Mao Saigo grabs lead Nelly Korda 3 back at US Women s Open

ERIN – Mao Saigo got her hands on her first Major championship in April. After her performance on May 30 at the US Women’s Open, she is halfway to another.

The Japanese fired a six-under 66, the best round of the championship so far, and finished the day with a three-stroke lead at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin.

She piled up seven birdies and made just one bogey on the USGA’s difficult course setup to get to eight-under 136. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Nelly Korda moved into the picture by shooting a 67 to jump to 5 under.

Korda is tied for second with Sarah Schmelzel (68),Yealimi Noh (71),Sweden’s Maja Stark (69),Japan’s Hinako Shibuno (69) and Kim A-lim of South Korea (71).

Saigo won the Chevron Championship in April via a five-way play-off, the largest in women’s Major championship history. It was the 23-year-old’s first LPGA win of any kind.

“I think that I was able to be more confident about my judgments that I make,” she said about what she gained from that experience.

“However, I would like to play my play rather than thinking about changing myself.”

Saigo led the field in putting, needing just 24 putts to get through 18 holes. The longest birdie putt she made was a 32-footer at the par-four 12th.

“Today’s condition was better than yesterday,” she added. “That’s why I made a lot better shots and a lot better putts than yesterday, and that brought me a better score and results.”

Korda went from having just one birdie and one bogey in the opening round to a much more colourful card of seven birdies and two bogeys.

“All week I was hitting putts really well,” she said. “I wasn’t discouraged by all the missed putts or the close calls