Brooke Henderson ended 2019 on a high note with a fifth-place finish at the CME Group Tour Championship and took a much-deserved break in the offseason, enjoying the warm weather at her residence in Florida and visiting her friends and family in her native Canada. It was a perfect time for the 22-year-old to reflect on a triumphant year that included becoming the Canadian with the most professional wins on the LPGA and PGA Tour when she won the Meijer LPGA Classic for her ninth career victory.

“I feel like 2019 was a really successful season for me and my sister (and caddie Brittany Henderson) as well,” said Henderson. “We were really happy with how everything went. I felt like I improved in a lot of places, which was good. I think a key thing for me is scoring average and keeping it below 70, which I did last year.”

Henderson returns to action at the biggest party on Tour at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, alongside a host of Hall of Fame athletes and celebrities. Despite the fun nature of the week, she said it still feels just as competitive on the course as it does at any other event.

“I feel like playing with some of the best athletes in the world here, you’re just always pushing each other to be a little bit better and trying to hit a little bit further and make a few more birdies,” said Henderson, who finished T6 in the inaugural tournament in 2019. “It’s really a unique experience as it’s maybe not as intense right off the get go, as it is on the regular LPGA Tour week, but definitely it has that same intensity once you get going, and it has maybe a little bit of fun added to it.”

With the start of season play just a few days away, Henderson said she is already prepped to execute her 2020 goals, which includes continuing her streak of four straight years with at least two wins.

“I’d love to keep that streak alive. It’s been pretty important to me the last few years, especially with how dense the field is in terms of talent,” said Henderson. “It’s really important to me to keep that going, and I feel like to get another major championship win is hopefully on my radar, and hopefully I can get it done maybe this year and in future years.”

In a comfortable floral jumpsuit and with her parents in the audience, Brooke Henderson added another award to her ever-growing trophy case.

The 22-year-old won the 2019 Founders Award at the Rolex LPGA Awards ceremony Thursday night in Naples, Fla. during the week of the CME Group Tour Championship.

The Founders Award is newly named for 2019. Formerly called the William & Mousie Powell Award, it was renamed for this year to celebrate the 13 founders of the LPGA.

Henderson told golfcanada.ca that the win was extra special since the winner of the award comes from a vote by fellow golfers on the LPGA Tour. It’s annually given to, in the opinion of her peers, someone “whose behaviour and deeds best exemplifies the spirit, ideals, and values of the LPGA.”

The nine-time LPGA Tour winner said she first found out at an LPGA Tour Players’ Meeting earlier in the year that she was one of the nominees, and said to know people were voting for her was ‘pretty crazy.’

“It means a lot,” Henderson said. “I spend so much time with these girls that it’s really a great honour to be given the Founders Award.

“To be considered in the same sentence as (the founders)… their passion and perseverance and what they did this Tour was amazing. This is really cool for me.”

Henderson has made a habit of capturing awards-by-votes in 2019.

Earlier in the year she became the first Canadian golfer to win an ESPY award (she won for ‘Best Female Golfer’) and in October she won the Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame People’s Choice Award – a new award designed to recognize ‘future Hall of Famers who are a champion of their sport and a champion for their community.’

“This year has been really crazy for the awards. I didn’t expect any of them,” Henderson said, flashing her recognizable smile. “To get them is just amazing. I’m honoured, humbled… and it’s just an amazing feeling.”

 

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A champion both on and off the #golf course ???⁣ ⁣ @BrookeHendersonGolf was named the 2019 recipient of the Founders Award, given to the player “whose behaviour and deeds best exemplifies the spirit, ideals and values of the #LPGA” #DriveOn

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Henderson, who sat at a table with Lexi Thompson and executives from Rolex at the awards dinner, has won twice in 2019. Her victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic was the ninth in her young career. Win no. 9 gave her more than any other Canadian in the history of the LPGA or PGA Tour.

“This award that Brooke got is maybe one of the most special ones because it’s voted on by her peers and we’re so impressed and thrilled for Brooke to be recognized. We know how special she is,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “For all of her peers on the LPGA Tour to give her this award is phenomenal. It’s great for herself and her family and for all of Canadian golf.”

The native of Smiths Falls, Ont. has become a driving force for young golfers across the country – but even this week in Florida there are plenty of girls dressing with a visor and ponytail like Henderson walking outside the ropes – and she said being able to play in front of Canadians no matter where she goes makes her even more grateful for the support.

