Yuka Saso starts Women's British Open stint with solid 68

Yuka Saso is just one stroke behind the Top 3 after Round 1 of the Women's British Open. AFP (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Yuka Saso knocked on the door of the AIG Women's British Open leaderboard right at the start of the tournament at the Carnoustie Championship Course in Scotland.

Saso fired a four-under-par 68 in the first round of play that spilled to early Friday (Philippine Time).

An eagle at the par 5 Hole 12 highlighted her run in the opening stage even as she went under par in all of the three Par 5 holes, the others being Holes 6 and 14, in which she made a birdie each.

Only a bogey at the Par 4 Hole 2 kept Saso from joining a tie for first place between Kim Sei-Young of South Korea, Nelly Korda of the United States, and reigning Tokyo Olympic champion Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden.

Saso ended up at joint fourth with England's Georgia Hall, USA's Andrea Lee, and Scotland's Louise Duncan.

Duncan's minus-4 is the best among the amateurs who joined the event.

Kim had a strong opening round with six birdies against a lone bogey.

Korda had an up-and-down start to her Women's British Open bid but finished strong with two straight birdies to join Kim at the top.

Sagstrom actually had an outright to be solely in first place after Round 1, but she bogeyed the last hole and settled for the three-way tie.

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