Saso rides high after Ohio; Pagdanganan, Ardina seek redemption

MANILA, Philippines -- Yuka Saso aims to capitalize on her strong fourth-place finish last week, while Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina seek to elevate their performances as they compete in the NW Arkansas Championship starting Friday in Rogers, Arizona (Saturday Manila time).

The $3-million event, a 54-hole sprint, demands a fast start to build momentum and confidence in this relatively short LPGA Tour tournament.

Saso surged with a final-round 65 to secure fourth place at the Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio, rebounding from a joint 83rd position to a Top 5 finish in the 72-hole contest won by Lydia Ko.

This makes the two-time US Women’s Open champion a player to watch at Pinnacle Country Club. The ICTSI-backed Filipino-Japanese tees off at 8:32 a.m. on the first hole alongside World No. 2 Lilia Vu and Lauren Coughlin.

Pagdanganan, looking to bounce back after a final-round slump in Ohio, will start her campaign at 12:15 p.m., also on the first hole, with Germany’s Aline Krauter and Jing Yan of China.

The power-hitting Filipina had been in contention for three days in Ohio before a closing 75 saw her slip to a tied 32nd finish.

Meanwhile, Ardina, who is also backed by one of the world’s leading port operators alongside Pagdanganan, is aiming for a strong start at 7:37 a.m. from the 10th tee.

She plays with Korean Jeongeun Lee5 and Germany’s Caroline Masson, hoping to recover after missing the cut last week.

With Lydia Ko taking a break after sweeping her last three tournaments, including her Olympic gold-medal win in Paris, the field remains star-studded.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda is also absent, but top players like Jeeno Thitikul, Celine Boutier, Yuna Nishimura, Nasa Hataoka, Leona Maguire, and Lexi Thompson are set to vie for the title.

Other top contenders include Amy Yang, Danielle Kang, Megan Khang, and Ashleigh Buhai.