Canadian teen Brooke Henderson opens 5-shot lead in Portland (The Associated Press)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Canadian teen Brooke Henderson opened a five-stroke lead Saturday in the Cambia Portland Classic, shooting a 7-under 65 at Columbia Edgewater.

The 17-year-old Henderson is trying to join Lydia Ko and Lexi Thompson as the only players to win an LPGA Tour title before turning 18.

On a warm, calm day, Henderson made seven birdies in her bogey-free round. Henderson, who turns 18 in September, tied the tournament 54-hole record of 18-under 198 set by Yani Tseng in 2013.

Morgan Pressel was second after a 65.

Henderson also had the 54-hole lead in April in California in the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic. She closed with a 74 and end up finishing third.

The Canadian won the Symetra Tour's Four Winds Invitational in June in Indiana, and tied for fifth in the Women's PGA Championship - the second of the LPGA Tour's five majors.

A win Sunday would assure Henderson of finishing among the tour's top 40 on the money list, giving her an LPGA Tour card for next season. Through nine LPGA Tour tournaments, Henderson has banked $466,818.

LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan denied Henderson's age petition last year, preventing her from playing Q-school. She earned a spot in the Portland Classic field in Monday qualifying.

Henderson is attempting to become the second Monday qualifier to win an LPGA Tour tournament. The only player to accomplish the feat was Laurel Keen in 2000.

Henderson took a one-stroke lead over Masson into the day. After the two matched birdies at the par-4 first, Henderson increased her lead to two strokes with a birdie at the par-3 second. Masson closed within a stroke with a birdie at the par-5 fifth, and both players birdied the par-5 seventh.

Henderson pulled away on the back nine, starting with birdies on the par-5 10th and par-4 11th.

Masson bogeyed the par-5 12th, giving Henderson a four-stroke lead. Even though Pressel birdied three of her final four holes, Henderson increased her lead to five strokes with birdies at the par-4 15th and par-3 16th.

German players Sandra Gal (65) and Caroline Masson (70) were tied for third 12 under.

Jaye Marie Green had a 63 - the best round of the week - to move into a tie for ninth at 9 under. Ko was tied for 53rd after 2 under after a 72.

The Portland Classic is the penultimate tournament before the U.S. Solheim Cup team is set Aug. 24. Among those contending for the final two berths among the top eight in the Solheim Cup standings, No. 9 Lizette Salas was the only one with a chance to earn points. She was tied for 22nd at 7 under after a 68.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Two Naked Pics Of Holly Sonders. The Big News To Emerge From The 2013 PGA Show

Image
The media centre at the 2013 PGA Show was buzzing yesterday.  Not because of anything that happened at the show.  God forbid! When I rocked in, several men (and one woman) were gathered around an iphone ogling and sharing  two pics of who they claimed were Holly Sonders naked. Now I have to hold my hands up and say, I had to google her to find out she’s from The Golf Channel. I don’t watch the Golf Channel because I don’t have an erectile dysfunction problem or need to rent a car from National.  I’m told adverts for both are all that’s on that channel. How they knew for certain it was her, I dont know.  Unless the cheeks of her ass were on her passport photo and they recognized them from there, but I doubt it. The First Pic The first pic is taken from behind. No pun intended.  The media guys say it was taken by her fiancee (?) and shows Holly in a white thong which has disappeared a dangerously long ways into the bummage.  I’m talking two aerial liquitabs and a hot whit
Read more

Sarah Stirk Nipple Gate: Navy Top Leaves Viewers Disappointed

Image
London: Sky Sports management this morning issued a statement  apologizing to subscribers after Sarah Stirk wore a navy dress live on air.  It is believed up to 60,000 horny golfers were left limp after they tuned in to final round coverage of the Valero Texas Open in the hope of getting a glimpse of the legendary Stirk starter buttons. “I pay my subscription, I’m bloody well entitled to see Sarah’s Wimbledon strawberries” said factory worker Paul Manning 52 from Hereford. “I even missed the ten minute freeview, coz my mate Derek tweeted that Stirk was going into the shot centre for ten minutes at 11pm”. The Sky statement read: We apologize unreservedly for the navy dress Sarah wore during last nights broadcast, through which no nipples were visible. This was due to a wardrobe malfunction. However we do intend to rectify this during our US Masters coverage and assure viewers that plenty of bridge rivets will be on show, both from Sarah and special guest Colin Montgomeri
Read more

Holly Sonders Quits Golf Channel After Contract Talks Fail. Moves To Fox.

Image
Tissues at the ready guys as this will come as a shock to you all that Holly Sonders , the female face of the Golf Channel, has quit and reportedly taken a job with Fox Sports. According to  reports Sonders, who appeared regularly on “Morning Drive” since 2011, could not come to an agreement on a new contract deal with the Golf Channel and was quickly snapped up by Fox Sports where she is expected to work on golf and NFL. Related: Holly Sonders Does The Ice Bucket Challenge We've had some fun with Holly over the last few years ( was that really her in those nudie pics? ) but now it looks like we'll be crying into those tissues. Join the GolfCentralDaily community on Twitter for loads more comment on and off the course. Follow @golfcentraldoc
Read more