Narin An and Hye-Jin Choi share lead in CP Women’s Open third round

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Narin An and Hye-Jin Choi were teammates a month ago. Sunday, they will be competitors and targets.

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Choi clocked a 5-under 66 on Saturday to tie with An (68) to lead all three rounds of the CP Women’s Open at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

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« I think at the end of the day we just want to be competitive with each other no matter what it looks like, » said Choi, who as a South Korean teenager won the individual part of the 2015 Junior Women’s World Championship at The Marshes. in Ottawa and a year later won the Canadian Women’s Amateur crown in New Minas, N.S.

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“I have very good memories in Canada, with Canadian Am, so I would like to think that I will do more, hopefully this week,” she added through a translator. .

An gave up the two-shot lead she started the third round with, but it could have been worse. A tee shot on the par-3 13th hole hit a rock wall to the right of the flagstick and ricocheted behind the putting surface, still on solid ground.

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Although she couldn’t fight for par, the bogey An made there was better than an assortment of bogeys and double bogeys marring other people’s scorecards.

For example, Lindy Duncan of the United States, who finished the second round suspended by darkness on Friday with four holes at first light on Saturday and a course record tying 62, made a five on No. 13 en route to a 70 and fell in a share of sixth at 201.

Trouble at 13 also found Canadian favorite Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, whose double bogey was part of a dismal four-hole streak where she lost as many strokes at par. A 73 left her tied for 60th, far too far away to challenge for a second CP Women’s Open title to match the first she won in Regina in 2018.

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« It was really lucky, » said An, who with Choi finished tied for sixth at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in Midland, Michigan, in mid-July.

« It wasn’t as good as yesterday, but I still hit the shots I wanted. »

Seven other golfers were within five shots of the top South Koreans. South Africa’s Paula Reto will be in the final group with Choi and An on Sunday after shooting a 67 for 198.

“Today was a good day overall, but I’m excited for tomorrow. I will try to do the same routine,” Reto said.

None of Choi, An or Reto has yet won an LPGA Tour event.

« You kind of have to be careful, » Reto said of his plans for Sunday at Ottawa Hunt. « You try to create as many fairways as possible and then greens, but because the rough is quite thick here. So if I can handle them well and knock putts down, be patient with that, then I think I’ll be fine. .

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The biggest name among those behind is Nelly Korda (68), who shares fourth place with fellow American Sarah Schmeizel (66) at 199 and can reclaim the top spot in the world rankings with a win. Two strokes further and tied with Duncan were South Koreans A Lim Kim (66) and Danielle Kang (68), a sparkling story on her own if she could rally to win in her first tournament after a furlough from disease due to a tumor in the spine.

Meanwhile, Saturday was all about frustration for Henderson.

Despite an outpouring of support from hordes of onlookers, she lost more ground than she needed to have a realistic chance of wrestling.

After reaching seven under par with a birdie on No. 9, missed birdie opportunities on 10 and 11 rocked Henderson, then the wheels came off: bogey on No. 12; double bogey on 13; three-putt bogey on the par-3 15th.

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The final blow to his confidence was a cruel outing on the No. 18, where a birdie putt attempt from about 15 feet rolled over the edge of the cup and stayed out.

« It’s obviously disappointing, but at the same time I feel like it’s just kind of an honor to be able to play in front of so many people, so I’m just trying to make the most of it. I won’t blame them if they don’t follow me tomorrow and follow the leaders,” said Henderson, a star of tournament promotions at every Open CP and even more so in Ottawa, an hour’s drive from his home.

On the other hand, there is nothing to lose on Sunday, so you might as well go out with enthusiasm.

“I backed off pretty far today, so, yeah, nothing to lose,” Henderson said. « Just keep hitting like I do, honestly, clean up some mental mistakes, and it could be a good day. »

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The Sandra Post medal contest as Canada’s top professional will feature LPGA Tour rookie Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., and veteran Alena Sharp of Hamilton.

Szeryk had reason to smile after a 69 and an 11th share at 204, with Sharp three more shots in return after his 68.

« It’s huge. You know, it’s the Canadian Open. It’s major for us, » said Szeryk, who missed six cups in seven previous tournaments but was backed by a big delegation this week. London « All the friends and family are here, and just playing well in front of the Canadian crowd is really special. »

Lauren Zaretsky of Thornhill, Ont., shot a 73 and tied for 71st, but is three behind American Anna Davis (71st) for the Marlene Stewart Streit medal as the top amateur. Toronto pro Rebecca Lee-Bentham (74-214) finished 77th.

To accommodate a Sunday afternoon television broadcast window, competitors will be grouped into trios from the first and 10th tees, with the first groups going out at 8:08 a.m. and the leaders starting their rounds at 10:20 a.m.