Yuka Saso sees herself everywhere as she defends her U.S. Women’s Open title
PINE NEEDLES, N.C. – Defending U.S. Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso was a little taken aback when she arrived at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, site for the 77th U.S. Women’s Open.
Everywhere she looked, there she was. Posters, billboard and monitors, all of Saso hoisting the U.S. Women’s Open trophy, which she claimed a year ago at Olympic Club in San Francisco, California.
“Doesn’t it make you tired looking at me?” Saso jokingly asked the media on Tuesday. “Yeah, it feels great. I just feel shy a little. But yeah, I’m grateful.”
Full-field scores from the U.S. Women’s Open
Returning as defending champion can add additional pressure and expectations on a player, especially at a major. Saso, however, isn’t sure how she feels just yet.
“I don’t even know if I’m nervous or not,” she said. “But it feels awesome. At some point last year, they started calling me ‘champ’ or ‘U.S. Women’s Open champ,’ not by my name.”
Humble as she is, Saso told the press her game is “OK,” but that she still leans on swing videos from Rory McIlroy – her idol – for inspiration. After Saso won her major title last year, she met McIlroy a few weeks later during a U.S. Open practice round at Torrey Pines.
“I think I’ve been learning a lot from him recently,” said Saso. “I see some of his shots. He’s trying to hit fade with his driver to be more consistent. I think that’s a good way of seeing, OK, with drive you have to be long, but at the same time, you have to be consistent.”
Saso calls Pine Needles “a great challenge for all of us,” referring to the other competitors in the field. “Golf course is great, very beautiful, very difficult, especially the greens,” she said. “There’s a lot of falls off.”
The 20-year-old is seeking her first victory since making the U.S. Women’s Open her maiden LPGA title. She tees off at 8:32 a.m. ET off the first tee on Thursday, alongside reigning U.S. Amateur champion Jensen Castle and three-time major winner Anna Nordqvist.