Late mishap drops Saso to joint 3rd with 66

MANILA, Philippines – Yuka Saso faltered at the finish, missing out on a share of the clubhouse lead and slipping to joint third with an eagle-boosted 66, trailing Canadian Maude-Aimee Leblanc by two at the start of the FIR Hills Seri Pak Championship at Palos Verdes Estates in California Thursday (Friday Manila time).

Saso, fresh from a rest following a tied 17th finish in the Women’s World Championship in Singapore last month, started strong with three birdies in the first five holes of the par-71 layout. She then dominated the par-5 seventh with an eagle for a stellar frontside 31.

She managed to tie Leblanc for the lead at seven-under with back-to-back birdies from No. 15 but the 2021 US Women’s Open champion dropped two shots on the par-3 17th, settling for a five-under card and a provisional share of third with American Alison Lee and Madelene Sagstrom from Sweden.

Starting at the backside of the 6,447-yard layout, Leblanc birdied Nos. 14 and 16 then closed out with a stirring frontside charge of five birdies, capped by a three-birdie string from No. 7.

She finished with a solid 64, just a shot ahead of Malia Narn of the United States, who bested Saso’s start with four birdies and an eagle for a 30. Like Saso, she struggled with her iron play and bogeyed the par-3 13th but regained the stroke on the next to card a 65.

The ICTSI-backed Saso flourished with her long game, missing just one fairway. Although she went out of regulation four times, she compensated for the struggle by finishing with 26 putts, including two rescued pars from the bunkers.

On the other hand, Bianca Pagdanganan hobbled in her frontside finish, bogeying the last two holes for a one-over 72, falling to joint 67th in a starting full-packed field of 144.

Pagdanganan recovered from a mishap on No. 12 with birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 and bounced back again from a bogey on No. 4 with a birdie on the next. But she failed to get up-and-down in the last two holes, putting her on the brink of elimination in the $2 million championship.

Despite hitting 12 fairways, Pagdanganan grappled with her irons, resulting in five missed greens and ending up with 31 putts.

The event features some of the world’s best, including Canada’s Brooke Henderson, who fired a 68, and Danielle Kang of the US, who matched par 71, while Americans Allisen Corpuz, Rose Zhang, Meghan Kang and world No. 1 Lilia Vu, Japanese Ayaka Furue, Australian Hannah Green and Koreans Jenny Shin, Jiyai Shin and Jeongeun Lee6 were still playing at presstime.

Meanwhile, world No. 2 Nelly Korda and South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai also finished with 72s, joining Pagdanganan at 67th place.