Yuka Saso shot a final-round 68 (-2) at Lancaster Country Club on Sunday to win the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open Championship at four-under par.
The 22-year-old previously won the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in a playoff and is now the youngest woman to win her second career U.S. Women’s Open.
Saso entered the final round of the 79th U.S Women's Open in solo fifth place at two-under par, three shots behind the three co-leaders at five-under par: Minjee Lee, Andrea Lee and Wichanee Meechai. However, all three of the co-leaders entering the final round shot at least five-over par on Sunday, which opened the door for Saso to win her second LPGA title and major championship victory.
Hinako Shibuno, who entered the final round in fourth place at three-under par, shot a final-round 72 (+2) to finish in second place at one-under par for the tournament.
| Player | Total | Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Yuka Saso | -4 | -2 |
| Hinako Shibuno | -1 | +2 |
| Ally Ewing | E | -4 |
| Andrea Lee | E | +5 |
| Arpichaya Yubol | +1 | -1 |
Overall, Saso won this week at Lancaster because of her elite driving and putting. She led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting, gaining 12.784 shots with her putter — despite four-putting the sixth hole for a double bogey on Sunday. She also was second in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, gaining 5.709 shots with her driver.
Saso ranked outside the top 70 golfers in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green during each of the first three rounds, but her irons bounced back in a big way on Sunday, when she ranked eighth in that category by gaining 2.236 shots.
One of Saso’s best shots of the day came on the par-3 12th hole, which world No. 1 Nelly Korda shockingly made a 10 on earlier this week. Saso hit her approach on the 163-yard par-3 to just outside 10 feet with an 8-iron and rolled in the putt to tie for the lead at two-under par.
Yuka Saso moves into a tie for the lead at the U.S. Women’s Open. 👀pic.twitter.com/5bEaNm4iY6
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) June 2, 2024
That putt got her back to even par for the day and began a span of four birdies in five holes on the back nine.
Her final birdie in that span came at the par-4 16th hole, which played at 232 yards. Saso hit one of the shots of the day there when she drove the green with less than driver to just outside 16 feet before two-putting for birdie as she took a commanding three-shot lead over Andrea Lee.
A GOLF SHOT clinic!
Yuka Saso has this left for eagle on the short par-4 16th.#USWomensOpen | @Allypic.twitter.com/OGn5Auv2Nj
— U.S. Women's Open (@uswomensopen) June 2, 2024
Saso competed under Filipino nationality until October of 2021 and now competes under the Japanese flag, which means that she is now the first Japanese woman to win the U.S. Women's Open. Entering this week, Saso was on the cusp of clinching a spot on the Japanese golf team for the 2024 Olympics, and she is now a lock to compete in Paris later this summer for the land of the rising sun.
