Saso stays in joint 10th with 71
MANILA, Philippines – Yuka Saso hardly recovered from a two-over card Friday with a one-under 71 on Saturday, staying at joint 10th but falling farther behind by six to two-day leader Mizuki Tanaka after three rounds of the Earth Mondahmin Cup now paced by Mizuka Tanaka at the Camellia Hills Country Club in Chiba, Japan.
The 2018 Asian Games double gold medalist actually failed to sustain a two-under card after eight holes, stumbling with two bogeys against another birdie in a six-hole stretch from No. 9 and missing a couple of birdie chances the rest of the way for a 35-36.
Counting his solid opening and lead-sharing 66 Thursday and a forgettable 74 in the second round, the Fil-Japanese pooled a 211 to remain tied for 10th with Mone Inami (69), Haruda Kudo (72), Sakura Koiwai (71), Mao Nozawa (72), Tsugumi Miyazaki (71) and Ritsuko Ryu (70).
But she fell six shots off the pace as Tanaka fended off the charge of a slew of rivals with a gutsy 70 for a 54-hole aggregate of 205, keeping her overnight three-stroke lead intact, this time over the pair of Ayaka Furue and Mao Saigo, who took the challenger’s role with a 66 and 67, respectively, for 208s.
Miki Sakai rallied with a 68 to force a four-way tie at fourth at 209 with Reika Usui, who shot a 70, and Al Suzuki and Ayaka Watanabe, who turned in identical 71s.
Nana Suganuma and Momoka Osato assembled identical 210s for joint eighth after a 70 and 71, respectively.
Eager to atone for her second round stumble birdied the par-5 opening hole from short range but bogeyed the next then snapped a run of pars with back-to-back birdies from No. 7, sparking hopes for another fiery charge the way she did in grabbing the spotlight with a six-birdie feat in the first round.
But just when she thought she had the par-72 layout all figured out, she bogeyed the par-3 ninth, struck back with another birdie on No. 13th but missed the green and bogeyed the next before settling for the pars in the last four holes.
Despite reeling back by six, hopes remain high for the two-time Philippine Ladies Open winner to mount a stirring comeback in the $2.1-million event serving as the first LPGA of Japan Tour event in four months with less pressure playing in the fifth-to-the-last flight.
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