Fresh from her maiden LPGA triumph in Portland, Japan’s Akie Iwai continued her fine form with a superb seven-under-par 65 to claim a two-shot lead after the opening round of the Canadian Women’s Open on Thursday.
The 21-year-old, who joined her twin sister Chisato as an LPGA winner last weekend, fired seven birdies, including two to finish her round, at Mississauga Golf and Country Club in Ontario.
“So last week I won, but already it’s in the past,” Iwai said, reflecting on her ability to reset quickly after the biggest win of her career. “I changed the mind — good focus this week.”
Iwai began on the 10th and reached the turn at three under. She then picked up four more birdies over her final six holes to surge ahead late in the day, which was marked by blustery conditions.
Sitting two strokes behind are a group of players at five-under 66, including world number one Jeeno Thitikul, 15-year-old Canadian amateur Aphrodite Deng, Ireland’s Leona Maguire, Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, and American Megan Khang.
Deng, already a standout after her victory at the US Girls’ Junior Championship in July, made an eye-catching start in her home Open, opening with consecutive birdies and later closing with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18.
“It’s really cool,” she said. “Definitely something that I dreamed about.”
Despite a bogey on the 15th, Deng remained composed and was unfazed by the attention. “There were a lot of cameras there, too,” she said of her US Girls’ Junior win. “I was a little nervous, but I am with every tournament.”
Jeeno, who reclaimed the world number one ranking from Nelly Korda earlier this month, also teed off on 10 and had a quiet front nine with one birdie and one bogey before finding her rhythm after the turn with five birdies.
“I think on the back nine the pin was easier than the front nine,” said the Thai star, a five-time LPGA winner. “I didn’t hit that close on the front, the back nine I did, that’s why I holed the putts.”
Reflecting on her return to the top of the rankings, Jeeno admitted the pressure was present. “I’m not going to lie saying I’m not thinking about that,” she said. “You can worry, you can be nervous, but at the end of the day you’ve got to pass this as well.”