Some impressive recent form was interrupted by a 46th-place finish at the Cambia Portland Classic last week.
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Golfers can also make the squad by their standing in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings (Lee ranks 34th) or by being selected by the team’s captain. Coverage of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open is from 5-8 p.m. on the Golf Channel on Friday.
Winless in 253 career LPGA Tour starts, France’s Icher closed a bogey-free round with seven pars.
The US$2.25-million tournament is being held at the Vancouver Golf Club. “It’s always nice to have some rounds like that where you don’t have so much questions”.
“I hit a lot of greens”, said Sharp.
Two-time champion Lydia Ko was second after a 67. When a birdie putt on the fifth hole broke right at the last moment, finishing an inch off, she allowed something of a smile-grimace.
“When I was making a couple of bogeys there on the front nine, it was like, oh, I really have to bear down here …” “But I’m glad I got up and down”.
Returning to the scene where she claimed her first LPGA Tour win as an amateur three years ago, the 18-year-old is once against the leader after the opening round today.
Ko won the Canadian Open at Vancouver in 2012 and backed up in 2013, as a 16-year-old amateur, to successfully defend her title in Edmonton.
A five-time victor on the Ladies European Tour, but not since 2005, the 36-year-old burst out of a funk to take charge and build a two-shot lead from New Zealand’s world number two Ko.
“I think the biggest difference is me”. I am quite happy. “So, I love coming back here”.
“I feel great”, Sharp said.
Stacy Lewis, IK Kim, Danah Bordner and Pernilla Lindberg shot 68. Szeryk hit 10 of 15 fairways and 13 of 18 greens on the day. “I played well the last two days, left some shots out there, but I have lots to look forward to on the weekend”.
Things are shaping up much better this time. The 17-year-old Smiths Falls, Ont., native received a thunderous ovation when she was introduced on the first tee and large crowds followed her throughout her afternoon round.
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Henderson did not play her best, on what was largely an uneven day. “Just to be back home in Canada and playing in front of them was really cool”. “Today was a little bit up and down, but I was able to get it together a little more on the back nine and finish two-under”.
