CALGARY, Alberta — Mao Saigo emerged from the wildfire-fed smoky haze Saturday at Earl Gray Golf Membership with the bottom spherical in CPKC Girls’s Open historical past. 5 hours later, Haeran Ryu and Lauren Coughlin discovered themselves nicely away from the remainder of the sector.
Profiting from calmer situations after two windy days, Saigo shot an 11-under 61 to leap from a tie for forty sixth to a tie for third — 5 strokes behind Ryu and 4 again of Coughlin on the tree-lined course with thick tough and small greens.
“I am very pleased with myself as a result of that was one of the best spherical most likely since I began taking part in golf,” Saigo mentioned via an interpreter. “The wind wasn’t blowing a lot, so I used to be making an attempt to make birdies on par-5s and attempt to hold my strengths with my iron photographs.”
The 22-year-old Japanese participant — an LPGA Tour rookie after successful six instances on the JLPGA — holed out from 133 yards for eagle with a pitching wedge on the par-4 tenth.
“I used to be in a position to really feel the power from the followers and that helped me play nicely,” Saigo mentioned.
She broke the event document of 62 set by Track Hee-Kim in 2009 at close by Priddis Greens and matched by Mo Martin in 2018 at Wascana in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Paula Reto and Lindy Duncan in 2022 at Ottawa Hunt.
“I by no means set goal rating and I all the time attempt to hit one of the best shot every time,” Saigo mentioned. “So, right now I stored the identical perspective, and that add as much as right now’s rating.”
Ryu shot a 64 to get to 13-under 203, making a 20-foot eagle putt on the par-4 14th.
The 23-year-old South Korean participant birdied the primary 4 holes and 5 of the primary six. She added a birdie on No. 10, bogeyed the par-4 twelfth and rebounded with a birdie on 13.
“[Saigo] has a loopy day,” Ryu mentioned. “However I began 5 holes and 5 underneath, so I am loopy, too, I believe. It is humorous right now.”
Second final week in Ohio within the Dana Open, Ryu gained the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship final 12 months for her first LPGA Tour title.
“Final 12 months is simply final 12 months. Final week is simply final week,” Ryu mentioned. “I simply take into consideration now and future.”
Coughlin, the chief after every of the primary two rounds, shot 66. Winless on the LPGA Tour, the 31-year-old former College of Virginia participant is coming off a fourth-place end two weeks in the past in France within the main Evian Champions.
“Hung in there for positive,” Coughlin mentioned. “[Ryu] was making all the pieces there to start out, so I used to be simply making an attempt to remain in my very own bubble and never get too into what she was doing.”
Rose Zhang shot 66 to affix Saigo at 8 underneath. Jennifer Kupcho was 7 underneath after a 68, and second-ranked Lilia Vu (69) and Hannah Inexperienced (71) have been 6 underneath.
“I felt like right now was kind of a neater day as a result of much less wind and a few moved up tees,” Vu mentioned. “However I did not drive the ball nicely.”
Three-time champion Lydia Ko was 3 underneath after a 72. She gained as an beginner in 2012 at age 15, efficiently defended her title as an beginner in 2013 and gained as an expert in 2015.
Canadian star Brooke Henderson, the 2018 winner, was tied for 18th at 2 underneath after a 69. On Friday, she bogeyed the ultimate 4 holes in a 73.
“That is nonetheless a troublesome golf course,” Henderson mentioned. “Although the wind was down, you continue to have to select your manner round and there are higher misses than different misses.”
