ROGERS, Ark. – Inbee Park had five straight early birdies and shot a 9-under 62 to take the first-round lead Friday in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

Seeking her 20th LPGA Tour victory and first since early last year, the South Korean star began the birdie run on the second hole of the round that started on No. 10. She also birdied the par-5 18th to make the turn at 6-under 29 and added three birdies on the second nine.

“It’s always great to see the ball rolling in the hole,” Park said. “I haven’t been seeing that for such a long time. For a couple of years or so I have been missing a lot of short putts. … I was just trying to be patient and trying to wait for the day that’s to come. I know I have a good feel on the putter, and it just wasn’t going in the last couple of years or so. I was really waiting for this moment and, hopefully, I can keep this going.”

Park is trying to win for the second time at Pinnacle Country Club after taking the 2013 title.

“I have played this golf course so many times, so it helps me playing through this week,” Park said. “I love playing this golf course.”

Paula Creamer, Carlota Ciganda and Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong were a stroke back.

Creamer won the last of her 10 LPGA Tour titles in 2014. She was 8 under after 12 holes, then played the final six in even par with a bogey on the par-3 sixth and birdie on the par-5 seventh.

“I hit the ball really well,” Creamer said. “I don’t think I missed one fairway today. I had 6-, 7-, 8-footers pretty much on all the holes. I made them. I was putting really well and it was kind of one of those days where I felt like I was going to hit a good shot and make the putt.”

Ciganda matched Creamer with nine birdies and a bogey.

“I really like this course,” Ciganda said. “I think you can go out there and shoot a low score. … I hit my irons really good today, my wedges and then I made some good putts. Very happy with the round.”

Ariya Jutanugarn, Annie Parkand Maria Torres shot 64.

Top-ranked Jin Young Ko opened with a 65.

Former University of Arkansas star Stacy Lewis had a 68. She won the 2014 event.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., fired a 2-under 69 to tie for 54th. Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee shot a 1-over 72 to tie for 101st and Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., was 2-over 73 to tie for 118th.

Maria Fassi, the 21-year-old Mexican player who won the NCAA title last month for the Razorbacks, opened with a 70.

“It’s very exciting to come back home now as a professional,” Fassi said. “To see my people and to see everyone who supports the Razorbacks, it’s very exciting.”

Full scoring is available here.

CHASKA, Minn. – Hannah Green never felt more nervous than standing over a 5-foot par putt Sunday at Hazeltine National with a chance to win her first major at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Neither did Karrie Webb, who won seven majors in her Hall of Fame career.

Webb watched from outside the ropes, her heart racing. It was 11 years ago in Minnesota that Webb started a scholarship program to bring young Australian amateurs to majors to spend a week with her and experience golf’s biggest events. Four years ago, Green was one of those scholarship winners.

And now she’s a major champion.

Green competed at the World Junior Girls Championship in 2014 and 2015. She finished in a tie for 14th place as an 18-year-old in 2015 at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa.

Hannah Green (right) competed at the 2015 World Junior Girls Championship in Ottawa. Four years later, she’s a major champion.

The Australian held her nerve to the end, hitting 8-iron to 15 feet for a pivotal birdie on the 16th hole, and getting up-and-down from a bunker ono the 18th hole for an even-par 72 and a one-shot victory over defending champion Sung Hyun Park.

“I can’t believe I’m in this position right now,” said Green, a 22-year-old in her second year on the LPGA Tour. “I’ve always wanted to win an event, and to win a major championship as my first is crazy.”

She became the first wire-to-wire winner of this major since Yani Tseng in 2011, and even more amazing is who she held off to claim the silver trophy. She started the final round with a one-shot lead over Ariya Jutanugarn, the most powerful player on tour and a two-time major champion. Jutanugarn didn’t make a birdie in her round of 77.

Then it was Park, another former No. 1 and two-time major winner, making an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 68 that left Green no margin for error.

Watching it all unfold was Webb, as clutch as there was in her prime, the only woman to capture the “Super Slam” of five different LPGA majors. She stayed with Green in a house all week, along with the two most recent scholarship winners – Becky Kay and Grace Kim – who were draped in Australian flags at Hazeltine.

