Japan’s Yuka Saso has achieved victory in the US Women’s Open golf tournament, earning her second career title. The 22-year-old golfer from Tokyo secured her triumph on Sunday, besting her compatriot Hinako Shibuno by three strokes.
Saso’s win makes her the youngest two-time Open champion in history at only 22 years and 347 days old. She is also the fourth Japanese woman to ever win a major tournament, and the first to achieve this feat more than once.
In an interview, Saso expressed, “I just tried to be very patient out there because I think that’s what you need to do to win a major like this.” She attributed her success to her perseverance and the unwavering support of her family. The young champion first clinched victory in the tournament three years ago, marking her initial triumph on the LPGA Tour.
Beginning the final day of the tournament at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania, Saso found herself in fifth place, trailing by three shots. Despite facing a setback with a double bogey on the sixth hole, she displayed remarkable resilience on the back nine, finishing with four birdies to post a round score of 68 and a total of 4-under 276.
Her exceptional performance earned her a substantial prize of $2.4 million from a total purse of $12 million, the largest in women’s golf. Saso, who has a Japanese father and a Filipina mother, had previously represented the Philippines in the Olympic Games. This year, she is looking to represent Japan at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, an opportunity reserved for the top two female golfers from a National Olympic Committee.
With her latest victory, Saso is projected to claim the top spot for Japanese golfers, as there are only two tournaments remaining before the final rankings are revealed on 25 June. Speaking about her win, Saso shared, “It feels great. Winning in 2021, representing the Philippines, I was able to give back to my mom. This year, I was able to represent Japan and I was able to give back to my dad so that I’m very happy I was able to do it. It’s a wonderful feeling that I was able to give back to my parents in a same way.”
Yuka Saso’s impressive win in the US Women’s Open golf tournament is a testament to her talent and determination. As she looks forward to representing Japan at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the golfing world anticipates more remarkable achievements from this exceptional young athlete.