Filipina-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso of Japan plays a shot during the final round of the U.S. Women's Open golf tournament at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on June 2, 2024. Kyodo
Yuka Saso ran off four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine to win her second US Women's Open title Sunday, becoming the first Japanese golfer to win two golf majors.
The 22-year-old Philippines-born Saso, who previously won the major in 2021, overcame a three-shot deficit she had at the start of the day with a 2-under 68 for a 4-under 276 total, putting her three strokes clear of second-place Hinako Shibuno, also of Japan.
Saso had five birdies, one bogey and one double bogey in her final round at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania.
The long-hitting Saso made birdies at Nos. 12, 13, 15 and 16 before she bogeyed the 17th and closed her round with a par to collect the $2.4 million winner's check.
Saso said the difficult pin placement meant she "tried to be very patient" throughout her round, adding "that's what you need to win a major like this."
"Winning in 2021, I represented the Philippines. I feel like I was able to give back to my mom," Saso said. "This year I was able to represent Japan, and I think I was able to give back to my dad, so I'm very happy that I was able to do it. It's just a wonderful feeling that I was able to give back to my parents in the same way."
Saso moved into a share of the lead with Australia's Minjee Lee with a birdie on the par-3 12th hole. She then took the outright lead by hitting her 73-yard third shot to 3 feet for another birdie on the par-5 13th.
Shibuno carded a 72 to finish one shot ahead of a fast-finishing Ally Ewing (66) and Andrea Lee (75), both of the United States, who shared third place at even par for the tournament.
"This is an improbable result for the way I've played (in recent months), said the 25-year-old Shibuno, who missed the cut in six of her nine previous starts on the U.S. LPGA Tour this year.
"I can make a fresh start from here. I feel very positive."
Arpichaya Yubol led a trio of Thai players in the top 10 by finishing alone in fifth at 1 over.
Three other Japanese players made the top 10, with Ayaka Furue tying for sixth at 2 over and Rio Takeda and Sakura Koiwai sharing ninth one shot further back.
Third-round co-leader Minjee Lee was at the top of the leaderboard at the turn, but the two-time major champion slipped to a tie for ninth after dropping six shots on the back nine.
Saso also became the third player in the history of the U.S. LPGA Tour to grab her first two career wins at major championships, after South Korea's Pak Se Ri and Chun In Gee.
When Saso won the 2021 U.S. Women's Open, she matched South Korea's Park In Bee as the youngest winner in the history of the event at 19 years, 11 months, 17 days.
Three other Japanese have won major championships. Hisako Higuchi won the 1977 LPGA Championship, Shibuno won the 2019 Women's British Open and male golfer Hideki Matsuyama won the 2021 Masters Tournament. Kyodo
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