“I feel like I won a golf tournament today I’m so excited for her,” Webb said. “You didn’t do it yourself, but you supported someone who realized that dream.”

They all charged the 18th green to celebrate with Green, spraying her with cans of beer in true Aussie fashion. It’s become a tradition on the LPGA Tour for friends to spray winners with water bottles, and Webb would not allow that to happen.

“It was Budweiser,” she said.

Green, who won three times on the Symetra Tour in 2017 to earn an LPGA Tour card, became the first Australian to win an LPGA Tour major since Webb won her last one in 2006 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

“I’m speechless,” Green said as she fought to get the words out through such strong emotions. “I was really nervous playing the last five holes.”

She finished at 9-under 279 and won $577,500.

It was hard work, even though Green never surrendered the lead on a cloudy day at Hazeltine with some light drops of rain at the end.

Green rolled in a 5-foot birdie putt on the par-5 seventh for a three-shot lead. With the group ahead still waiting to tee off, a 7-year-old girl handed her a blue sheet of paper. It was a poem she wrote to Green, along with the words, “You can win this.” Green, who had given Lily Kostner a golf ball at the ANA Inspiration this year, read the poem and hugged the girl, and then drilled another tee shot to birdie range.

“I had it in the back of my yardage book because I didn’t want it to get rained on,” Green said. “A couple times on the back nine when I was feeling nervous and had some time, I actually read it to myself.”

The nerves didn’t really leave, especially after making three bogeys in a four-hole stretch that dropped her to 8 under, a four-shot lead suddenly down to one.

Mel Reid closed with a 66 and posted at 6-under 282.

Nelly Korda was one behind until a soft bogey on the par-5 15th. Park birdied that hole to get to 7 under, and Green couldn’t afford any mistakes. It looked as if she had it wrapped up when she made a 15-foot birdie putt on the 16th, the signature hole at Hazeltine, followed by a par on the 17th.

Park wasn’t finished, however, and she hit her tee shot so hard on the 18th that it went through the corner of the rough into the fairway, setting up a tidy approach to the back pin position and one last birdie.

Green answered her final challenge with the bunker save, and the celebration was on with Webb and the two scholarship winners, Stacy Peters from Golf Australia and Jarryd Fenton, her boyfriend who plays on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

“I always wanted to win in front of an Aussie crowd,” Green said. “That’s what it was like today. I’m over the moon.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., closed with a 70 to finish 2-over while Hamilton’s Alena Sharp had a 72 to come in at 6-over.

Korda (71) and Reid tied for third, while Lizette Salas (72) and Danielle Kang (70) were four shots behind. The surprise was Jutanugarn, who started the final round one shot behind on a course that measured nearly 6,800 yards, perfect for her power. She tied for 10th.

Green becomes the 11th player to win the last 11 majors on the LPGA Tour, a sign of growing parity. She also is the third winner in the last five LPGA majors who had never won on the LPGA Tour….

CHASKA, Minn. – Hannah Green made it through her first taste of the big stage on the LPGA Tour by holding a lead on the weekend at a major championship and playing alongside powerful Ariya Jutanugarn, a two-time major champion and former No. 1 in the world.

She made it through just fine. She only wishes the one-shot lead could have been a little bigger.

Green matched pars and birdies with Jutanugarn for seven straight holes and was on the verge of building a four-shot lead when she stood over a 6-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole. She missed the putt, and two holes later she walked off Hazeltine National with a 2-under 70 and a one-shot lead in the KPGA Women’s PGA Championship.

Jutanugarn birdied the 17th and Green three-putted from long range on the 18th for a bogey.

“Pretty disappointing to end with a three-putt. That’s my first one all week,” Green said. “Even the putt on 16, that could have been a big two-shot swing, as well. Overall, I think I have to be really happy playing with Ariya for the first time and trying to keep up with her. You want to hit it as hard and far as she does.”

Jutanugarn had six birdies in her round of 68, which was slowed by a bogey from the water on the 16th when she tried to drive the green from a forward tee.

But she had no worries.

She loved playing with the 22-year-old Australian, and she felt good about her chances, mainly because she wasn’t thinking about them at all. Jutanugarn, who swept all the big awards last year on the LPGA Tour, has yet to win this year and has shown no sense of urgency.

