Record 65 nets Yuka Saso 3-shot lead

US girls’ junior eliminations

MANILA, Philippines — Power-hitting Yuka Saso set a competitive course record of seven-under 65 at SentryWorld as she gained a three-stroke lead over three others at the start of the 36-hole stroke play elims of the US Girls’ Junior Championship in Stevens Point, Wisconsin Monday (Tuesday in the Philippines).

Coming off a victory in the Girls Junior PGA Championship in Connecticut last week, Saso sustained her fiery form, coming through with solid shots off the mound and equally impressive iron play she capped with awesome putting to produce the day’s best 33-32 card.

She birdied the four par-5s and spiked her seven-birdie feat with a four-binge effort from No. 8, preserving her bogey-free round with a deft pitch to two feet to salvage par on the 18th.

“I wasn’t really thinking about (my win at the Girls PGA),” said Saso, who also birdied Nos. 5, 14 and 15. “I’m just trying to get to know the course well. I’m really happy.”

Saso’s strong start also sparked hopes for the Fil-Japanese shotmaker to duplicate Yealimi Noh’s feat last year when the Korean ruled this event after winning the Girls Junior PGA crown.

More importantly, the reigning Asian Games gold medalist is eyeing to reclaim the crown which Princess Superal won in Arizona in 2014.

But at this stage, the 18-year-old ace, who is priming up for the LPGA Qualifying School in October, wants to focus on the task at hand, that is making it past the qualifiers and building some momentum and confidence for the match play phase.

“I am just focusing on what I have to do (in the second round), the next day is my goal,” said Saso, who has failed to advance past the Round of 32 in the knockout stage in her first three US Girls’ stints.

Sophia Bae of New Jersey, Nicole Adam of North Carolina and China’s Lei Ye all carded 68s to trail Saso by three with Hong Kong’s Virgiinie Ding, Americans Jillian Bourdage, Isabella Van der Biest and Briana Chacon and Colombia’s Valery Plata turning in identical 69s.

The top 64 from the starting field of 154 after 36 holes will move to the next stage when play shifts to match starting Wednesday with Saso hoping to duplicate her solid start for the low medal honors.