Saso, Pagdanganan trail leader by 12 strokes in Cognizant Founders Cup

Yuka Saso carded a two-under-par 70 to jump for a share of 25th place after three rounds in the Cognizant Founders Cup in Clifton, New Jersey Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

The reigning US Women’s Open champion shot four birdies against two birdies on the par-4 seventh and 11th holes to improve to a three-round total of 211.

She trailed solo leader Minjee Lee by 12 strokes after the Australian tightened her grip of the top spot with an eagle-spiked 69.

Also sharing the 25th place with Saso was Bianca Pagdanganan, who slipped by three notches with a 72.

The Tokyo Olympian had a rollercoaster round of three birdies against the same amount of bogeys.

Dottie Ardina, meanwhile, shot a 71 following three birdies against back-to-back bogeys on the 14th and 15th for a 213 aggregate.