Yuka Saso overcomes early four-putt to win second U.S. Women’s Open
Yuka Saso overcame an early four-putt with brilliant shot-making and a back-nine 32 to win the U.S. Women’s Open.
Saso now has two career LPGA titles: both at this major. Having won at The Olympic Club in 2021, she added Lancaster Country Club to her grand list of conquered courses.
She’s the youngest player, at 22, to win two U.S. Women’s Open championships. She also joins Seri Pak and In Gee Chun, who won at Lancaster in 2015, as the only women to make majors their first two tour victories.
Saso closed in 2-under 68 to finish at 4 under, three shots clear of former AIG Women’s Open winner Hinako Shibuno (72). Ally Ewing, who matched the day’s best with a 66, and Andrea Lee, who finished with a frustrating 75, tied for third at even par.
Born in the Philippines, Saso moved to Japan when she was 4. Japanese law forbids dual citizenship when a person reaches 22 and Saso chose to represent Japan, primarily she has said, because of the access that passport provides.
Her mother is Filipino, her father Japanese. She wishes she could fly two flags.
She now has a major title for both countries.
“I think winning in 2021, I represented the Philippines. I feel like I was able to give back to my mom,” Saso said. “This year I was able to represent Japan, and I think I was able to give back to my dad. I’m very happy that I was able to do it.”
It was a much closer contest than the results would indicate. Saso began the final round three behind a trio of co-leaders. After a birdie at the second, she hit the green at the par-3 sixth and then took four putts from 55 feet. The double bogey dropped her four back of Minjee Lee, who seemed to be headed to a second USWO victory of her own.
But Minjee Lee couldn’t find fairways on Sunday, hitting two of 14. She bogeyed the sixth, ninth and 10th holes, as Saso, playing two groups in front, birdied the treacherous 12th to knot it up at 2 under.
Saso then birdied the par-5 13th to take the solo lead, and never relinquished it.
Minjee Lee added two doubles to her card on the back nine in shooting 78 and tying for ninth.
Known for her Rory McIlroy-like swing and power (she was fourth this week in driving distance), Saso won this championship on the greens. The four-putt at the sixth was an anomaly as she led the field this week in strokes gained: putting.
A 6-footer for birdie at the par-4 15th gave her a two-stroke advantage. And after driving the green at the 232-yard, par-4 16th, a testy 4-footer for birdie lifted her three up with two to play.
Despite a three-putt bogey at the 17th, Saso kept her calm, signing an autograph before reaching the 18th tee and then launching a 280-yard drive into the fairway at the 423-yard finisher.
Andrea Lee was the last player to provide a threat. She saved par from 26 feet at the 15th to give herself a chance, but a weak, low-lining hook at the 16th placed her in a fairway bunker and she couldn’t make birdie. She then bogeyed the 17th and 18th holes.
Further down the leaderboard, in a tie for sixth, was Wichanee Meechai. The Thai, one of the three overnight co-leaders, finally gave way to her quivering confidence. She missed two par putts inside of 5 feet to start her round and then tripled the par-3 sixth after finding the water and horseshoeing from 4 feet. She shot 77.
Meechai, who endeared this week with her honesty, had never before been in a position like this. Saso not only had, but had prevailed.
As she stood in the 18th fairway, with rain falling, Saso mishit her 8-iron approach and the ball rolled off the front of the green. She confidently chipped to 2 feet and tapped in for par.
Shibuno, standing in the 18th fairway, applauded her countrywoman.