EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – In Gee Chun clinched the Evian Championship in record-breaking style on Sunday, winning by four shots to secure her second major with the lowest ever 72-hole score in a major.

The 22-year-old South Korean sank a difficult 10-feet putt to finish on 21 under, breaking the record for men and women of 20 co-held by Henrik Stenson and Jason Day. She bettered the women’s record by two.

She led from start to finish, although she did share the first-round lead with Sung Hyun Park – who finished tied for second with So Yeon Ryu in a dominant tournament for South Koreans.

Chun finished the day with a 2-under 69, the most modest of her four rounds. Not that it took anything away from her achievement.

“I just cannot believe I won the Evian Championship and made 21 under par,” Chun said as she clutched the trophy, her voice breaking with emotion. “I’m not dreaming right?”

Chun missed the cut here at Evian Resort last year and tied for 65th in 2014.

In four days of intensely accurate driving and clinical putting, she was near-faultless. Her only significant blemish was a double bogey on the ninth hole in the third round – and even then she limited the damage having opted for a two-stroke penalty.

There was one bogey on Sunday, on the 14th, but she made a birdie on the next to move back to 21 under and almost added another birdie on the 16th, with her attempt stopping just short.

Chun, who won the U.S. Women’s Open last year, is only the second player in LPGA history to have her first two LPGA wins come at majors. The other was countrywoman Se Ri Pak in 1998.

It looked like she might miss out on a new major record when she sent her tee shot into the left rough on the 18th. She chose the safe option and used a wedge to chop her way onto the fairway, about 95 yards from the pin.

Then, she glided her ball over the water to give herself a decent shot at history.

After making her record-breaking putt, she raised both arms in the air and smiled.

She did not see what was coming next, however, as defending champion Lydia Ko poured Champagne over her.

Shanshan Feng, China’s only major winner, was six shots back in fourth place, with South Korean Sei Young Kim posting an impressive 65 to move up to fifth ahead of countrywoman I.K. Kim.

American Angela Stanford was 11 shots behind Chun in seventh spot.

It was a tournament to forget for Ko.

Chasing her third major, the 19-year-old New Zealander finished in a tie for 43rd at 2 over.

She did enough, however, to win the third edition of the Rolex Annika Major Award – rewarding the player with the best combined record at all five majors and named after 10-time major winner Annika Sorenstam.

Ko won the ANA Inspiration in April, where Chun was tied for second.

That tournament was Chun’s first start after a month out with a back injury caused in bizarre circumstances. She was struck by a hard-case suitcase that rival South Korean player Ha Na Jang’s father dropped down an escalator at the Singapore airport.

Chun, who has nine wins on the Korean LPGA, started as the rain poured hard in the morning.

The rain eased off around lunchtime, and the crowd finally came out in droves to see history being made.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson carded a final-round 70 to tie for 9th at 7-under.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – South Korean golfer In Gee Chun knows she’s in sight of her second major – and a record – after extending her lead to four shots after the third round of the Evian Championship on Saturday.

Chun carded a 6-under 65 in the rain to go to 19-under overall at Evian Resort.

“My game plan for tomorrow is not to think about winning,” Chun said. “Because it puts too much pressure on me.”

Her countrywoman Sung Hyun Park (67) was at 15 under, and Feng Shanshan (69), China’s only major winner, two shots further back. Brooke Henderson (67) of Smiths Falls, Ont., was tied for 10th at 6-under par, 13 shots back of the lead.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc (76) of Sherbrooke, Que., was tied for 68th, at 7 over.

Chun, the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open champion, had six birdies and an eagle in a round blemished only by a double bogey on the ninth hole.

After slicing from the fairway into the woods, the ball buried under foliage on an incline. Discussing what to do with her caddie for several minutes, Chun decided against a drop shot and declared it unplayable, going back to where she took the shot from and incurring a two-stroke penalty.

But it takes more than that to ruffle Chun.

“I just want to enjoy everything,” she said.

Her eagle on the 15th was a 35-yard chip from the back of the green that rolled up and across the green with perfect weighting, prompting her to raise her arm triumphantly. Fans wrapped in warm clothing and raincoats cheered.

Chun was smiling again after the next hole, another birdie, moved her to 19 under. The last two holes were mere pars.

