Henderson in contention again at Portland event
Canadian 2 strokes behind leader after opening with 64
PORTLAND, Ore. — Marina Alex matched the course record with a 10-under 62 on Thursday to take a two-stroke lead over Canadian Brooke Henderson and Minjee Lee in the Cambia Portland Classic.
Winless on the tour, the 28-year-old Alex birdied the last four holes and five of the last six in a back-nine 30.
“Got my ball-striking together and it was awesome,” Alex said.
Henderson, the 2015 and 2016 winner from Smiths Falls, Ont., also birdied five of the last six holes for a 64. The 20-year-old star is coming off a victory Sunday in the CP Women’s Open on home soil in Regina.
“I could see the scores were really low today, so I wanted to go low on the back nine,” Henderson said. “And I was able to get five birdies. I’m really happy with this round.”
Lee closed with a bogey on the par-4 ninth. The Australian birdied her first five holes and six of the first seven.
Robynn Ree was at 65 after a closing bogey. Women’s British Open champion Georgia Hall matched Su Oh at 66.
Anna Nordqvist, Brittany Lincicome, Angela Stanford and Mariah Stackhouse topped the group at 67, while Lexi Thompson eagled the par-5 seventh in a 68. There are five other Canadians in the field. Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., opened with a 3-under 69. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay (72) are even, while Charlottetown’s Lori Kane (76) and Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., (78) are well back.