By WAYLON GALVEZ
Filipino-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso finished with a two-over-par 73 to end up in a tie for third in the Daio Paper Elleair Ladies Open at the Elleair Golf Course in Ehime Prefecture, Japan yesterday.
Saso, backed by ICTSI, tied with Erika Kikuchi, who had a final round of 70 and a similar four-day total of 275, six shots behind winner Ayake Furue.
The 19-year-old Asian Games gold medalist earned a cool 6.5 million yen or approximately P3.1 million for her third place finish.
Saso’s third place finish made up for her dismal result in the Itoen Ladies Golf Tournament where she missed the cut.
The 20-year-old Furue shot a 69 in the fourth round and was 15-under for the tournament at 269 for a three-shot victory over Min-Young Lee of South Korea, whose final round 66 gave her 272.
Saso led through two rounds but was relegated to second after Furue carded a 64 in the third round against her 67.
Saso’s comeback attempt in the fourth round started with a bogey on 1, and although she made a birdie on six, she committed a double bogey on 7 – her first double bogey in the event.
She also had a bogey on 12 and a birdie on 14.
