PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Brittany Lincicome and Lexi Thompson led a U.S. Solheim Cup breakaway Friday in the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Pure Silk Bahamas Classic.

Lincicome shot an 8-under 65 to reach 17-under 129 at Ocean Club Golf Course, and Thompson had a career-best 61 to pull within a stroke.

“The way it’s been going the last two days, the putter has been making everything, which is obviously really fun. If I can keep that up, then it could be good on Sunday,” Lincicome said. “I’m just playing well, and still made everything today. Putter is on point right now and it’s exciting to see.”

Thompson was asked about the possibility of shooting 59.

“I thought about it, but I just wanted to keep on playing my own game and see where it goes,” Thompson said. “I was just pin-seeking the whole day. I was just trying to stay with my routine and have good tempo with my golf swing. That’s just all I’ve been working on.”

Lincicome broke the tournament 36-hole mark, and Thompson shattered the course record of 64 that Lincicome set Thursday. Lincicome had a hole-in-one on the par-3 12th, using a 7-iron from 161 yards.

“When it went in I was like, ‘Do I jump up and down or do I just wave my arms?’ There are so many thoughts that went through my head, but obviously it’s pretty fun,” Lincicome said. “I didn’t feel like I hit the greatest shot, but got away with it and pretty impressive.”

Gerina Piller was third at 14 under after a 65, and Stacy Lewis completed the Solheim Cup quartette at 13 under. Lewis had a 67.

“I’ve really been focusing on trusting my line and trusting my speed, trusting my stroke,” Piller said. “I feel like in my golf game, the long game tee to green I’m a feel player and it seems like my tendency to get on the greens, I kind of lock down and kind of get very mechanical. So really just focusing on really trusting what I have and trusting the line, speed that I choose.”

P.K. Kongkraphan and Megan Khang each shot 69 to reach 11 under. Canadian star Brooke Henderson (65) was 10 under along with Xi Yu Lin (67) and Austin Ernst (68).

U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster made the cut, following an opening 70 with a 72. She’s starting her 35th season on the LPGA Tour

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn advanced to the weekend on the number with rounds of 75 and 69.

She won five times last season and took the LPGA Tour player of the year award.

Michelle Wie dropped out, shooting 73-74.

VAUGHAN, Ont. – Golf Town, Canada’s number one destination for golf gear, apparel and services, has announced today a three year endorsement deal with LPGA Canadian professional golfer Brooke Henderson. The 19 year old, now ranked No. 8 in the world, quickly rose to prominence in 2016 with fifteen top 10 finishes, and three LPGA Tour victories including her first major; the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

“I’m so excited to be able to partner with Golf Town and act as an ambassador for them both on and off the course,” said Brooke Henderson. “Growing up, my family would always stop at Golf Town’s around the country to pick up golf gear when I played in junior tournaments, so it will be really fun to head back there as a professional.  We have some great customer events and in-store visits planned and I’m very thankful for the partnership!”

The agreement includes intellectual property rights, Golf Town branding on Henderson’s touring bag, in-store appearances as well as digital and social media content.

“We are excited to partner with one of the most iconic Canadian golfers,” said Chad McKinnon, President of Golf Town. “Our partnership is based on shared values; inspiring more young Canadians to get into the game. Brooke is our first sponsored athlete and there is a reason behind this. While Brooke is a very committed athlete, she’s accessible, refreshing, and connects emotionally with a younger audience. Working closely with Brooke will support our brand transformation and grow the game of golf in Canada.”

This announcement is the first in a series to come from Golf Town, which has recently come under new ownership and management and is strategically rebuilding its presence in Canada.

Here’s the new logo on the bag as well! #readyfor2017 pic.twitter.com/LFsPBiRLUO

— Brooke Henderson (@BrookeHenderson) January 24, 2017

Taiwan was Brooke Henderson’s favourite destination on the LPGA Tour this year. Playing in the Olympics, winning US$1.7 million in prize money and capturing her first major were pretty cool, too.