“I’m really happy about how I play last three days because like I feel so free,” she said. “I’m not thinking about outcome. I feel I have my own game. I just go out and want to feel free. I want to have good commitment, fight and I keep doing that until last hole and I did every shot I can today.”

Green was at 9-under 207 for her first 54-hole lead in an LPGA Tour event.

For so much of the third round, it felt like match play because no one else was within five shots of the lead. It might have looked like a mismatch. Green, a three-time winner on the Symetra Tour in 2017, is in her second full year on the LPGA Tour. Jutanugarn, a 23-year-old Thai and among the most powerful players in the game, already has 10 victories and two majors.

Green practically matched her shot-for-shot, making a slick, downhill birdie putt on the par-3 fourth when the Thai was in tight, making a 40-foot birdie putt on the next hole and matching birdies on the par-5 seventh – Jutanugarn with a 5-iron to the back collar for a two-putt, Green by laying up and making a 10-foot putt.

“I can’t put any pressure on her. She make every putt,” Jutanugarn said with a broad smile. “I made birdie, she made birdie. I hit closer, she made longer putt and I missed the short putt. So much fun. Really enjoyed the way she played. I love how she played golf.”

Now they might have company for the final round.

Lizette Salas (68) and Nelly Korda (69) were four shots behind at 5-under 211. Another shot back was Sei Young Kim, who had the low score of the round at 67, and defending champion Sung Hyun Park (71). Still in the game was Inbee Park (69) at six shots behind. Park won the last LPGA major in Minnesota at Interlachen for the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open, her first major in a Hall of Fame career.

Brooke Henderson (71) of Smiths Falls, Ont., was tied for 46th at 4-over par and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (75) was tied for 60th at 6 over.

Green only felt the nerves when she had time to think, such as the long wait on the 15th and 16th tees. And when she missed the putts on the 16th for 18th holes, she wondered if it was nerves creeping in.

Green is staying this week with Karrie Webb, Australia’s most prolific major champion. Webb missed the cut but has stayed around with two amateurs who won her scholarship program, and she has been telling Green to embrace the moment.

“She just tells me … you need to take it while you can,” Green said. “And I know, yes, I have thought about the outcome tomorrow come the 18th hole. I think I just need to keep my cool and just have fun out there and embrace it. If it does come to me winning, I want to make sure I remember and have fun. I don’t want to be miserable during the round.”

It figures to be a slow round Sunday. Overnight rain was in the forecast, so the final round will be played in threesomes off both tees instead of twosomes starting before 7 a.m., when the rain was still likely.

CHASKA, Minn. – Hannah Green keeps getting out of tough spots, and it’s taken her to a place she has never been.

Green twice escaped trouble with unlikely par saves, including one shot she holed from off the green, and made four birdies for a 3-under 69 and took a three-shot lead into the weekend at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

It’s the first time she has held the 36-hole lead in her second year on the LPGA Tour.

The 22-year-old Australian has made one bogey over 36 holes at Hazeltine National, one of the strongest tests of the year. Ariya Jutanugarn, a two-time major champion, closed within one shot until a series of misplays on the back nine. She had another 70.

“Even when you play this type of golf at just a regular event, you’re pretty proud of yourself, but this week especially,” Green said. “I’ve never put myself in this position in any event, so to be doing it this week at such a great venue definitely shows things are going the right way. I’ve had some luck going my way. I do hope that continues.”

Green was at 7-under 137.

Defending champion Sung Hyun Park (71) and Lydia Ko (70) were four shots behind. Fifteen players remained under par after two rounds, with the cut at 5-over 149.

Michelle Wie not only made it to the tee, she played all 18 holes with a right wrist injury that doesn’t seem to be getting any better. She managed only nine pars and no birdies in her round of 82.

“Even on the worst day, it’s still great being out here,” Wie said. “I still had fun today, just stuff is hard. Hazeltine is hard. I just was overly optimistic about how I could play this week and the status of my wrist.”

Green thought luck was on her side when she holed a short-sided bunker shot for birdie on the par-5 seventh near the end of her opening round. Friday was even better.

She didn’t notice the water right of the 12th green during practice rounds. She took a penalty drop, and with the pin on a shelf in the back left of the green, her biggest concern was getting it close without the risk of a big number.

