Yuka Saso

Yuka Saso (笹生 優花, Sasō Yūka) is a Philippine-born Japanese professional golfer. She competed for the Philippines through 2021, having won the first ever gold medal for the Philippines in both women's individual and women's team event in Asian Games golf competitions.[2][3][4][5] As of 2022, she represents Japan.

In this Japanese name, the surname is Saso.
Yuka Saso
笹生 優花
Saso with her two gold medals she won for the Philippines at the 2018 Asian Games.
Personal information
Born (2001-06-20) June 20, 2001
San Ildefonso, Bulacan, Philippines[1]
Height166 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Sporting nationality Philippines (until Oct 2021)
 Japan (since Nov 2021)
Career
Turned professional2019
Current tour(s)LPGA of Japan Tour
LPGA Tour
Professional wins3
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour1
LPGA of Japan Tour2
Best results in LPGA major championships
(wins: 1)
Chevron ChampionshipT17: 2022
Women's PGA C'ship2nd: 2023
U.S. Women's OpenWon: 2021
Women's British OpenT39: 2021
Evian ChampionshipT3: 2023
Medal record
Women's Golf
Representing  Philippines
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place2018 Jakarta–Palembangindividual
Gold medal – first place2018 Jakarta–Palembangteam

Early life

Saso was born on June 20, 2001, to a Filipina mother and a Japanese father, hence her Japanese name.[6] She started training in the sport of golf at the age of eight in 2009.[1] She admired Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy as a role model and watched video clips of him as a teenager, modeling her game after his style.[7]

Amateur career

At the 2017 PSA Annual Awards, Saso received an award for winning the gold medal at the 2016 World Junior Girls Championship as well as leading the Philippines to victory in the team event.[8] Saso competed at the 2018 Women's Victorian Open as a part of the 2018 Ladies European Tour and finished at 17th position in the women's individual event.

With Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go, Saso secured an unexpected historic gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games in the women's team event.[9][10][11] She also won the women's individual competition, the first Asian Games gold medal for the Philippines in the women's individual event.[12]

Saso also took part in the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina where she almost won a medal.[13] After the final round of the women's individual competition, two other golfers, Alessia Nobilio of Italy and Emma Spitz of Austria, matched her result of 214 with Kim Grace of Australia winning the gold medal. Saso, Nobilio, and Spitz had to take part in a three-way playoff. Saso narrowly failed to win a medal with Nobilio winning silver and Spitz bronze.[14] Saso also played in the mixed team event pairing with male golfer and compatriot, Carl Jano Corpus.[13]

Saso did not participate in the Southeast Asian Games, opting to skip the regional games due to conflicting schedule in both the 2017[15] and 2019 editions.[16]

Saso is one of the three Filipino golfers who competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She finished 9th in the women’s individual event.

Professional career
Saso on a 2022-issued Philippine stamp

Saso turned professional in November 2019 after earning a LPGA of Japan Tour card for 2020.[17] In late June 2020, she made her debut at the Earth Mondahmin Cup in Chiba where she placed fifth.[18]

Saso earned her first victory at the 2020 NEC Karuizawa 72.[19] She then won the next event, the Nitori Ladies Golf Tournament.[20] On June 6, 2021, she won the 2021 U.S. Women's Open in a playoff against Nasa Hataoka, her first major title, becoming the first Filipino to win the tournament.[21] Saso, at age 19 years, 11 months, 17 days, matched Inbee Park (2008 U.S. Women's Open champion) as the youngest golfer to win the tournament.[22][23]

Starting with the 2022 LPGA Tour, Saso would be representing Japan following her decision to keep her Japanese citizenship as per Japanese law on dual nationality.[24]

Citizenship

Saso held both Japanese and Filipino citizenship but was obliged to renounce one of her two citizenships by the time she turns 22 years old in 2023 as per Japanese nationality law. In November 2021, Saso announced her intention to keep her Japanese citizenship.[25][26] She had completed the process by January 2022.[27]

