While Jodi Ewart Shadoff pranced at the top of the LPGA Mediheal Championship in Somis, Calif. on Thursday, Canadians endured a nightmare, beginning with Quebec’s Maude-Aimée Leblanc, who missed the tournament through injury.

The LPGA hasn’t released details, but Leblanc withdrew from the Volunteers of America Classic last week after just one round.

Alena Sharp was the top Maple Leaf representative on Thursday with a record 72 (N). However, she had to settle for 52nd place in the table, eight strokes behind the leader. The other Canadian, Maddie Szeryk, had seven bogeys, including four in a row. This puts her in 98th place with 76 (+4).

Up ahead, Shadoff kept an eye on the compass. The 34-year-old Englishwoman rigged an eagle and seven birdies and only played over par once. Her cumulative 64 (-8) puts her two shots ahead of China’s Ruixin Liu and America’s Alison Lee (66). She is aiming for a first triumph in the LPGA.

The winner of the 2021 edition of the tournament, Finland’s Matilda Castren, is 71st with 73 (+3). His win last year is also his only career in the LPGA.

It’s better in the PGA

On the PGA side, three of the five Canadians in the race were just a few shots off the lead, while nine golfers in Las Vegas, Nevada, were forced to retire after 17 pennants due to darkness.

Adam Hadwin, Adam Svensson and Michael Gligic all showed a first card of 67 (-4), which puts them in 21st place along with 14 other contenders, four shots from the lead. Hadwin could have done even better as he bogeyed on the 18th pennant.

Taylor Pendrith (71, N) sits 99th, largely thanks to a string of two bogeys and a double bogey in four holes. After starting his round with three consecutive bogeys, Nick Taylor never recovered. This puts him in 125th place with 73 (+2).

Tom Hoge (63) took the lead after 18 holes. He had two eagles and four birdies as he seeks a second career PGA title.