YUKA Saso would rather focus on her coming tournaments than think of preparing for her defense of the US Women’s Open crown in early June at the Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina.
“I am not setting my goals too far ahead. I personally take it week by week. So for the US Women’s Open tournament, it is still early for me,” Saso said in an interview with the media last Tuesday night at the Solaire Resort and Casino while vacationing in the country.
Saso’s triumph at the Olympic Golf Club course in San Francisco, California to become the first Filipino pro to win a major was one of the country’s sports highlights in 2021, made even more impressive by the way she achieved the epic feat.
Given up for lost after back-to-back bogeys on holes No. 2 and 3, the Fil-Japanese showed gritty resiliency, rallying with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to force a playoff duel with Japan’s Nasa Hataoka and emerged as champion after two nerve-wracking playoff holes.
Saso stressed, however, that competing in the majors “is my top priority.”
She said she would see action in The Chevron Championship set March 31 to April 3 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, which is another major, just before the US Women’s Open.
Born in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, Saso welcomed the chance to be back in the country before she resumes her campaign on the US LPGA tour. She is set to compete in the HSBC Women’s World Championship on March 3 to 6 at the Sentosa Golf Club, Tanjong Course in Singapore.
“This is one of the reasons I came back to the Philippines early so I would have less jet lag coming from the US. To get used to the time and get ready. Mainit sa Singapore at medyo malamig sa US ngayon,” said Saso, who is now based in Texas.
Besides visiting relatives, Saso, who opted for Japanese citizenship for business and practical reasons, said she had time to play at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club las week.
“Wack Wack is one of the classic courses in the Philippines. It’s good to be back on the course I played before. It is a very challenging course so it felt good to play at Wack Wack,” she said.
Recalling her Olympic Games debut, the 2018 Asian Games double gold medalist said she had no regrets in finishing 10th overall in the women’s golf tournament at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama.
“No, I did my best. That was the best result that I can give. I just need to practice more and be better. It gave me a lesson, so I am very thankful for that experience. Sobrang init lang dun. Pero masaya din po. That was the best golf I could do that day,” she said.
Once recruited by the University of Georgia, Saso said she still values getting a college education “but I have little time to study because of my schedule, and which is why all I can do is to read books.”
With a smile on her face, Saso, 20, also said that having a love life was out of the question, adding: “Bata pa po. I want to focus on my career, I don’t have time for that.”