The 19-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., packed more into one season than some golfers experience over an entire career.

Back home this month for a well-deserved holiday break, Henderson told The Canadian Press she feels more mature as she reaches the end of her remarkable year.

“This year gave me a lot of experiences that added a lot of value to who am I am as a person, and what I am on the LPGA Tour,” she said in a recent interview. “I’m happy to come home, and I remember where it all began with my family and friends. But at the end of the day I’m just building a better me.”

Henderson was the LPGA’s Ironwoman in 2016, playing a tour-high 31 events, peaking at No. 2 on the world rankings before finishing eighth. Add to that the Rio Olympics and sponsor commitments and the young Canadian didn’t have much time for herself on her first full season on the women’s pro circuit. But she believes the gruelling schedule has prepared her for the future.

“Where the tournaments were, what the courses were like, what the fans were like, the atmosphere, the communities around the tournaments, and the travelling – like how to get from one city to another and if it was easy or not – were all really important things to learn,” she said. “Now that I’ve done it, I feel almost like a veteran, where next year is going to be a lot easier.”

Henderson won two titles in 2016, including the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, her first career major. She added 15 top-10 finishes and was just two shots out of the bronze medal position at the Olympics.

While many marvel at the teen’s poise and maturity, Henderson’s inexperience did come to the forefront on occasion. In Rio, she left the golf course in tears after shooting 4-over on the final six holes of the third round, a collapse that included a four-putt on the 16th hole.

“Golf is a very tough game and like anything in life there is going to be disappointments where you wish you had played a little bit better or made smarter decisions, but that’s just where you have to learn from it and move in,” said Henderson. “When something really exciting happens – like having my major win or my other win this year – you really have to embrace them and celebrate because they’re hard to come by.”

Henderson will remain involved with Golf Canada’s program next year, although she said she would work with Canadian head coach Tristan Mullally a “little bit” as her father Dave is her “number one guy.”

“I definitely would like to get stronger and hit the ball a little further and work on my consistency overall,” she said of her off-season plans. “I think that’s the big one. And short game. That’s always been something I’ve worked on especially the last few years.”

She will also continue to have her older sister Brittany, a professional golfer in her own right, as her caddy.

“We really make a great team and we know each other really well, which helps us on and off the course,” she said. “There’s always little things that every caddy/player have to figure out, but for the most part I really feel we work great together. I’m really looking forward to next year and hopefully the years after that too.”

The LPGA Tour features two events in Canada in 2017 with the Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge, Ont., set for June 5-11 and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open scheduled for Aug. 21-27 in Ottawa.

The CP Women’s Open is already circled on Henderson’s calendar as the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club is playing host. The course gave Henderson an honorary membership this year.

“I’m already looking forward to that week of the season and hopefully I peak that week,” said Henderson. “Being a member of the Ottawa Hunt Club and having it so close to where I grew up, celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary in the capital, it’s going to be really amazing.”

After getting so close to the top in her first full LPGA season, Henderson admitted she’s more motivated than ever to get to No. 1.

“I know there’s a lot of hard work ahead of me,” she said. “I’ll set smaller goals on my way to that, but I think that’s ultimately the end goal for any person playing on the LPGA Tour.”

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Ha Na Jang held off Shanshan Feng by a stroke in wind and rain Sunday in the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship for her third victory of the year.

Eight strokes ahead of Feng after a birdie on the sixth hole, the 24-year-old South Korean player bogeyed two of the next three holes and scrambled to par the final nine for a 1-under 71.

Feng finished with a 66. The Chinese star chipped in for birdie from 35 feet on the par-4 15th to pull within two strokes, and nearly holed a bunker shot for eagle on the par-5 18th.

Jang then lagged her 15-foot birdie putt to inches, and danced on the green after tapping in.