Henderson said she’s recognized her role and is happy to have an opportunity to be an inspiration both on the golf course with her record-breaking play, and off the course as well, as someone people can look up to.

“I’m always trying to become a better golfer, but I’m always trying to become a better person every day, too,” said Henderson. “When you work hard and are focused on achieving some goals, good things happen. This year is definitely proof of that.”

2019 CP Women’s Open winner Jin Young Ko was the night’s big winner, as she took home the Rolex Annika Major Award, and Rolex Player of the Year. With just three rounds left in the LPGA Tour season, she has nearly wrapped up the Vare Trophy (for lowest scoring average) as well.

Henderson sits T5 after the first round of the CME Group Tour Championship.

Brooke Henderson added to her impressive collection of awards on Wednesday, receiving the inaugural People’s Choice Award from Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

The award was created to “Recognize future Hall of Famers who are a champion of their sport and a champion for their community.”

The 22-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., had another stellar campaign on the LPGA Tour, capturing her record ninth title at the Meijer LPGA Classic, becoming the winningest Canadian golfer in history on either the LPGA or PGA Tours.

Henderson is a strong advocate for charity and community involvement, playing a large role as an ambassador for Canadian Pacific and the CP Has Heart campaign. At the 2019 CP Women’s Open in Aurora, Ont., she helped celebrate raising $2.2 million for SickKids Foundation. She also participated in numerous clinics and charity outings throughout the year.

Her list of recognitions also include the Canadian Press Female Athlete of the Year in 2015, 2017 and 2018. She also took home the honours for 2019 ESPY award for Best Female Golfer.

SHANGHAI – Jessica Korda shot a 6-under 66 in the third round, with eight birdies and two bogeys, to take a one-shot lead at the Buick LPGA Shanghai on Saturday.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit with my swing, so I’ve been working on it every day. It’s slowly starting to kind of take its groove,” the 26-year-old American said. “And then just making some putts.”

Korda, who has a 15-under total of 201, is making her first start since the Solheim Cup, where she went 3-0-1 last month in Scotland in the United States’ loss to Europe. She has three LPGA Tour victories in Asia.

Defending champion Danielle Kang is in second place after a 66 at Qizhong Garden in the first of four straight events in Asia. The American had bogeys on her first two holes to fall behind by four strokes, but played bogey-free the rest of the way, including six birdies and an eagle on the par-5 17th.

Second round leader Brooke Henderson (73) dropped back to third place. The 22-year-old Canadian, a two-time winner this season, fell behind early but recovered with an eagle on the par-4 10th. Henderson had a double bogey on the 18th to finish five strokes back.

Hit it ?️‍♀️
Spin it ?
Drain it ?

What an eagle from @BrookeHenderson‼️@GolfChannel | @BuickLpga #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/Ik1a3JWiWB

— LPGA (@LPGA) October 19, 2019

Nasa Hataoka and Kristen Gillman are tied for fourth at 9 under, followed by Sei Young Kim and Angel Yin at 8 under.

SHANGHAI – Brooke Henderson had a hole-in-one and shot a tournament record 8-under 64 to take the lead in the second round of the Buick LPGA Shanghai on Friday.

The Canadian hit her ace on the 144-yard second hole. She followed that with a bogey, but then birdied four more holes on the front nine, finishing her round at 11-under 133 total.

“I didn’t see it at all, and then Olly (Brett), one of the caddies in our group (for Danielle Kang), turned and said, ‘That went in,”’ said Henderson, who added it was her seventh career hole-in-one. “We were like ‘What? Really?’ That was pretty cool. It definitely got my day started in the right direction.”

Jessica Korda (67) was two strokes behind in second, followed by defending champion Danielle Kang (67) in third.

Kang holed a 30-yard eagle on the ninth.

“I definitely know that birdies are out there and it’s a pretty tough golf course. It’s not easy to shoot low,” Kang said. “There were a lot of good scores out there today and I know how well these girls can play, so I just got to keep chipping away and keep on trying to make those birdies and see what happens at the end.”

Henderson has won twice this year, at the Meijer LPGA Classic in June and the LOTTE Championship in April.

