Nine golfers within six shots of co-leaders, setting up exciting
final round on Friday
ROTHESAY, N.B. – Moving Day certainly delivered and then some following the third round of the 111th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO; as Michelle Xing and Eunseo Choi are tied for the lead at 1-under heading into Friday’s final round at The Riverside Country Club in Rothesay, N.B.
While the wind remained a factor, more favourable conditions paved the way for a number of lead changes and scoring opportunities over the course of 18 holes on Thursday in Rothesay.
Xing, of Richmond Hill, Ont. was just two shots back of the lead entering play and was able to respond to any setback she faced, keeping her name atop the lead for most of the day.
After opening with a bogey, she responded with back-to-back birdies followed by a string of pars. Another bogey on nine, was quickly corrected with a birdie on No. 10. Xing dropped another stroke on No. 12 before answering with birdies on 14 and 15 and closed her round with three straight pars en route to a 1-under 71 to sit 1-under.
“I think I was hitting the ball pretty well today, I was making my shorter putts so that was working really well,” said Xing.
Equally as exciting for the Team Canada NextGen member, was that Thursday marked her 17th birthday, “not a bad way to spend my birthday,” said Xing with a smile.
As for how she may celebrate tonight.
“I have a cheesecake in my hotel room and had dinner with friends last night, so in a way we kind of celebrated already so maybe I’ll just have some more cake tonight,” said added with a laugh.
Xing said she plans to stick with what has worked with her for the past couple days from a routine and game plan perspective and will adjust as needed on Friday.
Choi of Auckland, New Zealand got off to a hot start with opening birdies on No. 1 and 2 before dropping back to even par for her round through nine. She ran into trouble again with a bogey on No. 10, but it would be the final blemish on an impressive back nine as Choi birdied four of her final seven holes to fire a 3-under 69 to move atop the leaderboard with Xing. Choi credited her putting and a strong mental game for her round.
“I wasn’t really shaken by anything and just tried to enjoy the game as much as I could – honestly, just tried to lock in as they say and really just enjoy it and I think that’s what went really well today,” she said.
Wind looks to be a factor again on Friday and Choi is prepared for whatever comes her way.
“This course is great, but the wind always makes variables for it. As long as I try to enjoy it, just stay in the moment and don’t think too much about it, just be comfortable in my own situation I think I’ll play well tomorrow.”
Xing and Choi hold a one-shot lead over Kaitlyn Schroeder of Jacksonville, Fla. who shot a 1-over 73 on Thursday to drop to even par for the tournament and is alone in third. Aira Nagasawa of Yamanashi, Japan moved up to fourth following a 1-under 71 to sit at 2-over while Raegan Denton of Fulham Gardens, Australia fired a 3-under 69 to move into fifth place at 3-over.
Team Canada member Vanessa Zhang of Vancouver, B.C. also recorded a 3-under 69 on Thursday to move up and into a tie for sixth at 4-over with fellow Team Canada member, Tillie Claggett of Calgary, Alta., Molly Smith of Westford, Ma. and Macy Pate of Winston-Salem, N.C. who held the 36-hole lead into Thursday.
Joline Truong of Mississauga, Ont. fired the low round of the day with a 4-under 68 to jump into a tie for tenth with Anna Iwanaga of Hyogo, Japan at 5-over.
In addition to winning the Duchess of Connaught Trophy, the Canadian Women’s Amateur champion will receive an exemption into the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open taking place at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont. from August 20 – 24. The winner will also earn an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, taking place August 4 – 10 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore and an exemption into the 2026 Canadian Women’s Amateur, taking place at The Toronto Golf Club, July 20 – 24, 2026.
The final group of Xing, Choi and Schroeder will tee off at 9:42 a.m. ADT on Friday, for all Final Round tee times, please click here. For the individual leaderboard following the third round of the 111th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.
