Gao, Saso find their groove, move within striking distance of a medal finish

JAKARTA—Wei Wei Gao and Yuka Saso rebounded from mediocre opening round efforts and wheeled into contention for individual medals in their divisions in the golf competition of the 18th Asian Games here.

Solving the sleek greens and negotiating the tight fairways of the Pondok Indah layout, Gao gunned down seven birdies on the way to a five-under-par 67 for 139 overall, pulling within three shots of Japan’s Keita Nakajima, who shot a 68.

Saso cracked par for the second straight round, firing a 69 and moving within five shots of the lead still now being held by China’s Du Mohan, who shot a 66 for a 36-hole 135 aggregate.

The women’s team, with Bianca Pagdanganan shooting a 70, also moved into position in the medal race after a 139, although far from the gold at the moment with China taking a 15-under total into the third round after getting a 69 from Liu Wenbo.

LK Go’s 72 did not count for the women’s team.

“I’m definitely going for gold,” Gao said as he takes the fight for the men’s team which has floundered as it trails leader Japan by 18 shots and the third running Korea by nine.

Team Philippines counted the 71 of Luis Castro and either 73s of LJ Go and Rupert Zaragosa in team play for a 211.

“They’re finally finding their groove,” said nonplaying captain Bones Floro of his charges as the women’s team tries to win a medal for the first time since 2002.