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Golf: Saso starts strong at US Women's Open; American high-schooler leads

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/06/04/yuka-saso.jpg"/><figcaption>Yuka Saso hits her tee shot on the 2nd hole during Round 1 of the US Women&#x27;s Open golf tournament at The Olympic Club in San Francisco on June 3. Kyle Terada, USA Today Sports/Reuters</figcaption></figure></div>Yuka Saso of the Philippines carded a 2-under 69 for a strong Round 1 at the US Women&#x27;s Open on Thursday (US time).Saso, who finished sixth at the Lotte Championship in April, was 2 shots behind co-leaders Mel Reid of England and 17-year-old high-school student Megha Ganne at San Francisco&#x27;s Olympic Club.The reigning Asian Games champion, who notched 4 birdies and a pair of bogeys, was joint sixth with Shanshan Feng of China and American Lexi Thompson.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="Golf: Yuka Saso finishes sixth, Lydia Ko claims Lotte Championship">Golf: Yuka Saso finishes joint sixth, Lydia Ko claims Lotte Championship</a></li></ul>Reid and American amateur Ganne kept their putters hot amid chilly conditions to card matching 67 and sit tied for the lead.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/30/20/golf-steady-yuka-saso-clinches-second-japan-lpga-title">Golf: Steady Yuka Saso clinches second Japan LPGA title</a></li></ul>Reid, who went out as part of the morning wave amid dense coastal fog, carded 5 birdies and a bogey to take a 1-stroke clubhouse lead at 4-under early on at the major.Her lead appeared safe until Ganne came out of nowhere in the sunnier afternoon to put on a putting clinic of her own.Ganne pulled into a share of the lead with a birdie on the par-3 15th and took the lead on the next hole with her sixth birdie of the day on the par-five 16th.But an errant tee shot on her final hole found the rough and the ensuing bogey dropped her back into a share of the lead.Ganne, who played in the tournament 2 years ago as a 15-year-old, said taming her nerves was key to her success.&quot;I think the first time is nerve-racking for anybody — meeting your idols and being on the stage for the first time,&quot; she said.&quot;But the second time around, even the practice rounds, I wasn&#x27;t as nervous.&quot;Brooke Henderson (68) looked set to finish tied for the lead but three-putted the last for a bogey, dropping into a share of third with Angel Yin and Megan Khang at 3 under.Defending champion Kim A-lim was not so lucky, the South Korean limping home with an eight-over 79.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/16/20/golf-us-womens-open-stint-proves-yuka-saso-has-makings-of-world-no-1">Golf: US Women’s Open stint proves Yuka Saso has makings of world No. 1</a></li></ul>Leading scores after Round 1 on Thursday (USA unless noted, a-denotes amateur, par-71):67 - Mel Reid (ENG), a-Megha Ganne68 - Angel Yin, Megan Khang, Brooke Henderson (CAN)69 - YUKA SASO (PHILIPPINES), Feng Shanshan (CHN), Lexi Thompson70 - Ko Jin-young (KOR) Marina Alex, Austin Ernst, Jennifer Kupcho, Lee6 Jeong-eun (KOR), Wichanee Meechai (THA), Lauren Stephenson71 - Mina Harigae, a-Gurleen Kaur, Luna Sobron Galmes (ESP), Ariya Jutanugarn (THA), Ally Ewing, Madelene Sagstrom (SWE), a-Maja Stark (SWE), Lydia Ko (NZL), Park In-bee (KOR), Emily Kristine Pedersen (DEN)<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/03/29/21/saso-vows-to-bring-more-honor-to-ph-after-2nd-athlete-of-the-year-plum">Saso vows to bring more honor to PH after 2nd Athlete of the Year plum</a></li></ul><div>FROM THE ARCHIVES:</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1639357" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Saso carded a 2-under 69 for a strong Round 1 on Thursday, 2 shots behind co-leaders Mel Reid of England and 17-year-old Megha Ganne of the US.

Saso carded a 2-under 69 for a strong Round 1 on Thursday, 2 shots behind co-leaders Mel Reid of England and 17-year-old Megha Ganne of the US.