Akie Iwai was right back on top of the leaderboard in the CPKC Women’s Open on Thursday, four days after her breakthrough victory in the Portland Classic. Iwai closed her afternoon round at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club with birdies on the par-4 eighth and ninth holes for a 7-under 64 and a two-stroke lead.

Iwai's back-to-back birdies to finish her round helped her leap over a cluster of players that held the lead for most of the day. Canadian amateur Aphrodite Deng, Mexico's Gaby Lopez, and Megan Khang shared the clubhouse lead at 5 under after the morning wave.