Saso finishes at joint 19th in ShopRite LPGA


Yuka Saso (AFP)

Yuka Saso shot a 2-under-par 69 to finish at joint 19th while Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina settled for 27th and 44th places, 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 (around P944,000) and finished seven strokes behind eventual winner Celine Boutier of France, who rose from five shots behind with a bogey-free 8-under 63.

Boutier, who had earlier rounds of 66 and 70, ran off with six birdies on the front nine and capped it off 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 to tie with five others at 27th. She had earlier rounds of 69 and 70.

Also a Tokyo Olympian, Pagdanganan had a rollercoaster round consisting of six birdies against three bogeys to settle for the $13,930 consolation prize (around P700,000).

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 had earlier rounds of 71 and 70 to go home with $7,123 (around P360,000).