Nasa Hataoka and Amy Yang, who shared the lead after the first round, dropped back. Yang (71) is tied for fourth alongside Marina Alex (67), while Hataoka (73) is tied for ninth.

Top-ranked Jin Young Ko, who is coming off a victory on the Korean LPGA Tour last week, shot a 70 to finish tied for 21st.

Brooke Henderson’s victory in June at the Meijer LPGA Classic will be part of a lasting legacy for the young golfer from Smith Falls, Ont. It was her ninth LPGA Tour victory and gave her the distinction of having the most victories of any Canadian PGA or LPGA golfer in history.

At only 21 years of age, Henderson seems poised to add many more titles to that record setting total.

“I see a lot more victories to come for Brooke, I don’t see her slowing down,” said her fellow CP Has Heart ambassador Lorie Kane at the CP Women’s Open media day in early July.

“She’s got length and she’s got touch when her putters on, and she’s got mental toughness. All those thing make her tough to beat,” added the four time LPGA Tour winner about Henderson.

“She’s definitely in a class all her own; and what I would like to see is that she has a goal to win as many tournaments as she possibly can until the day she decides she doesn’t want to play any more.”

Henderson’s next opportunity to add to her history making total comes at the Magna Golf Club as she looks to defend her 2018 CP Women’s Open crown.

“Going into a tournament that you’ve won before, you have so many amazing memories and it just gives you an extra bit of excitement and motivation going into that week.  Portland was extremely special for me because that was my first LPGA Tour win and to be able to go back and repeat it was really awesome,” said Henderson.

“Coming into this event, I’m just trying to remember all those great memories and trying to think about all the energy the fans had for me last year,” added the former National Team Program member, who became the first Canadian to win on home soil since Jocelyne Bourassa did it in 1973.

While she is an inspiration to many across the country because of her success, Henderson says she drew inspiration from a fellow former National Team Program alum earlier this year.

“Watching Corey Conners win earlier this year was really exciting for me and it kind of put my mind in the correct mindset that I can win too,” noted Henderson.

Conners recorded his first career win on the PGA Tour by claiming the Valero Texas Open in early April.  By winning the tournament, it meant Conners wouldn’t have to worry about competing in Monday qualifiers as it gave him his full PGA Tour card through to the end of 2020-21 season.

“I had a couple of top 10s earlier this year but I wasn’t really doing too much and I watched him win and I was like ‘I think it’s time for me to start doing more of that.’ And it kind of put me into gear,” Henderson continued.

“So I think it’s really cool that we can all cheer on each other and the Canadians on all the tours can just push each other to improve and get better.”

Two weeks after Conners’ life changing victory, Henderson recorded her eighth LPGA victory as she won the Lotte Championship in Kapolei, Hawaii.  The victory allowed Henderson to defend her 2018 victory in Hawaii and put her in a tie with Sandra Post, Mike Weir and George Knudson for most victories by a Canadian professional golfer.

Then of course in mid June, the 21-year-old would break the record by winning the Meijer LPGA Classic at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids.

As she reflects on the big victory, Henderson says she was inspired by the success of the Toronto Raptors.

“It was so exciting watching them play. My family was watching the playoffs and we were cheering them on every single game and it was fun for us to see how well they were doing,” said Henderson.

“They’re just a remarkable team that did something incredible for all of Canada. It was right before my victory that they won the NBA Championship and I just wanted to keep the excitement going. So to get my ninth LPGA win following that was just really special.”

Henderson received a lot of support following her history making victory.  Among those reaching out were Prime Minister Trudeau as he took to Twitter to congratulate the 21-year-old.  She also received a congratulatory text from Wayne Gretzky.

And just last month, Henderson was recognized by ESPN with an ESPY for best female golfer.

“I’ve been so fortunate in this game of golf to have made so many contacts around and made friendships. And I’m grateful for all support I’ve received,” said Henderson.

Looking at the big picture, Henderson understands that the lasting legacy she’s created through her success on the golf course and her increasing popularity has given her a platform to help others – and it’s a big reason why she’s happy to be an ambassador for CP Has Heart.

“I’m so proud and honoured to be a CP ambassador.  And I know CP Has Heart has made a lot of progress in heart health and to be a small part of CP Has Heart and the great work that they do to help people, children, families to feel better and be healthy is truly incredible,” Henderson pointed out.