Brooke Henderson, a 19-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., birdied the last two holes for a 70 to tie for third with South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim (69) at 10 under. Taiwan’s Candie Kung (69), South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace (71) and South Korea’s Hee Young Park (72) were another stroke back.

“I was like nervous every hole,” Jang said. “Shanshan really good play today. That’s why I got very nervous. And then I’m just simple every hole because weather is just so bad. And then just keep going the fairway and the green.”

She kept the celebration short after drawing criticism in South Korea for her flamboyant victory celebrations – a “Samurai Lasso” routine in Florida in February and a “Beyonce Single Ladies” dance in Singapore in March. Also, before the Singapore event, Jang’s father dropped a hard-case suitcase that tumbled down an airport escalator and injured rival player In Gee Chun.

“After Singapore’s not really good happening. That’s why little, small dancing,” Jang said. “Yesterday my agent and all the people text me say just try small celebration. Please just you try it. That’s why I got try a little more small one. But I think it’s really good. Celebration is a little small, but looks like a little bigger. It’s like dancing like, ‘I like it. I like it.’ Like that. So happy.”

Jang finished at 17-under 271. She set up some key par saves with sharp play around the greens, hitting to inches on 14 after striking the pin, to a foot on 15 after Feng holed out, and to 2 feet on 16 and 17.

“Really solid chipping,” Jang said. “My chipping is pretty good first time my life. That’s why every par is good score, because raining so bad. So that’s these why every hole is par. … My first win weather is rainy, exactly same. I like it raining on the golf course.”

Jang shot a 62 on Saturday to take a six-stroke lead over Feng into the final round. The 62 was the lowest score in her LPGA Tour career and matched the best round in the three years at Miramar.

The South Korean player earned $300,000 to jump from 12th to seventh in the money list with $1,199,719. She’s projected to go from 12th to eighth in the world ranking.

Feng had her third straight top-four finish. The Olympic bronze medallist was fourth in the Evian Championship and tied for fourth last week in China in the Asian Swing opener.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot a 70 to tie for 20th at 3 under. She won by nine strokes last year at Miramar.

The tour will be in South Korea next week, then visit China, Malaysia and Japan.

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Ha Na Jang shot a 10-under 62 in calmer conditions Saturday at rainy Miramar to take a six-stroke lead in the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship.

Chasing her third victory of the year, the 24-year-old South Korean player hit a 30-yard flop shot to a foot in steady rain on the par-5 18th for her 10th birdie of the day.

“Really surprised my play because weather so bad on the back nine,” Jang said. “But just be patient every hole. Just simple my thinking. Just thinking hitting the flag and hitting the fairway.”

Brooke Henderson, a 19-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., shot 69 and goes into the final round tied for fourth at 8 under.

After shooting a 69 in high wind and early rain Friday for a share of the lead with fellow South Korean player Hee Young Park, Jang had her lowest score in her two-year LPGA Tour career and matched the best round in the three years the event has been played at Miramar.

“I want keep this, my scorecard,” Jang said. “Always I want inside my pocket.”

South Korea’s Inbee Park set the Miramar mark in 2014 and England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff tied it earlier Saturday.

Jang birdied three of the last four holes to reach 16-under 200. She hit a wedge to four feet on 15, made a 30-foot putt on 16 and closed the bogey-free round with the tap-in on 18 after the flop that landed on a ridge and trickled down.

China’s Shanshan Feng was second after a 67, and Hee Young Park was another shot back after a 69.

“I don’t really look at leaderboards,” Feng said. “But somebody else told me Ha Na shot like 62 today. … Somebody shot 62 today. Maybe I’ll shoot 62 tomorrow. Who knows?”

Shadoff was tied for eighth at 6 under. After opening with rounds of 78 and 70, she birdied 10 of the first 15 holes and closed with three pars.

“It was getting the ball in the fairway,” Shadoff said. “The rough out here is so thick that it’s really hard to get spin from the rough. It’s tough even chipping from around the greens. So, I was just in the fairway.”