Sunday could be a record-breaking day for Chun, who remains on course for the lowest ever 72-hole score in a major.

Henrik Stenson and Jason Day own the major record for men and women at 20 under, while the women’s record of 19 under is shared by four players.

With Chun struggling on nine and then missing a birdie chance on 10, Park birdied those two to move one shot behind her.

It was only brief hope, because Chun was all smiles again when she restored her overnight two-shot advantage with a birdie on 11.

Feng, who started slowly with four pars and a bogey on five, got her game together too late, drifting six shots behind after making 69.

South Korean So Yeon Ryu, who has been remarkably consistent with only one bogey in three rounds – on her 10th hole on Saturday – was seven shots behind Chun in fourth place.

A good day for South Koreans was made even better with I.K. Kim making 64, including eight birdies and a bogey, to rise to fifth.

“I hit probably better yesterday to be honest, but today on the par-5s I was able to reach on the back nine,” Kim said. “So I was able to birdie on those.”

Overall, she was nine strokes behind Chun, while American veteran Angela Stanford was 10 adrift in sixth place.

Defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand had a terrible day, making six bogeys in a 4-over 75, and was 19 shots behind Chun in a tie for 36th.

More rain was forecast for Sunday’s final round, and tee times were moved forward by a couple of hours.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – In Gee Chun posted a 5-under round of 66 to take a two-shot lead at the Evian Championship on Friday, keeping the 22-year-old South Korean on course for the second major of her career.

Chun, the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open champion, had a bogey on the fourth hole but otherwise played with great control, hitting six birdies in rainy and overcast conditions at the picturesque resort overlooking Lake Geneva.

“I always try not to think about winning,” said Chun, who missed the cut here last year. “Thinking about winning is more pressure.”

South Korean Sung Hyun Park, who shared the overnight lead with Chun, juggled three bogeys and six birdies in a round of 68, tying her for second place with Shanshan Feng – China’s only major winner.

So Yeon Ryu, who is also from South Korea, is three shots behind Chun in fourth place after posting 66, matching her score from round 1.

Feng was a shot back overnight, as was American Annie Park, while defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand sat seven strokes behind after a disappointing opening day in her bid for a third major by the age of 19.

Feng started to tire on the back nine, hitting two bogeys, but perked up with birdies on the final two holes for a 67.

“There’s no benefit for just long hitters,” she said. “The rough is really long.”

Ko fared better this time with a 68 but is nine shots off the lead.

Playing the back nine first, the South-Korean born New Zealander went out in an even 36. But Ko improved on her way back to the clubhouse with a bogey and four birdies – including a brilliant chip in from the edge of the green on the fifth for one of the shots of the day.

Teeing off at 7:45 a.m. local time did not work out well for Park.

She ended her round with a bogey on 16th and double bogey on the 17th to finish with a 2-over 73 and drop down the leaderboard.

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand recovered from her first-round 73 to make a consistent 67 featuring four birdies. But the British Open champion is 11 shots off the lead.

Ko and Jutanugarn are trying to win the Annika Major Award, rewarding the major winner with the best combined record at all five majors of the season. It is named after 10-time major winner Annika Sorenstam.

Veteran American Angela Stanford is four shots behind Chun in fifth place as she tries to win her first major at the age of 38.

“Usually by Friday this course has killed me,” Stanford said. “But I still feel like I have a little energy.”

Her best performance in a major was back in 2003, when she was tied for second at the U.S. Women’s Open.

“Having cameras around all day felt new again,” said Stanford, who has five career wins on the LPGA Tour. “For somebody that hasn’t been in that position for a while.”

Two-time major winner Brittany Lincicome is a shot behind her in a tie for sixth with South Korean Eun-Hee Ji.

Lincicome, who had nine birdies and four bogeys in her erratic 66, had a unique way of describing the course.

“There’s no flat lie anywhere, and then the greens are impossible,” the 30-year-old American said. “Like there’s elephants buried under every one of them.”

Smiths Falls, Ont., native and World No. 3 Brooke Henderson carded an even-par 71 and is tied for 27th. Maude-Aimée LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., holds a share of 57th at 2-over.

