CATCHING UP Yuka Saso of the Philippines watches her drive from the fifth tee in round two of the women’s golf individual stroke play during the Tokyo Olympic Games at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe on Thursday. AFP PHOTOFILIPINO golfer Yuka Saso slipped to joint fifth place after the second round of the Women's Scottish Open Friday night (Philippine time) at the Dumbarnie Links golf course in Fife, Scotland.The 20-year-old Saso carded an even par in the second round for a total of 5-under 139 through the first half of the tournament.Saso struggled in the second round, especially in the front nine where she incurred three bogeys on the third, fifth, and sixth holes before scoring a birdie on the seventh.The reigning US Women's Open champion, however, bounced back on the back nine and scored birdies on the 10th, 11th and 17th holes against a bogey on the 16th.Saso, who finished ninth at the Tokyo Olympics, shares the fifth spot with Lydia Hall of Wales, Lee Jeongeun of South Korea, Kelsey MacDonald of Scotland, and Ryann O'Toole and Sarah Schmelzel of the United States.Saso, however, is just one stroke behind second placers Charley Hull of England, Emily Pedersen of Denmark and Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand (138), and four shots behind leader Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand (135).Saso fired a strong 67 in the first round sending her to second place along with Jasmine Suwannapura of Thailand and Anne Van Dam of the Netherlands.

Source: Manila Times August 14, 2021 11:13 UTC