Yuka Saso recovered a bit from a nightmarish third round, firing a one-under par 71 to finish in joint 50th at the ANA Inspiration Sunday in Rancho Mirage California.
Undone by a 77 the other day, the two-time PSA Athlete of the Year tallied a four-day total of 288 – 18 shots off eventual winner Thai Patty Tavatanakit.
The Fil-Japanese Saso also shot a 71 in the second round in a follow up to her impressive 69 in the opening day.
The Thai was consistent all throughout, closing out with 68 to win the first major event of the season over Lydia Ko.
Patty, 21, started the day with a five-shot lead and her 18-under total of 270 put her two strokes in front of New Zealand’s former world number one Ko — who stormed from eight adrift with a sensational 10-under 62 for 272.
Four players shared third on 277: South Korean Kim Sei-young, American Nelly Korda, Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen and China’s Feng Shanshan.
“I had no idea,” Patty said of Ko’s spectacular round, which matched the tournament record established by Mexican great Lorena Ochoa in the first round in 2006.
SPIETH ENDS DROUGHT
Former world No. 1 Jordan Spieth ended his near four-year victory drought Sunday, gearing up for next week’s Masters with a triumph at the US PGA Tour Texas Open.
Spieth, who hadn’t won since capturing his third major title at the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale, signaled he’s again a force to be reckoned with as the game’s best look toward the first major championship of 2021 at Augusta National.
“This is a monumental win for me,” Spieth said. “It’s one that I’ve certainly thought about for a long time.”
Spieth fired seven birdies in a six-under-par 66, holding off tenacious playing partner Charley Hoffman to win by two strokes with an 18-under-par total of 270. (AFP)