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – South Koreans In Gee Chun and Sung Hyun Park birdied eight holes each as they carded 8-under rounds of 63 for a share of the lead in the first round of the Evian Championship on Thursday.

In the fifth and final major of the season, New Zealander Lydia Ko’s bid to defend her title – and clinch a third career major by the age of 19 – got off to a rocky start as she finished seven shots behind the co-leaders.

“It was tricky for me because on the back nine I was not hitting fairways,” said Ko, who has 14 career wins on the U.S. LPGA Tour. “Hopefully I’ll be able to hit some fairways tomorrow.”

Chun, the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open champion, said she felt nervous after missing the cut here last year but hardly let it show.

“I could see the putting lines and I was good rolling the ball on those lines,” she said. “The greens are getting softer this year.”

While Ko’s play was patchy, with a bogey and only two birdies, her rival Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand had a day to forget with a 2-over 73 featuring a triple bogey.

Ko and Ariya have a good chance at Evian of taking the Annika Major Award, which rewards the major winner with the best combined record at all five majors of the season, and is named after 10-time major winner Annika Sorenstam.

A win here would clinch the award for either Ko or Ariya, but they face an uphill struggle.

Ko revealed herself to the golfing world at the Evian in 2013, when she finished second as a 16-year-old amateur.

This year, another young player emerged into contention on her tournament debut.

American Annie Park posted an eagle and five birdies in a 7-under round of 64 to move into a tie for third place with Olympic bronze medallist Shanshan Feng, who was third here last year. They are one stroke behind the leaders.

Annie Park’s performance caught the eye; and not least because her mum was caddying for her.

“That was fun. It was good to have my mum back on the bag. The last time she caddied was Hawaii in April,” she said. “She keeps things light and does some dances out there.”

Ranked 201, Annie Park joined the tour this year. She showed good composure in overcast and somewhat drizzly weather conditions on the picturesque course perched over Lake Geneva, enjoying a run of birdie-birdie-eagle on her front nine, then starting and finishing with birdies on the back nine.

American Angela Stanford posted a 6-under 65 to move into fifth, one shot ahead of South Koreans So Yeon Ryu and Eun-Hee Ji.

Starting in muggy afternoon conditions, Ko played in a group with South Korean Hyo Joo Kim, the 2014 champion, and Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, the 2013 winner.

When Ko sank her first birdie of the day, a 15-meter effort on the fifth hole, it drew a rueful smile from Pettersen, who had just missed with her birdie attempt from a similar distance.

Ko bogeyed the eighth hole and she was again in trouble on the 10th when her tee shot landed in the rough between two trees.

She saved par with a good escape shot close to the green.

“It’s a good thing my wood shots and chip shots were good enough,” said Ko, who last year became the youngest man or woman to be ranked No. 1.

Women’s PGA champion Brooke Henderson of Canada ended the day one shot ahead of Ko at 2-under.

Pettersen had a difficult day, joining Ariya and American Lexi Thompson, last year’s runner-up, at 2 over.

U.S. Open winner Brittany Lang had a nightmare with two double bogeys and three bogeys in a 5-over 76.

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. – Brooke Henderson is on a mission to grow the sport of golf.

The 18-year-old phenom, ranked third in the world, wants to make the game she loves more popular in Canada, one fan at a time. Just a year into her professional career, it seems like Henderson’s already had an impact in Canada.

“If I can try to help grow the game or inspire someone to pick up this game, this amazing game, it really makes me feel awesome,” said Henderson after her final round of play at the LPGA Manulife Classic. “They were yelling my name between shots and high fives at the end of the holes.

“It’s just really cool to see and a lot of fun. I think if even half of these people start to play the game if they didn’t before, I think that would be just incredible.”

After answering reporters questions Henderson went to meet dozens of fans, signing autographs and taking pictures for nearly half an hour at Whistle Bear Golf Club. Many of the fans waiting for Henderson were girls not much younger than her, who have taken to wearing her signature pink visor and enjoy the nickname “Brookealike.”

There’s tangible evidence that Henderson is making women’s golf more popular too: Attendance at this year’s Manulife Classic was up to 68,000 from 63,000 the year before, with Henderson drawing the biggest crowds.

Other golfers have noticed the uptick too.

