Saso a shot behind leaders at British Open after firing eagle-aided 68

Yuka Saso jumpstarted her bid for a second major title with an eagle-aided four-under par 68 in the Women’s British Open Thursday at the Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland.

That put her just a stroke behind leaders American Nelly Korda, South Korean Sei-young and Swede Madelene Sagstrom at Carnoustie on Thursday.

Saso’s solid round was a fitting sequel to her blazing finish at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dumbarnie Links on Monday where she also tallied a 68.

Also shooting a 68 were Georgia Hall, Andrea Lee, and amateur Louise Duncan.

Her eagle on the 12

^th

turned out to be one of the day’s best – thanks to a great chip shot from the fringe – about 30 feet.

She also had birdied at No. 5, No. 6, and No. 14 that more than made up for a bogey on the second hole.

The reigning US Women’s Open champion was glad she made that eagle that boosted her confidence from there on.

“I started with a bogey but I got lucky out there, chipping for eagle. I played really good. I really enjoyed it,” said Saso.

The 23-year-old Korda, already the winner of her first major at the LPGA Championship in June and the Olympic gold medallist from Tokyo earlier this month, continued her glorious summer with an eight-birdie round of 67.

But on a relatively calm day over the notoriously brutal Scottish links course, Kim and Sagstrom matched that five-under score.

Korda had ducked out of her pre-tournament press conference — but she insisted there was nothing sinister about the decision as she instead spent more time on the driving range.

”I still feel like a little girl playing golf,” explained Korda, the daughter of 1998 Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda.

(Waylon Galvez, AFP)