“I’m fortunate that I can be part of it with Lorie again this year and hopefully we raise a ton of money at the CP Women’s Open and impact a lot more lives.”

This year CP Has Heart has the goal of raising $1.75 million during the CP Women’s Open. The funds raised will go towards renovating a Cardiac Operating Suite at SickKids. In addition, CP also plans to support the tournament host community in 2019 with a donation of $250,000 to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont. to support paediatric cardiac care.

In the five years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $8.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in Canada.

Having been a CP ambassador during those five years, Kane is very pleased to have Henderson on board.

“We couldn’t have a better partner at CP than Brooke and all the success she’s having on the golf course just helps to bring more attention to the important work done through CP Has Heart,” said Kane about Henderson who joined CP as an ambassador in 2017.

“Brooke is taking on the responsibility of doing what she needs to do and that is being a super special individual playing a game that is encouraging young people to keep playing.”

With 156 of the best golfers in the world vying to be the 2019 CP Women’s Open champion at the Magna Golf Club, Henderson will be facing stiff competition in her quest to defend her title.

Still the 21-year-old says she’s up for the challenge – and expects the passionate Canadian fans in Aurora, Ont. could give her that edge she needs to add to her recording breaking total.

“This year – especially being closer to home for me – I’m expecting great crowds,” said Henderson.

“Hopefully, I can feed of them and use their energy and put myself in a position where on the weekend I can make a charge and hoist that trophy again.”

MILTON KEYNES, England – Hinako Shibuno of Japan finished with a birdie to win the Women’s British Open by one shot over Lizette Salas as she wrapped up a stunning major championship debut on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Shibuno, a rookie on the Japan LPGA Tour who was making her LPGA Tour debut, birdied five of the final nine holes in a 4-under 68 and 18-under 270 overall.

Largely unknown before the championship, Shibuno – nicknamed “Smiling Cinderella” – started Sunday with a two-stroke lead but lost it with a double bogey on the par-4 3rd. She bounced back with birdies on Nos. 5 and 7 before a bogey on the 8th at Woburn Golf Club.

But in three of four rounds, Shibuno has shone on the back nine. She did it in 31 on Sunday – and just 30 on Thursday and Saturday.

“She just gets up and rips it. She did really great,” rival Ashleigh Buhai said about Shibuno.

Brooke Henderson (72) of Smiths Falls, Ont., tied for 41st.

Salas, who started the final round tied for fourth, quickly played herself into contention with three birdies in the first four holes, and she added five more in a 7-under 65.

But the American will regret not taking another birdie chance on the 18th when she shared the lead with Shibuno.

“I told myself, ‘You got this. You’re made for this.’ I put a good stroke on it. I’m not going to lie, I was nervous,” Salas said after her best finish at a major. “You know, I haven’t been in that position in a long time. Gave it a good stroke. I controlled all my thoughts. It just didn’t drop.”

Jin Young Ko, who was seeking her third major title of the year after winning the Evian Championship last week, was two shots back in third after a bogey-free 66.

“I had a little pressure, but I like that pressure,” Ko said.

Morgan Pressel (67) finished fourth at 15 under, just ahead of Buhai (70), whose hopes were dented Saturday when she let a five-shot lead slip. The 30-year-old South African finished fifth at 14 under.

“If you had given me a top five at the beginning of the week, I most certainly would have taken it,” Buhai said.

Also, Celine Boutier shot a 66 to finish the tournament at 12 under, followed by Carlota Ciganda (70) at 11 under and second-ranked Sung Hyun Park (73) at 10 under.

American Nelly Korda (68) tied for ninth with Jeongeun Lee (71) at 9 under, two shots ahead of Lexi Thompson (67).

Defending champion Georgia Hall (73) tied for 35th.

Full results can be found here.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Cresting a wave of South Koreans atop the Evian Championship leaderboard Saturday, Hyo Joo Kim fired a third-round 65 to move one shot clear on 15-under 198.

Kim’s latest impressive round of majors golf did not quite match her very first – a record 61 here as a teenager five years ago when she took the title in her elite debut.

Top-ranked Sung Hyun Park closed the gap in second by making a birdie on the par-5 18th for a 5-under 66 on the hillside course overlooking Lake Geneva.

Four shots back in a tie for third place were seven-time major winner Inbee Park (69) and Jin Young Ko (66), the world No. 2 who won the season’s first major, the ANA Inspiration, in April.

