Saso bombs out of US Am match play

MANILA, Philippines — Yuka Saso failed to dodge the rash of upsets that befell the fancied bets right in the first round of the US Women’s Amateur Match Play, bowing to a strong finishing Kaitlyn Papp of Texas, 2&1, at the Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi Wednesday.

Saso, a semifinalist in the US Girls’ Junior in Wisconsin two weeks ago who gained the No. 19 ranking after the 36-hole stroke play elims, never got to wrest control after her No. 46 ranked rival birdied the par-5 No. 2, forcing an all-square match with her own birdie on the eighth.

But after both players traded pars in the next eight holes, Papp birdied Nos. 15 and 16 to go 2-up then matched Saso’s birdie on the par-3 17th to clinch the victory and seal a Last 32 clash with No. 14 Min A Yoon of Korea, who ripped American Paris Hilinksi, 5&3.

Earlier, No. 64 Emily Hawkins from North Carolina produced the most stirring victory in a day of reversals, booting out top seed Jiarui Jin of China, 4&2, then No. 58 Lucy Li routed No. 7 Morgan Baxendale, 5&4, No. 55 Pimnipa Panthong of Thailand stunned No. 10 Gurleen Kaur from Texas, 3&2, No. 53 Aneka Seumanutafa bundled out No. 12 and fellow American Julie Houston, 4&3, and No. 48 Megha Ganne eased out No. 17 Gina Kim, 1-up.

It was a sorry early exit for Saso, who had hoped of advancing and matching or surpassing her semis feat in the US Girls. Next up for the reigning Asian Games double gold medalist is the LPGA Qualifying although as No. 20 in the current World Amateur Golf Rankings, she is seeded into the Second Stage in October.