Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour

Canadian golf star Henderson believes she’s close to a second year breakout

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(Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The results have not been coming quite as quickly for Brooke Henderson in her second year on the LPGA Tour.

Henderson has two top-10 finishes through 10 events this season – by no means a sophomore slump, but well behind her pace of eight top-10 results through nine events as a rising rookie last year. However, the confident 19-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., believes a breakout will happen soon.

“It’s been a little disappointing, some of the results, but I feel like my game is extremely close,” Henderson said Tuesday at an Ottawa-area charity golf tournament while making a rare visit home. “It’s just one or two shots every week.”

“I’m really excited about the upcoming tournaments and hopefully I can switch the momentum and finish near the top.”

Henderson’s best finish has been a tie for fourth and the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore earlier this year. She finished tied for 14th at the ANA Inspiration, the first major on the LPGA Tour schedule in late March. She has her sights set on the other four majors on the calendar, including the KPMG Women’s Championship, where she will be the defending champion.

She played the most out of anyone on the LPGA Tour last year and said she has been able to apply that learning. She admitted she will take two weeks off later this summer to make sure her “focus and mental strength is where it needs to be.”

“Playing all the courses last year, this year I knew where to hit it. I knew where the good spots and the bad spots were, even in the hotels I felt more comfortable and the surroundings.” she said. “Every golf course I see, everywhere I go and get to do `more’ it makes me feel better for this year, and for years to come.”

She said she’s particularly looking forward to the CP Women’s Open in August at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club. Henderson was recently bestowed an honorary membership to that club, which last hosted the Women’s Open in 2008.

She knows it will be a pressure-packed week.

“Almost every week I think about the CP Women’s Open in the back of my mind,” she said. “When there are TV cameras or crowds around I think about how it’s going to be at the CP Women’s Open and take every week as a stepping stone. I know it’s going to be pressure filled.

“There are going to be a lot of expectations for sure, and I don’t want to disappoint. I want to give them a good show.”

But the pressure, she said, is something she’s starting to relish.

“I do think there are a lot of expectations on me, but I love pressure and I think it’s just what you make of it,” she said.

And despite more than US$2 million in earnings in her career, rolling up to the course in a new BMW SUV, and just having procured a home in Naples, Fla., Henderson remains a teenager at heart.

She said she’s binge-watches the show White Collar on Netflix, follows her hometown Ottawa Senators during their Stanley Cup playoff run, has a penchant for Disney films and is a big texter away from the golf course.

“It’s nothing too crazy,” she said. “Just a typical teenager.”

Henderson will take the rest of this week off, staying in her hometown of Smiths Falls visiting with family and friends  – she has not been back since Christmas – before going to Williamsburg, Va., for the next event on the LPGA Tour schedule.

“I love being home, even though it’s like December here, it’s so cold,” she said. “I’m excited to get back playing again next week in Virginia, and hopefully have some great finishes.”

Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour

Canadian contingent well prepared ahead of LPGA’s first major

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Alena Sharp (Kevin Lee/ Getty Images)

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — The members of the Canadian contingent at the ANA Inspiration got a little bit more time to prepare for the first major of the golf season than they would have liked.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont, ranked 13th in the world, Alena Sharp of Hamilton and Maude-Aimee Leblanc, a native of Sherbrooke, Que., all missed the cut at last week’s LPGA Tour stop, the Kia Classic in Carlsbad, Calif.

But they chose to look at the opportunity to arrive at Mission Hills Country Club a couple of days early as a bonus.

“Sometimes having a weekend off before a major is good because it is more taxing on the mind,” said Sharp, who finished a career best 41st on the LPGA money list in 2016. “As the week goes on it gets firmer, the rough gets longer, we’re going to deal with wind. It’s going to be a test of the fittest, for sure, not so much physical, but mental. 

“Not playing last weekend, maybe getting some rest it will help me for this week, but I feel like my game is in good shape. I love the golf course. I’ve always loved coming to play here. I love how the course is playing. I had some good practice rounds so I’m just ready to get going.”

Henderson arrived on Saturday and has played a few holes each day “so I have a great feel for the golf course. This is one of my favourite tournaments all year. You know, coming here as an amateur in 2014, I got to witness and experience an amazing atmosphere out here and Poppy’s Pond, Dinah Shore, it’s such an amazing tradition.

