The 36-hole event features a talented field of players aged 15 and under 

PITT MEADOWS, B.C. – The Canadian U15 Championship, presented by BDO, returns for a second season and is set to descend on Pitt Meadows Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C. August 27-28.  

Last season, the 36-hole competition gathered 78 junior golfers under the age of 15 at Elmira Golf Club in Elmira, Ont. for a successful debut and will once again boast an exciting field in 2025, featuring the likes of 45 Junior Girls and 51 Junior Boys.  

Team Canada NextGen member Nobelle Park of Oakville, Ont. claimed the inaugural championship in the U15 Girls division by five strokes, adding a national championship to her milestone 2024 campaign that featured ten wins.  

Carter Lavigne of Moncton, N.B. captured the Canadian U15 Championship in the Boys division, doing so in thrilling come-from-behind fashion with a birdie on the final hole to edge out Justin Chu of North York, Ont. by a single stroke.  

Though both reining champions will not be in the field in 2025, their titles will be rivaled by a series of notable players from across the country. Alexis Card of Cambridge, Ont. enters the tournament a month removed from claiming the NextGen Quebec Championship at Rideau View Golf Club in Manotick, Ont. for her first win of 2025. Card also collected a victory on the MJT Adidas Golf Series at Grey Silo Golf Club in Waterloo, Ont.  

Maggie Zhang of Richmond, B.C. will also compete this week as another notable player in the field and will join Card as the only other player to win on the NextGen Championship circuit this season, having decisively claimed the NextGen Prairie Championship in June with consecutive rounds of 67 and 66.  

“We are excited to have a tremendous field once again tee off at the Canadian U15 Championship,” said Sam Brown, Tournament Director, Golf Canada. “The wonderful staff and volunteers at Pitt Meadows Golf Club never fail to provide first-class hospitality to players from across the country and we extend our gratitude to their services in making this national championship memorable.”  

Draped in front of the picturesque Golden Ears Mountains, the Pitt Meadows Golf Club blends a championship caliber challenge with an unmatched setting enjoyed by casual and competitive golfers alike.  

“Pitt Meadows Golf Club is proud to host the Canadian U15 Junior Championship,” said Wes Doka, Head Golf Professional at Pitt Meadows Golf Club. “Supporting and growing junior golf is an important part of our commitment to the game, and this event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our course to a new group of juniors and their guests,” he added.  

Operational since 1963, the property has held several marquee provincial golf events on its ground, including the 2024 B.C. Women’s Open Championship, 2025 B.C. Seniors Championship and numerous tournaments on both the Maple Leaf Junior Tour (MJT) and Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) as well.  

“Our traditional-style, tree-lined layout puts a premium on accuracy off the tee, as the small greens demand precise, controlled approach shots. Competitors will be challenged to showcase both strategy and skill throughout the championship. We look forward to welcoming competitors, families, and spectators for an exciting event,” added Doka. 

Established in 2024 to advance the development of Canadian junior golfers, the national championship offers players the opportunity to gain invaluable experience as part of a talented field and compete at a high level. To be eligible to compete, players must have turned 15 no later than August 1, 2025, and must meet specific handicap requirements dependent on the division they compete in. Full information of eligibility and the format of the tournament can be found here.  

The first round of the Canadian U15 Championship, presented by BDO, gets underway on Wednesday, August 27 before crowning a winner at the end of the second and final round on Thursday, August 28. The female champion will receive an exemption into next year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship as well as a chance to defend their title at the 2026 Canadian U15 Championship if eligible.  

The winner of the U15 Boys division will also be given a spot in next year’s championship and can compete if eligible. They will also be given an exemption into the 2026 Canadian Junior Boys Championship and an invitation to the Boys NextGen Selection Camp. Additionally, the top five finishers in each division will earn exemptions into two NextGen Championships in 2026. There will be no cut throughout the tournament due to the nature of the event’s smaller field.   

