Saso at 19th in Honda LPGA

MANILA, Philippines — Yuka Saso fired a three-under 69 while Bianca Pagdanganan shot 71 as they trailed by five and seven, respectively, after the first round of the Honda LPGA Thailand yesterday at the Siam Country Club in Chonburi.

The Fil-Japanese Saso mixed five birdies with two bogeys in a 35-34 card that put her in a share of 19th to 29th places. Two shots back was Pagdanganan, who made four birdies against three bogeys and got into a tie for 42nd to 50th spots.

Taiwanese Peiyen Chen set the pace with a sizzling 64 spiked by an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole which was complemented by seven birdies. A lone bogey on the par-4 14th stained an otherwise spotless round.

Chen seized a two-stroke lead against Korean Sei Young Kim, who submitted a 66 for solo second. Locked in a logjam at third with identical 67s were Korean Mi Hyang Lee, Thai star Patty Tavatanakit, Canadian Brook Henderson, Japanese Ayaka Furue, Koreans Jenny Shin and Hyo Joo Kim, Swede Madeline Sagstrom and another home ace Natthakritta Vongtaveelap.