Last-hole birdie keeps Saso in match play mix

MANILA, Philippines – Yuka Saso checked a potential slide with a clutch birdie on the par-5 18th, salvaging a 74 and tying for seventh place after 36 holes of stroke play battle in the T-Mobile Match Play in Las Vegas, Nevada Thursday (Friday Manila time).

Impressive with her first round 69 at Shadow Creek, Saso faced the brunt of gusts exceeding 40 mph, which troubled the afternoon players, leaving none from the late starters breaking par.

Rose Zhang birdied the par-5 No. 15 to seize a two-stroke lead but wavered in a windy finish, bogeying the last two holes to finish with a 73, enabling Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Angel Yin to force a tie for the lead at four-under 140.

Ciganda took advantage of an early start and fired five birdies en route to a solid 67, while Yin, also benefitting from the calmer morning conditions, shot a 68, highlighted by two birdies in the last three holes.

Despite a pair of 37s, Saso maintained her position within the Top 8, sharing seventh spot at 143 with Jodi Shadoff of England, who rallied with a 68.

The projected 36-hole cut went from five-over par to nine-over 153 within three hours, with 67 players making it through the third round, marking the highest cutoff score in an LPGA Tour event since the 2020 Women’s British Open.

After another stroke play competition Friday, only the Top 8 will proceed to the weekend’s head-to-head duels. Any ties for the eighth spot will be resolved through a hole-by-hole playoff.

Meanwhile, Bianca Pagdanganan also advanced despite a 76 and a 150 for joint 44th. To have any chance of barging into the match play rounds, however, the big-hitting Filipina campaigner, whose campaign is sponsored by ICTSI like Saso, will need to produce a significantly lower score in the next round.

Four players are tied at ninth at 144, including Brooke Henderson and Maja Stark, who carded identical 71s, while Lydia Ko led the 145 scorers after a 74, and World No. 1 Nelly Korda and Celine Boutier tied with two others at 146 after a pair of 73s.

At joint fourth after 18 holes, Saso slipped with bogeys on Nos. 6 and 10. She birdied No. 14 but made a double bogey on the next before dominating the closing hole.