“If I landed it too far there was a possibility of it going over the back. I didn’t want to leave myself with another chip to then possibly make bogey or double at worse,” Green said. “I had to land it perfectly and I guess I did. I knew it was going to be close but I didn’t think it had the chance of going in. I really wasn’t really watching it going into the hole. I just heard the crowd roar.

“I just laughed because with the hole-out on 7 yesterday and with the hole-out today, it’s really going my way.”

After a missed chance at birdie on the par-5 15th, Green was in trouble again on the 16th hole, the signature hole at Hazeltine. Her shot took a surprising kick to the right, leaving the ball between clumps of grass. She got that up-and-down for par and was on her way.

Jutanugarn hit 6-iron to 30 feet for eagle on the par-5 seventh and closed out the front nine to get to 6 under. But her chip came out heavy behind the 13th green and led to bogey, and she turned a birdie opportunity into bogey on the par-5 15th.

After hammering her 3-wood, she hit a piercing 2-iron that stayed down the right edge and went into the first of two bunkers. With the pin tucked behind the next bunker, she went from sand to sand, blasted out to 12 feet and missed the par putt.

“Really tough bunker shot,” she said.

Green is in her second full year on the LPGA Tour, having won three times on the Symetra Tour in 2017 to earn her card. She had such a successful amateur career in Australia that she was awarded the Karrie Webb Scholarship in 2015, and one of the perks was coming to the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster.

The 44-year-old Webb is Australia’s most prolific champion with seven majors as part of her 41 titles on the LPGA Tour. Webb, the only player to win five different LPGA Tour majors, first came to America under a similar program started by Greg Norman, and now has one in place for female amateurs.

Green swam, played tennis and golf as a teen before devoting her time to golf when she was 15. She wasn’t even playing golf when Webb was winning five out of eight majors, giving her the career Grand Slam at the quickest rate. About the time Green realized she might have a future in golf, Webb already was in the Hall of Fame.

“As soon as I had the chance to come to the U.S. Open, that’s when Karrie was my idol,” Green said. “I feel like all other Australian golfers have her as an idol. She had Greg Norman as her idol and had a similar scholarship. She’s done that for us. I’m really grateful that she’s given so much to so many people.”

As for Wie, she was headed to Florida to find answers, unsure when she would play next.

“In an ideal world, I would wake up and my wrist is fine, I play next week and everything would be perfect,” she said.

Alena Sharp of Hamilton was the low Canadian at 3 over while Brooke Henderson was 5 over.

CHASKA, Minn. – Michelle Wie returned to competition Thursday in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship looking as if she had never left.

She was icing her right hand. She shot a 12-over 84.

And then she wondered, through tears, how much time she had left.

“It’s hard,” Wie said after matching her highest score on the LPGA Tour as a pro. “It’s just one of those situations where I’m not entirely sure how much I have left in me. So even on the bad days, I’m just like trying to take time to enjoy it.”

At this point, her voice was cracking and she began wiping tears from her eyes as she stood outside the clubhouse at Hazeltine National.

“It’s tough,” she said, before walking away.

Wie has lived with fame her entire career, from winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links at age 13, competing against the men on the PGA Tour at age 14 and turning pro at age 16. She has five LPGA victories, most notably the U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014, most recently the HSBC Women’s World Championship at the start of the 2018 season.

The most recent injury was to her right hand. She had surgery in October, returned in Thailand in February and had to withdraw from her title defence in Singapore a week later as she still coped with pain.

Wie sat out a month and returned at the LPGA’s first major and then her hometown event in Hawaii, both times missing the cut. She withdrew from the U.S. Women’s Open three weeks ago, and didn’t start hitting balls again until last week.

Hazeltine proved to be too tough for someone whose hand is that fragile, and that was before dark clouds, cooler temperatures, wind and rain arrived as she was finishing a round to forget.

Wie had two birdies to go along with two double bogeys, six bogeys and a quadruple bogey on the par-3 eighth over the water, her penultimate hole.

“It was kind of a little foolish to think that I would shoot really well – just hitting golf balls last week – at Hazeltine,” Wie said. “It’s a tough golf course but I’m really, really happy that I played. Just feeling a lot of joy just being out there and competing again. It’s going to take time and I’ve just got to be patient, and thankfully I have all afternoon to get warm again and take care of my wrist.”

