YUKA Saso cooled off a bit yesterday after two strong straight rounds, shooting an even par 70 and slipping into a six-way tie for 17th place with one round to go in the Pelican Women’s Championship at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.
Tied for 10th with four others after scoring 68 and 64, respectively, after 36 holes, Saso lost her grip with an erratic outing marked by four birdies against two bogeys and a double bogey over the par-70, 6,628-yard layout.
Down just three shots entering the third round, the reigning US Women’s Open champion fell back eight shots behind behind American co-leaders Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson, who checked in with 63 and 65, respectively, and were in prime position to contest the $225,000 (roughly P11.2 million) at stake in the $1.75 million (P82.5 million) event.
Saso began ominously with a bogey on the first hole, which she quickly erased with a birdie on the next, seemingly settling down with her second birdie on the fifth before closing out with a bogey on the ninth for an even par 34 at the turn.
The 2018 Asian Games double gold medalist gained ground with back-to-back birdies on the 15th and 15th only to falter once again with a double bogey six on the par-4 16th before parring the last two holes.
Known for her power-hitting prowess, Saso wasn’t sharp with her drives, hitting just nine of 14 fairways and was also lackluster in her approach, reaching just nine of 18 greens in regulation.
Whatever the outcome of her final round, the Filipino-Japanese is guaranteed a spot in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship from Nov. 14 to 18 at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida.
Saso is currently No. 15 in the overall standings with 1,114.20 points, with the top 60 golfers, inclusive of ties, after the conclusion of the US LPGA tour eligible to play in the tournament offering a whopping total pot of $5 million (P249 million).
It will be her first appearance in the season-ending tournament on the US LPGA tour. She wasn’t eligible last year because was still playing regularly on the Japanese LPGA tour.
Saso gained a regular US LPGA card with her win in the US Women’s Open at the Olympic Golf Club last June.