A half-day educational summit will take place on Friday and focus on a range of topics including, sport psychology, physical training for young golfers, parenting high-performance athletes, and talent development research. The session is available for players, coaches and parents and will take place on the course between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time.  

To view first round tee times, pairing and find further information on the Canadian U15 Championship presented by BDO, please click here.  

Shelly Stouffer and Mary-Ann Hayward maintain leads in Senior and Super Senior division respectively heading into Thursday’s final round.  

NANAIMO, B.C. – Fueled by Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. setting a new course record at Nanaimo Golf Club through a 5-under 67 performance, Team British Columbia (B.C.) were able to successfully maintain their hold on the Katherine Helleur Trophy on Wednesday and complete a comeback win at the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO.  

Stouffer led the charge for Team B.C. on Wednesday, knocking in birdie putts on holes two, five, nine, 14 and 17 to edge out Team Ontario by just one stroke and finish the Inter-Provincial Team competition at 10-over. The win marks British Columbia’s third triumph in the last four years and secures the province a victory in every female Inter-Provincial Team Championship throughout the summer’s national championships.  

“I’m sure it doesn’t really happen very often, I don’t know if it ever happened before so its pretty awesome for British Columbia to be able to do all four,” praised Stouffer on accomplishing the rare sweep.  

As for setting the course record, the feeling was much the same for Stouffer.  

“It’s amazing. There was a lot of times where I was not able to play this golf course very well and to have the course record means a lot. It’s always nice to have them close to home,” she added, claiming that the feeling of winning the Katherine Helleur Trophy in her home province also adds amplified significance as well.  

“It feels really good to do it here. It was definitely a different team than we normally have and a little bit unexpected but it was great to be able to pull it off,” said Stouffer.  

Birdies on holes two, five and nine helped separate Stouffer from the chasing field on Wednesday as well as crucially accelerate Team B.C.’s bid for a comeback in the Inter-Provincial Team Championship. Parlayed with a two-over front nine of her provincial teammate June Zhang of Coquitlam, B.C., the two-time champion’s trio of birdies helped trim Team British Columbia’s three stroke deficit at the start the day down to just one stroke entering the final six holes.  

Her ability to finish strong with two birdies through her final five holes not only helped Stouffer set the new course record on Wednesday but also played a lively role in helping her province overtake Team Ontario during the final stretch to secure Team British Columbia victory in front of their home fans.  

Teeing off just minutes before Stouffer in the afternoon, Mary-Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont. followed up her bogey at the par-4 second with five pars and a pair of birdies at Nos. 8 and 9 to make the turn in red figures and extend her advantage over Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. to six strokes.  

By the time Hayward walked off the 18th green and finished her second round, that advantage in the Super Senior division grew to nine strokes despite negating a birdie on the par-5 14th with bogeys at Nos. 15 and 18. The four-time Canadian Women’s Senior Championship winner will begin Thursday’s final round in prime position to land her second Super Senior division title in three years while also remaining in contention in the Senior Championship as well. Hayward will tee off in the final round six shots off the pace of Stouffer after finishing her round Wednesday at even-par. Stouffer currently sits at 5-under heading into Thursday in search of her third Canadian Women’s Senior title. 

“I think I just have to do the same things,” commented Stouffer on what she looks to accomplish to convert her 36-hole lead into a victory come Thursday afternoon “I’m very comfortable at this golf course because I was able to play it quite often this year… If you know where to go it’s a lot easier,” she added.  

The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship features a pair of competitive divisions, the Senior division and Super Senior division that run concurrently throughout the competition’s 54 holes. 

A notable list of exemptions is awarded to the winner of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, including a spot in the field at the 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship set to descend on the Cascades Course at Omni Homestead Resort September 13-18. 

Additionally, a place in the 2026 U.S. Senior Women’s Open, 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, 2026 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and 2026 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will be claimed by the winner. This week’s champion will also earn a 10-year exemption into the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship 

To view the final leaderboards following the second round of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here. 

Team Ontario hold a three-stroke lead over Team British Columbia in the Inter-Provincial Team Championship.