Wie also shot an 84 in the third round of the Evian Masters in 2007. Her highest score on any tour was an 85 at the CJ Nine Bridges Classic in 2004 when she was 14.

She played with Lydia Ko, who saw a good attitude to go along with a big struggle.

“Clearly, she loves the game and she’s passionate about it and she’s not out there just because she’s a golfer. She loves it,” Ko said. “She loves being out here with the girls and that’s why even though has to go through the treatments and everything, she keeps coming out and trying. … She’s definitely got nothing to lose. She’s proven herself in all different levels. She’s a U.S. Women’s Open champion. But it shows how much she loves the game.”

Wie had said earlier in the week she talked to the LPGA Tour about taking a medical leave the rest of the year. She thought she was getting healthy enough to rehabilitate and try to play without pain.

“Every bit of my body wants to play and it sucked sitting out of the U.S. Open,” she said. “I just didn’t want to do it again and I’m here.”

Just maybe not for long.

A quartet of Canadians are in the field. Brooke Henderson, sits in a tie for 84th at 4 over, and Alena Sharp is one stroke behind Henderson in a tie for 103rd. Jaclyn Lee and Anne-Catherine Tanguay are both tied for 124th at 7 over.

Brooke Henderson is now the undisputed monarch of Canadian golf. Her predecessors can’t wait to see what she’ll do next.

The 21-year old from Smiths Falls, Ont., won the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday to break the Canadian record for professional golf titles. The victory elevated her over Sandra Post, Mike Weir and George Knudson, who have eight wins apiece on their respective tours.

“I knew it was coming,” said Post on Monday. The Canadian Golf Hall of Famer noted that normally Henderson wins by a wide margin, rather than the one-stroke victory she earned over Lexi Thompson, Nasa Hataoka, Su Oh and Brittany Altomare. “I think I was looking at it as more a tournament rather than the ninth win because in my mind that was a given.

“I hope she goes to double figures with the wins and runs it up as high as she can for the next Canadian.”

Weir also wasn’t concerned about his record. Instead, he was excited to see an elite golfer at the top of her game.

“I don’t really pay that much attention to records and things like that, that’s more for other people’s water-cooler talk,” said Weir, also a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. “I just appreciate watching good golf and I appreciate excellence in all sports. When you see a player really excelling themselves and improving their own game and seeing them round into form, as Brooke has, it’s great to see.”

Although Henderson’s nine career wins is impressive, she is a ways off from reaching the all-time mark on the LPGA Tour.

Kathy Whitworth holds the all-time professional record with 88 wins on the LPGA Tour. Sam Snead has the most among men with 82. That record may fall, however, with Tiger Woods picking up his 81st PGA Tour win at this year’s Masters.

Golfing great Annika Sorenstam, third in LPGA Tour history with 72 wins, tweeted her support of Henderson on Monday afternoon.

“Congratulations to ?BrookeHenderson on winning the #meijerlpga,” said Sorenstam, adding an emoji of a champagne bottle popping and a trophy.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also voiced his support on Twitter.

Congratulations on making history, @BrookeHenderson! We can’t wait to see what’s next for you. ??⛳https://t.co/xalwKnhyGQ

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 17, 2019

Henderson also won the Lotte Championship in April in Hawaii.

Just six months into the year, she is an early contender to win the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year and the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as the Canadian female athlete of the year. Henderson has won the Rosenfeld three of the past four years, including in 2017 and 2018.

Post, who won the Marsh in 1979 and back-to-back Rosenfelds in 1979 and 1980, didn’t want to make any bold predictions just yet though.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen in sport this year, do we? It’s not an Olympic year, that’s a good thing,” said Post. “All I’m saying is that she’s got a good shot at it. But I think it’s great that we can have that conversation.”

Weir, who was awarded the Marsh in 2003 after winning the Masters, also likes Henderson’s chances.

“Her odds are great, she’s playing great,” said Weir. “There’s still a lot of the year left in other sports but clearly in the golf world Brooke’s setting herself apart from any other player, man or woman, in this country. She’d be a real deserving recipient.”