“I’m excited to go out and hopefully get off to a fast start Thursday and Friday and put myself into contention on Sunday.”

Henderson said driving the ball will be a key this week and that should give her an advantage.

“You’ve got to hit fairways and I think if I can get my driver out there a good distance, there’s a lot of corners and a lot of trouble you need to carry it 250, so if I can do that, I think I can take out a lot of the field that way,” she said. “The rough is very long, so hitting fairways and being consistent is also very important.

“The greens are always fast and firm out there, so making sure you’re hitting fairways and giving yourself a great angle for approach shots will be really important the next few days.”

Neither Henderson nor Sharp have had the results they would have liked so far in 2017. 

Henderson’s best finish was a tie for fourth at the HSBC Women’s Champions, her only top 10 finish in 2017. She’s 18th on the LPGA money list.

“So far into the year 2017 I have necessarily performed or gotten the results I necessarily want, but I feel my game is really close and hopefully if I can just tune up a little bit mentally and get focused on what I actually have to do, I think my game is right there that I can win a few more times and I think that starts this week,” she said. “Having played the golf course the last few days, I think it suits my game really well, so if I can get my mental attitude the way it should be, I think I’ll be right there on Sunday.”

Sharp, who enters the week 61st on the money list, said her scores haven’t reflected the quality of her play.

“I’ve been playing much better than I’ve been scoring,” said the 36-year-old. “It’s one of those things you have to be patient, keep trusting the process and stay positive.”

Leblanc, 28, had a tie for seventh at the ISPS Women’s Australian Open in February, her first top 10 on the LPGA Tour. The long hitter (sixth on Tour with an average of 270.75 yards) is 50th on the money list and, like Sharp, has been playing the best golf of her career over the last year.

Brooke Henderson

Brooke Henderson nominated for Ontario Athlete of the Year

Brooke Henderson
Brooke Henderson (Scott Halleran/ Getty Images

For the third year, the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame has asked the people of Ontario to cast their vote for who they believe deserves the 2016 Syl Apps Ontario Athlete of the Year Award. The online public vote to determine the award recipient will conclude on March 31st, 2017.

The Syl Apps Athlete of the Year Award celebrates the contributions of top athletes in Ontario, and is awarded to the athlete who has made an outstanding and memorable contribution to Ontario sports during the previous calendar year.

How to vote:

Voting is available at www.oshof.ca or www.surveymonkey.com/r/OSHOF

This year’s finalists include:

 Andre De Grasse, Athletics

 Derek Drouin, Athletics

 Sebastian Giovinco, Soccer

 Brooke Henderson, Golf

 Ghislaine Landry, Rugby

 Rosie MacLennan, Gymnastics

 Penny Oleksiak, Swimming

 Milos Raonic, Tennis

 Aaron Sanchez, Baseball

 Brad Sinopoli, Football

 Damian Warner, Decathlon

 Erica Wiebe, Wrestling

 Joey Votto, Baseball

Past award recipients selected by the public include Brooke Henderson (2015) and Brad Sinopoli (2016).

The winner will be recognized with the Class of 2017 at the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame 2017 Induction Ceremony & Awards Gala in Toronto at The Westin Harbour Castle (Metropolitan Ballroom) on October 2, 2017. The OSHOF Board of Directors will be selecting the Hall of Fame Inductee Class of 2017, as well as the winners of The Brian Williams Media Award, The Sandy Hawley Community Service Award, and The Bruce Prentice Legacy Award.

Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour

Henderson one back through 18 at Singapore

Brooke Henderson
Brooke Henderson (Ross KInnaire/ Getty Images)

SINGAPORE _ Michelle Wie rolled in several clutch putts on Thursday and had six birdies in a 10-hole stretch to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the HSBC Women’s Champions.

The 27-year-old Wie, who has struggled with injuries and form since winning the U.S. Open in 2014, shot a 6-under 66 at the new Tanjong course.

Brooke Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., was in a five-way tie for second place. Henderson, Inbee Park, Mo Martin, Anna Nordqvist and Ariya Jutanugarn each shot a 5-under 67.

“We love Singapore,” Henderson said of her and her sister Brittany. “It’s our favourite place that we travel to. We love it. Just being in a hotel room and looking out over the city is cool. Maybe a night safari or something like that.”

