Yuka Saso fumbled with a 2-over-par 73 to skid from sixth to a share of 16th place halfway through the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Springfield, New Jersey on Friday, June 23.
The 2021 US Women’s Open champion struggled at the back nine with four bogeys after shooting birdies on the seventh and ninth for a two-round total of 142. She had an opening round 69. The Fil-Japanese trailed solo leader Leona Maguire by seven strokes after the Irish golfer carded a 68 for 137. After a birdie-bogey on Nos. 4 and 5, Maguire fired three birdies on the next four holes before encountering a bogey mishap on the par-4 15th. She recovered with a birdie on No. 17 to jump at the helm from sixth place. Mel Reid (67), Celine Borge (69) and Xiyu Lin (71) trailed closely by one shot with 138, while Lee-Anne Pace slipped from top to a share of fifth with Minjee Lee after stumbling with a 73 for 139. Lee, for her part, improved from an opening 72 to a 67. Reid, who started the round at 17th place, appeared in control with four birdies on the first 14 holes before bogeying No. 15. She picked herself up and birdied the last hole to bolster her bid in the 72-hole tournament.
*Yuka Saso of Japan lines up a putt on the 10th green during the second round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club on Friday, June 23, in Springfield, New Jersey. (AFP)
*The 2021 US Women’s Open champion struggled at the back nine with four bogeys after shooting birdies on the seventh and ninth for a two-round total of 142. She had an opening round 69. The Fil-Japanese trailed solo leader Leona Maguire by seven strokes after the Irish golfer carded a 68 for 137. After a birdie-bogey on Nos. 4 and 5, Maguire fired three birdies on the next four holes before encountering a bogey mishap on the par-4 15th. She recovered with a birdie on No. 17 to jump at the helm from sixth place. Mel Reid (67), Celine Borge (69) and Xiyu Lin (71) trailed closely by one shot with 138, while Lee-Anne Pace slipped from top to a share of fifth with Minjee Lee after stumbling with a 73 for 139. Lee, for her part, improved from an opening 72 to a 67. Reid, who started the round at 17th place, appeared in control with four birdies on the first 14 holes before bogeying No. 15. She picked herself up and birdied the last hole to bolster her bid in the 72-hole tournament.