Saso opens bid in second JLPGA major

MANILA, Philippines — Explosive would best describe the featured threesome of Yuka Saso, Sakura Koiwai and Ayaka Furue in today’s start of the LPGA of Japan Tour second major championship – the Japan Women’s Open at The Classic Golf Club in Fukuoka Prefecture.

For one, they’re winners of four of JLPGA’s first six legs with rookie Saso, 19, nailing two. They occupy the top three spots in the current list of records that includes average stroke, birdie, per break rate, par save rate and average number of putts, among others. And they’re young and full of promise.

Sure a slew of seasoned campaigners are all going flat out to fuel their respective drive for the premier crown after the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Championship won by Saki Nagamine, including LPGA Tour stalwarts Momoko Ueda and Mamiko Higa.

Put in 16-time JLPGA winner Ai Suzuki, Earth Mondahmin Cup winner Ayaka Watanabe, former Japan Open titlists Mika Miyazato and Teresa Lu, and Eri Okayama, runner-up to LPGA-based Nasa Hataoka last year, and things just couldn’t get any exciting for those wanting to see who gets to wrest control early or who gets to pull off a last-minute charge that has marked a number of big-time championships.