“It was great to see a lot of people out here and especially a lot of juniors,” said world No. 1 Lydia Ko, a native of New Zealand. “I think when we come to Canada, I think it’s probably the most juniors we see on any of our tour schedule, so it’s always good to see the future stars.”

Henderson has allies in her mission too. Fellow Canadian Olympian Alena Sharp, from Hamilton, announced after her final round that she wants “more Canadians out here.”

Sharp was the low Canadian at the Manulife Classic, firing a 2-under 70 in the final round to tie for 26th at 9-under par. At the start of the year it was Sharp’s goal was to be ranked in the LPGA’s top 60 by the end of the season. She’s already accomplished that and is No. 34.

“It seems like Canadian women’s golf is heading in the right direction,” said the 35-year-old Sharp. “We have a lot of great young players coming up, and Golf Canada has been working hard getting these players developed, and they have everything – great coaching, great nutritionists, they have great physio and workout, and it’s starting to show, I think.

“I think five years from now we’re going to have a lot of top players in the world.”

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., was 1-under 71 on Sunday to tie with Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., who shot a 3-under 69 in the fourth round, to finish 39th. Quebec City’s Anne Catherine Tanguay shot 1-over 73 in the fourth round to tie for 44th at 6 under. All four Canadians said they’d hoped they’d inspired some young golfers with their play this week.

“I think it’s booming, and especially with Brooke, Alena and the Canadian national team has – the program’s been doing so much for women’s golf and young girls, too,” said Tanguay. “So I think it’s getting there, and we’ve seen so many young girls out here this week and throughout this season, too, and it’s so good to see that we can help grow the game.”

Since capturing her maiden LPGA title as a bright eyed 15-year-old amateur at The Vancouver Golf Club, Lydia Ko has become one of the sport’s brightest stars – and one of golf’s greatest ambassadors.

Today, as the current world No. 1, the 19-year-old from New Zealand is excited about the buzz around other young stars who have made their breakthroughs this season.

Looking back, it was in late August of 2012 at the Canadian Women’s Open that the then-15-year-old garnered attention from the entire sporting world by beating out the LPGA’s best – just two weeks after winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

“I never knew I had it coming, and I was so happy to win the U.S. Amateur – To win this, I never think about it.  I just wanted to make the cut,” admitted the talented teenage golfer in her presser after claiming the 2012 Canadian Women’s Open crown.

“When I saw that I was tied first after the second day, I was like, ‘wow, I’m feeling really good.’  And yeah, kind of surprised to have two wins in such a short time,” she added.

Today, with 14 LPGA Tour victories under her belt, the current world No. 1 still has fond memories of her surprising breakthrough victory on Canadian soil.

“I really didn’t expect that win of course but to have won that week it really gave me a lot of confidence and got me excited for the future,” she said during an interview at the Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge.

“Playing at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open recently, I really couldn’t believe that it’s already been four years since my first LPGA win in Vancouver,” added Ko, who now has three Canadian Women’s Opens titles and two majors to her name.

As arguably the Tour’s brightest star, the 19-year-old from New Zealand says the emergence and other young stars this year has done a lot to fuel the excitement among golf fans around the world.

One of those young stars is 18-year-old Canadian Brooke Henderson who captured her first LPGA major at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June.

Having edged out Ko on the first playoff hole at the Sahalee Country Club – and moving up to world No. 2 in the process – Henderson spoke about the respect she has for the world No. 1.

“I was 14 playing in my first Canadian Open, and she was 15 and she won it. So I thought I was doing pretty well. And then she kind of showed me that there was much more.  And it definitely really has helped me to be better and to believe in myself, too, just watching her,” said Henderson after winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

With both still in their teens and sitting on top of the world rankings, the talented Smith Falls golfer predicted more exciting finishes ahead between herself and Ko.

“It’s pretty cool that we’re both kind of coming on to the stage. She was a little bit before me. But looks like our careers will probably start pretty much close to the same time and probably end at the same time,” added the young Canadian.

“I hope we have lots of extra holes like that or lots of times where we’re contending for the championship.”

Since capturing the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Henderson has been surpassed by the 2016 Ricoh Women’s British Open champion Ariya Jutanugarn in the world rankings.

The 20-year-old from Bangkok, Thailand has been impressive with five victories so far in 2016 and recently captured the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in August.

