By Rahul Banerji
Yuka Saso equalled history as only the second teenager to win the US Women’s Open on Sunday and said she needed some help from Rory McIlroy to do so.
The 19-year-old from the Philippines ground her way to a third hole play-off win over Japan’s Nasa Hataoka after US star Lexi Thompson blew a five-shot lead going into the final nine holes.
Rising Indian-American star Megha Ganne could not reproduce her heroics of the first three days but was still good enough to emerge with the amateur’s medal at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.
“I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life,” Ganne said later.
“It’s everything I’ve wanted since I was little, so it’s just the best feeling.”
Saso enters the history books as the joint youngest winner of the US Women’s Open alongside Korea’s 2008 winner Inbee Park at 19 years, 11 months and 17 days.
Big boost
McIlroy, who was following Saso’s progress had encouraged her in an Instagram post to bring home the trophy, was also the model for the Filipino star’s swing.
Saso said she had spent hours watching the Northern Ireland golfer on video trying to model her swing on McIlroy’s, himself a US Open winner.
“I saw it (the post) this morning, and I was like, ‘Ohhh!’ I should have reposted it but I was so busy this morning, so I’ll do it later.
“Rory said, ‘Get that trophy’, and I did. So thank you, Rory,” she said with a laugh.
Saso and Ganne had to overcome early blips in Sunday’s final round.
Both had double bogeys inside the first few holes before pulling their game back on track, Ganne reeled off a series of pars on her back nine to total a six-over 77.
And Saso went one better.
“I was actually a little upset,” Saso said later about her start.
‘Keep going’
“But my caddie talked to me and said, ‘Just keep on going; there’s many more holes to go and to trust the process.’ That’s what I did.”
For Thompson through, there was to be no redemption as she led slip a five shot lead to allow Saso and Hataoka to first pull level and then go past.
The US star is yet to win the USWO despite 15 appearances in the premier tournament.
“I really didn’t feel like I hit any bad golf shots,” Thompson said later. “That’s what this golf course can do to you.”
After both made pars in the two-hole aggregate playoff, Saso sank a 10-footer for birdie on the third to see off Hataoka.
She becomes the first from her country to win a major golf title and did so with scores of her nation’s flags waving around the greens.
“I don’t know what’s happening in the Philippines right now, but I’m just thankful that there’s so many people in the Philippines cheering for me,” she said.
“I don’t know how to thank them. They gave me so much energy. I want to say thank you to everyone.”
Blowing up
Thompson led by five shots till the eighth hole but dropped five shots her final seven holes including a double-bogey to finish one shot behind the two leaders.
“It’s hard to smile, but it was an amazing week,” the 26-year-old said through her tears.
She is now winless in 15 tries at the US Women’s Open since her first appearance as a 12-year-old in 2007.
Only two other players had sub-par cards on the Lake Course at Olympic Club.
Also read: Ganne off the pace, but still tied for third at US Women’s Open
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Hello Rahul, Great piece of reporting. Kept me interested to read till the very end. Keep t up! Regards. Mejokaka
Thank you and hope you are back on the mailing list on a regular basis now.