NANAIMO, B.C. – Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. carded an even-par 72 on Tuesday while Mary-Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont. opened with a 1-over 73 to each lead the Senior and Super Senior divisions respectively at the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO.

Stouffer rolled in three birdie putts on Tuesday to negate a trio of bogeys and take a one-stroke lead over Hayward in the Senior Division into Wednesday’s second round. The two-time Canadian Women’s Senior Champion will have the advantage of playing in her home province and less than a half an hour away from her hometown of Nanoose Bay this week as she looks to capture her third title in five years at the national championship. 

“I get to sleep in my own bed which is nice,” commented Stouffer following her opening round on Tuesday. “I’m familiar with the golf course. I played it several times this year because I wanted to get more familiar with the greens because I know they’re tricky out there. It feels like a home game for me and it’s kind of like an advantage,” she continued, adding that her goal to make more birdie putts remains the focus as she looks to separate from Hayward and the rest of the pack when she tees off Wednesday afternoon.

Stouffer began her round on the tenth tee and quickly got her putter into a steady rhythm with five consecutive pars to grab the early lead in the Senior division. Stouffer birdied holes 4 and 5 to bring her under par headed into her last 4 holes. She finished her round at even-par after bogeying the 6^th hole.

Still, her putter was self-admittedly the club that proved most responsible for steering Stouffer to the front of the pack after 18 holes on Tuesday and was the part of her game she praised the most at the end of her opening round.

“I putted very well today,” said Stouffer. “I didn’t really miss any short putts, and I didn’t have any three putts. It’s very crucial to putt well and I read the greens well,” she added.

In the Super Senior division, Hayward finished her opening round 1-over par to set the pace and lead both Ruthie Maxwell of Austin, Nev. and recent Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. by four strokes.

Her ball striking proved to be Hayward’s biggest strength of the round and allowed her to take the lead in the Super Senior division after 18 holes. “I set the ball really well and I did a very good job of keeping the ball below the hole,” said Hayward. “I knew with this golf course you got to keep the ball on the right side of the pin so I hit the ball very well and drove the ball very well,” she added, claiming that Nanaimo Golf Club’s demand for keeping the ball on the right side of the pin strikes a similar chord to the needs of St. Thomas Golf & Country Club, her home course.

“Other than the first couple of holes I struck it very good off the tee and my irons were very good…that’s what I hope to continue,” added Hayward. Her 1-over 73 also helped Team Ontario set the pace in the Inter-Provincial Team Championship on Tuesday, with Hayward parlaying her round with Kyrinis’ 5-over 77 to nab a three-stroke lead over the reining champs, Team British Columbia with just one round left to play.

The Inter-Provincial Team competition is held throughout the event’s first 36 holes as players accumulate scores for their province over the course of their opening two rounds. Each day, the two lowest scores of the three players representing each province will count towards the team’s total score. Team British Columbia have won the Katherine Helleur Trophy in two of the last three seasons, with Team Ontario looking to take advantage of their first round lead and be crowned champions again for the first time since 2023.

The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship features a pair of competitive divisions, the Senior division and Super Senior division that run concurrently throughout the competition’s 54 holes.

A notable list of exemptions is awarded to the winner of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, including a spot in the field at the 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship set to descend on the Cascades Course at Omni Homestead Resort September 13-18.

Additionally, a place in the 2026 U.S. Senior Women’s Open, 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, 2026 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and 2026 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will be claimed by the winner. This week’s champion will also earn a 10-year exemption into the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship

To view the final leaderboards following the opening round of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Inter-Provincial Team Championship to take place concurrently over the first two rounds of 54-hole competition

NANAIMO, B.C. – A proven field heads to Nanaimo Golf Club in Nanaimo, B.C. August 26-28 to contend for the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, as well as the concurrent Inter-Provincial Team Championship.

