Brooke Henderson opens her mark on day 2 of Canadian women
Brooke Henderson Shines at Canadian Women’s Open
Brooke Henderson put on a stellar performance on Friday at the CPKC Women’s Open, aiming to surpass the Cutline. While she didn’t do it alone, she fought hard and pushed herself to climb up the leaderboard.
After a tough first round, Henderson bounced back with a solid Friday showing, putting herself back in contention at the only Canadian tournament on the LPGA Tour. She fired an impressive five-under 66, moving her into fifth place, just four shots behind leader Akie Iwai from Japan, who sits at nine under. This was a remarkable turnaround for the 27-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ontario, who was tied for 38th after an Even-PAR 71 on Thursday.
“I wanted to get away from that cutline and put myself in a good position as quickly as possible,” said Henderson. “I’m excited to play the weekend for these amazing fans and hopefully give them more to cheer about tomorrow.”
Henderson, the most successful golfer in Canada with 13 LPGA titles, is one of five Canadians to make the cut at the National open. Among them is 15-year-old rising star Aphrodite Deng, who despite a tougher round on Friday, sits in 15th place after a two-over 73.
The teenage amateur from Calgary impressed with a nearly flawless opening round on Thursday, where she hit 13 of 14 fairways and carded a five-under 66 in her first LPGA Tour start. Deng, who won the 2025 US Girls Junior Championship, has had a successful summer on the amateur circuit.
Henderson expressed her admiration for Deng’s performance, noting that it motivated her to elevate her game on Friday. The veteran golfer was inspired by the young talent displayed by her fellow Canadian.
As is customary in Canada, Henderson drew a large gallery of fans on Friday, many of them sporting Red Brooke’s Brigade T-shirts. The homegrown star embraces the pressure and excitement of playing in front of her home crowd, having won the Canadian Women’s Open in 2018.
Henderson got off to a hot start on Friday, nearly sinking her approach shot on the second hole. She hit 12 of 14 fairways and closed with four birdies in her last seven holes, finishing strong with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18. Her performance was a bright spot in a year that Henderson admitted has not met her usual standards.
The large crowd also followed Deng, who started her round on the 11th hole in the afternoon wave. The teenager showed flashes of brilliance with early birdies but struggled with some bogeys and a double bogey down the stretch.
In total, 16 Canadians competed in the tournament, with 10 of them being amateurs. Other Canadians who made the cut include Monet Chun, Maude-Aimée Leblanc, and amateur Katie Cranston.
Overall, it was an exciting day of golf at the Canadian Women’s Open, with Henderson and Deng showcasing the talent and potential of Canadian golfers on the world stage.