With her two closest rivals in terms of rankings also being very close in age, the recent Olympic silver medalist acknowledges the likelihood – and benefits – of a budding rivalry in years to come.

“Both Ariya and Brooke have been playing great.  Both of them got their first major win this year and I got mine in the last major of last year,” said Ko about the current world No. 2 and world No. 3.

“It’s been really fun to play alongside them and watch what they’ve been doing; I think we all push each other to get better.”

While a rivalry means there will be uncertainty as to who comes up on top, the thoughtful young golfer from New Zealand recognizes the biggest winners of having others like Henderson and Jutanugarn step into the spotlight are the golf fans around the world.

“We all feed off each other and that’s exciting for the crowds and the media,” said the world No. 1. “Because it means that they will get to see some very exciting golf, which is great for the game.”

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. – Caroline Masson broke out of a star-filled pack Sunday to win the LPGA Manulife Classic for her first tour title.

The 27-year-old German player rebounded from an opening double bogey to make nine birdies in a 5-under 67. She beat third-round leader Mi Hyang Lee, Minjee Lee and Solheim Cup teammate Karine Icher by a stroke, finishing at 16-under 272 at Whistle Bear.

Masson joined Anna Nordqvist and Brittany Lang as the only players over 23 years old to win in the first 24 events this season – and also joined Nordqvist as the only European winners.

Mi Hyang Lee had a 71, Minjee Lee shot 68, and Icher 66.

Mi Hyang Lee parred the final two holes to miss a chance for a playoff.

Masson didn’t make a par until the seventh hole, following the double bogey with three straight birdies, a bogey on No. 5 and a birdied on the sixth. The former Oklahoma State player had four straight birdies on Nos. 9-12, bogeyed the par-4 13th and birdied the par-5 16th. She birdied all four par 5s.

Ariya Jutanugarn tied for fifth at 14 under in her bid to win three straight events for the second time this season. The second-ranked Jutanugarn made two late bogeys for a 70.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko and 2015 winner Suzann Pettersen also were 14 under. Ko had a 68, and Pettersen finished with a 66. Canadian star Brooke Henderson tied for 39th at 7 under after a 71.

Alena Sharp finished at 9-under and tied for 26th.

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. – It’s easy to find Brooke Henderson at the LPGA Manulife Classic.

You don’t need a map of Whistle Bear Golf Club or an app on your phone and you don’t even have to ask a course official for help.

All you have to do to follow the crowds that trail the 18-year-old phenom from hole to hole. Even though Henderson’s not the top player at the tournament, not even the low Canadian, the world No. 3 is by far the most popular, with hundreds of fans following her.

“I turned to (sister and caddy) Britt at one point, I was like, ‘it’s going to be boring when we go back to not having this kind of crowd,”’ said Henderson after stepping off the 18th green. “It’s really been so much fun to play in front of, and I just thank everybody for coming out.”

After speaking with reporters, Henderson waded into an area roped off by police and security so she could pose for pictures and sign memorabilia, with one fan even coming away with an autograph on her face.

Even when she struggled on the 18th hole – her tee shot got lost in the woods and she had to settle for a bogey – the fans cheered the native of Smiths Falls, Ont., on. That bogey and another on 17 sank her to 3-under 69 on the day and into a tie for 29th at 6 under.

“I was 5-under through 16 holes and had the whole crowd behind me, and the crowds were amazing today,” said Henderson. “Unbelievable really, and I just love playing in front of them, and I had a lot of fun today, which again, is kind of newer. I haven’t been enjoying it as much, but today I really enjoyed myself.”

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (70) and Quebec City’s Anne Catherine Tanguay (68) were the low Canadians, tying for 23rd at 7 under. Maude-Aimee Leblanc (72) of Sherbrooke, Que., was tied for 46th.

“I’m just really thrilled,” said Tanguay, who splits her time between the LPGA and Symetra Tours. “I don’t think I made any mistakes today and that was the goal for me this week.”

The crowds may have been focused on Henderson, but all four Canadians have enjoyed the support of the home-town fans. Henderson had the earliest tee time of the four and after she had completed her autograph duties the fans stayed at the 18th green to give a rousing ovation to each Canadian player as they sank their final putts of the round.

