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Yuka Saso of Japan hits her drive from the 18th tee during the second round of the Black Desert Championship 2025 at Black Desert Resort on May 02, 2025 in St George, Utah.
Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images / AFP
MANILA, Philippines — The road to redemption on the LPGA Tour could prove challenging for Yuka Saso as she faces a stern test at the $3-million Mizuho Americas Open, which unfolds Thursday (Friday Manila time) at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Looking to snap a string of lackluster performances, Saso is grouped with two of the tour’s most formidable players — World No. 1 Nelly Korda and No. 2 Atthaya Thitikul.
The two-time US Women’s Open champion has slipped to No. 27 in the world rankings and is in search of momentum following missed cuts at both the Chevron Championship — the season’s first major — and the recent Black Desert Championship.
Saso’s best finish in seven events this year was a tie for 17th at the LPGA Thailand.
In contrast, Korda and Thitikul arrive well-rested, having opted out of the Black Desert Championship last week. The trio will begin their campaign at 8:32 a.m. from the first tee.
This week’s event is a key tune-up for the second major of the season — the US Women’s Open, set for May 29-June 1 at Erin Hills in Wisconsin — where Saso aims to defend her title and secure a third major crown.
She first rose to prominence with her breakthrough win in 2021 and added a second US Women’s Open title last year.
However, recent struggles have hampered her preparation, and the ICTSI-backed Filipina-Japanese star has chosen to skip the upcoming Mexico Riviera Maya Open (May 22-25) to focus on her form. A strong showing this weekend could provide a much-needed confidence boost.
The Mizuho event features a strong field and several other marquee matchups, including Brooke Henderson, Ingrid Lindblad, and Haeran Ryu at 8:21 a.m. on No. 1; Celine Boutier, Nataliya Guseva, and Minjee Lee at 8:32 a.m. on No. 10; Hannah Green, Megan Khang, and Ruoning Yin at 1:21 p.m. at the backside; Esther Henseleit, Jennifer Kupcho, and Leona Maguire at 1:32 p.m. at the frontside; Ayaka Furue, Lydia Ko, and Rose Zhang at 1:32 p.m. on No. 10; and Carlota Ciganda, Allisen Corpuz, and Somi Lee at 7:59 a.m.
Meanwhile, Bianca Pagdanganan, whose campaign is also supported by one of the world's leading port operators, also begins her campaign for resurgence, teeing off at 8:43 a.m. alongside Dani Holmqvist and Fiona Xu on the first hole.
