MANILA, Philippines — With a bumbling finish, Yuka Saso all but bowed out of the chase for the Pelican Championship crown that however remained up for grabs for at least 16 bidders.
The reigning US Women's Open champ snapped out of a two-birdie, two-bogey card after 13 holes with birdies on the next two, stirring up play in the action-packed third round of the $1.75 million event that produced new co-leaders and a gang of pursuers led by the world's ranking players.
But a couple of mishits led to a double-bogey at the challenging par-4 No. 16, virtually quashing her hopes for a title crack in the penultimate event of this year's LPGA Tour.
With a 70 and 54-hole total of 132 at the Pelican Golf Club Saturday, the ICTSI-backed shotmaker slipped from joint 10th to a share of 17th, now eight strokes off joint leaders Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson, who with third-running Jennifer Kupcho, forged an interesting all-American final grouping Sunday (Monday, Manila time).
Korda, living up to her world No. 1 ranking, birdied the first two holes then bounced back from.a mishap on No. 3 with six birdies, including on the last two holes, as she shot the day's best 63 to tie Thompson at 16-under 194 and closer to a fourth championship in a prolific season she highlighted with a gold medal run in the Tokyo Olympics.
But she faces a formidable test from a host of aces all raring to get to the podium, including Thompson, who scorched the par-70 layout with five birdies in the first 11 holes then picked up a stroke she lost on No. 15 with a birdie on the next to shoot a 65 and zero in on a career 12th LPGA victory.
Kupcho, meanwhile, hit five birdies but missed forcing a three-way tie with a bogey on the last. She finished with a 66 and slipped to third at 195 but remained within sight of an LPGA breakthrough.
Christina Kim, also of the US, and Korean defending champion Sei Young Kim matched 65s for joint fifth at 196, just two shots off the leaders, while Thai Patty Tavatanakit and New Zealand's Lydia Ko pooled identical 197s after a pair of 64s, and first day leader Leona Maguire of Ireland stayed in the hunt with a second straight 68 for a 198, guaranteeing a shootout in the last 18 holes of the blue-ribbon event.
Pornanong Phatlum, also of Thailand, shot a 67 while Maria Fassi of Mexico carded a 68 as they shared ninth place at 200 while world No. 2 Jin Young Ko, also of Korea, holed out with a birdie to shoot a 67 and lead the 201 scorers, who include Canadian Brooke Henderson, who rallied with a 65, Mexican Gaby Lopez, who turned in a 68, Korean Jeongeun Lee6, who made a 69, and Americans Jessica Korda and Lauren Coughlin, who fired 67 and 68, respectively.
After a near-perfect stint off the mound in the first two days where she missed just three fairways, the ICTSI-backed Saso struggled with her long game, hitting nine of 14 fairways and going out of regulation nine times. She, however, finished with 25 putts.
The world No. 6 Saso, however, hopes to put some fire in her final round duel with American Daniella Kang, who also matched par 70 and whom she played in the first two rounds with Korda, and former US Women's Open titlist A. Lim Kim of Korea at 10:09 a.m. on the first hole.
But even without her in the title race, the chase is expected to be a thriller of a finish and it could likely go down to the last shot or putt given the form and determination of the contenders with Korda so motivated to cap a sterling year and firm up her hold of the No. 1 spot heading to the season-ending finale – the CME Group Tour Championship, also in Florida next week.
Saso is also in the CME Group fold where she expects to dish out a better, stronger performance that could spike a historic, remarkable season for the 20-year-old spearhead of many national teams who will be donning the Japanese colors starting 2023.