“The fans are amazing,” said Sharp. “There are so many people out here watching and it’s great to see for women’s golf. We don’t get a lot of tournaments where we get huge crowds like this so you’ve got to soak it up.”

Sharp, who placed a career-best fourth at last week’s Canadian Women’s Open, hopes to finish the Manulife Classic with a strong performance and contend for her first ever LPGA title.

“Tomorrow that’s my goal, to start from tee No. 1 no matter who’s done what before I tee off and just play one shot at a time and see how it goes,” said Sharp.

South Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee shot a 6-under 66 to take the top spot on the leaderboard at -14. Fellow Korean Hyo Joo Kim, who shot a 68 to sit in second and a shot behind the lead, Lee will be in the same pairing for the fourth and final round.

Lee will have a lot of competition in a very close field, with eight other players within four shots of her, including world No. 1 Lydia Ko.

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. – Marina Alex eagled her final hole for an 8-under 64 and the second-round lead Friday in the LPGA Manulife Classic.

Alex played the final five holes in 5 under for the lowest score in her LPGA Tour career, setting up the 18-foot eagle putt with a 5-wood approach on the par-5 ninth.

“Super happy,” Alex said. “Just kind of everything fell together, ball-striking, putting. I actually left a couple of putts out there, but I’m not going to complain about the score that I shot.”

The 26-year-old former Vanderbilt player had a 10-under 134 total at Whistle Bear for a one-stroke lead over Thailand’s P.K. Kongkraphan and South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim.

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn was four strokes back after a 68 in her bid to win three straight events for the second time this season. Using a driver in competition for the second straight day after shelving it for months, the 20-year-old Thai player had an eagle, six birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

She began the streak at the Women’s British Open, and rebounded from a knee injury that forced her to withdraw during the Rio Olympics to win the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open on Sunday in Alberta.

Playing in the second group of the day off the 10th tee, Alex took advantage of calmer conditions than she faced Thursday afternoon in a first-round 70.

“I think we were fortunate,” Alex said. “Right now, it’s totally scorable.”

She had eight birdies and two bogeys.

“It actually is a pretty wide-open course, which is sometimes for me a little challenging because it’s hard to pick out targets,” Alex said. “But I’m trying really hard to focus, be as narrow as possible off the tee and into the green and just be very specific with what I’m trying to do.”

Kongkraphan had a bogey-free 66. She recently went through coaching and club changes.

“I have a problem with my iron pretty bad,” Kongkraphan said. “I tried to get better, so I switched the club and changed the coach. … From last week I have so much more confidence.”

Kim closed with a birdie for a 67. She won the season-opening event in the Bahamas.

South Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee was 8 under after a 67. She had a hole-in-one on the fifth hole.

“I think just less wind and the greens more better condition,” Lee said. “So just everything is perfect.”

U.S. Open champion Brittany Lang, second last year at Whistle Bear after winning the inaugural event in 2012 at Grey Silo, was 6 under after a 71.

First-round leader Chella Choi also was 6 under after a 72. The South Korean player three-putted three times. “Hope tomorrow is better,” Choi said.

Defending champion Suzann Pettersen had a 71 to reach 4 under.

Canadian star Brooke Henderson, playing alongside Jutanugarn, shot 71 and sits 3-under alongside Anne Catherine Tanguay of Québec City. Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., eagled the par-5 12th and closed with a birdie.

“Not exactly what I was looking for,” Henderson said. “That birdie on my last hole kind of made me feel a lot better about the day, which is always nice, and 3-under par, I can’t complain too much.”

The 18-year-old Henderson beat top-ranked Lydia Ko in a playoff in June in the KPMG Women’s PGA for her first major title, and successfully defended her Portland Classic title in early July.

Ko was 2 under after a 72.

“I putted much better today, so it was good to see some putts go in,” Ko said. “Without the putter, I don’t think I would have been able to shoot even par.”

Alena Sharp was the top Canadian, shooting a 70 to reach 5 under. She tied for fourth last week at Priddis Greens for her best finish on the tour.

“I didn’t make many putts,” Sharp said. “It was tough to get it close to the pins. I thought they were a little trickier today. The greens are definitely firming up, so you got to hit high shots in.”

