”
Brooke Henderson

Henderson, the 2018 champion in Wascana, Saskatchewan, added six birdies and two bogeys to her eagle on a windy and cloudy day at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club. Her last LPGA Tour victory was in January 2023.

“It’s always been a very special week,” Henderson said. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot every year that I play here. I was trying to remember the times that I’ve had a lot of success here, what I did and the mindset I had going in.”
Brooke Henderson

Lee also signed a card of 65, tying Henderson at 11-under 202. The Australian player achieved a birdie on the 8th hole, a long eagle putt on the 12th hole and another eagle on the 17th. In addition, she saved par on the 18th hole.

“I would say those two eagles are my highlights and, obviously, the chip-in on the last hole,” Lee said. “There are no pictures on the scorecard.”
Minjee Lee

Lee, winner of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June, is ranked number 4 in the world. Both players are looking forward to the final round.

“I think it’s going to be really exciting to be in the final group with Brooke,” Lee commented.
Minjee Lee

“I love playing with Minjee. She has an incredible presence on the course, she’s very calm and relaxed and I think she’s a great partner for the final round,” Henderson added.
Brooke Henderson

Henderson, from Smith Falls, Ontario, overcame a slow start on Thursday, recovering after playing the first 11 holes in 3 over par to finish with a 71. On Friday, she achieved a 66.

“It’s very exciting to play here this week,” Henderson said. “The crowd has been phenomenal. I’m very happy to play at home and hope to have another good day.”
Brooke Henderson

Akie Iwai, winner of the Portland Classic last week, got off to a bad start with three consecutive bogeys and a 72, dropping to third place at 8 under par, tied with Jeeno Thitikul, the world number one. Thitikul signed a card of 69 in her first participation since she reached number 1 in the world. Aphrodite Deng, the 15-year-old Canadian amateur, who was tied for second after a first round of 66, finished at 6-under after a 68.