Saso Shooting for a Slice of Golfing History

San Francisco, United States: Yuka Saso will be playing for history on Sunday when she tees-off in the final round of the 76th US Women’s Open.

A final-hole bogey on the 6,338-yard Lake Course at The Olympic Club meant the 19-year-old from the Philippines signed for a third round even-par 71.

With a 54-hole total of six-under 207 she is one shot off the pace being set by American Lexi Thompson.

Individual gold medallist at the Jakarta Asian Games and runner-up to Atthaya Thitikul in the inaugural Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in 2018, Saso is vying to match Park In-bee as the youngest US Women’s Open champion at 19 years, 11 months, 17 days.

She would also become the first player from the Philippines to win this championship and the second from her nation to capture a USGA title, joining 2014 US Girls’ Junior champion Princess Mary Superal.

Saso fought her control on Saturday, especially with her wedges, hitting just 10 greens. But she briefly reached eight-under for the championship before consecutive bogeys on 13 and 14, followed by one on 18 that dropped her out of the lead she held virtually all day.

“I wasn't really thinking about anything,” said Saso of playing in the final pairing. “I just [did] the same as what I did the first couple days and … I think it worked pretty good.

"I'm really thankful and happy that there's so many people cheering for me, but that doesn't really go into my head. I'm just so focused on what I have to do now. It feels a little not normal because this is actually the first tournament since I turned pro with the galleries, I think. So I've never really had to sign anything. This week there's so many people and I'm happy to sign whatever.

"I think I've learned so much last year and this year. I played in so many good tournaments and I've been having a great chance playing with the great players, seeing them play, being so patient, trusting on what they do, I think I've learned from that, so I think I'm just going to stay patient and trust the process."

Leader Thompson has seemingly been playing US Women’s Opens longer than cypress trees have framed the holes at The Olympic Club. At age 26, this is her 15th consecutive appearance since first qualifying in 2007 as a precocious 12-year-old.

Yet for all that experience, the Floridian had never owned a share of the lead after any Women’s Open round. Until now.

Thompson posted her career-best round in this championship, a bogey-free, five-under-par 66 on a picture-perfect Saturday. Megha Ganne, the 17-year-old amateur from New Jersey, is four back along with 2019 champion Jeong-eun Lee6 after the two carded rounds of 72 and 73, respectively. Feng Shanshan (211), Nasa Hataoka (212) and Megan Khang (212) are the only other competitors in red figures at a venue that has produced just four under-par scores over 72 holes in the five US Opens that have been contested here.

Thompson, an 11-time LPGA Tour champion who has not entered the winner’s circle since the 2019 ShopRite Classic, now seeks to top the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon. Should the one-time Major champion (2014 ANA Inspiration) pull it off, she would become the sixth player to capture both the US Women’s Open and US Girls’ Junior titles, joining a stellar group that includes World Golf Hall of Famers Mickey Wright, Hollis Stacy, Amy Alcott and Park In-bee, as well as Ariya Jutanugarn.

To do that, Thompson will need to continue the ball-striking prowess she displayed on Saturday, when she hit 13 of 18 greens and needed only 27 putts. Thompson went out in three-under 32 with birdies on four, seven and nine, drained a 21-footer on the 415-yard, par-four 14th hole and just missed a nine-footer for eagle on the uphill, 490-yard, par-five 17th. She closed with a tidy up-and-down par from greenside rough.

“It’s tough,” said Thompson of the conditions. “The rough is super thick. They say that there’s a first cut, but the first cut is about four inches. [But] that’s how Major championships should be. I played solid today and I’m just going to try to take it into tomorrow and just focus on one shot at a time.”

Thompson credits the recent work she’s done with mental coach John Denney for staying positive when adversity arises. Being happier on and off the course produces better results, and although she hasn’t won in 2021, she has tied for second twice.

“It helps just to have that experience,” said Thompson, whose four top-10 US Women’s Open finishes include a tie for second two years ago at the Country Club of Charleston and a tie for fifth in 2018 at Shoal Creek. “For me, it’s no different mindset going into tomorrow. I’ve been working extremely hard on my game and the mental side.

“It’s definitely a little bit more intense than any other tournament on a Sunday. But like I said before, I love playing in front of the fans and everything.”