AFTER a strong start, Yuka Saso’s fortunes continued to sputter yesterday (Saturday in the US) as she skidded to her second straight 73 and plummeted further to an eight-way tie for 40th place after the penultimate round of the CME Group Tour Championship at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples Florida.
Just two shots adrift of the lead after the opening round, Saso’s performance continued to go haywire, particularly around the greens, resulting in four birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey over the par-72, 6,556-yard course.
The reigning US Women’s Open champion had a three-round output of 212, 10 shots behind four co-leaders led by American Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Nelly Korda and South Korean defending champion Jin Young Ko, shot a 67 and 66, respectively.
Ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the Rolex women’s world rankings, Korda and Ko are eyeing the US LPGA Player of the Year honors as well as the top $1.5 million (roughly P75.5 million) up for grabs in the season-ending tournament.
