Last hole birdie salvages Saso bid in Chevron Championship

MANILA, Philippines — Yuka Saso flirted with disaster but came through with a last-hole birdie to salvage a 70 and a spot in the weekend play of the Chevron Championship now led by Japanese Hinako Shibuno in Rancho Mirage, California Friday (Saturday, Manila time). 

On the brink of early ouster after blowing an eagle-spiked three under card after nine holes with bogeys on Nos. 12 and 14, the 20-year-old reigning US Women’s Open champion kept her composure and cashed in on the par-5 closing hole of the Dinah Shore course – the birdie lifting her to joint 67th at 145, the cutoff score in the $5 million championship.

Saso faced elimination with a disastrous opening 75 despite an early tee-time but eagled the par-5 No. 2 in a late frontside start in the second round and improved further from a tied 90th position with a birdie on No. 9, another par-5.

But she missed a chance on No. 11 and failed to get up-and-down in two of the next three holes, needing to hole out strong to save a spot in the last 36 holes of the season’s first major championship.

The ICTSI-backed ace, however, fell 10 strokes behind Shibuno, whose 66 propelled her to the top of the heap of the elite field and 36 holes away from scoring a second major feat following her triumph in the 2019 British Women’s Open.

Shibuno, who opened with a 69, shot seven birdies against a bogey as she pooled a nine-under 135 for a one-stroke lead over American Annie Park, who fired a 67, and defending champion Patty Tavatanakit, who slowed down with a 69 after a 67 for identical 136s.

First round leader Jennifer Kupcho wavered with a 70 to drop to joint second with Park and Tavatanakit while Koreans Hyo Joo Kim and Sei Young Kim tied at 137 after a a pair of 67s, ensuring a wild, tight chase in the last two days.

Like Saso, world No. 1 Jin Young Ko also fought back from below the projected cutoff score to joint 29th with a 68 for a 142, seven shots off the pace, in a tie with Thai Atthaya Thitikul, who also rallied with a four-under card, and Japanese Ayaka Furue, who carded a second 71.

Saso actually failed to sustain her superb game off the mound, ending up missing six fairways on a 290-yard driving clip. She also failed to hit regulation five times and finished with 30 putts.