Brooke Henderson wins the Meijer LPGA Classic (for a second time), collecting her 9th career LPGA title — the most ever by a Canadian.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Brooke Henderson won the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday to break the Canadian record for tour victories with nine.

The 21-year-old Henderson led wire-to-wire for her second victory in three years at Blythefield Country Club, closing with a 2-under 70 in chilly conditions to hold off Lexi Thompson, Nasa Hataoka, Su Oh and Brittany Altomare by a stroke.

Henderson broke a tie with Sandra Post for the Canadian record on the LPGA Tour and also moved ahead of George Knudson and Mike Weir for the overall country mark.

“That’s really cool,” Henderson said. “Earlier this year to get my eighth win and to tie that record was a huge deal for me. To now to kind of breakthrough that is awesome. I’m just really excited for the rest of the summer and hopefully many more wins in the future.”

With caddie/sister Brittany and mother Darlene looking on, father Dave sprayed her with champagne to celebrate.

“It’s really special,” Henderson said. “I’m so happy that both my mom and my dad can be out here to watch my sister and I win this. It’s always special when they’re here, especially on Father’s Day.”

Also the Lotte Championship winner in April in Hawaii, Henderson matched the tournament record of 21 under that she set in 2017 (when the course played to a par of 71) and also was tied last year by So Yeon Ryu. Henderson opened with consecutive 64s, playing 30 holes Friday after rain delayed the start Thursday, and had a 69 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round.

“It’s a lot like the courses I grew up playing back home in Canada,” Henderson said. “I love it out here. Just trying to hit good shots and hopefully make a lot of birdies. Didn’t make as many as I wanted, but just enough.”

The final putt at @MeijerLPGA that sealed the deal in Canadian #golf history ???? pic.twitter.com/q9i2cIsFZz

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) June 16, 2019

Her lead reduced to a stroke after a bogey on the par-4 16th, she three-putted the par-5 18th from 45 feet for the winning par.

“When I was walking up here I thought maybe I would have to birdie or eagle this hole to get the job done, but when I looked at the scoreboard I was sort of shocked that all I needed to do was three-putt and par,” Henderson said. “I’m really grateful about that because I was shaking pretty bad on those last couple putts.”

Henderson had Canadians from coast-to-coast cheering her on all throughout.

“Congratulations to Brooke on becoming the winningest Canadian professional golfer ever on the PGA or LPGA,” said Sandra Post, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Honoured Member. “I’m so happy for her and her family and for golf in Canada. I know there are many more wins in store.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Win No. 9, so fine ???? @brookehendersongolf wins one for the history books, becoming the winningest Canadian golfer of all time ?? #LPGA #meijerlpgaclassic

A post shared by CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) on Jun 16, 2019 at 2:21pm PDT

“On behalf of Canadian golf fans across the nation, we are so proud of Brooke Henderson on her incredible 9th LPGA Tour victory,” said Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada CEO. “She’s made Canadian golf history at 21 years of age and there is no doubt that the very best is yet to come for this inspiring young athlete. We can’t wait to celebrate this victory and the defense of her CP Women’s Open title this August at Magna Golf Club!”

Thompson followed her course-record 62 in the third round with a 68, closing with an eagle for the second straight day. The 2015 winner at Blythefield, she was coming off a victory last week in New Jersey.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t hit it that great today, but I made some really good putts on my second nine,” Thompson said. “I had a little bit of a muscle spasm in my shoulder all day, but it is what it is, you can’t control that. So, overall great week.”

Hataoka shot 65, also making an eagle on the par-5 18th. Oh had a 66, and Altomare shot 68.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp had a strong tournament, finishing tied for ninth at 13-under with a final round of 72.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee (71) finished at 2-under while Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City (74) was at 1-under.

Jennifer Kupcho, four strokes behind Henderson entering the day, had a 76 to drop into a tie for 23rd at 11 under in her third professional start. The former Wake Forest star won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April.

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the third major championship of the year, is next week at Hazeltine in Minnesota.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Brooke Henderson birdied the final three holes Saturday for a 3-under 69 and a two-stroke lead over Annie Park in the Meijer LPGA Classic, with Lexi Thompson three shots back after matching the course record with a 62.

