Yuka Saso opens Women's Scottish Open stint with solid Round 1

Yuka Saso began her post-Tokyo Olympics stint on a high note.

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Filipina golfer Yuka Saso went off to a strong start to her campaign in the Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open on Thursday at the Dumbarnie Links Golf Course in Fife, Scotland.

The world number eight seemed to have picked up from where she left off in the Tokyo Olympics, going five under par 67, just two strokes behind running leader Michele Thomson of Scotland (seven under par 65) thanks to a solid play in the back nine.

Saso scored two straight birdies after settling for par in the Par 4 Hole 1 to put her in a strong position early on.

After two more pars, Saso struggled in Par 3 Hole 6, eventually double bogeying the hole that wiped out her two birdies.

Saso got one stroke back by birdieing Par 5 Hole 7, but a bogey at Par 4 Hole 9 put her back at even entering the back nine.

She then picked up steam in the next seven holes, scoring five birdies including a string of back-to-back -1's in Holes 10 and 11 and Holes 15 and 16 before settling for pars in the final two holes.

Following the end of the first round, which spilled through early Friday (Philippine Time), Saso is tied with the Netherlands' Anne Van Dam and Thailand's Jasmine Suwannapura for second place.

Saso is scheduled to begin her second round at 12:54 p.m. in Fife (7:54 p.m. Philippine Time).

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