“I really think this golf course suits Korean players because all the golf courses in Korea are built in the mountain,” Inbee Park said. “We are really used to the undulations and the lies that we get.”

Play started early in cooler conditions and finished at 2:15 p.m. local time (1215 GMT) just as a forecast stormy downpour dumped rain on Evian Resort Golf Club.

Sunday’s forecast calls for persistent rain and a temperature drop of about 16 Celsius (30 degrees F) from the opening round heatwave on Thursday.

Evian has not escaped some fall-like weather despite switching back to July. The $4.1 million tournament was played in September since being elevated to majors status for the 2013 edition.

“I think I’m familiar with the course conditions when it has rained,” Sung Hyun Park said through a translator. She planned to stay dry later Saturday and “just lie on my bed and read comics.”

Four South Koreans were tied for the lead at 10 under after the leading group played the 8th, where Lee’s 3-foot par putt roll around the lip and came back toward her.

After Sung Hyun Park moved clear at 12 under by holing her bunker shot for eagle at the par-5 ninth, Kim made a birdie to close within one shot and then picked up shots at Nos. 13 and 14 to lead outright.

Park drew level with a birdie at the par-5 15th, then fell back when only Kim made a four-footer for birdie that both had at the par-3 16th.

Four players are at 8 under included former top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn, whose 64 tied the lowest round of the week.

Also in that group were the best-placed Americans, Megan Khang (67) and tour rookie Jennifer Kupcho.

Kupcho, the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner in April, made eagle-3 at the 7th reaching the turn in 32 strokes, but needed a birdie on No. 18 to card 69.

Brooke Henderson (68) of Smiths Falls, Ont., was tied for 27th at 3 under. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (79) is tied for 69th at 7 over.

The Jutanugarn sisters from Thailand both made big moves up the leaderboard.

Ariya Jutanugarn cited the softer greens, after heavy overnight rain, for helping her on a course where her best finish is tied for ninth.

“I feel like it never fits my game because it is so narrow, and so tight,” said Jutanugarn, who has been world No. 1 in parts of each season starting in 2017.

Moriya Jutanugarn’s 66 lifted her to 7 under, one behind her younger sister.

Evian begins back-to-back Sundays deciding major titles. The British Women’s Open starts Thursday at Woburn, England.

Full scoring can be found here.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – Taking advantage of an earlier start time to get ahead of bad weather, Mi Hyang Lee surged to a 4-under 67 on Friday to take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Evian Championship.

The 37th-ranked Lee was at even through 15 holes on the day before a birdie-birdie-eagle finish in the best of still conditions. Her clubhouse target of 10-under 132 only got tougher as threatened lightning strikes forced a delay and the heat was swept away by gusting winds.

Top-ranked Sung Hyun Park, also playing early, plus seven-time major winner Inbee Park and Hyo Joo Kim, thriving after a suspension that lasted 1 hour, 5 minutes, were one shot back.

Lee cited good fortune in leading the newest women’s major at the midway point.

“I think I missed a lot of the green today, but was trying to think simple,” said Lee, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour. “I had a little luck also.”

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was at 1 under for the tournament after a 1-under 70 on Friday. Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was even following a 70 in the second round.

Sung Hyun Park shot a bogey-free 5-under 66 but wasted a chance to lead. She three-putted the 18th for the second straight day.

“I knew I had to score low for the first and second rounds, so I was a little aggressive,” Park said through a translator, noting a forecast calling for rain through the weekend.

The late-afternoon delay disrupted first-round leader Paula Creamer, who was 9 under after making birdie on the 12th. Shortly thereafter, storm clouds moved on Evian Resort Golf Club.

Creamer returned on the 13th green and missed a 6-foot putt for her first bogey of the tournament. She dropped shots on Nos. 14 and 15 as the wind whipped up, then made a triple-bogey 6 after finding water at the par-3 16th.

Another bogey at No. 17 left Creamer seven shots worse off since the stoppage – giving back all she gained in a 64 during Thursday’s heat wave. Her 76 left her tied for 25th at 2 under.

“Unfortunately, this time it got me,” the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open champion said of the weather delay. “I was playing great, really consistent.”

Playing partners Inbee Park and Kim coped better, and Park credited the steep drop in temperature with helping her make three late birdies in a round of 68.