Saso has represented the Philippines in international golf competitions until 2021 but started officially competing for Japan in 2022.[24][28][29] Saso, however, feels connection to both her Filipino and Japanese heritage.[29][30]

Amateur wins
  • 2014 Sabah International Junior Masters, Visayas Regional Amateur and ALM Tournament
  • 2015 Kartini Cup
  • 2016 Philippine Junior Amateur, Philippine Junior Amateur Match Play, World Junior Girls Championship
  • 2017 Philippine Amateur Open Championship, Philippine Junior Amateur, Philippine Amateur Open Match Play Championship
  • 2018 Philippine Ladies Open, Victorian Junior Masters, Thunderbird International Junior, Asian Games (women's individual)
  • 2019 Philippine Ladies Open, Girl's Junior PGA Championship

Source:[3]

Professional wins (3)

LPGA Tour wins (1)
Legend
Major championships (1)
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
1 6 Jun 2021 U.S. Women's Open 69-67-71-73=280 −4 Playoff Japan Nasa Hataoka 1,000,000

LPGA Tour playoff record (1–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentsResult
1 2021 U.S. Women's Open Japan Nasa Hataoka Tied two-hole aggregate playoff
Won with birdie on third playoff hole:
Hataoka: 4-4=8 (E), 4, Saso: 4-4=8 (E), 3

LPGA of Japan Tour wins (2)
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up
1 16 Aug 2020 NEC Karuizawa 72 Golf Tournament 65-72-63=200 −16 4 strokes Japan Saiki Fujita
Japan Maiko Wakabayashi
2 30 Aug 2020 Nitori Ladies Golf Tournament 67-69-68-71=275 −13 2 strokes Japan Sakura Koiwai

Major championships

Wins (1)
YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up
2021U.S. Women's Open1 shot deficit−4 (69-67-71-73=280)Playoff1Japan Nasa Hataoka

1 Defeated Hataoka in a two-hole aggregate playoff, followed by a sudden-death playoff: Saso (4-4-3=11) and Hataoka (4-4-4=12 )

Results timeline
Tournament20192020202120222023
Chevron Championship T50 T17 CUT
Women's PGA Championship T21 T30 2
U.S. Women's Open CUT T13 1 CUT T20
Evian Championship NT CUT T3
Women's British Open T39 CUT CUT
  Win
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
NT = no tournament
T = tied

Summary
TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Chevron Championship00000132
Women's PGA Championship01011233
U.S. Women's Open10011353
The Evian Championship00111121
Women's British Open00000031
Totals1113371610
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 6 (2020 U.S. Open – 2022 Chevron)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (three times)

LPGA Tour career summary
YearTournaments
played		Cuts
made*		Wins2nd3rdTop 10sBest
finish		Earnings
(US$)		Money
list rank		Scoring
average		Scoring
rank
2019 1 0 0 0 0 0 CUT n/a n/a 74.00 n/a
2020 3 2 0 0 0 0 T13 n/a n/a 72.40 n/a
2021 10 10 1 0 0 4 1 1,517,876 6 69.36 4
2022 26 19 0 1 1 4 2 773,294 36 70.73 34
2023 10 6 0 1 0 4 2 1,098,475 4 70.47 18
Totals^ 46 (2021) 35 (2021) 1 2 1 12 1 3,389,645 120

^ Official as of 25 June 2023[31][32][33]
^Includes matchplay and other tournaments without a cut.

World ranking

Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.