Two-time Senior winner Judith Kyrinis of Thornhill, Ont. headlines the field in Nanaimo and will look to accomplish the brace of winning both the Canadian Women’s Mid-Am Championship and Canadian Women’s Senior Championship in the same season for a second time in her career. Kyrinis last pulled off the double in 2019 and has since been joined by Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C. who claimed both titles in 2022.

Stouffer is the second of six past champions teeing off at this week’s event and will look to add a third title to her resume at the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship. The 55-year-old enters the tournament with momentum, having won her sixth-consecutive British Columbia Women’s Senior title in June as well as the Irish Senior Women’s Amateur Championship a month later.

Four-time champion Mary Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont. will join Stouffer and Kyrinis in the field alongside two-time champion Sue Wooster of Phoenix, Australia, 2014 champion Hélène Chartrand of Salaberry de Valleyfield, Que. and two-time champion Jackie Little of Procter, B.C.

“We are thrilled to welcome a strong field with several past champions to compete for our Canadian Women’s Senior Championship title this week at Nanaimo Golf Club,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director, Madeline MacMillan. “We’d like to sincerely thank the course staff and volunteers for their warm hospitality in the buildup to this national championship and we can’t wait to get action started this week.”

The Canadian Women’s Senior Championship features a pair of competitive divisions, the Senior division and the Super Senior division that run concurrently throughout the competition’s 54 holes. Females with a handicap index of 16.4 or less are eligible to compete in the 2025 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship

An Inter-Provincial Team competition is held throughout the event’s first 36 holes as players accumulate scores for their province over the course of their opening two rounds. Each day, the two lowest scores of the three players representing each province will count towards the team’s total score, with Team British Columbia leading that charge in 2024 to claim their second Katherine Helleur Trophy in the last three years. The province will look to add another title this week when they tee off in front of a home crowd at Nanaimo Golf Club.

“Nanaimo Golf Club is proud and honored to host Canada’s top senior women golfers, families, and fans for the Canadian Senior Women’s Championship, August 25–28, 2025, bringing national-level competition to Vancouver Island,” said Nanaimo Golf Club General Manager, Charles Stephen.

Opening in 1962 with 14 of their 18 holes ready for action, Nanaimo Golf Club has since become one of the finest courses on Vancouver Island through its championship-caliber test and year-round accessibility. Designed by revered course architect A.V Macan, Nanaimo Golf Club features superior putting greens and exceptional course conditioning that continues to stand as a true reflection of the vision set out by the well-known Pacific Northwest designer from the early 1950’s. 

“This premier event brings together elite competitors from across North America, showcasing both exceptional talent and the camaraderie that defines the sport. Spectators will enjoy the opportunity to watch world-class golf up close while experiencing the club’s renowned hospitality and scenic beauty,” added Stephen.

The course has undergone several major renovations over the years, to maintain the excellence that Nanaimo Golf Club is known for and as of 2025, features a covered driving range, two putting greens and a 12-year-old clubhouse that offers a picturesque view of the Strait of Georgia.

Conducted since 1971, the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship has featured many of the country’s top senior golfers. Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members Marlene Streit, Gayle Borthwick, Marilyn O’Connor and Margaret Todd all own senior championship titles.

The event’s historic past is paired with a notable list of exemptions awarded to the winner of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, including a spot in the field at the 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship set for September 13-18 at the Cascades Course at Omni Homestead Resort. Additionally, a spot in the 2026 U.S. Senior Women’s Open, 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, 2026 Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and 2026 Canadian Women’s Senior Championship will be claimed by the winner. This week’s champion will also earn a 10-year exemption into the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship and can compete in the competition if eligible.

To follow live scorings and view tee times throughout the duration of the Canadian Women’s Senior Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.

Brooke Henderson has won on the LPGA Tour 14 times but winning the CPKC Women’s Open a second time is on another level for her.

Henderson shot a 4-under 67 to pull ahead of Australia’s Minjee Lee by a stroke in Sunday’s final round to win the Canadian national women’s golf championship. The win ended a drought that spanned more than two years, adding extra lustre to the title for Henderson.

