CALGARY, Alberta >> Mao Saigo emerged from the wildfire-fed smoky haze Saturday at Earl Grey Golf Club with the lowest round in CPKC Women’s Open history. Five hours later, Haeran Ryu and Lauren Coughlin found themselves well clear of the rest of the field.

Taking advantage of calmer conditions after two windy days, Saigo shot an 11-under 61 to jump from a tie for 46th to a tie for third — five strokes behind Ryu and four back of Coughlin on the tree-lined course with thick rough and small greens.

“I’m very proud of myself because that was the best round probably since I started playing golf,” Saigo said through a translator. “The wind wasn’t blowing much, so I was trying to make birdies on par 5s and try to keep my strengths with my iron shots.”

The 22-year-old Japanese player — an LPGA Tour rookie after winning six times on the JLPGA — holed out from 133 yards for eagle with a pitching wedge on the par-4 10th.

“I was able to feel the energy from the fans and that helped me play well,” Saigo said.

She broke the tournament record of 62 set by Song Hee-Kim in 2009 at nearby Priddis Greens and matched by Mo Martin in 2018 at Wascana in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Paula Reto and Lindy Duncan in 2022 at Ottawa Hunt.

Choi leads Senior British Open

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland >> K.J. Choi birdied the last hole to regain the sole lead of the Senior British Open after three rounds on Saturday.

The South Korean golfer takes a one-shot lead into the final round at Carnoustie.

Choi, up by two overnight, led the field by six after 14 holes. Then consecutive double bogeys pegged him back and, going into the 18th, he was tied with Richard Green, who carded a 4-under 68.

On a hole he bogeyed in the first two rounds, Choi birdied and closed with a 70.

Like Choi, Green has never won a senior major, but the Australian has finished top three in two senior majors this year.

India’s Arjun Atwal was third, two strokes behind Choi at 6 under after a 67.

Atwal was two shots clear of England’s Paul Broadhurst, the 2016 champion.

Gutschewski wins Junior Amateur

Trevor Gutschewski outlasted Tyler Watts to win the U.S. Junior Amateur 4 and 3 Saturday, earning an exemption to the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont.

The 17-year-old Gutschewski sealed the win with a short putt on the 33rd hole. He celebrated by hugging his father, PGA Tour player Scott Gutschewski, and his mom, Amy, on the 15th green at Oakland Hills.

“It’s really hard to stay in the moment, walking up fairways thinking about playing in the U.S. Open next year,” Gutschewski said.

Scott Gutschewski missed the cut Friday at the 3M Open, where he planned to leave to watch his son play regardless of his positioning in the PGA Tour event.

“Talked to my wife and said, ‘The only way I’m staying in Minnesota is if I make the cut and Trevor gets beat,’” he said. “You have kids, you want to see them and enjoy their successes and be there for them no matter how it goes.

“It worked out awesome.”

Gutschewski, Nebraska’s first junior amateur champion, is entering his senior year at Omaha Westside High School.

The 16-year-old Watts of Huntsville, Ala., is going into his junior year of high school.