Yuka back in Top 10 hunt after firing 69

MANILA, Philippines — Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso moved into striking position for a Top 10 finish in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after firing a two-under 69 in Saturday’s third round in Springfield, New Jersey.

A day after fumbling with a 73, Saso cranked it up and submitted nines of 36-33 to effect an eight-spot climb to joint eighth going to the last 18 holes of the second majors of the season.

At two-under 211 for the tournament, the Tokyo Olympian stood five strokes behind Irishwoman Leona Maguire, who maintained pole position at 206 after her third-round 69.

Maguire held a one-shot upperhand against Korean Jenny Shin (207) who matched the low round for the week with her bogey-free 66.

Northern Irish Stephanie Meadow (67) jumped to solo third at 208 ahead of Chinese Ruoning Yin (69) and South African Lee-Anne Pace (70), who shared fourth at 209.

Korean world No. 1 Jin Young Ko (69) and American Lauren Coughlin (68) ran sixth at 210, one-up on Saso, Americans Megan Khang (67) and Mina Harigae (70) and Chinese Xiyu Lin (73).

Shooting a bogey and double bogey versus a birdie in the first six holes, an unflinching Saso recovered and gained the strokes back on Nos. 7, 10, 11, 12 and 15 before dropping a shot on the 17th.

The 22-year-old former US Open titlist is aiming for her second Top 10 of the season after placing seventh in the Mizuho Americas Open three weeks ago.