Yoon torches Hazeltine with record-tying 63 as Saso battles through grueling opener

MANILA, Philippines — Yuka Saso survived a turbulent opening round at Hazeltine National Golf Club on Thursday (Friday Manila time), grinding out an even-par 72 to remain within striking distance even as a barrage of red numbers lit up the leaderboard in the opening round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

While the two-time US Women's Open champion fought to keep her card intact on the demanding par-72 layout, Korea's Ina Yoon produced a sensational career-defining performance, firing a flawless, record-tying nine-under 63 to seize a commanding two-shot lead in the season's third major championship.

Yoon, the Solaire ambassador, dismantled Hazeltine with a dazzling display of precision and poise, taming a course that many expected would be among the sternest tests in women's golf.

After opening with four straight pars on the back nine, the 23-year-old ignited her charge with back-to-back birdies from No. 14 before closing her outward nine with birdies on the final two holes. She stayed red-hot after the turn, birdieing Nos. 3 and 4 before unleashing another breathtaking run with three birdies from Nos. 6 to equal the lowest opening-round score ever recorded in Women's PGA Championship history.

Her bogey-free masterpiece handed her a two-shot cushion over Australia's Karis Davidson, who also carved up Hazeltine with a sparkling 65.

Yoon's explosive start comes after a promising but winless first half of the LPGA season. Her best individual finish remains a tie for fourth at the JM Eagle LA Championship in April. Although she missed the cut at the US Women's Open, she regained momentum with a tie for seventh at the Dow Championship, the LPGA's only team event.

Already a two-time winner on the Korean LPGA Tour, Yoon is still seeking her maiden LPGA title after earning full Tour status only last year.

Davidson likewise continued her impressive recent form. She stormed home with three straight birdies to cap a 32 on the back nine before adding four more birdies on the front. A lone bogey on the sixth prevented an even lower score as she settled for a 65.

Former major champion A. Lim Kim narrowly missed solo third after closing with a bogey, carding a 67 to share third with Alexa Pano, while Megan Khang, Aline Krauter and Hye Jin Choi matched 68s.

World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul also threatened early after collecting four birdies on the back nine. However, she failed to sustain the momentum after the turn, bogeying the par-3 eighth and settling for a 69 that left her tied with Esther Henseleit, Andrea Lee, Nanna Madsen, Brooke Henderson and Ayaka Furue.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda also appeared poised to join the early leaders after recovering from a bogey on the fourth with birdies on Nos. 6, 7, 11, 13 and 15. But the winner of two majors this season suffered a costly double bogey on the par-4 No. 16, dropping from a share of fifth to a tie for 19th after a 70 in a tie with Nasa Hataoka, Aki Iwai, Jessica Porvasnik and Isi Gabsa.

For Saso, it was a day defined by resilience rather than fireworks.

Seeking to build on an encouraging showing at the Meijer LPGA Classic that ended a four-tournament slump, the ICTSI-backed Fil-Japanese star never found the momentum that fueled the leaders' scoring spree.

She stumbled out of the gate with a bogey-birdie-bogey stretch over her first three holes but fought back impressively with birdies on Nos. 17 and 18 to erase the damage before making the turn.

Any hopes of launching a charge at the front side, however, quickly faded. Saso managed just one birdie while fumbling with two bogeys and missed a couple of makeable scoring chances that could have produced an under-par round. Instead, she settled for an even-par 72.

Saso tied for 45th, nine shots behind the blazing Yoon and facing a pivotal second round to secure a place in the weekend field.

Still, with Hazeltine's demanding layout expected to become increasingly unforgiving as the championship progresses, the leaderboard remains far from settled. Scores could tighten quickly if the course begins to bare its teeth over the next three rounds.

For Saso, Thursday’s gritty survival act may yet prove valuable – but to remain in contention, she will need far more than another roller-coaster round. A sharper performance has become imperative if she hopes to climb back into the conversation in one of the richest championships in women's golf, carrying a record $13-million purse.