Japan's Yuka Saso came from three shots behind on Sunday to become the youngest player to win two US Women's Open titles.
There was a three-way tie going into what was a surprising final day at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania, with Australian Minjee Lee, American Andrea Lee and Thailand's Wichanee Meechai atop the leaderboard.
But Saso, 22, produced four birdies in five holes on the back nine to clinch a three-stroke victory.
Her 2-under-par 68 saw her win on 4 under, with teammate Hinako Shibuno finishing second.
THE SECOND OPENS THE SUBJECT
That gave Saso, who switched her foreign allegiance from the Philippines in 2022, her second LPGA Tour title – both coming at the US Women's Open. Saso became the first Filipino player to win a major when she won her first US Women's Open title as a teenager in 2021.
“I won in 2021, I represented the Philippines [and] I feel like I was able to give back to my mother,” said Saso as he presented his trophy. “This year, I was able to represent Japan, and I think I was able to give back to my father. I am very happy that I was able to do it.”
Saso suffered early Sunday morning when he birdied the second and four-putted sixth for a double bogey. But after stopping the ship it became clear that only two players in the field to finish under par, with Minjee Lee coming home at 41 with an eight-over 78, while Meechai struggled to a 77.
Andrea Lee posted a 75 to share third place with fellow American Ally Ewing, who topped the field with a closing 66.
Charley Hull finished highest on the English team, holding 19th at +6 after battling to close with a 67, while Jodi Ewart Shadoff tied for 29th at +9.
DIFFICULT CALLING CONDITIONS
The Lancaster course proved a tough challenge for the world's best women's players this week, with a combination of narrow, long, rough fairways and big, fast greens leading to unusually high scores.
The cut reached +8 on Friday, with a number of big-name players falling on the wrong side of the mark, including No.1 Nelly Korda (+10) and world No.6 Rose Zhang (+11), who shot opening rounds of 80 and 79 respectively and missed the cut along with Brooke Henderson (+12), Lydia Ko (+13), Georgia Hall (+11), Leona Maguire (+10) and Maja Stark (+13). Lexi Thompson, who announced her retirement from professional golf earlier in the week, also made an early exit after shooting rounds of 78 and 75.
Korda's undoing came after his third hole Thursday when he bogeyed a seven-putt 10 after three bogeys on the par-3 12th hole in his first round.
Yuka Saso's winning gear
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (9°)
Fairway wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (15°)
Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (19°)
Irons: Callaway Apex CB (4-5), Callaway Apex MB (6-9)
Wedges: Callaway Forged Raw Jaws (46°, 48°) Callaway Jaws Raw (52°, 56°, 60°)
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Milled Three T
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X
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