American Alison Lee also rebounded to get to 6 under, shooting 65.

Defending champion Lydia Ko was tied for 16th at 4 under after a 69. The top-ranked New Zealander won by nine strokes last year at 20 under.

Jang started fast with a wedge to three feet on No. 1 and hit another to five feet on the fifth, then holed putts of 10 feet on the sixth, eight feet from the fringe on the seventh, and 15 feet on the ninth. She chipped in for birdie from 15 feet on 11, and made a 12-footer on 12.

Jang won her first tour title in February in Florida and added her second victory three events later in Singapore.

She also drew strong criticism in South Korea for her flamboyant victory celebrations _ a “Samurai Lasso” routine in Ocala and a “Beyonce Single Ladies” dance in Singapore _ and a freak accident that sidelined rival In Gee Chun with a back injury. Before the Singapore tournament, Jang’s father dropped a hard-case suitcase that tumbled down an airport escalator and struck Chun.

She was asked about a possible victory celebration.

“I don’t want to tell nobody. Just top secret,” Jang said. “I think not much like dance or something, just little quiet celebration.”

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Hee Young Park and Ha Na Jang fought through gusty wind and early rain Friday to share the second-round lead in the LPGA Taiwan Championship, while Canada’s Brooke Henderson was a stroke back.

The South Korean players each shot their second straight 3-under 69 at Miramar.

They also each had only one bogey, Jang on the par-4 15th when she got a chip only halfway to the hole and missed a 20-footer, and Park on the par-4 16th when she drove into a bunker and came up well short of the green in two.

“This week is more like just be patient is very important, because weather is so bad and the golf condition so bad, too,” the 24-year-old Jang said. “That’s why I’m just hitting fairway, the green. Very important this week. Yep, this weather, this score.”

Smiths Falls, Ont., native Henderson (71) was a stroke back along with China’s Shanshan Feng (69), South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu (68) and South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace (70). Defending champion Lydia Ko was tied for 18th at 1 under after a 73. The top-ranked New Zealander won by nine strokes last year, and has four LPGA Tour victories this year.

Park prepared for the conditions heading into the Asian Swing.

“I expect a lot of rain, so I had practice,” the 29-year-old Park said, “It’s about just one week, but I had a lot of practice with the trajectory. Different kind of shot from the range, which is a lot of help this week also. So, that’s why I hit it a lot close today even with the wind and the rain.”

Ryu also came prepared.

“I’ve been working on having a low ball shape” Ryu said. “I’ve been practicing like low ball and high ball, so I had no problem to control the low one. Luckily, all shots worked pretty well, so I didn’t have any like major miss shots. … Only one bogey with this weather is pretty positive.”

Park and Jang each have two LPGA Tour victories. Jang won early this season Florida and Singapore, and Park won events in 2011 and 2013.

Park played the first seven holes in 4 under in the worst conditions of the round. She set up birdies with irons to 4 feet on No. 1, a foot on No. 4, and 4 feet on No. 6, ran in an 18-footer on No. 7, and saved par on No. 8 with a 20-foot putt.

“Always difficult with wind,” Park said. “I have to play every single shot really careful and more think about. Makes more tired. So hard to focusing end of the hole. That’s why I tried to.”

Jang also played well in the bad early conditions, hitting to 3 feet on the par-3 third and making another birdie on the par-5 sixth. She made an 18-footer on 10, and chipped to a foot on the par-5 12th.

“Just say, ‘Trust yourself. You great player. Just be patient. Middle of the green is fine. Two-putt is pretty good. Par score is pretty good,”’ Jang said.

The 19-year-old Henderson has two victories this year, winning the major KPMG Women’s PGA in June. She plans to play all six week on the Asian Swing, a journey that started in China with a fourth-place tie, and will take her to South Korea, back to China, and then to Malaysia and Japan.

Japan’s Sakura Yokomine , the first-round leader after a 67, had a 75 to drop into a tie for 10th at 2 under. American Paula Creamer, a stroke back entering the day, also was 2 under after a 75.