“This one I think might be the longest in between victories, so for that reason it makes it super special,” said Henderson. “To be able to win the Canadian Open, the CPKC Women’s Open, for the second time is so special.”

Henderson also won the Women’s Open in 2018 at Wascana Country Club in Regina. That made her the first Canadian in 45 years — since Jocelyne Bourassa of Shawinigan, Que., in 1973 — to win the national championship.

She’s now accomplished the feat twice in seven years.

It also added another win to her career tally, already the most by a Canadian professional golfer.

“This week was beyond special. To be able to finish it off and hoist the trophy again is extremely cool. It feels super surreal still,” said Henderson. “When I won in 2018, I woke up Monday morning thinking I still had to play the final round, so I’m wondering if that nightmare will happen again tomorrow.”

Henderson and Lee finished Saturday’s third round tied for first at 11 under, three strokes ahead of the field. 

Between Henderson’s popularity in Canada and Lee’s star quality — she has 11 LPGA Tour wins in her career, including this year’s Women’s PGA Championship — the tournament’s final pairing had massive crowds following them around the river-valley course.

“Today was really tough actually because there was just so many people,” said Lee, who had a 3-under 68 round to move up to second in the LPGA Tour’s points list. “I was very mentally strong today and I just tried to focus on, obviously, myself and the things that I could do to get the score lower.

“That’s pretty much what I did and what I tried to focus on. I think overall I did a fairly good job.”

Henderson’s last win was the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January 2023. She said that although she always put a positive spin on her victory drought, she still had her doubts.

“There were some dark times, for sure. I feel like my family was so supportive and just said to keep going, just keep working hard, it’ll come around,” said Henderson, whose sister Brittany Sepanik is her caddie and her father Dave Henderson is her coach. “I’ve been telling everybody for like a long time, it’s close, it’s close, it’s close. 

“To finally break through again is just so exciting.”

Those struggles saw Henderson sink to 53rd on the Race to CME Globe points list and 58th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She’s projected to move up to 26th on the LPGA Tour’s points list, putting her in a position to join the World Team at the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown in late October and play in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in late November.

“I’m excited for the rest of the season. I’m excited for what’s coming next,” said Henderson. “I’m super pumped about International Crown, and with this win I think I’ll guarantee my spot into the CME, which was a little bit in jeopardy before this.”

Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane, who had four LPGA Tour wins in her Canadian Golf Hall of Fame career, was at both of Henderson’s Women’s Open wins. She said that she hoped Canadians would give the 27-year-old Henderson more recognition for what she’s accomplished.

“I thought back automatically to 2018, when we’d been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for years, and that was surreal,” said Kane, standing greenside as Henderson submitted her scorecard. “This is now 14 wins. The first 13, we haven’t given this kid enough credit for.

“I certainly hope that this is something that keeps people talking about how good she is, rather than what’s wrong.”

Fifteen-year-old Aphrodite Deng of Calgary had a 2-over 73 round to finish in a tie for 20th as the tournament’s low amateur.

Aphrodite Deng almost stole the show at her first-ever CPKC Women’s Open.

The 15-year-old from Calgary shot a 2-over 73 in the fourth round to finish 4-under overall as the low amateur at the Canadian national women’s championship. Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., won the title on Sunday, but Deng was in contention to start the day in a four-way tie for seventh.

At one point in the third round, Henderson and Deng were first and second on the leaderboard.

“That was really amazing,” said Deng of keeping pace with the best women’s golfers in the world. “I wasn’t really expecting anything coming into this week.

“I was just trying to make the cut, for it to end up like this is really cool.”

It’s the latest accolade in an eventful summer for the high school student, who became the first Canadian to win the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship on July 19. That victory helped earn her an exemption into the Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club.

Deng will continue to play in junior tournaments to close out the competitive golf season and, of course, return to school.

She said the highlight of the Women’s Open was all the cheers she heard from Canadian fans during the week, especially as she walked up the fairway to the 18th green in Sunday’s final round.

