History matters for Yuka Saso.
When the then 19-year-old won the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open in a playoff at The Olympic Club, she was competing under the Philippian flag of her mother’s native land and landing its first major championship. On Sunday in Lancaster, she was representing her father’s homeland, Japan. represented Japan, becoming its first U.S. Women’s Open champion.
“It’s just a wonderful feeling that I was able to give back to my parents in the same way,” said Saso, who held her emotions in check for 72 holes but finally dropped her guard during the trophy presentation.
The entire week was a throwback to U.S. Opens of old, where the golf course took on a brutish demeanour and nobody looked safe, especially when we saw world number one and undisputed leading women’s player Nelly Korda make 10 on the par-3 12th on day one.
The final round was more of the same, as one-by-one, the leading contenders started to ship strokes by the bucket load, and 54-hole leader and former U.S. Open champion Minjee Lee went from first to ninth by day’s end.
By the time American Ally Ewing posted a closing 66 to finish at even par for the tournament, an unbelievable come-from-behind victory looked on the cards.
But then Saso, who four-putted for double on the sixth hole, found another gear when she drained a rare birdie on the 12th hole – Korda’s nemesis – and kept the pedal down, reeling off more birdies on 13, 15 and 16. On the latter, she hit 3-wood from the tee on the drivable par-4 to 16 feet to take a three-shot lead and grasp firm control.
A clutch up-and-down on the 18th sealed the three-stroke victory for Saso, who made a staggering 422 feet of putts for the week.
Three years ago, Saso, who modeled her swing after her favorite player, Rory McIlroy. matched Inbee Park as the youngest champion in U.S. Women’s Open history in 2021 at 19 years, 11 months and 17 days. On Sunday, she became the youngest to win multiple titles at 22 years, 11 months and 13 days and with it, a $2.4 million cheque that was the largest first prize ever given at a women’s major.
“We thought it was the perfect golf course for her,” said Saso’s veteran caddie Dylan Vallequette. “She hits it long; she hits it high.”
Hinako Shibuno closed with a two-over 72 for a -1 tally and second place, securing a historic one-two for the Japanese.
For Andrea Lee, this was a massive building block as the former Stanford star found herself playing in the final group of a major for the first time.
“I was extremely nervous,” said Lee, who took a share of third with Ewing, “but I feel like I learned a lot about how to control my emotions out here.”
Minjee Lee, who most expected to go on to win given her relative experience and success, refused to be too downhearted even though she had to be inside.
“Obviously, I’m going to acknowledge my disappointment and then come back stronger,” she said, “take the positives out of the week, you know.”