MANILA, Philippines – Yuka Saso recovered from an early backside struggle and saved an even par 71 but fell six strokes behind a hot-starting Mi Hyang Lee of Korea after 18 holes of the DIO Implant LA Open at the Palos Verdes Golf Club in California Thursday (Friday, Manila time).
Saso, seeking to improve on her tied 23rd finish in last week’s LPGA Drive On Championship won by Celine Boutier of France in Arizona, reeled from a backside start of bogeys on Nos. 10 and 12 but birdied the 13th and No. 2 to draw level par before bouncing back from another mishap on the fifth with a birdie on No. 7 for a 35-36.
The 2021 US Women’s Open champion stood at joint 30th with 16 others, including American world No. 15 Daniella Kang, but ahead of the likes of world No. 3 Jin Young Ko of Korea, Thai world No. 4 Atthaya Thitikul and former Korean world No. 1 Sung Hyun Park, who all faltered with 72s.
World No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand also fumbled with a 73 for a share of 63rd, the projected cut-off line in the $1.75 million championship serving as the fifth leg of this year’s LPGA Tour.
Mi, meanwhile, flourished with a bogey-free 65 to wrest a one-stroke lead over compatriot Hyo Joo Kim and American Megan Khang, who also both shot six birdies but ended up with a bogey each for 66s.
Japanese Nasa Hataoka also fired six birdies but made two bogeys for a 67 in a tie with Lucy Li of the US and Canadian Maude-Aimee Leblanc.
World No. 2 Nelly Korda, meanwhile, put herself in the early mix with a 68 on four birdies against a bogey as she tied sister Jessica and three others at seventh.
The ICTSI-backed Saso missed three fairways on a 280-yard driving clip but went out of regulation six times and struggled off the bunkers, going 1-of-4. She, however, finished with 29 putts.
Over in Tucson, Arizona, Dottie Ardina likewise matched par 72 for tied 20th at the start of the Casino del Sol Golf Classic paced by Malaysian Natasha Oon and three others at the Sewailo Golf Club.
Ardina actually rebounded from a two-over backside card with birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 on her way home to stay within four strokes off the joint leaders, including Americans Gabby Lemieux, Kaitlin Milligan and Sarah White.
Clariss Guce turned in a 73 while Pauline del Rosario gunned down an eagle on No. 5 and hit a birdie on the other par-5 (No. 8) but had six bogeys as she and Bianca Pagdanganan matched 75s for a share of 61st.
Pagdanganan, the recent winner of the Anvaya Cove International, missed joining Ardina at 20th with a closing triple-bogey on the par-4 No. 9. The long-hitting Filipina struggled off the mound and hit just six fairways but fought back from a backside 38 with birdies on Nos. 4 and 6.
She then regained the stroke she yielded on the seventh with a birdie on the next mishits and missed putt led to a closing 7 for a 37-38.