Saso fires 68, trails by two

MANILA, Philippines — A shaky start and an even shakier finish ruined what could’ve been an explosive opener for Yuka Saso, who settled for a four-under 68 and trailed Min-Young Lee and Serena Aoki by two after 18 holes of the rich JLPGA Championship Minolta Cup at the JFE Setonakai Golf Club in Okayama yesterday.

The young Fil-Japanese ace flubbed birdie chances in the first five holes but ran off three straight birdies from No. 6, added another on the 13th and took a stab at the lead (-6) after draining another birdie on the par-3 No. 16.

But she stroked a straightaway 5-foot putt inches short of the cup on the 17th then hit a wayward 3-wood tee-shot on the treacherous par-5 18th. The ICTSI-backed bet needed to take a safety shot off an awkward stance behind a pile of rocks, only to find her third shot hit the edge of the green and take a bad bounce into the bunker.

She blasted poorly, the ball rolling past the sleek surface and into the ankle-deep rough. She chipped to within six feet and made the putt for a 33-35 and a share of fifth with seven others, including an in-form Sakura Koiwai.

The day belonged to early starters Lee and Aoki with the former spiking her fiery 66 with an ace on the 180-yard No. 8 on her way home and the latter, who missed the cut at Golf5 Ladies, churning out a bogey-free pair of 33s to seize control of the elite field.

The 28-year-old Lee, who missed the Nitori Ladies cut but tied for fourth in last week’s Golf5 Ladies ruled by Koiwai, used a 5-iron and bucked the wind with a low fade 5-iron tee-shot that landed 10 yards off the cup before rolling in.

The duo took a one-stroke lead over Ayako Kimura and former champion Teresa Lu, who shot identical 67s, while Koiwai likewise took advantage of an early start to shoot four birdies and tie Saso, Eri Joma, Erika Kikuchi, Yuri Yoshida, Erika Hara, Seira Oki and Mi-Jeong Jeon.

Momoko Ueda, meanwhile, groped for form coming off a sixth place finish in the British Women’s Open, dropping three strokes after a birdie on the 11th from where she teed off. But the veteran campaigner recovered big at the front, hitting three birdies for joint 37th at 71.