Saso in hunt as Ardina finds footing in Founder’s golf

WEST CALDWELL, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 07: Yuka Saso of the Philippines hits her tee shot on the 2nd hole during the first round of the Cognizant Founders Cup at Mountain Ridge Country Club on October 07, 2021 in West Caldwell, New Jersey. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Sarah Stier / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

NEW YORK—South Korea’s Ko Jin-young completed her first round at 63 and was three shots ahead of three golfers as the part of the second round got underway on Friday in the fog-hit Ladies’ Professional Golf Association Founders Cup.

World No.2 Ko had matched her career-low round with an eight-under card on Thursday that gave her a three-shot edge over Germany’s Sandra Gal when darkness fell on the opening day at Mountain Ridge Country Club in New Jersey.

As the second round went underway, Ko found herself three shots up on American Lindsey Weaver, former world No. 1 and compatriot Ryu So-yeon and France’s Perrine Delacour after moving to 10 under.

The Philippines’ Yuka Saso and Dottie Ardina had not yet completed their rounds at press time. Saso was currently tied for 9th to 15th places at five-under. She was currently one-under in the second round after a 67 on Thursday. Ardina was two-under for the tournament through eight holes of the second round after a 71 in the first round.

On Friday, when dense morning fog caused another delay of more than two hours, she had a bogey and three birdies in her first 14 holes and at 10-under par was three ahead of three players on seven-under.

Rest and get better

Ko teed off on 10 and followed a bogey at the 17th with birdies at 18, two and three.

“On the front nine, I had a lot of missed shots but I made a lot of good saves, so it’s fine,” Ko said. “I had a lot of good opportunity for birdies and left four holes for tomorrow.

“I will just take a rest tonight and then I will get better for tomorrow.”

Weaver was in the clubhouse on seven-under 135. She played in the only afternoon group to finish the second round and after hurrying to her final hole, the ninth, she finished with a bogey that capped a four-under par 67.

“Literally nothing is more important [than finishing],” she said. “I was telling my caddie, I would hate to be playing No. 9 at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning. I’m happy to be done, even though I made bogey on it. I’m just happy I don’t have to wake up at 5 a.m. tomorrow. I’m good. I’m happy with it.”

China’s Lin Xiyu and South Koreans Chella Choi and Jenny Shin were in the clubhouse on six-under 136, with South Korea’s Chun In-gee six-under through 12 holes.

Choi carded a three-under par 68, setting aside the wedding planning that is taking up much of her time these days.

“I played pretty good today,” Choi said. “Yesterday I was pretty good. Had a lot of good shots. But today when I started my round, my shots were not good, but I made some really good pars so that’s why I played good today.”