Home favourite Yani Tseng was tied for 65th at 8 over, following an opening 79 with a 73. She won the inaugural event in 2011 at Sunrise, and took the last of her 15 LPGA Tour titles in March 2012.

BEIJING – In-Kyung Kim won the Reignwood LPGA Classic on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour victory in six years, making an eagle and a birdie on the two late par 5s to lead a South Korean sweep of the top three places.

The 28-year-old Kim shot a 7-under 66 at Reignwood Pine Valley, holing a 25-foot eagle putt on the 16th and a 12-footer for birdie on the 18th for her fourth tour title and first since the 2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico. She also won a Ladies European Tour event last month in Germany.

Kim finished at 24-under 268, a stroke ahead of third-round leader Mi Jung Hur and 2014 winner Mirim Lee in the Asian Swing opener. Playing a group behind Kim in the final threesome, Hur missed a chance to force a playoff when her eagle chip from the back fringe went a foot right.

China’s Shanshan Feng, the 2013 winner in the event that wasn’t played last year, shot a 69 to tie for fourth with Canada’s Brooke Henderson (71) at 21 under.

The 19-year-old Henderson, from Smith Falls, Ont., a two-time winner this year, plans to play all six weeks in Asia, a journey that will take her to Taiwan and South Korea the next two weeks, back to China for the Blue Bay LPGA at Hainan Island, and then to Malaysia and Japan.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was even-par in the final round to finish tied for 42nd at 5-under. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp’s final round of 3-under left her 2-under for the tournament and tied for 51st.

Kim made up for a bogey on par-5 ninth – she went for the green in two and ended up short in the water – by playing the other four par 5s in 5 under. She made the eagle on 16 and birdied Nos. 6, 12 and 18. She also birdied the par-4 15th in her late run.

“Fifteen was really big, too,” Kim noted when asked about the eagle on 16.

The 5-foot-3 player was aggressive on 16 after considering laying up.

“I wasn’t sure go for it or not go for it,” Kim said. “I felt like today I really played with everything I got. I didn’t really pull back. Even No. 9, I felt was the right club. I think I managed. I played aggressively, which I had to on this golf course. And especially back nine, I knew that everybody was going to score, so I wanted to do the same thing.”

Hur birdied five of the last six for a 70 in the round delayed 1 1/2 hours at the start because of rain and lightning. She opened bogey-bogey-birdie-bogey and parred the next eight.

Lee had a 68. She had a double bogey on No. 9, then played the back nine in 6-under 31 with an eagle on the 12th and five birdies.

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn shot a 65 to tie for sixth at 18 under and take the lead from the idle Lydia Ko in the player of the year points race. The tour leader with five victories, Jutanugarn had a double bogey on the par-5 sixth, then birdied eight of the last 12 holes – with birdies on the final four par 5s. The Thai player also had a double bogey on a par 5 in a second-round 75 that took her out of contention.

Kim is the sixth South Korean winner this season and the third-oldest winner behind Anna Nordqvist (29) and Brittany Lang (30). Kim earned $310,000 to push her season total to $573,534 and is projected to jump from 42nd to 29th in the world ranking.

BEIJING – Mi Jung Hur birdied the par-5 18th hole for a 6-under 67 and a one-stroke lead over Canadian Brooke Henderson on Saturday in the Reignwood LPGA Classic.

Hur was 5 under on the back nine at Reignwood Pine Valley to take a 20-under 199 total into the final round of the Asian Swing opener. The 26-year-old South Korean player had a bogey-free round after shooting a tournament-record 63 on Friday for a share of the second-round lead with Henderson.

“On the back nine, just everything works really well,” said Hur, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour. “Front nine, I think it’s all about the putter. Didn’t work on the front nine, but works on the back nine.”

The fourth-ranked Henderson shot a 68, saving par on 18 for a bogey-free day.