“Maybe I needed a break because of the heat,” she said, though the changing wind direction made judging distances tough. “We were definitely on the wrong side of the draw.”

Former No. 1 Shanshan Feng (66) was alone in fifth at 7 under. Feng, who won her only major at the 2012 LPGA Championship, missed the cut at the three previous majors this season.

“Finally get to see me on the weekend at a major,” Feng said.

A group at 6 under included Caroline Hedwall of Sweden, who also shot 64, and Americans Jennifer Kupcho and Amy Olson. Kupcho won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and has since turned professional.

Last year at Evian, Olson led for most of the weekend and was still one shot clear on the 18th tee, but she closed with a double bogey and finished one shot behind Angela Stanford. It was her career-best result in a major.

“A little bit of mixed feelings,” Olson said about being back at Evian. “Obviously I played well last year. I’m not going to say it still doesn’t hurt.”

Stanford relinquished her title after a 74 left her at 8-over 150, six strokes outside the cut line.

The highest-ranked American, No. 3 Lexi Thompson, shot 72 to finish at 7 over and was unhappy with the condition of the course and the way she felt good tee shots were punished.

“I’m actually very thankful that I don’t have to put myself thru that for another two days,” Thompson wrote on Instagram . “You’re a beautiful place Evian but that’s just too many bad breaks with good shots for me, so bye.”

That left the weekend free to prepare for the Women’s British Open, the year’s final major that begins Thursday in Woburn, England.

No U.S. player has won a major this season. Americans have taken home at least one of the five major titles each year since the Evian tournament was raised in status for the 2013 edition.

Organizers brought tee times forward Saturday for the second straight day.

Full scoring can be found here.

MIDLAND, Mich. – Cydney Clanton and Jasmine Suwannapura ran away with the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational on Saturday, shooting an 11-under 59 in best-ball play for a six-stroke victory.

Clanton and Suwannapura took a five-shot lead into the final round after shooting an alternate-shot 63 on Friday at Midland Country Club in the LPGA Tour’s first-year team event. They finished at 27-under 253.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Suwannapura said. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”

Suwannapura won her second tour title, and Clanton her first.

Clanton earned spots the next two weeks in the Evian Championship and Women’s British Open. The first Auburn University player to win on the tour, she began the season without a full LPGA Tour card after finishing $8 out of the top 100 on the 2018 money list. Clanton has split time this year on the LPGA Tour and developmental Symetra Tour, winning the Symetra Tour’s El Dorado Shootout in April.

“I couldn’t even dream up to have won a Symetra event earlier this year and then to come out and win with Jasmine,” Clanton said. “It’s so funny, this is the tournament that I wanted to come and play in. I was like, ‘Team event, I’m in, let’s go.’ So, I’m blessed for the opportunity, I’m blessed that Jasmine came and let me come play with her.”

Jin Young Ko and Minjee Lee closed with a 58 to finish second.

“We both played better than we did the last time we played four-balls,” Lee said. “We just had a better rhythm out there. I think we just fed off each other. Jin Young had so many birdies today, so I just tried to keep up pretty much.”

“I’ve had full status before, but it will allow for me to kind of sit back and relax a little bit and kind of set my own schedule,” Clanton said. “I think it’s just going to free me up because it’s been something that I’ve been working on. I guess I was quite down for the first couple years.”

Suwannapura, from Thailand, also won the Marathon Classic last year.

Clanton and Suwannapura each bogeyed the first hole, then each had eight birdies.

“Actually, felt pretty good on the first tee,” Clanton said. “Didn’t hit a great shot into the green, but I’m not going to lie, the majority of my rounds start with bogeys. So I told Jasmine, I was like, ‘Dude, we’re ready. We’re ready to go. We got it out of the way. we’ll go low.”’

Sisters Ariya Jutanugarn and Moriya Jutanugarn tied for third with Na Yeon Choi and Jenny Shin at 20 under. They each shot 61.

“So much fun,” Ariya Jutanugarn said. “Need to be patient with alternate shot, but also even best ball we still have to be patient because we feel like you going to make birdie hole after hole, but it’s not going to happen.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp were fifth at 19 under after a 9-under 61 round. Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee and Australian partner Robyn Choi shot a 6-under 64 to finish 36th at 6 under.

Full scoring can be found here.