Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan started their respective 2020 US Women’s Open campaigns on opposing ends in the two courses of the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas, USA, Friday morning (Philippine time).
This year, the first two rounds of this major championship will use both the Cypress Creek and Jackrabbit courses of the Houston club due to expected reduced daylight.
After the opening round, Saso is tied in fifth with 2-under 69.
Pagdanganan, on the other hand, stood at joint-37th – not far behind with 1-over 72.
Fresh from a solid campaign in Japan, the top LPGA money earner Saso momentarily seized hold of solo leadership after an impressive take on the front side of the slightly longer Cypress Creek.
The 19-year-old uncorked four birdies in her foray into the first nine holes, punctuating the side with an almost eagle in number nine. Still, she was able to take down the hole with a birdie and the sole pole position.
Over at the Jackrabbit course, Pagdanganan had already opened her backside with back-to-back birdies in the 10th and 11th. She then had to negate a bogey three holes after in number 14, when she started the other end with a birdie and entered the top 10 with 2-under.
USA’s Amy Olson, who carved a huge hole-in-one in number 16 for only the 29th ace of the 75-year tournament, ended the round on top despite a bogey of her own in her second hole, the 11th. She holds a 4-under 67, just two strokes adrift of Saso.
That same hole number 11 brought Saso down as a bogey sent her a notch lower to 3-under pushing her to a tie of second place before a round-ending bogey closed her roller-coaster day.
Pagdanganan, who is the driving leader of the LPGA Tour, tried to keep a steady pace into the next holes in Jackrabbit. However, the 23-year-old found numbers 5 and 6 rather difficult and needed two more strokes and an extra shot, respectively, as she slipped into her current position at tied-37th.
Nonetheless, both Filipina golfers made it to the cut and would try to improve on their performances as they take on the other course for the second round.
Saso will take the last flight over the Jackrabbit course and starting from the 10th tee at 1 a.m. on Saturday here in the Philippines.
Pagdanganan, on her part, takes on Cypress Creek earlier at 11:50 p.m. of Friday, beginning at hole number one.
