2LT National News

(Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)

Akie Iwai of Japan is halfway home to her second victory in as many weeks as she built a three-shot lead at the CPKC Women’s Open on Friday in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Iwai followed her bogey-free 64 in the opening round with a 2-under-par 69 on Friday to climb to 9-under 133 at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club.

The 23-year-old won the Standard Portland Classic last week at a whopping 24 under par. Being in front of the pack didn’t change anything about Iwai’s mental approach.

‘No change mind. No change swing,’ Iwai said. ‘Yeah, just focus my golf.’

The biggest difference for Iwai was on the greens. She made four birdies compared to seven on Thursday and felt she left some opportunities out there.

‘Today also I gave many birdie chances, but I just didn’t (make as many),’ Iwai said. ‘… I would say I left many short putts, no distance, short. Yeah, that’s why tomorrow I need more.’

Iwai has an experienced group of LPGA pros trying to chase her down. Tied for second at 6 under are World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, three-time major champ Minjee Lee of Australia and Ireland’s Leona Maguire.

Lee posted a 67 Friday and would have been alone in second place if not for her only bogey of the day coming at the 18th hole. She won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship back in June and is in the hunt for her second title of the season.

‘I think you feel like you need to keep the lead more than when you’re chasing. You can kind of be a little more aggressive and you’re trying to obviously chase and make as many birdies as possible,’ Lee said. ‘So I do think there is a little bit of a different mindset there.’

Thitikul shot a 70, as did Maguire, who had a busy day with five birdies and five bogeys scattered on her card.

Brooke M. Henderson is the low Canadian at her national open after posting the score of the day, a 5-under 66, to get her to 5 under for the week. She went birdie-birdie to finish her round.

‘I’m really happy with how that went, especially closing with four birdies in my last nine holes,’ said Henderson, who won this tournament in 2018. ‘Really exciting to finish off 17 and 18 and give the crowd something to cheer about. It was really fun with two birdies there.

‘Feel like a lot of good momentum, a lot of confidence after today’s round. Hopefully just go out strong tomorrow and put up a good number.’

She’s tied for fifth with Linnea Strom of Sweden (67), Jenny Bae (69) and Megan Khang (71). Nelly Korda (69) is part of a group at 4 under.

Aphrodite Deng, a 15-year-old amateur from Canada, easily made the cut at 3 under par. She opened fast out of the gate with a 66 before shooting a 73 on Friday.

Those who fell below the cut line of 1 over par included defending champion Lauren Coughlin (2 over), English prodigy Lottie Woad (2 over), Rose Zhang (3 over), Australian Hannah Green (5 over) and Lexi Thompson (8 over).

–Field Level Media