Among other scores in the 63-player field, Stacy Lewis and Paula Creamer had 68s, top-ranked Lydia Ko shot 69, Shanshan Feng and Lexi Thompson 70, Karrie Webb 75 and Cristie Kerr 77.

Alena Sharp of Hamilton opened with a 3-over 75.

Wie, who had eight birdies and a pair of bogeys on Thursday, has managed just one top-10 finish since 2014 and only got into the $1.5 million LPGA tournament on a sponsor’s invitation after her ranking slumped to No. 179.

But she was in vintage touch Thursday despite playing in tricky winds and light rain.

After making a bogey-5 at the third, Wie’s putter suddenly got hot as she made three birdies in a row to go out in 34.

She made another three birdies at the start of the back nine, draining a 12-foot putt on the 11th and then sinking another long putt from below the hole on the 501-yard, par-5 13th to take the early lead at a tournament featuring nine of the world’s top 10 players.

Wie slipped a shot behind Nordqvist when she bogeyed the 15th after an errant tee shot and the Swede picked up her sixth birdie, but Wie regained the lead with back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17.

“It feels good to play without much pain, to go out there and just play some golf and focus on my game rather than trying to finish out rounds,” Wie said. “It’s always exciting to be on the top of the leaderboard.”

Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour

Henderson tied for 9th through 18 at Australian Open

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Brooke Henderson (Daniel Kalisz/ Getty Images)

ADELAIDE, Australia – Katherine Kirk set the early pace at the Women’s Australian Open on Thursday, shooting an 8-under 65 at Royal Adelaide to take a two-stroke clubhouse lead.

The Australian, playing her fourth week in a row, birdied four of her first five holes and three of four in the middle of the back nine.

“There are low numbers to be had out there,” said Kirk. “A lot of birdie opportunities, and I was just fortunate I got off to a good start and kept the momentum going.”

Tied for second were Marissa Steen and Jane Park of the United States and South Korean Chella Choi.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson was four strokes behind after carding 69, while No. 1-ranked Lydia Ko shot 71. Five-time champion Karrie Webb shot 76 ahead of the afternoon starters who included No. 2-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn, a five-time winner last year.

“Four birdies, no bogeys, I’m pretty happy and hopefully will shoot another similar round tomorrow,” said Henderson, from Smiths Fall, Ont., who played with Ko. “The crowds were awesome. I hardly ever see that many people on the Thursday round, especially when we tee off (early) in the morning.”

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., were tied at 2-under 71. Calgary’s Jennifer Ha was 2-over 75.

Ko was frustrated on the greens, but ended the day on a good note when she birdied the ninth, her last.

“I hit my drives good, which is really important around a course like this, but just the putts did not drop,” Ko said. “It was good to see a putt drop on the final hole and hopefully that will give me good momentum going into tomorrow.”

Webb had an up-and-down second nine after starting on the 10th. She was 3-over after bogeying the first – her 10th hole – but then went double-bogey, bogey, birdie, birdie, par to complete her round.

“A couple of late birdies at least made lunch taste better, but it wasn’t real good out there today,” said Webb.

Steen was in the first group out, and took advantage of it during her round which included an eagle on the third.

“The wind was low, the greens were rolling really pure. I was joking that I didn’t see a blade of grass out of place out there the whole day,” Steen said. “I didn’t trip once. I either hit every green or was right on the fringe where I was still able to putt, so I gave myself a lot of chances and took advantage when I had wedges in my hands.”

Steen, 27, didn’t start playing golf until she was 14.

“I played a bunch of other sports growing up, so focusing on golf I was a little late to it,” said Steen, who played at the University of Memphis in Tennessee for four years and then played Symetra Tour for three seasons.

Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour

Brooke Henderson tied for 7th in Bahamas

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Brooke Henderson (Maddie Meyer/ Getty Images)

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Brittany Lincicome and Lexi Thompson led a U.S. Solheim Cup breakaway Friday in the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Pure Silk Bahamas Classic.

Lincicome shot an 8-under 65 to reach 17-under 129 at Ocean Club Golf Course, and Thompson had a career-best 61 to pull within a stroke.

