YUKA Saso had an erratic backnine yesterday (Saturday in the US) on the way to a 70 and slipped into a five-way tie for 16th place after the second round of the Shoprite LPGA Classic at the Stockton Seaview Golf Club Bay course in Galloway, New Jersey.
Just two shots adrift at the start of the round after carding a 67 in the opener, Saso blew hot-and-cold on the last nine holes with a double-bogey and bogey in succession on holes Nos. 12 and 13 before a birdie-eagle finish on Nos. 18 and 19 over the par-71, 6,190-yard layout.
The reigning US Women’s champion had a 36-hole tally of 137, six shots behind South Korean pacesetters Jin Young Ko and Inbee Park, who had matching 65s after similar 66s on the first day, in the 54-hole tournament offering a total pot of $1,750,000 (around P88.7 million).
Ranked second and third, respectively, in the Rolex Women’s world rankings, Ko and Park are out to add a new championship trophy to their respective collections and the top prize of prize of $262,5000 ($13.3 million).
Saso’s compatriots, Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina, carded identical 70s and also slipped further in the overall standings.
Pagdanganan, who shot 69 in the first round, was in a crowded 13-way tie at 32nd place at 139 while Ardina, who had a 71, was in the bottom of the field tied at 141 in 62nd spot with 11 others.
While consistent with her drives, hitting 13 of 14 fairways, Saso’s approach to the greens was problematic, reaching only 10 of 18 of them in regulation, particularly on the back nine when the winds blew hard.
