Yuka Saso misses YOG golf medal in playoff

BUENOS AIRES – In biting cold, Yuka Saso bogeyed the playoff hole Thursday and missed a medal finish in the third Youth Olympic Games.

Five shots off the lead after 36 holes, Saso fired the day’s best round of one-under 69, and found herself with a chance to win either the silver or the bronze.

Grace Kim of Australia had bagged the gold with a 71 for 211 while Saso ended tied with Emma Spitz of Austria (72) and Alessia Nobilio of Italy (74) at 214.

All along, the Filipinos had thought that Saso was to figure in a two-way playoff for second with Spitz, and in the worst case would have won the bronze.

But Nobilio birdied the 18th hole to be at 214, making it a three-way playoff on hole No. 1, a straight-up 344-yard par-4, some 30 minutes later.

Saso sent her tee shot left of the fairway. With a good lie, she hit a nine-iron from 140 yards but overshot the green. She got on in three, six feet to the cup.

Nobilio was on in two and sank a close birdie putt, securing the silver. Spitz also missed the green, to the right, and like Saso was on in three.

Spitz then sank a seven-footer for par, leaving Saso with a pressure-packed six-footer. She missed to the left for bogey, and Team Philippines remained without a medal.