“It’s so nice to know that I have so many people supporting me,” said Deng. “It was really cool.”

Deng was born in Calgary and her family lived in Montreal before moving to New Jersey for her dad’s work. She mostly lives in Orlando now but remains a Canadian citizen and plays for Golf Canada’s junior program.

Jeff MacDonald, head coach of Golf Canada’s NextGen team, said he was impressed with her composure throughout the week, especially when she bounced back from tough stretches on the course.

“She showed that on this big of a stage, she’s got the game to be right there,” said MacDonald by the 18th green after Deng finished her round. “I think that’s going to give her a lot of momentum going forward, just being in the last few groups on a Sunday.

“It’s just great experience.”

Matt Sim, a seven-time club champion at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club and former collegiate player at the University of Waterloo, was Deng’s caddie for the tournament.

“It was unbelievable what she can do and how she gets the ball around this golf course,” said Sim, who only met Deng on Monday. “Her game is absolutely unbelievable, and it’s going to take her to the next level.

“No question what she’s done this year and what she did this week is just a statement of what junior golfers can do.”

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., shot a 3-under 68 to move 17 spots up the leaderboard to tie with Deng and six others at 20th. The solid performance will move Leblanc up the Race to the CME Globe points list to 141st.

Epson Tour rookie Monet Chun (69) of Richmond Hill, Ont., tied for 36th at 2-under overall.

Amateur Katie Cranston (74) of Oakville, Ont., finished in a tie for 71st in her fourth Women’s Open appearance and the first time she made the cut at the national championship. She’ll return to Auburn University’s Tigers this week to start her senior year.

A last minute call and the chance to bet on herself is paying off for Monet Chun.

Chun, from Richmond Hill, Ont., is in the midst of her rookie season on the second-tier Epson Tour and had planned to play in the Dream First Bank Charity Classic in Garden City, Kan., this week. But a phone call on Sunday inviting her to play in the CPKC Women’s Open, the Canadian women’s golf championship, near her hometown at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club was an opportunity she just couldn’t miss.

“I was pretty committed to Kansas because I wasn’t going to make my flight for the Monday qualifier, but I just really enjoy the CPKC a lot,” said Chun, who had family and friends following her around the course wearing “Team Monet” shirts.

“I wanted to come home, especially for being on the road for so long, so little parts of everything.”

The 24-year-old Chun has been a model of consistency on the Epson Tour this season. She’s made the cut 13 times at the 16 events she’s played in, with a tie for 11th at the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship on July 10 her best showing.

Chun is ranked 64th on the circuit’s points list, earning a total of US$21,000 this season. Playing for a share of the purse at the Women’s Open, a minimum winnings of $4,953, could be lucrative for her.

“I’ve been making a lot of cuts on Epson, but I would say the financial part is hard out there,” said Chun, who like all professional golfers is responsible for her own travel and accommodation when on the road. “Being out here and having a good week will definitely help.”

Chun had a 1-over 72 on Saturday to sit at even par after three rounds in a tie for 46th.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., fired a 6-under 65 to share the lead with Australia’s Minjee Lee. They were at 11 under, three shots clear of the field.

Fifteen-year-old amateur Aphrodite Deng of Calgary shot a 3-under 68 to crack the top 10, sitting in four-way tie for seventh at 6 under.

“It’s been incredible with all the people out here supporting me and it’s been really fun,” she said after submitting her score.

Henderson and Deng were briefly Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, on the leaderboard. Deng said it would have been really cool to have an all-Canadian final pairing at the national championship.

She said that she had a simple plan for the fourth round of her first professional tournament.

“Play my own game and play to my standards,” said Deng.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc (70) of Sherbrooke, Que., was tied for 37th at 1 under and amateur Katie Cranston (75) of Oakville, Ont., was tied for 69th at 4 over.

Akie Iwai took a three-stroke lead into the weekend in the CPKC Women’s Open in her bid to win for the second straight week.

Iwai followed her opening 7-under 64 with a 69 on Friday to get to 9-under 133 at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club.

