Saso finds spark in Arkansas, sets sights on late-season surge
MANILA, Philippines — Yuka Saso may have narrowly missed another Top-25 finish, but the two-time major champion left the NW Arkansas Championship with something potentially more valuable: a timely burst of confidence as she looks to revive her season in the closing stretch of the LPGA Tour.
Saso closed with a spirited four-under 67 at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas on Sunday (Monday Manila time) to salvage a share of 34th at eight-under 205, ending a three-tournament run of missed cuts and providing encouraging signs that her game may be starting to turn the corner.
The ICTSI-backed Filipino-Japanese ace had barely survived the cut at 138 after a second-round 70, but responded emphatically in the final round. She caught fire early, making an eagle and four birdies to climb the leaderboard and put herself in position for a much higher finish.
A costly double bogey on the par-71 layout’s 16th hole, however, stalled her charge. Saso settled for a 67 and wound up tied for 34th — a result that could easily have been a Top 25 finish had it not been for the late mishap.
Still, the manner of her closing-round comeback offered Saso a welcome lift after a difficult stretch. More importantly, it gave her a platform from which to build as the LPGA Tour heads to Hawaii for the Lotte Championship on Oct. 1-4.
For a player who has already shown she can produce her best golf on the biggest stages, the Arkansas performance could prove to be an important spark. Saso's challenge now is to carry the confidence from her four-under card into the remaining tournaments and turn flashes of quality into the sustained consistency that has eluded her in recent weeks.
With the bulk of the season still behind her, Saso has an opportunity to make the latter part of the campaign a different story. A strong showing in Hawaii could provide another step forward, while a return to contention in the weeks that follow would further reinforce the signs of a possible late-season resurgence.
At the top of the leaderboard, Japan’s Yuna Nishimura completed a wire-to-wire victory, closing with a 66 for a commanding 21-under 192 total. Nishimura had effectively taken control of the tournament with back-to-back 63s and finished five shots clear of a four-way tie for second.
South Korea’s In Gee Chun carded a 65 to finish at 197, while Japan’s Aki Iwai fired a blistering 62 and Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen shot 64 to join Chun in second place.
For Saso, however, the focus was less on the final position than on how she finished. After struggling to find her winning form and missing three consecutive cuts, she finally produced the kind of attacking golf that has been a hallmark of her best performances.
The next test comes quickly in Hawaii. And if Saso can build on the momentum generated by that closing 67, the latter part of the season could give the two-time US Women’s Open champion an opportunity to remind the LPGA field just how dangerous she can be when her game clicks.
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