Yuka Saso’s journey towards the pinnacle starts now.
The two-time tour champion did well enough to enter the top 10 after the opening round of the season-ending 2020 JLPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Cup at the Miyazaki Country Club, Miyazaki, Thursday.
As the second-placed golfer at the rankings prior to the tournament, Saso started on the last flight with three-time winner Ayaka Furue.
The 19-year-old struggled at the first few holes of the course as she needed extra hits on holes five and seven. Nonetheless, she negated those mishaps with two birdies in the sixth and ninth to move on to the backside at even 36.
From there, Saso continued to climb into the leaderboard with another birdie at the 11th, before adding yet another one four holes after.
Despite some mishaps, Saso ended the first round at 2-under 70, just three strokes behind solo leader Erika Hara who is at 5-under 67.
Furue is tied for 15th after 19 holes with 1-under 71, while fellow Japanese and current third-placer in the year-end rankings Sakura Koiwai is a notch higher with 3-under 69.
The championship sees its second round tomorrow with the winner guaranteed Y30-million (P13.8 million) in pot money.