The 23-year-old Japanese player won the Portland Classic on Sunday to join twin sister Chisato as a rookie LPGA Tour champion. She’s trying to keep it simple and not get ahead of herself.

“No change mind. No change swing. Just focus my golf,” she said.

Jeeno Thitikul, the Thai star making her first start since taking the No. 1 spot in the world 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 an opening 71 with a 66 to get to 5 under. The 2018 champion won the last of her 13 LPGA Tour titles in January 2023.

“I’m right there,” Henderson said. “Just got to keep going, put two more solid rounds together.”

She played alongside Thitikul and Lottie Woad, the Women’s Scottish Open winner who shot 75-69 to miss the cut by a stroke. Defending champion Lauren Coughlin also dropped out, shooting 74-70. She won last year in Calgary.

Akie Iwai, a six-time winner on the JLPGA Tour, is playing in Canada for the first time. On Friday on the tree-lined course, she played the front nine in even par with two birdies and two bogeys. She birdied the par-5 13th and par-4 17th on the second nine.

“Today, also I gave many birdie chances, but I just didn’t get,” she said. “I left putts short.”

Chisato Iwai, the winner at Mayakoba in May in Mexico, also missed the cut by a stroke with rounds of 75 and 69.

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

Aphrodite Deng, the 15-year-old Canadian amateur who was tied for

A cluster of friends and family started cheering for Katie Cranston as she walked out of the scorers’ room in the clubhouse of the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club and up to the spectators’ area.

The 21-year-old from Oakville, Ont., had done it: she made the cut at the CPKC Women’s Open.

Cranston, who begins her senior year at Auburn University next week, shot back-to-back even-par 71s in the first two rounds of the Canadian national women’s golf championship to become one of five Canadians to see the weekend. Making the cut on Friday ended years of frustration for Cranston.

“I’m very happy because it’s my fourth time playing, and last year I definitely was closer, so I’m just really excited to get the chance to just go play free on the weekend,” said Cranston, who missed the cut by two shots at last year’s Women’s Open at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary. “Being so close to home and having so many people come out, it’s so much fun.”

Cranston birdied on No. 12 to get to even par on Friday, but then bogeyed on the par-4 16th hole to move up to 1 over. Around the same time, the projected cut line moved from 1 over to even par, putting her in danger of missing the cut. 

She recovered with a birdie on the par-4 17th hole and parred No. 18 to finish her day.

“I had no idea. I kind of thought in my head it would be 1 over,” said Cranston, covering her mouth in surprise at how close she had been to not playing the third round. “Once I made that birdie, I felt pretty good. I definitely left myself a bit of a tester on 18, too.”

As the afternoon wave went out on the course the projected line again moved to 1 over, giving Cranston a bit of a buffer. Salimah Mussani, Golf Canada’s women’s head coach, said that Cranston had grown as a player.

“I think the biggest thing that I’ve seen out of Katie this year, in general, is a lot of maturity,” said Mussani, who was in the group of friends and family waiting for Cranston outside the clubhouse. “You could see in the last two days that she’s in control of what’s going on here. Nothing really got away from her. She managed her emotions. 

“She bogeyed 16 today, followed it up with the birdie on 17. She went from plus 1 back to even, and then hit a great shot into 18 and gave herself an opportunity.”

There were 16 Canadians in the field, 10 of whom were amateurs and six of those players were juniors. Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was the low Canadian after shooting a 5-under 66 on Friday to rocket 33 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for fifth at 5-under overall, four shots back of leader Akie Iwai of Japan.

Fifteen-year-old amateur Aphrodite Deng, from Calgary, shot a 2-over 73 to drop into a tie for 15th at 3-under overall. Monet Chun (68) of Richmond Hill, Ont., was tied for 29th at 1 under. Maude-Aimee Leblanc (68) of Sherbrooke, Que., was tied with Cranston for 49th at even par.

Mussani said having five Canadians make the cut was a sign that women’s golf in the country is in a very healthy spot.