“I think the winner tomorrow is going to shoot a really low score,” the 19-year-old from Smith Falls, Ont., said. “I don’t think anybody is going to run away with it, necessarily. I think it’ll be really tight right down until the end. So making lots of birdies and playing smart all the way around.”

Planning to play all six weeks in Asia, she has two victories this year, winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June for her first major and successfully defending her Cambia Portland Classic title in July.

“Five under is a solid round for me and I’m happy with that,” Henderson said. “I would’ve liked to have finished with a few more birdies. Left one on 17 and kind of gave 18 away.”

She lipped out a birdie try on 17 and hit into a bunker on 18.

“Definitely not the finish I was looking for,” Henderson said. “Kind of let them both slip away. I guess that’s what tomorrow is for. Hopefully, get a couple quick birdies and get back in.”

China’s Shanshan Feng, the bronze medallist in the Rio Olympics, had a 69 to drop three strokes back along with South Koreans Mirim Lee and In-Kyung Kim. Feng won the inaugural Reignwood LPGA in 2013 at 26 under for the second of her four tour titles. In 2012, she won the LPGA Championship to become China’s first major champion.

Lee got the spot with Hur and Henderson in the final group Sunday, shooting a 66 to match the best score of the day. Lee is the defending champion after winning the 2014 edition of the event that was not played last year.

Kim had a 68 with seven birdies and three bogeys.

“I think I manage the round pretty well,” Kim said. “It was a little bit troubling getting the target with the tee shot. Maybe they moved the tee box a little bit here and there.”

It was another five strokes back to China’s Simin Feng (67) and South Korea’s Amy Yang (70) at 12 under.

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn was tied for ninth at 10 under after a 69. The 20-year-old Thai player has a tour-high five victories and would take the player of the year points lead from idle Lydia Ko with a ninth-place finish or better.

Older sister Moriya Jutanugarn, winless on the tour, also was 10 under after a 69.

Taiwan’s Yani Tseng had her best round of the year, birdieing the final three holes for a 66 to get to 9 under. She won the last of her 15 tour titles in 2012.

Hur won LPGA Tour events in 2009 in Oregon and 2014 in Alabama, finishing at a personal-best 21 under in the second victory.

“I just want to break that record,” Hur said. “If I set my goal and focus more about that it will help me to focus. … I just want to focus on my every shot. That’s the most important thing. Like crowd here is a little bit noisy, but they’re really fine.”

Noisy?

“Like they take a photo,” Hur said. “No. No. It’s fine. You get used to it, so I don’t care.”

BEIJING – Mi Jung Hur eagled two of the last three holes Friday for a 10-under 63 and a share of the second-round lead with Canada’s Brooke Henderson in the Reignwood LPGA Classic.

Hur chipped in from 45 feet for eagle on the par-5 16th, lipped out a birdie try on the par-3 17th, and hit a 3-wood to set up a tap-in eagle on the par-5 18th. The 26-year-old South Korean player broke the tournament record of 64 in the event being played for the third time. She has two career LPGA Tour victories.

Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a second straight 66, saving par on 18 with a 6-footer to match Hur at 14-under 132 at Reignwood Pine Valley in the Asian Swing opener. The 19-year-old Canadian star, planning to play all six weeks in Asia, birdied five of the first six holes after birdieing three of the final four Thursday.

“It was an awesome day today. I felt like my start was awesome. Birdied the first 5 through 6 and felt like things were going to be a good day,” Henderson said following her round.

She made her lone bogey in two days on the par-3 seventh, and added birdies on 12, 15 and 16.

“One bogey, which kind of set me back a little bit, but then some more birdies on the back nine to get to 7-under, and 14-under par, which is really nice, especially only two days into the championship and I know I have two more days left,” added Henderson.

“I felt like today could be a good day, which is always a good feeling to have.”

Ranked fourth in the world, Henderson has two victories this year, winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June for her first major and successfully defending her Portland, Oregon, title in July.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was 8-under par after a round of 66 and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp fired even-par 73 to sit at 1-over for the tournament.

