Yuka Saso took the title of the most Asian US Open. Four birdies in the last seven holes gave Japan a big wild card. Only two golfers finished under par at Lancaster Country Club. It ended up being an indisputable victory, by three shots ahead, on a Sunday where the flags were not so critical in the final part of the championship, which did not prevent dramas for many of the players who were also running. Minjee Lee, a proven one, shot 78 shots (+8); Andrea Lee, who was also the leader, finished with two bogeys on the last two holes. Serve as an example. Incidentally, the champion took home the largest check in the history of women’s golf: 2.4 million dollars.
Saso, 23 years old, a hitter, but with a sublime short game, had already won the most important major in the United States. He did it in 2021 when he enjoyed dual nationality -Japanese father, Filipino mother- and with the maternal flag. But the obligation to choose a single nationality at the age of 22 from the country of the rising sun made him change his registration at the beginning of last season.
Her triumph joins the 1977 LPGA of Hisako Higuchi, the first great of Asian golf, and the 2019 British Open of Hinako Shibuno, second in this US Open, and confirms the consolidation of the new Japanese generations. Three other Japanese women finished in the top 10 of a classification that was an Asian festival, despite the fact that only one Korean woman attended. Shibuno from the street applauded the triumph of her friend Saso.
Nineteenth finished Carlota Ciganda, who was finally able to play a round under par, after playing the final nine holes at a good level, with four birdies and one bogey. He previously accumulated three errors and one success, which took him to the final 69. He finished with six over par.
