Saso, Pagdanganan miss Palos Verdes cut

MANILA, Philippines — Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan failed to rebound from a pair of fumbling starts and missed the weekend play of the inaugural Palos Verdes Championship now paced by Aussie Hannah Green in California Friday (Saturday, Manila time).

Saso, who struggled with a 75 in the first round, shot three birdies but hobbled with the same number of bogeys as she settled for an even par 71 at the Palos Verdes Golf Club course and failed to advance for the second time in her last seven LPGA events following a 22-tournament run of final round stints. She pooled a four-over 146 for a share of 83rd.

It was another big blow to her preparations for her defense of the US Women’s Open crown next month with only two more tournaments lined up before the season’s second major on June 2-5 in North Carolina.

The ICTSI-backed ace’s form took a dip since missing the cut in the LPGA Drive On Championship in Florida last February with her tied for 12th effort in the Honda LPGA Thailand her best finish in her last six LPGA appearances.

Pagdanganan, who had a 72 start Thursday, also ended up with a 146, two strokes below the cutoff score, after a 74 marred by six bogeys against three birdies. It was her fourth missed cut stint in six LPGA sorties.

Saso finished with 28 putts but missed five fairways and eight greens and went two-of-three off the bunkers while Padanganan hit just eight fairways and seven greens while matching the former’s 28-putt performance.

Green, meanwhile, took control of the $1.5 million championship with a 66, spiked by a five-birdie splurge in a seven-hole stretch from No. 1 as she pooled a 133 and built a three-stroke lead over Kiwi Lydia Ko, American Megan Khang and world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, who assembled identical 136s.

Lydia Ko fired an eagle-aided 67, Khang carded a 69, while Jin Young Ko reeled back with a double-bogey against a lone birdie for a 72.