Trying to break a tie for the Canadian victory record for both women and men, the 21-year-old Henderson had a 19-under 197 total at Blythefield Country Club. She opened with consecutive 64s, playing 30 holes Friday after rain delayed the start Thursday, then got off to a slow start Saturday with three birdies and three bogeys in the first 15 holes.

“I kind of found it hard to find my rhythm during the middle part of the round, so I kind of got started batting third and that’s never a good sign,” Henderson said. “But to come back with three birdies at the end there makes the round feel a little bit better.”

The 2017 winner at Blythefield, Henderson successfully defended her Lotte Championship title in April in Hawaii for her eighth LPGA Tour victory, tying Sandra Post’s Canadian record. George Knudson and Mike Weir share the mark on the PGA Tour, also with eight victories.

“Of course, that’s in the back of your mind, but it’s long from over,” Henderson said. “There’s so many great players close to the top of the leaderboard. And this course, you know there’s a lot of birdies out there, so it’s going to take a low score. So, hopefully, I can just continue to hit good shots and give myself a chance for the win.”

Park birdied the par-5 18th for her second straight 65.

Three straight birdies to close out the round for @BrookeHenderson ????

She takes a 2-stroke lead into the finale at the @MeijerLPGA pic.twitter.com/LAE8S5Slc3

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) June 15, 2019

“Overall, it’s been good with shots, short game, putting,” Park said. “Hopefully, I can keep that momentum going on for tomorrow. I can’t wait.”

The American returned early Saturday to complete the final hole of the suspended third round, making a birdie on 18.

“Took a good nap in there,” Park said.

Thompson, the 2015 winner, eagled the 18th, hitting an 8-iron approach within 2 feet.

“It helped to have a really good number, let alone a short number,” Thompson said. “But you have to take advantage of it. There’s a lot of birdie holes out there and a lot of opportunities, so you just have to take advantage of them.”

The winner last week in New Jersey, she had the eagle, 10 birdies and two bogeys.

“I had a good warmup on the range, felt good about my game,” Thompson said. “The last two days I haven’t struck it to my capability and what I’ve been working on in my game, but today it kind of all fell together.”

Brittany Altomare matched Thompson at 16 under with a 69.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp shot up the leaderboard with a 64. She’s tied for ninth at 13 under. Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay (72) is 3 under while Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee (73) is 1 under.

Jennifer Kupcho was another stroke back after her third 67. The former Wake Forest star is making her third professional start. She won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and the NCAA individual title last year.

“Just go into it just like any other tournament,” Kupcho said. “I mean, I always like the chase, so I’ll just go out there and play my game and see what shows up tomorrow.”

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the third major championship of the year, is next week at Hazeltine in Minnesota.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Canada’s Brooke Henderson had sole possession of the lead after her second round of the Meijer LPGA Classic.

The native of Smiths Falls, Ont., had her second straight score of 8-under 64 on Friday to go up by three shots on American Brittany Altomare prior to the later tee-off times.

Henderson completed her first round with 12 holes on Friday after darkness halted play on Thursday, jumping into a one-stroke lead after 18 holes.

The 21-year-old, who won this event in 2017, had nine birdies and a bogey in the second round.

“I started off really well late last night and I was able to carry it on early this morning,” Henderson said. “Then I had lunch and came right back and played another 18. I just felt really confident today with my ball-striking, which is awesome, and I rolled in a few putts, too.”

.@BrookeHenderson goes 64-64 to set a 36-hole tournament record at the @MeijerLPGA ??

She takes a 3-stroke lead into the weekend ?? pic.twitter.com/DEVwb1Mwli

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) June 14, 2019

Just before play was suspended Thursday, Henderson got a hole-in-one on her sixth hole (the par-3 15th after starting on No. 10) to go to 4 under.

Henderson is looking for a Canadian record (on the PGA or LPGA Tours) ninth career title.

“I’m pretty tired right now, not a lot of sleep last night with the late night, early morning, so I look forward to some rest later tonight,” Henderson said. “I think it kind of was a bonus when I had things rolling just to keep it going.”

Alena Sharp of Hamilton was 5 under through 36 holes after an even-par 72 in the second round. Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay was 3 under after also shooting a 72.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee was 2 under, while Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., and Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., had later tee-off times after each shot 76 in the first round.