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Fox Sports
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Mao Saigo shoots 66 to take US Women's Open lead as she chases her 2nd major title of the year
Associated Press ERIN, Wis. (AP) — Mao Saigo already won her first major title this year. She's putting herself in position for another at U.S. Women's Open. Saigo shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to take second-round lead at Erin Hills, At 8-under 136, the 23-year-old Japanese player had a three-stroke advantage over a group of six led by top-ranked Nelly Korda. If Saigo maintains this pace, she would finish at 16 under to match the score Brooks Koepka had in winning the U.S. Open at Erin Hills in 2017. Koepka matched a U.S. Open record. Saigo was asked whether 16 under might be within reach. 'It is very difficult to compare,' she said through an intepretor. 'All I can say is that I will do my best, and as a result, I would like to make a good result.' Saigo won Chevron Championship in a playoff outside Houston just over a month ago for her first LPGA Tour title. Korda, who has never finished higher than a tie for eighth in the U.S. Women's Open, had a 67. That's the best round she's had in the event. 'I feel like I've had a very complicated relationship with U.S. Opens,' Korda said, 'but I'm happy to be in the position I am heading into the weekend.' She was 5 under with Hinako Shibuno (69), Sarah Schmelzel (68), Maja Stark (69), Yealimi Noh (71) and 2020 U.S. Women's Open champion A Lim Kim (71). Jing Yan (69), Lin Grant (69), Chiara Tamburlini (71) and Jinhee Im (72) were 4 under. After not making a birdie until her 18th hole Thursday, Korda had seven of them Friday thanks to her improved putting. 'Honestly, I was hitting really good putts yesterday,' Korda said. 'I was hitting it exactly where I wanted to and they just weren't falling. It was one of those days. Today I did the same thing.' Kim was one of 18 competitors still on the course finishing their rounds when weather concerns halted play for about 54 minutes. Kim was alone in second place at 6 under and playing No. 17 when the delay happened. The 29-year-old from South Korea said she waited out the delay in a car. Kim then returned to make par on No. 17 before bogeying the par-5 18th to fall back into a tie for second. Kim said she still likes where she stands midway through the tournament. 'Really good position,' Kim said. 'I love to chase the leader, so let me see.' Saigo made sure everyone would be chasing her this weekend as she bounced back from some early misfortune. After starting out at No. 10 and getting birdies on No. 11 and No. 12, Saigo bogeyed the par-5 No. 14 when she got a bad break. Her third shot hit the flagstick, bounced backward and rolled all the way to a bunker. But she recovered by getting four birdies in a five-hole stretch from Nos. 16-2. 'I thought that was not my mistake,' Saigo said. 'I just thought to myself that it was just unlucky, and then I just changed my mind.' ___ AP golf:
Hamilton Spectator
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Mao Saigo shoots 66 to take US Women's Open lead as she chases her 2nd major title of the year
ERIN, Wis. (AP) — Mao Saigo already won her first major title this year. She's putting herself in position for another at U.S. Women's Open. Saigo shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to take second-round lead at Erin Hills, At 8-under 136, the 23-year-old Japanese player had a three-stroke advantage over a group of six led by top-ranked Nelly Korda . If Saigo maintains this pace, she would finish at 16 under to match the score Brooks Koepka had in winning the U.S. Open at Erin Hills in 2017. Koepka matched a U.S. Open record. Saigo was asked whether 16 under might be within reach. 'It is very difficult to compare,' she said through an intepretor. 'All I can say is that I will do my best, and as a result, I would like to make a good result.' Saigo won Chevron Championship in a playoff outside Houston just over a month ago for her first LPGA Tour title. Korda, who has never finished higher than a tie for eighth in the U.S. Women's Open, had a 67. That's the best round she's had in the event. 'I feel like I've had a very complicated relationship with U.S. Opens,' Korda said, 'but I'm happy to be in the position I am heading into the weekend.' She was 5 under with Hinako Shibuno (69), Sarah Schmelzel (68), Maja Stark (69), Yealimi Noh (71) and 2020 U.S. Women's Open champion A Lim Kim (71). Jing Yan (69), Lin Grant (69), Chiara Tamburlini (71) and Jinhee Im (72) were 4 under. After not making a birdie until her 18th hole Thursday, Korda had seven of them Friday thanks to her improved putting. 'Honestly, I was hitting really good putts yesterday,' Korda said. 'I was hitting it exactly where I wanted to and they just weren't falling. It was one of those days. Today I did the same thing.' Kim was one of 18 competitors still on the course finishing their rounds when weather concerns halted play for about 54 minutes. Kim was alone in second place at 6 under and playing No. 17 when the delay happened. The 29-year-old from South Korea said she waited out the delay in a car. Kim then returned to make par on No. 17 before bogeying the par-5 18th to fall back into a tie for second. Kim said she still likes where she stands midway through the tournament. 