“The way it’s been going the last two days, the putter has been making everything, which is obviously really fun. If I can keep that up, then it could be good on Sunday,” Lincicome said. “I’m just playing well, and still made everything today. Putter is on point right now and it’s exciting to see.”

Thompson was asked about the possibility of shooting 59.

“I thought about it, but I just wanted to keep on playing my own game and see where it goes,” Thompson said. “I was just pin-seeking the whole day. I was just trying to stay with my routine and have good tempo with my golf swing. That’s just all I’ve been working on.”

Lincicome broke the tournament 36-hole mark, and Thompson shattered the course record of 64 that Lincicome set Thursday. Lincicome had a hole-in-one on the par-3 12th, using a 7-iron from 161 yards.

“When it went in I was like, ‘Do I jump up and down or do I just wave my arms?’ There are so many thoughts that went through my head, but obviously it’s pretty fun,” Lincicome said. “I didn’t feel like I hit the greatest shot, but got away with it and pretty impressive.”

Gerina Piller was third at 14 under after a 65, and Stacy Lewis completed the Solheim Cup quartette at 13 under. Lewis had a 67.

“I’ve really been focusing on trusting my line and trusting my speed, trusting my stroke,” Piller said. “I feel like in my golf game, the long game tee to green I’m a feel player and it seems like my tendency to get on the greens, I kind of lock down and kind of get very mechanical. So really just focusing on really trusting what I have and trusting the line, speed that I choose.”

P.K. Kongkraphan and Megan Khang each shot 69 to reach 11 under. Canadian star Brooke Henderson (65) was 10 under along with Xi Yu Lin (67) and Austin Ernst (68).

U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster made the cut, following an opening 70 with a 72. She’s starting her 35th season on the LPGA Tour

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn advanced to the weekend on the number with rounds of 75 and 69.

She won five times last season and took the LPGA Tour player of the year award.

Michelle Wie dropped out, shooting 73-74.

Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour

Brooke Henderson signs multi-year endorsement deal with Golf Town

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Brooke Henderson (Marianna Massey/ Getty Images)

VAUGHAN, Ont. – Golf Town, Canada’s number one destination for golf gear, apparel and services, has announced today a three year endorsement deal with LPGA Canadian professional golfer Brooke Henderson. The 19 year old, now ranked No. 8 in the world, quickly rose to prominence in 2016 with fifteen top 10 finishes, and three LPGA Tour victories including her first major; the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

“I’m so excited to be able to partner with Golf Town and act as an ambassador for them both on and off the course,” said Brooke Henderson. “Growing up, my family would always stop at Golf Town’s around the country to pick up golf gear when I played in junior tournaments, so it will be really fun to head back there as a professional.  We have some great customer events and in-store visits planned and I’m very thankful for the partnership!”

The agreement includes intellectual property rights, Golf Town branding on Henderson’s touring bag, in-store appearances as well as digital and social media content.

“We are excited to partner with one of the most iconic Canadian golfers,” said Chad McKinnon, President of Golf Town. “Our partnership is based on shared values; inspiring more young Canadians to get into the game. Brooke is our first sponsored athlete and there is a reason behind this. While Brooke is a very committed athlete, she’s accessible, refreshing, and connects emotionally with a younger audience. Working closely with Brooke will support our brand transformation and grow the game of golf in Canada.”

This announcement is the first in a series to come from Golf Town, which has recently come under new ownership and management and is strategically rebuilding its presence in Canada.

Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour Team Canada

Henderson says she’s matured after remarkable season

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Brooke Henderson (Marianna Massey/Getty Images)

Taiwan was Brooke Henderson’s favourite destination on the LPGA Tour this year. Playing in the Olympics, winning US$1.7 million in prize money and capturing her first major were pretty cool, too.

The 19-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., packed more into one season than some golfers experience over an entire career.

Back home this month for a well-deserved holiday break, Henderson told The Canadian Press she feels more mature as she reaches the end of her remarkable year.

“This year gave me a lot of experiences that added a lot of value to who am I am as a person, and what I am on the LPGA Tour,” she said in a recent interview. “I’m happy to come home, and I remember where it all began with my family and friends. But at the end of the day I’m just building a better me.”

Henderson was the LPGA’s Ironwoman in 2016, playing a tour-high 31 events, peaking at No. 2 on the world rankings before finishing eighth. Add to that the Rio Olympics and sponsor commitments and the young Canadian didn’t have much time for herself on her first full season on the women’s pro circuit. But she believes the gruelling schedule has prepared her for the future.

