Fortuna fires solid 65, leads Saso by three

DASMARIÑAS, Cavite, Philippines — Mikha Fortuna flashed near-impeccable touch on the greens and came away with a bogey-free seven-under 65 to storm past Yuka Saso by three in the second round of the 2018 Champion Infinity Philippine Ladies Open at the Orchard Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Rebounding from a bogey-bogey finish that cost her the first round lead and enabled Saso to take charge Wednesday, Fortuna buckled down to work and birdied the first three holes from 10 feet. She stayed hot from there, coming through with solid approach shots and hot putting to string another three-birdie feat from No. 12.

The 17-year-old The Country Club spearhead then capped her explosive round with another birdie on the 18th, impressing flightmate Saso no less.

“My short game and putting came in very handy today (yesterday). I made a lot of one putts and it felt great,” said Fortuna, who is coming off a sixth place finish in last week’s Philippine Amateur Open.

With a 136 aggregate, Fortuna built a three-stroke cushion over Saso heading to the final 18 holes of the country’s premier championship organized and conducted by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines.

“Mikha was so good with her putting and I have to match that tomorrow (today) to get a chance,” said Saso, seeking to add the PLO crown to her pro victory at Ayala Greenfield last week.

While Fortuna sizzled with her putter, the 16-year-old Saso struggled with hers, bogeying the opening hole on a three-putt miscue to drop off the leaderboard. The Fil-Japanese ace did fight back with birdies on Nos. 2, 6, 9 and 14 but settled for pars the rest of the way to finish with a 69.