'Really good position,' Kim said. 'I love to chase the leader, so let me see.' Saigo made sure everyone would be chasing her this weekend as she bounced back from some early misfortune. After starting out at No. 10 and getting birdies on No. 11 and No. 12, Saigo bogeyed the par-5 No. 14 when she got a bad break. Her third shot hit the flagstick, bounced backward and rolled all the way to a bunker. But she recovered by getting four birdies in a five-hole stretch from Nos. 16-2. 'I thought that was not my mistake,' Saigo said. 'I just thought to myself that it was just unlucky, and then I just changed my mind.' ___ AP golf:
Fox Sports
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Defending champion Alcaraz labors into fourth round of the French Open
Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. 'I suffered quite a lot today,' Alcaraz said. 'The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.' Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the changeover at 3-2 down in the third set. He then lay down on the ground while the trainer worked on both legs for several minutes. The crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier did a Mexican wave and shouted 'Olé' while it waited. Then Dzumhur received cheers when he made an improbable smash despite being off balance, again when he won the third set, and once more when he broke Alcaraz in the opening game of the fourth set. An improbable turnaround seemed to be happening as Alcaraz made clumsy unforced errors. But the four-time Grand Slam champion broke back in the sixth and the eighth games to serve for the match. Still, the resilient Dzumhur, whose face was red with effort and glistening with sweat, broke back to drag the suspense out a little longer. Alcaraz finally clinched victory on his second match point and faces No. 13 Ben Shelton in the fourth round. ___ AP tennis: in this topic
Winnipeg Free Press
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Defending champion Alcaraz labors into fourth round of the French Open
PARIS (AP) — Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after a laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. 'I suffered quite a lot today,' Alcaraz said. 'The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.' Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the changeover at 3-2 down in the third set. He then lay down on the ground while the trainer worked on both legs for several minutes. The crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier did a Mexican wave and shouted 'Olé' while it waited. Then Dzumhur received cheers when he made an improbable smash despite being off balance, again when he won the third set, and once more when he broke Alcaraz in the opening game of the fourth set. An improbable turnaround seemed to be happening as Alcaraz made clumsy unforced errors. But the four-time Grand Slam champion broke back in the sixth and the eighth games to serve for the match. Still, the resilient Dzumhur, whose face was red with effort and glistening with sweat, broke back to drag the suspense out a little longer. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Alcaraz finally clinched victory on his second match point and faces No. 13 Ben Shelton in the fourth round. ___ AP tennis:
San Francisco Chronicle
13 hours ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Shelton falls onto his stomach and still wins the point at the French Open
PARIS (AP) — Ben Shelton played one of the best and most unorthodox shots at the French Open so far when he won a point one-handed after falling flat on his stomach on Friday. The 13th-seeded American was serving at 3-0, 15-0 in the second set against Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante on Court Simonne-Mathieu. Gigante looped the service return, and Shelton hit a forehand from behind the baseline, lost his footing and fell onto his stomach. Somehow, he managed to crawl for a few centimeters (inches) and stick out his left arm to get the next ball back over the net and in. Shelton then jumped to his feet and returned Gigante's big forehand with a two-handed backhand which landed near the Italian's feet. That prompted Gigante to try a volley but it hit the net and gave Shelton the point. Gigante gave Shelton, who had rushed to the net, a friendly hand check. Shelton joked about how he made the shot. 'It was because of my lack of good clay court movement I fell on my face, and so that's why I hit the ball from the ground,' he said. 'I wish I could say I dove for that, but I had already fell on my face before the ball was arriving.' Shelton won the third-round match 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 and was preparing for an on-court interview when he got into more unexpected bother, from an insect. 'Sorry, there was a bee on me,' he said. The bee came back moments later and Shelton readied his fists as if to box it away. ___ AP tennis:
