MANILA, Philippines – Yuka Saso closed in on the lead in Gainbridge LPGA after the second round at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida on Friday, January 28 (Saturday, January 29, Manila time).

Saso carded a 2-under par 70 for a total of 7-under par 137 as she climbed to joint third place with England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff.

It was a particularly challenging second round for most of the participants, but the Filipina-Japanese did just enough – sinking 4 birdies, 12 pars, and 2 bogeys – to break away from a seven-way tie at fourth place after the opening round.

New Zealand’s Lydia Ko remained at No. 1, although she lost lone ownership of the top spot as USA’s Danielle Kang tied her at 11-under par 133, four strokes ahead of Saso and Ewart Shadoff.

The winner of the Tournament of Champions last week, Kang displayed her deadly form with a 4-under par 68, the third-highest score in the second round.

Ko, on the other hand, slowed down after a brilliant 9-under par 63 in the first round as she also fired a 2-under par 70 in the second round like Saso.

Tied at fifth place with a 6-under par 138 are Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux, England’s Bronte Law and Charley Hull, Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, and India’s Aditi Ashok.

Meanwhile, the Philippines’ Bianca Pagdanganan did not make the cut as she slipped from joint 63rd to joint 94th place with a 4-over par 148 total.

Pagdanganan failed to recover on the back nine after sinking double bogeys on the No. 2 and No. 9 holes. – Rappler.com