Defending champ Saso way off leaders in US Open with 77

MANILA, Philippines — It was an unfortunate opening round for Filipino-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso in the US Open as she struggled with a 77 in the opening round at Pine Needles on Thursday (early Friday morning, Manila time).

Saso, the defending champion, was 6-over par after eight bogeys against just two birdies in the par-71 course.

She ended up joint 133rd after the opening day of hostilities as the United States' Mina Harigae leads the pack with a 7-under card in the first round.

Saso struggled mightily on the front nine as she bogeyed all but one hole from holes four to nine.

Though a little more composed in the back nine, Saso still had three bogeys and birdied only hole 16 to finish way off the leaders.

A good 13 strokes behind current leader Harigae, it will be a mighty task for Saso to recover and fight to defend her title.

Meanwhile, Filipino golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina hardly fared any better than Saso.

Pagdanganan is T111th with a 75 after an opening round sprinkled with double bogeys while Ardina ended up joint 139th with a 7-over par performance.

Saso and the Filipina aces hope to climb the leaderboard in the second round on Friday.