“We’ve got a lot of young girls coming up the pipeline, which is obviously exciting for me, because they’ll eventually get to our program,” said Mussani. “Whether it’s (the growth of recreational golf during the COVID-19 pandemic), or it’s Brooke Henderson, or just participation in women’s sports in general, it’s exciting for us.”

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp, Vancouver’s Anna Huang and Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., didn’t make the third round.

Amateurs Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C., Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont., Calgary’s Tillie Claggett, Clara Ding of White Rock, B.C., Toronto’s Vanessa Borovilos, Ruihan Wang of Markham, Ont., Michelle Xing of Richmond Hill and Joline Truong of Mississauga also missed the cut.

Brooke Henderson knew she had something when she stepped into a greenside bunker on the 17th hole of Mississaugua Golf and Country Club.

Henderson lined up her shot and made the perfect out, softly bouncing it a few feet away from the hole and then watching it roll into the cup for eagle, another clip for her highlight reel, and the lead at the CPKC Women’s Open.

“Before I got into the bunker I was thinking, ‘I can make this. It’s very makable,'” said Henderson after her round. “I was really happy with where the tee shot ended up and had a really good line in the bunker.

“I knew I had to hit it soft because it was really fast. It was nice to land it right where I wanted to and see it go in.”

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., and Australia’s Minjee Lee finished Saturday’s third round as the new co-leaders at the Women’s Open, the Canadian women’s golf championship. Henderson fired a 6-under 65 and Lee caught up to her with a 5-under 66 for them to sit at 11-under overall, three shots clear of the field.

That creates a top-tier final pairing on Sunday, with a total of 24 LPGA Tour titles between Henderson and Lee.

“I love playing with Minjee,” said Henderson. “She has an amazing presence on course, she is like very calm and relaxed and I feel like it’s a great pairing for the final round.”

Lee said she was prepared for the experience of playing alongside Henderson in Canada, as the winningest pro golfer in Canadian history has thousands of fans trail her around the course.

“Oh, my God, countless times. I’ve played with her a lot. I know what to expect,” laughed Lee.

Japan’s Akie Iwai led the only LPGA Tour event in Canada for two rounds but stumbled to a 1-over 72 on Saturday to drop into a tie for third with world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand. Thitikul had a 2-under 69 day to sit at 8-under overall.

Henderson has 13 wins on the LPGA Tour, including the 2018 Women’s Open, where she emerged victorious at the Wascana Country Club in Regina. That made her the first Canadian in 45 years — since Jocelyne Bourassa of Shawinigan, Que., in 1973 — to win the national championship.

“Winning in 2018 was a huge career highlight. It meant so much to me, it was so special,” said Henderson. “To be in a position to possibly have that opportunity again is really, really cool.

“I’m still a really long way from that. There are so many top players near the top of the leaderboard and still 18 holes to play.”

Fifteen-year-old amateur Aphrodite Deng of Calgary moved up to the top 10, shooting a 3-under 68 to sit in a group tied for seventh at 6-under overall.

“Today was pretty solid,” said Deng. “Just like whenever I hit it out of position I tried to get it back into position. My putting was pretty good.”

The CPKC Women’s Open — a women’s golf major until 2001 — regularly draws some of the largest crowds on the LPGA Tour. Although Henderson always has the largest gallery in Canada, the fans also respect and support some of the bigger names in the field like Lee.

“It’s really nice to see the lovely crowds,” said Lee, noting she drew loud cheers when she made a difficult par on No. 18. “I think we always get really great support from the Canadian people, and they just love the LPGA and love to support Brooke and the women’s game.”

Henderson, however, hopes to draw energy from the spectators as she makes the final push for her 14th title.

“The crowds have been so phenomenal all week, and today starting out on the first tee because I was near the final groups, it was really exciting and a lot of energy,” said Henderson, who has not won since the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January 2023. “I feel like I was playing pretty well today, so the crowd continued to grow and grow.

“It was fun to give them some things to cheer about. That’s always one of the goals.”