“Where the tournaments were, what the courses were like, what the fans were like, the atmosphere, the communities around the tournaments, and the travelling – like how to get from one city to another and if it was easy or not – were all really important things to learn,” she said. “Now that I’ve done it, I feel almost like a veteran, where next year is going to be a lot easier.”

Henderson won two titles in 2016, including the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, her first career major. She added 15 top-10 finishes and was just two shots out of the bronze medal position at the Olympics.

While many marvel at the teen’s poise and maturity, Henderson’s inexperience did come to the forefront on occasion. In Rio, she left the golf course in tears after shooting 4-over on the final six holes of the third round, a collapse that included a four-putt on the 16th hole.

“Golf is a very tough game and like anything in life there is going to be disappointments where you wish you had played a little bit better or made smarter decisions, but that’s just where you have to learn from it and move in,” said Henderson. “When something really exciting happens – like having my major win or my other win this year – you really have to embrace them and celebrate because they’re hard to come by.”

Henderson will remain involved with Golf Canada’s program next year, although she said she would work with Canadian head coach Tristan Mullally a “little bit” as her father Dave is her “number one guy.”

“I definitely would like to get stronger and hit the ball a little further and work on my consistency overall,” she said of her off-season plans. “I think that’s the big one. And short game. That’s always been something I’ve worked on especially the last few years.”

She will also continue to have her older sister Brittany, a professional golfer in her own right, as her caddy.

“We really make a great team and we know each other really well, which helps us on and off the course,” she said. “There’s always little things that every caddy/player have to figure out, but for the most part I really feel we work great together. I’m really looking forward to next year and hopefully the years after that too.”

The LPGA Tour features two events in Canada in 2017 with the Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge, Ont., set for June 5-11 and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open scheduled for Aug. 21-27 in Ottawa.

The CP Women’s Open is already circled on Henderson’s calendar as the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club is playing host. The course gave Henderson an honorary membership this year.

“I’m already looking forward to that week of the season and hopefully I peak that week,” said Henderson. “Being a member of the Ottawa Hunt Club and having it so close to where I grew up, celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary in the capital, it’s going to be really amazing.”

After getting so close to the top in her first full LPGA season, Henderson admitted she’s more motivated than ever to get to No. 1.

“I know there’s a lot of hard work ahead of me,” she said. “I’ll set smaller goals on my way to that, but I think that’s ultimately the end goal for any person playing on the LPGA Tour.”

Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour

Jang wins LPGA Taiwan Championship, Henderson ties for third

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Ha Na Jang (Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images)

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Ha Na Jang held off Shanshan Feng by a stroke in wind and rain Sunday in the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship for her third victory of the year.

Eight strokes ahead of Feng after a birdie on the sixth hole, the 24-year-old South Korean player bogeyed two of the next three holes and scrambled to par the final nine for a 1-under 71.

Feng finished with a 66. The Chinese star chipped in for birdie from 35 feet on the par-4 15th to pull within two strokes, and nearly holed a bunker shot for eagle on the par-5 18th.

Jang then lagged her 15-foot birdie putt to inches, and danced on the green after tapping in.

Brooke Henderson, a 19-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., birdied the last two holes for a 70 to tie for third with South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim (69) at 10 under. Taiwan’s Candie Kung (69), South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace (71) and South Korea’s Hee Young Park (72) were another stroke back.

“I was like nervous every hole,” Jang said. “Shanshan really good play today. That’s why I got very nervous. And then I’m just simple every hole because weather is just so bad. And then just keep going the fairway and the green.”

She kept the celebration short after drawing criticism in South Korea for her flamboyant victory celebrations – a “Samurai Lasso” routine in Florida in February and a “Beyonce Single Ladies” dance in Singapore in March. Also, before the Singapore event, Jang’s father dropped a hard-case suitcase that tumbled down an airport escalator and injured rival player In Gee Chun.

“After Singapore’s not really good happening. That’s why little, small dancing,” Jang said. “Yesterday my agent and all the people text me say just try small celebration. Please just you try it. That’s why I got try a little more small one. But I think it’s really good. Celebration is a little small, but looks like a little bigger. It’s like dancing like, ‘I like it. I like it.’ Like that. So happy.”

