Yuka Saso overcame an early four-putt with good shot-making and a back-nine 32 to win the U.S. Girls’s Open.
Saso now has two profession LPGA titles: each at this main. Having received at The Olympic Membership in 2021, she added Lancaster Nation Membership to her grand checklist of conquered programs.
She’s the youngest participant, at 22, to win two U.S. Girls’s Open championships. She additionally joins Seri Pak and In Gee Chun, who received at Lancaster in 2015, as the one ladies to make majors their first two tour victories.
Saso closed in 2-under 68 to complete at 4 beneath, three pictures away from former AIG Girls’s Open winner Hinako Shibuno (72). Ally Ewing, who matched the day’s finest with a 66, and Andrea Lee, who completed with a irritating 75, tied for third at even par.
Born within the Philippines, Saso moved to Japan when she was 4. Japanese regulation forbids twin citizenship when an individual reaches 22 and Saso selected to characterize Japan, primarily she has mentioned, due to the entry that passport gives.
Her mom is Filipino, her father Japanese. She needs she may fly two flags.
She now has a significant title for each international locations.
“I believe successful in 2021, I represented the Philippines. I really feel like I used to be in a position to give again to my mother,” Saso mentioned. “This 12 months I used to be in a position to characterize Japan, and I believe I used to be in a position to give again to my dad. I’m very completely satisfied that I used to be in a position to do it.”
It was a a lot nearer contest than the outcomes would point out. Saso started the ultimate spherical three behind a trio of co-leaders. After a birdie on the second, she hit the inexperienced on the par-3 sixth after which took 4 putts from 55 ft. The double bogey dropped her 4 again of Minjee Lee, who appeared to be headed to a second USWO victory of her personal.
However Minjee Lee couldn’t discover fairways on Sunday, hitting two of 14. She bogeyed the sixth, ninth and 10th holes, as Saso, enjoying two teams in entrance, birdied the treacherous 12th to knot it up at 2 beneath.
Saso then birdied the par-5 13th to take the solo lead, and by no means relinquished it.
Minjee Lee added two doubles to her card on the again 9 in taking pictures 78 and tying for ninth.
Recognized for her Rory McIlroy-like swing and energy (she was fourth this week in driving distance), Saso received this championship on the greens. The four-putt on the sixth was an anomaly as she led the sphere this week in strokes gained: placing.
A 6-footer for birdie on the par-4 15th gave her a two-stroke benefit. And after driving the inexperienced on the 232-yard, par-4 16th, a testy 4-footer for birdie lifted her three up with two to play.
Regardless of a three-putt bogey on the 17th, Saso stored her calm, signing an autograph earlier than reaching the 18th tee after which launching a 280-yard drive into the green on the 423-yard finisher.
Andrea Lee was the final participant to supply a menace. She saved par from 26 ft on the 15th to offer herself an opportunity, however a weak, low-lining hook on the 16th positioned her in a fairway bunker and she or he couldn’t make birdie. She then bogeyed the seventeenth and 18th holes.
Additional down the leaderboard, in a tie for sixth, was Wichanee Meechai. The Thai, one of many three in a single day co-leaders, lastly gave strategy to her quivering confidence. She missed two par putts within 5 ft to begin her spherical after which tripled the par-3 sixth after discovering the water and horseshoeing from 4 ft. She shot 77.
Meechai, who endeared this week along with her honesty, had by no means earlier than been ready like this. Saso not solely had, however had prevailed.
As she stood within the 18th fairway, with rain falling, Saso mishit her 8-iron method and the ball rolled off the entrance of the inexperienced. She confidently chipped to 2 ft and tapped in for par.
Shibuno, standing within the 18th fairway, applauded her countrywoman.
