By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Yuka Saso shot a 2-under-par 69 and finished in joint 19th while Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina settled for 27th and 44thplaces, respectively, in the ShopRite LPGA in Galloway, New Jersey over the weekend.
Saso highlighted her round with an eagle three on the third while firing two birdies against the same number of bogeys to finish with a three-round total of 206. She had earlier rounds of 67 and 70.
The Tokyo Olympian and reigning US Open champion earned $18,615 (roughly P944,000 for finishing seven strokes behind eventual winner Celine Boutier of France, who battled her way from five shots behind to win the event with a bogey-free 8-under 63.
Last week, Saso netted almost P5.3 million for placing in a tie for 4th place.
Boutier, who shot 66 and 70 in the first two rounds, ran off with six birdies in the front nine and capped off her blazing finish with two more birdies on the last three holes to capture the title with a 199 total.
Meanwhile, Pagdanganan carded a 68 for a three-day total of 207, tying her with five others. She had earlier rounds of 69 and 70. They received $13,930 each (around P700,000)
Also a Tokyo Olympian, Pagdanganan had a rollercoaster round of six birdies against three bogeys.
Ardina, for her part, banked on four birdies to make up for a bogey five on the 14th to finish with a 68 and a 209 aggregate along with four others. She collected $7,123 (around P360,000) for a three-day effort.
