MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — The CPKC Women’s Open hasn’t been a major championship on the LPGA Tour schedule in 25 years. But heading into Sunday at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club, the leaderboard is shaping up to look very major-like — with a Canadian right there on the top.
Brooke Henderson shares the lead alongside former world No. 1 — and 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner — Minjee Lee after closing her day with two birdies and an eagle on her final four holes.
“Today was definitely an ‘A,’” Henderson told Sportsnet of her game overall Saturday. “That’s always a good thing, especially for me just to build confidence and momentum going into the final round.
“It’s just a great spot to be in, and it will be a tough day tomorrow. Lots of big names and it will be a tough finish, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Henderson, who has long said she’s felt ‘close’ so far in 2025 but has yet to notch a top-10 finish in a stroke-play tournament, said she was actually thrilled with the fact that her tee ball on the penultimate hole, the short par-4 17th, ended up in the greenside bunker.
She said she thought it was a makeable one, and turns out, her prediction came true. Her father — and longtime coach — Dave Henderson, often stoic and laser-like in his walking efforts outside the ropes, celebrated with a burst of emotion not-ever seen.
“I was really happy with where the tee shot ended up. Had a really good line in the bunker. I knew I had to hit it soft because it was really fast. It was nice to land it right where I wanted to and see it go in,” Henderson said.
“Definitely a great way to finish.”
Henderson fired a 6-under 65 Saturday after opening with an approach on the par-4 1st that landed just a foot from the hole. She gave it back with a bogey on No. 2 but added two more circles on the scorecard on Nos. 4 and 8.
Henderson birdied the par-5 12th before making an ill-timed bogey on the par-3 14th. And then she ripped off her closing-stretch heater.
Lee, meanwhile, made a lengthy eagle putt on the par-5 12th from across the green (the Australian has made an otherworldly turnaround with her putter in 2025, going from No. 157 in strokes gained: putting last year to No. 4 in the same stat this year after switching to a long putter that comes up to her chest) and made another eagle on No. 17, too.
“I worked a lot on my putting and put countless hours trying to get it right,” Lee said. “I feel like maybe just put a little bit too much pressure on myself. I think the long putter has given me just that much more confidence now. I can just putt with just freedom and some confidence.”
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul sits at 8 under, three shots back and tied for third alongside last week’s winner on the LPGA Tour, Akie Iwai, who was the only golfer in the top 10 on the leaderboard who shot over-par Saturday.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old Canadian Aphrodite Deng shot a 3-under 68 Saturday and sits tied for seventh. Deng just missed a slippery par-saver on her final hole of the day, just as Henderson was on top of the board and Deng was tied for second — an impressive 1-2 Canadian punch showcasing the present and the future of the sport.
Deng’s caddie — a six-time club champion at Mississauga, Matthew Sim — told Sportsnet that any time he would line up a putt within 15 feet for her through Saturday, she made them all. Deng needed just 26 putts in the third round but was missing it left with the driver, hitting just 50 per cent of her fairways. Still, she was able to score well.
Deng has a chance to record the best finish by an amateur on the LPGA Tour this season, but it’ll take a little work Sunday as Lottie Woad — just a few weeks before turning professional — finished tied for third at the Amundi Evian Championship.
“It’s been incredible with all the people out here supporting me and it’s been really fun,” Deng said.
With all due respect to the teen, the biggest crowd at Mississauga will, of course, be cheering for Henderson. The 13-time winner on the LPGA Tour — including two majors — hasn’t found the winner’s circle since January 2023, but as the saying goes, there is no place like home.
“Winning (the CPKC Women’s Open in) 2018 was a huge career highlight. It meant so much to me. It was so special. To be in a position to possibly have that opportunity again is really, really cool,” Henderson said.
“I’m just hoping to go out there and get a fast start and try to make the birdies and get the crowd on my side again and see what we can do.”
