Saso books q’finals berth
Faces Zhang next
Top seed Yuka Saso stormed to the quarterfinals with a pair of victories fashioned out in varying fashion, keeping her on track for a dream championship in the US Girls’ Junior at SentryWorld in Stevens Points, Wisconsin Thursday (Friday in Manila).
Coming off a 6&4 romp over Kaylee Sakoda from California in the Round of 64 Wednesday, Saso bucked an early scare from Delaware’s Phoebe Brinker. She faced a one-hole deficit after seven holes but birdied the par-5 No. 9 to force an all-square game and racked up three straight birdies from No. 13 to go 3-up before matching her 33rd-ranked rival’s par on the 17th to pull off a 3&2 victory.
After a brief break, the 18-year-old Saso returned in the afternoon and took two of the first five holes against No. 49 Anne Chen, birdied Nos. 9 and 10, won No. 12 on her rival’s double bogey then parred the next two to run away with another imposing 5&4 triumph.
“I’m happy that I’ve won three matches now,” said the long-hitting Saso, sustaining her hot run spiked by her come-from-behind victory in the Girls’ Junior PGA Championship in Connecticut two weeks ago.
This is actually Saso’s best effort in four US Girls’ Junior stints after reaching the Round of 32 in 2016 with the reigning Asian Games gold medalist all but focused on shooting for the crown in a bid to become only the second Philippine-born player to win the prestigious title after Princess Superal reigned in 2014 in Arizona.
“Actually, I didn’t expect the result. It’s better than I expected…but it’s match play. Everything can happen. So I’m just trying to focus and be ready,” added Saso.
She better be prepared as she takes on an equally impressive Rose Zhang, also from California, in the quarters Friday morning with the winner bracing for another grueling stint in the semifinals in the afternoon. The finals, a 36-hole affair, will be played Saturday.
The 16-year-old Zhang made short work of Michaela Morard, 7&6, in the Round of 32, behind a stirring five-birdie string in the first five holes.