Saso yields top ranking; Hara cruises

MANILA, Philippines — Yuka Saso came up short in her final round charge and missed another Top 10 finish in a JLPGA major, ending up joint 14th on a closing 70 in the Japan Women’s Open ruled by local ace Erika Hara in runaway fashion in Miyakawa City in Fukuoka Prefecture yesterday.

The Fil-Japanese also lost the Player of the Year top ranking after seven tournaments as rival Sakura Koiwai surged ahead with a runner-up finish worth 240 points, hiking her total to 784. Saso, who was ahead by 143 points on the strength of her back-to-back victories in NEC Karuizawa and Nitori Ladies heading to JLPGA’s second major, slipped to second with 739.35 points.

Hara jumped from nowhere to third with 540 points followed by Earth Mondahmin Cup winner Ayaka Watanabe (520.10 points) and JLPGA Championship Minolta Cup titlist Saka Nagamine (507.25 points).

Saso, however, remained the money list leader with Y65,190,250 in earnings, counting the Y1,226,250 she claimed this week with Watanabe still in second (Y53,454,250) followed by Koiwai (Y52,559,000).

Saso, who faded in the final round and ended up joint 13th in JLPGA Championship in Okayama last month, never got going despite hitting two birdies against a bogey in the first three holes as she muffed at least a couple of birdie chances although she gunned down two more birdies, including on the last hole, against another bogey for a 34-36 card.

The ICTSI-backed bet assembled a 286 for a share of 14th with six others, winding up 14 strokes behind Hara.