Hedwall Soars into Lead at Canadian Women's Open


Caroline Hedwall, who went 5-0 in helping the European team to victory in last week's Solheim Cup, fired a 6-under 64 to take over the top spot in the Canadian Women's Open. The $2 million LPGA Tour event began Thursday at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton.

The 24-year-old Swede carded seven birdies and a bogey Saturday to reach 10-under 201, one stroke ahead of fellow Solheim Cup star and teammate Suzann Pettersen and defending champion Lydia Ko.

Pettersen, an 11-time LPGA winner and the leader of the Euros at Colorado Golf Club, posted a 5-under 65 and Ko, a 16-year-old amateur from New Zealand, had a 67. Ko won last year's Canadian Women's Open at Vancouver Golf Club by three strokes.

Two behind Hedwall are American Brittany Lincicome (66) and South Korea's I.K. Kim (65), while three back are Americans Gerina Piller (67) and Paula Creamer (69), and France's Karine Icher (70).

England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff (67) and Germany's Caroline Masson (67) share ninth at 204 with Americans Jessica Korda (68) and Stacy Prammanasudh (69). Two other Yanks - Brittany Lang and Lexi Thompson - are tied for 13th at 205 after scores of 68 and 69, respectively.

Among these leaders, only Ko, Kim and Prammanasudh weren't participants in the Solheim Cup.

Taiwan's Yani Tseng, who began the year as the No. 1-ranked player in women's golf before seeing her game suffer, carded a 66 to vault up the leaderboard into a tie for 15th at 4-under 206 with Americans Kathleen Ekey (71) and Angela Stanford (73), England's Charley Hull (71) and current No. 1 Inbee Park (74) of South Korea.

Cristie Kerr stumbled to a 75 and dropped into a tie for 20th at 207 with five others.

For all the scores, visit www.lpga.com.