China’s Shanshan Feng was a stroke back after a 65. The bronze medallist in the Rio Olympics, Feng won the inaugural Reignwood LPGA in 2013 for the second of her four tour titles. In 2012, she won the LPGA Championship to become China’s first major champion.

In-Kyung Kim was 12 under after a 64, followed by fellow South Korean players Mirim Lee (67) at 10 under and Amy Yang (67) at 9 under.

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn, the first-round leader after a 65, had a 75 to drop into a tie for 10th at 6 under. The 20-year-old Thai player, in position to take the player of the year lead from Lydia Ko with a ninth-place finish or better, played the five par 5s in 3 over with a double bogey on No. 9 and a bogey on 12.

Jutanugarn leads the LPGA Tour with five victories. Winless entering the season, she won three straight events in May, took the major Women’s British Open in July and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in August.

Fifteen-year-old amateur Yifan Ji (68) and fellow Chinese player Simin Feng (70) also were 6 under.

After stops in Taiwan and South Korea, the tour will return to China for the Blue Bay LPGA at Hainan Island, then visit Malaysia and Japan.

BEIJING – Ariya Jutanugarn birdied the final four holes for an 8-under 65 and a one-stroke lead over Canada’s Brooke Henderson on Thursday in the Reignwood LPGA Classic.

In position to take player of the year lead from idle Lydia Ko with a ninth-place finish or better, Jutanugarn had 10 birdies and two bogeys at Reignwood Pine Valley in the first of six events in the Asian Swing.

“All the players really want to win the award like player of the year,” Jutanugarn said. “I really want to, but right now I think I’m not really worry I’m going to win. I think I just have to be like, ‘Just keep play like this and have fun on the course.”’

The 20-year-old Thai player is No. 2 in the world and leads the LPGA Tour with five victories. Winless entering the season, she won three straight events in May, took the major Women’s British Open in July and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in August.

“Feel good, because like this year the only goal I want to do is I want to win my first tournament, so I did,” Jutanugarn said. “So, after I won my first tournament on tour, I really want to win a major, and I did. So, right now just have fun and enjoy on the course.”

She’s making her first appearance in the event that was cancelled last year.

“I really enjoy it,” Jutanugarn said. “I like everything here.”

The fourth-ranked Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., birdied three of the final four holes in a bogey-free round. The 19-year-old won the major KPMG Women’s PGA in June for the first of her two victories this season. She plans to play all six events in Asia.

“I’m looking forward to being really in Asia for the first time,” Henderson said. “I’ve visited a few other times, but this will really be the true taste of a bunch of different countries and language and culture. I am really looking forward to it.”

She travels with sister/caddie Brittany Henderson.

“It’s been an awesome year so far,” Brooke said. “And to have her there caddying for me, travelling together, you know, she’s my best friend and my sister, and I really enjoy it a lot.”

Two other Canadians are in the tournament. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., opened with a 1-under 72 and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp fired a 1-over 74.

Americans Lizette Salas and Jennifer Song shot 68.

“I’m very proud of myself,” Salas said. “Even after the bogey on 16, I fought back with back-to-back birdies, I didn’t panic.”

Song worked recently with instructor Robin Symes on her ball flight.

“I felt pretty good about my shot,” Song said. “The last couple weeks I wasn’t happy with my ball trajectory, so before coming here I met my coach and worked on my swing and tried to get the normal trajectory that I want. I think that really helped me out this week.”

Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith and South Koreans Amy Yang, Mi Jung Hur and Ilhee Lee shot 69.

Chinese star Shanshan Feng topped the group at 70, holing out from the fairway with a wedge for eagle on the par-5 16th. The bronze medallist in the Rio Olympics, she won the inaugural Reignwood LPGA in 2013 at 26 under.

South Korea’s Mirim Lee, the 2014 winner, had a 72.