YearRankingSource
2016838[34]
2017533[35]
2018545[36]
2019282[37]
202045[38]
20218[39]
202232[40]
202324^[41]

^ as of 26 June 2023

Team appearances

Amateur

Source:[3]

Professional

Awards

References
  1. "Yuka Saso". Asian Games 2018 Jakarta Palembang. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  2. "笹生　優花". Japan Golf Association. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  3. "Yuka Saso". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  4. Carandang, Justin Kenneth (August 26, 2018). "Yuka Saso brings gold from golf, Bianca Pagdanganan bags 10th bronze for PHL". GMA News Online. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  5. Ventura, Sid (August 26, 2018). "Women's golf team strikes double gold in dramatic finish". ESPN. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  6. "Saso has Bulakenya blood running in her veins". The Manila Times. September 6, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  7. Wire, Coy; Morse, Ben (June 7, 2021). "Yuka Saso: The 19-year-old major winner who modeled her game on Rory McIlroy's after watching him on YouTube". CNN. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  8. "PSA to honor Frayna, Medina in awards rites". The Philippine Star. February 5, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  9. "Golden golf double for PH women's team". Rappler. August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  10. Lozada, Bong (August 26, 2018). "Asian Games: Saso, PH women's golf team deliver 2 golds, 1 bronze". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  11. Terrado, Reuben (August 26, 2018). "Yuka Saso, pals win two unlikely gold medals in golf to lift PH team spirits". Spin.ph. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  12. "Asian Games: Yuka Saso, Philippines women's golf team bag 2 gold medals". ABS-CBN News. August 26, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  13. Navarro, June (October 16, 2018). "PH's Youth Olympic Games campaign ends with 1 silver as golfers, archer bow out". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  14. "Youth Olympic Games: Golfer Yuka Saso falters in playoff, misses out on medal". ABS-CBN News. October 12, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  15. Leyba, Olmin (July 3, 2017). "PH golfer Yuka Saso to miss SEA Games". The Philippine Star. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  16. Flores, Adrian (November 28, 2019). "Champion golfer Yuka Saso will miss SEA Games, says coach". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  17. Romine, Brentley (November 20, 2019). "Signing day wrap: Top players, notable signings for Class of 2020". Golf Channel.
  18. "Golf: No title, but Yuka Saso still outstanding in Japan LPGA debut". ABS-CBN News. June 30, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  19. Lozada, Bong (August 16, 2020). "Yuka Saso claims NEC title, wins first JLPGA". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  20. "Golf: Steady Yuka Saso clinches second Japan LPGA title". ABS-CBN News. August 30, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  21. "Philippines' Yuka Saso triumphs in playoff to win US Women's Open". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Reuters. June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  22. "Filipino-Japanese teen Yuka Saso wins U.S. Women's Open". The Japan Times. June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  23. "Yuka Saso birdies third playoff hole, becomes second teen to win U.S. Women's Open". ESPN. Associated Press. June 6, 2021.
  24. Li, Matthew (January 17, 2022). "Yuka Saso to no longer carry PH flag in LPGA". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  25. "Yuka Saso set to choose Japanese citizenship". BusinessWorld. November 3, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  26. Veran, Jan (November 3, 2021). "Yuka Saso chooses Japanese nationality". The Philippine Star. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  27. Veran, Jan (January 20, 2022). "Early citizenship switch a must for Yuka Saso". The Philippine Star. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  28. "'Very Filipina': Yuka Saso on choosing to represent the Philippines". Rappler. June 17, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  29. Terrado, Reuben (February 21, 2022). "Yuka Saso says she'll 'forever be proud to be a Filipino'". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  30. Masangkay, May (August 3, 2021). "Super Saso shouldering golfing hopes of 2 nations in Tokyo". Kyodo News. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  31. "Yuka Saso stats". LPGA. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  32. "Jodi Ewart Shadoff results". LPGA. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  33. "Career Money". LPGA. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  34. "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 26, 2016.
  35. "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 25, 2017.
  36. "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 31, 2018.
  37. "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 30, 2019.
  38. "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 28, 2020.
  39. "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 27, 2021.
  40. "Women's World Golf Rankings". December 26, 2022.
  41. "Women's World Golf Rankings". June 26, 2023.
  42. "Golfer Yuka Saso to be hailed as Athlete of the Year". ABS-CBN News. March 7, 2021. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
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