Jang finished at 17-under 271. She set up some key par saves with sharp play around the greens, hitting to inches on 14 after striking the pin, to a foot on 15 after Feng holed out, and to 2 feet on 16 and 17.

“Really solid chipping,” Jang said. “My chipping is pretty good first time my life. That’s why every par is good score, because raining so bad. So that’s these why every hole is par. … My first win weather is rainy, exactly same. I like it raining on the golf course.”

Jang shot a 62 on Saturday to take a six-stroke lead over Feng into the final round. The 62 was the lowest score in her LPGA Tour career and matched the best round in the three years at Miramar.

The South Korean player earned $300,000 to jump from 12th to seventh in the money list with $1,199,719. She’s projected to go from 12th to eighth in the world ranking.

Feng had her third straight top-four finish. The Olympic bronze medallist was fourth in the Evian Championship and tied for fourth last week in China in the Asian Swing opener.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot a 70 to tie for 20th at 3 under. She won by nine strokes last year at Miramar.

The tour will be in South Korea next week, then visit China, Malaysia and Japan.

Brooke Henderson LPGA Tour

Jang leads LPGA Taiwan; Henderson sits fourth

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Brooke Henderson (Billy H.C. Kwok/Getty Images)

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Ha Na Jang shot a 10-under 62 in calmer conditions Saturday at rainy Miramar to take a six-stroke lead in the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship.

Chasing her third victory of the year, the 24-year-old South Korean player hit a 30-yard flop shot to a foot in steady rain on the par-5 18th for her 10th birdie of the day.

“Really surprised my play because weather so bad on the back nine,” Jang said. “But just be patient every hole. Just simple my thinking. Just thinking hitting the flag and hitting the fairway.”

Brooke Henderson, a 19-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., shot 69 and goes into the final round tied for fourth at 8 under.

After shooting a 69 in high wind and early rain Friday for a share of the lead with fellow South Korean player Hee Young Park, Jang had her lowest score in her two-year LPGA Tour career and matched the best round in the three years the event has been played at Miramar.

“I want keep this, my scorecard,” Jang said. “Always I want inside my pocket.”

South Korea’s Inbee Park set the Miramar mark in 2014 and England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff tied it earlier Saturday.

Jang birdied three of the last four holes to reach 16-under 200. She hit a wedge to four feet on 15, made a 30-foot putt on 16 and closed the bogey-free round with the tap-in on 18 after the flop that landed on a ridge and trickled down.

China’s Shanshan Feng was second after a 67, and Hee Young Park was another shot back after a 69.

“I don’t really look at leaderboards,” Feng said. “But somebody else told me Ha Na shot like 62 today. … Somebody shot 62 today. Maybe I’ll shoot 62 tomorrow. Who knows?”

Shadoff was tied for eighth at 6 under. After opening with rounds of 78 and 70, she birdied 10 of the first 15 holes and closed with three pars.

“It was getting the ball in the fairway,” Shadoff said. “The rough out here is so thick that it’s really hard to get spin from the rough. It’s tough even chipping from around the greens. So, I was just in the fairway.”

American Alison Lee also rebounded to get to 6 under, shooting 65.

Defending champion Lydia Ko was tied for 16th at 4 under after a 69. The top-ranked New Zealander won by nine strokes last year at 20 under.

Jang started fast with a wedge to three feet on No. 1 and hit another to five feet on the fifth, then holed putts of 10 feet on the sixth, eight feet from the fringe on the seventh, and 15 feet on the ninth. She chipped in for birdie from 15 feet on 11, and made a 12-footer on 12.

Jang won her first tour title in February in Florida and added her second victory three events later in Singapore.

She also drew strong criticism in South Korea for her flamboyant victory celebrations _ a “Samurai Lasso” routine in Ocala and a “Beyonce Single Ladies” dance in Singapore _ and a freak accident that sidelined rival In Gee Chun with a back injury. Before the Singapore tournament, Jang’s father dropped a hard-case suitcase that tumbled down an airport escalator and struck Chun.

She was asked about a possible victory celebration.

“I don’t want to tell nobody. Just top secret,” Jang said. “I think not much like dance or something, just little quiet celebration.”