Pride of Bulacan Saso Makes Strong Start, Eyes Victory in Arkansas
Yuka Saso, a Bulacan native, is one stroke behind the leader at the LPGA NW Arkansas Championship.
Saso delivered an impressive bogey-free 6-under-par 65, positioning herself just one stroke behind the early leader, Hae Ran Ryu, in the opening round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas, on Friday, September 29.
Saso, a Fil-Japanese golfer, showcased her skills with four birdies on the front nine and added two more on the back nine, recording scores of 32-33 in her pursuit of the title in the 54-hole event.
However, she shares the second spot with other golf stars including Lexi Thompson, Kelly Tan, Christina Kim, Lydia Ko, Hannah Green, Olivia Cowan, Jenny Shin, and Nicole Broch Larsen.
Since clinching the US Women’s Open title in 2021 while representing the Philippines, Saso, now a Japanese citizen, has been seeking another tournament victory. She narrowly missed the win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last June, finishing one stroke behind Yin Ruoning.
Ryu, a 22-year-old golfer ranked 37th globally and a five-time winner on the Korean LPGA tour, took the lead with a 7-under 64, distinguishing herself atop the crowded leaderboard.
Ryu’s remarkable round, featuring five birdies on the back nine, four of which were consecutive from the 14th to the 17th holes, propelled her to the top after several players had set the clubhouse target at six-under on the rain-softened course.
Filipino golfers Dottie Ardina and Bianca Pagdanganan also made their presence felt in the $2.3 million tournament.
Ardina posted a 68, tying her for 26th place, while Pagdanganan recorded a 69, placing her in a tie for 54th. Ardina’s performance included four birdies, offset by a single bogey at the par-5 18th, while Pagdanganan notched three birdies against one bogey.