Mixed bag drops Saso to T-16th after 2nd round in Shoprite LPGA Classic

MANILA, Philippines — A mixed bag of results for 20-year-old Yuka Saso in the second round of the Shoprite LPGA Classic on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time) has dropped her lower into the leaderboard heading into the final round in Galloway, New Jersey.

Saso struggled in the back nine, where she had two bogeys and a double bogey against just one birdie from Holes 12 to 15.

While a birdie and an eagle in Holes 17 and 18, respectively, salvaged a finish in the green for the round at 1-under par.

She thus improved her total to 5-under par, but slid five places in the leaderboard.

Saso had finished the opening round at joint-11th.

Compatriots Jin Young Ko and Inbee Park of Korea share the top spot at -11 under, six shots ahead of Saso.

The other Filipino golfers, Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina, meanwhile, are further down the leaderboard.

Pagdanganan finished with a 70 for the round to improve to a -3 total and is in joint-32nd.

She sizzled as she started in the back nine with three birdies.

But stumbling in the front nine, she cancelled those out with three bogeys as well. 

She salvaged an under-par performance with a birdie in Hole 9 to wrap up the round.

Ardina, for her part, was close to finishing over par but managed to go 1-under for the round when she hit an eagle in Hole 18.

She's tied for 62nd place.