Who is Yuka Saso? Philippine-Japanese teen US Open champion on the cusp of Olympic qualification
- Dual citizen of Japan and Philippines is a fan of Rory McIlroy, who told her to go out and win the US Women’s Open trophy
- Double Asian Games gold medallist in 2018 now expected to be at Tokyo 2020 Olympics this summer
Saso, just 19, became the joint youngest winner of the event with South Korea’s Inbee Park – both of them won the US Women’s Open at 19, years, 11 months and 17 days.
Saso has earned an LPGA Tour card, which she accepted after winning the trophy on Sunday – and that comes with a five-year exemption as a major winner.
“My dream was to be World No 1 and win a US Women’s Open,” she said. “But I wasn’t thinking that I would really hold this trophy this week.”
In winning, Saso became the first male or female from the Philippines to win a major championship on either the PGA or LPGA Tours.
Philippine teen Saso edges Hataoka in play-off to win US Open
Kyodo reported that Sasa is a dual citizen of the Philippines and Japan – her father is Japanese and her mother Filipino – so she also became only the third Japanese woman to win a major.
“To all my friends and fans back in the Philippines and Japan: I’m really thankful. I hope I can keep this going,” Saso said after her historic win.
Saso was born on June 20, 2001 to parents Fritzie and Masazuka in San Ildefonso, Philippines. She dedicated the win to them. “I’d like to thank my family. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
The teenager has not come out of nowhere, though, after a strong amateur career.
Saso won double gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, taking the individual gold – a first for the Philippines – and then another in the team event with Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go.
A year later she turned professional, joining the Japan LPGA Tour in 2020 where Saso won two tournaments in her first year. A 13th-place finish at last year’s US Women’s Open was not a bad first appearance either, while she has racked up individual awards off the course.
Saso models her swing on Rory McIlroy’s and the Northern Irish star is a keen fan of the teenager. “Great playing the last few days, Yuka Saso,” he wrote on Instagram. “Go finish it out today and get that trophy”.
Saso thanked McIlroy, the player who inspired her start in golf, after her win.
“Rory mentioned me on Instagram and said, ‘Get that trophy.’ And I did, so ‘Thank you, Rory,’” she said. McIlroy was not done there, tweeting: “Everyone’s going to be watching Yuka Saso swing videos on YouTube now.”
Also on the horizon is a first Southeast Asian Games appearance having pulled out in both 2017 and 2019.
