By REY C. LACHICA
Yuka Saso failed to solve the greens of The Classic Golf Club and found herself 9 shots off hot-starting Na-Ri Lee after shooting a one-over 73 at the start of the Japan Women’s Open Thursday in Miyawaka City in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
While Saso had difficulty with her short game, Lee was deadly, gunning down five birdies on the way to an eight-under 64 for a two-stroke lead over Sakura Koiwai.
Koiwai played alongside Saso and Ayaka Furue – all early leg winners of the rich LPGA of Japan Tour – and she stood out in the featured flight by turning in a bogey-less 66.
She credited her solid game to her brilliant iron game that saw her produce several easy birdies in the tournament is serving as the second major after the JLPGA Championship Minolta Cup won by Saki Nagamine in Okayama last month.
In all, Saso had only two birdies against three bogeys for a joint 36th with 17 others, including Nagamine, Furue, 16-time JLPGA winner Ai Suzuki and last year’s runner-up Eri Okayama, in the 120-player starting field.
She has to rediscover the touch that enabled her to win two of the Tour’s first five tournaments if she is to rebound big and stay in the mix.
The Fil-Japanese golfer has already collected close to P30 million in a little over three months of play in Japan, making her richer than some certified PBA stars.
