Yuka Saso struggled with a two-over 74 and dropped to a share of 9th place halfway through the Earth Mondahmin Cup yesterday at the Camellia Hills Country Club in Chiba, Japan.
Showing none of the brilliance of that earned for herself a share of first round lead with Mayu Hamada and Tsugumi Miyazaki after firing identical 66, Saso bungled several birdie chances and found herself five shots behind the surging Mizuka Tanaka.
The Fil-Japanese gunned down her first birdie on No. 11 but squandered it right in the next hole with a bogey. Her misfortunes did not end there as she yielded two strokes on the par-4 16th. She also missed another birdie opportunity on the closing par-5 hole to settle for a two-day aggregate of 140.
In contrast, Tanaka sizzled with a five-under 67 for a 135, her round highlighted by seven birdies.
She stood three shots ahead of Ji Hee Lee, who also turned a 67 to draw level with Ai Suzuki and Ayaka Watanabe at second at 138.
Suzuki was doing great until she triple-bogeyed the par-3 ninth for a 38-32-70.
Saso’s supporters were looking for another explosive round but after muffing four-footer on No. 6, the Asian Games double gold winner was never the same again.