Filipina-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso got off to a blazing start in the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, firing a five-under par 67 on Thursday at the Dumbarnie Links in Fife, Scotland.

Fresh off her stint in the Tokyo Olympics where she climbed all the way from 47th place to finish in ninth, Saso kept her momentum going and sank eight birdies including five on the back nine that allowed her to stay within two shots of the leader, Michele Thompson of Scotland.

Saso had some trouble on the front nine as she double-bogeyed the sixth and bogeyed the ninth. However, she more than made up for it with a scintillating performance on the back nine where she made birdies on the 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th, and 16th holes.

Her fiery back nine performance allowed her to finish in joint second place alongside Anne Van Dam of Netherlands, and Jasmine Suwannapura of Thailand. (JNP)