Canadian amateur Aphrodite Deng carded a third-round 68 at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club, moving within four strokes of the overall lead after rebounding from a rough 73 in round two.
Aphrodite Deng walked into her third round needing momentum—and she found it quickly. The 16-year-old Canadian amateur shot a 68 on Saturday at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., sending her within four strokes of the overall lead.
Deng, a native of Calgary, Alta., entered Saturday at 3-over for the championship after her second-round struggle. She shot 73 in round two, leaving her with work to do. But her comeback took shape almost immediately: she opened the back end with three straight birdies and finished her front nine firing a 32.
The rhythm didn’t let up. On the day, Deng birdied five holes—Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 16—and bogeyed only twice, at Nos. 8 and 13. The result is a position that feels earned rather than given: she’s back in the fight for a major title, with the Open still within her grasp.
Her run also carries a bigger story beyond one leaderboard. Deng is trying to become the first amateur competitor to win a women’s major golf championship since France’s Catherine Lacoste won the U.S. Women’s Open in 1967. She’s also chasing a Canadian milestone that hasn’t been reached in a women’s major since Brooke Henderson captured the Evian Championship in 2022.
At Riviera, Henderson was the only other Canadian to make the weekend cut. After posting a strong 69 on Friday to get herself into the mix, she had a rough swing Saturday—bogeying five holes on her way to a 74.
With the field still jockeying for position, the championship lead belongs to Chun In-gee. South Korea’s Chun In-gee, the winner of the U.S. Open in 2015, heads the event at six-under for the championship.
For Deng, the question now is simple: can the bounce-back hold through the later rounds, when majors usually demand more than a hot start?
Aphrodite Deng U.S. Women's Open Riviera Country Club Canadian amateur Chun In-gee Brooke Henderson Catherine Lacoste
68 is kinda wild for an amateur, but is this like actually hard course or what?
I saw “within four strokes” and instantly thought she’s basically winning already lol. But then they said she was 3-over after round 2 so idk, golf scoring always confuses me.
Wait Catherine Lacoste in 1967 like… wasn’t she married to someone famous? Also how is Brooke Henderson only Canadian that made the cut, seems weird. Anyway, if she’s 4 back she’s cooked unless she plays perfect the rest of the way.
Chun In-gee being at six-under doesn’t sound “lead” to me, like, isn’t that average? I don’t get why everyone’s acting like the Open is hers to lose when these scores can swing on one hole. Also “birdied Nos. 1,2,3” sounds like she just got lucky early??