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Japan’s Yuka Sasso overcame an early four-stroke deficit to make up a three-stroke deficit to win her second US Open title on a dramatic final day at Lancaster Country Club.
Minjee Lee, Wichanee Meechai and Andrea Lee shared the lead heading into the final round and Sasso’s chances of catching them took a huge hit when she followed up a birdie at the second, putting up four sixes for double bogey.
However, Sasso steadied the ship with five straight pars before birdying the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th to effectively seal victory. A closing 68 gave the 22-year-old a four-under-par winning total, three shots ahead of her compatriot Hinako Shibuno.
They were the only two players to finish under par as Andrea Lee battled to a closing 75 to share third place with fellow American Ali Ewing on par, Ewing rising through the field with a 66.
Meechai fared even worse with a closing 77 and Minjee Lee limped home in 41 for a final round of 78. Saso is the third player in history after Pak Se-ri and Chun In-gee to make major championships his first two LPGA Tour titles.
“It feels great,” Sasso said. “Winning in 2021, I represented the Philippines. I feel that I was able to get back to my mother. This year I was able to represent Japan and I think I was able to repay my father. I am very happy that I was able to do it.
“It feels great to be able to thank my parents in the same way. I haven’t won since 2021. I think that just makes it special after a long wait and I didn’t expect to win the US Women’s Open like last time.
“I think I really wanted it too. Not only to win a second victory, but also to prove something to myself. I haven’t won in two and a half or three years. I definitely had a little bit of doubt about whether or not I could win again. But I managed to prove a little something to myself.
Elsewhere, Scotland’s Robert McIntyre recovered from a shaky start and held off a host of challengers to claim his first PGA Tour title at the RBC Canadian Open. McIntyre shot a final round of 68 on Hamilton Golf and Country Club to finish 16 under par, a shot ahead of home favorite Ben Griffin.
Griffin had piled on the pressure with birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th to close within one of his playing partners, but could not find a fourth in a row at the last to trigger a potential playoff. That meant McIntyre had the luxury of two putting from 10 feet for the win before hugging his father Dougie, who was called in to caddy at short notice.
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Asked why he was so emotional about the win, McIntyre gestured to his father as he told CBS, “Because of this. I honestly have no words. It’s just all about me and my family, my girlfriend, my team. I can’t believe I did it with him on the bag. I’m crying with joy, but I’m laughing because I didn’t think it was possible.”
McIntyre had seen his four-shot overnight lead wiped out in the space of four holes after he birdied the first and Mackenzie Hughes made it a hat-trick of early birdies.
However, MacIntyre responded superbly to birdie the fourth, seventh and eighth to regain control of the £7.4m event, although he had to ask the drone used for the TV coverage to be moved several times before the -finally to fulfill his wish.
Another birdie at the 11th was followed by a wild putt at the 12th into a water feature and another birdie at the 13th opened the door for the chasing pack, but the Ryder Cup star decisively birdied the 15th and safely parred the last three holes.
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