Saso seeks reset in first major, eyes strong start in Chevron tilt
MANILA, Philippines — Yuka Saso heads into this week’s Chevron Championship with renewed focus and determination, hoping to bounce back from a string of missed cuts as the season’s first major fires off Thursday (Friday Manila time) at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston.
A two-time US Women's Open champion, Saso finds herself navigating a challenging stretch in her career. She has missed the cut in her last three tournaments, including last week’s JM Eagle LA Championship, highlighting a dip in form.
But majors often bring out a different level of play, especially from proven champions. Backed by ICTSI, Saso is eyeing the $9-million championship as the perfect stage to spark a resurgence and reestablish herself in the LPGA spotlight.
In seven starts this season, Saso’s best finish has been a tie for 33rd at the Blue Bay LPGA. She also failed to make the weekend at the Founders Cup, Ford Championship and the JM Eagle LA Championship.
Notably, she opened both the Founders Cup and the JM Eagle LA Championship with identical 69s, only to falter in the second round and miss the cut.
Saso is set to tee off at 12:27 p.m. on No. 1, grouped with Perrine Delacour and Gurleen Kaur.
While Saso carries high hopes into the marquee event, the challenge will be formidable. The field is stacked, led by the world’s top three players — Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda and Hyo Joo Kim.
Thitikul tees off at 1:27 p.m. on No. 10 alongside Brooke Henderson and Ruoning Yin. Korda begins her campaign at 1:39 p.m., also on No. 10, with Mao Saigo and Lilia Vu. Meanwhile, Kim takes an early start at 8:15 a.m. on No. 1 with Hannah Green and Charley Hull.
Meanwhile, in the Epson Tour, Filipinas Pauline del Rosario, Dottie Ardina, Clariss Guce, Tomi Arejola,and Sam Bruce gear up for the tour’s resumption at the IOA Championship, which begins Friday at the Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon in Beaumont.
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