Fellow Canadian Maude-Aimée Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., holds a share of 22nd at 4-under.

Michelle Wie missed the cut by a stroke with her second 72. She has missed 12 of 20 cuts this season and is 112th on the money list with $55,375.

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. – Chella Choi ended up on top of the LPGA Manulife Classic leaderboard Thursday at windy Whistle Bear when Belen Mozo unraveled with a closing triple bogey.

Choi shot a 6-under 66, finishing with a birdie on the par-5 ninth.

“A lot of wind,” said Choi, the South Korean player who won the Marathon Classic winner last year for her first LPGA Tour title. “But my game is good and driving is good, shot was good, so I made a lot of birdies.”

Mozo was 7 under before running into trouble on the par-4 18th. The Spaniard finished with a 68.

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn was four strokes back after a 70 in her bid to win three straight events for the second time this season. The 20-year-old Thai player began her latest streak at the Women’s British Open, and rebounded from a knee injury that forced her to withdraw during the Rio Olympics to win the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open on Sunday in Alberta.

Using a driver in competition for the first time since May, she dropped two strokes on the back nine after birdieing the first three holes and making the turn in 4 under.

U.S. Open champion Brittany Lang, second last year at Whistle Bear after winning the inaugural event in 2012 at Grey Silo, was a stroke back at 67 along with South Korea’s In Gee Chun, Spain’s Azahara Munoz and Sweden’s Dani Holmqvist. Lang holed a lob wedge for eagle on the par-5 third – her 12th hole.

“The course was playing a little bit tricky with the wind and couldn’t get to that par 5,” Lang said. “I actually laid it up a little bit too far left and through. I was like, ‘Awe, should still be OK.” And then when I hit it, it was nice and high and on the right line. And we couldn’t see it. And then my husband and all our friends were up there, and they were screaming, so it was a pretty cool reaction.”

Munoz noted the tournament’s later dates after her bogey-free round.

“I think it’s nicer playing now than in June,” Munoz said. “I think last year was a little cooler the first few days. The course is great. The greens roll really nice, so if you hit a good putt, the ball goes in.”

Top-ranked Lydia Ko had a 70. The 19-year-old New Zealander has four LPGA Tour victories this year.

Defending champion Suzann Pettersen shot a 69 in the group with Ko and Stacy Lewis (70). Pettersen won at 22 under last season in the first year at Whistle Bear after three at Grey Silo.

Jutanugarn played alongside 18-year-old

Canadian star Brooke Henderson matched Jutanugarn with a 70 in their afternoon group.

“The wind really picked up on the back nine. It was kind of difficult,” the 18-year-old Henderson said. “You could see all three of us not really playing exactly the way we wanted just because of the wind and the conditions. But I finished 2 under on afternoon tee time in windy conditions. I’m happy. I’m just excited to tee it up tomorrow where conditions will be a little bit softer and not as much wind.”

Henderson, from Smith Falls in southeastern Ontario, beat Ko in a playoff in June in the KPMG Women’s PGA for her first major title, and successfully defended her Portland Classic title in early July.

Choi has concentrated on improving her driving. She hit 10 of 14 fairways Thursday.

“I worked really hard the last three weeks,” Choi said. “I want to hit straight and strong my drive four days, so I focus on just my driving four days.”

Alena Sharp and Maude-Aimee Leblanc (Sherbrooke, Que.) topped the Canadians at 69. Sharp, from Hamilton, is coming off a career-best fourth-place finish in Calgary at the 2016 CP Women’s Open. Lorie Kane of Charlottetown had a 70, one week after being the 51-year-old was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Team Canada alumna Jennifer Ha of Calgary opened with a 71 for a share of 53rd, while fellow alum Anne Catherine Tanguay (Québec City) and current National Team member Josée Doyon (St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que.) sit T70 at even-par. London, Ont., native Maddie Szeryk – also a member of Team Canada – is T97 at 1-over.

Vivian Tsui from Markham, Ont., shot 74, while Samantha Richdale (Kelowna, B.C.) and Jennifer Kirby (Paris, Ont.) carded 75s. Nicole Vandermade (Brantford, Ont.) recorded a 76 and Selena Costabile (Thornhill, Ont.) shot 81.