Saso faces tough road to redemption at St. Andrews

MANILA, Philippines – Yuka Saso embarks on a challenging quest for redemption at St. Andrews' Old Course in Fife, Scotland, following a disappointing 54th-place finish at the Paris Olympics. 

The field of elite competitors at the fifth and final major of the LPGA season promises a formidable test, but Saso’s resilience and track record of overcoming adversity fuel her determination.

Saso has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to rise to the occasion. At the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, she overcame a significant deficit to win the gold medal and secure the team gold for the Philippines.

Her professional breakthrough came in 2021 when she captured the US Women’s Open title in sudden death, edging out Nasa Hataoka. Just 22, Saso also became the youngest two-time champion of the LPGA Tour’s premier major championship last June, ending a three-year title drought.

However, her game has struggled in recent months. She missed the cut at the ShopRite LPGA Classic after her second US Women’s Open feat, finished 68th in the Women’s PGA Championship, tied for 17th in the Dow Championship, and did not advance in the Evian Championship.

Despite these setbacks, her strong joint ninth finish at the Tokyo Olympics had raised expectations for her performance in Paris. Unfortunately, a challenging opening round of 77 at Le Golf National saw her fall out of contention, overshadowed by ICTSI stablemates Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina, who finished tied for fourth and 13th, respectively.

The recent break may have provided Saso with the opportunity to reassess and recalibrate. As she takes on American golfers Megan Khang and Alison Lee at 1:21 p.m. on the first hole, she aims to start strong and contend with the world’s top players and emerging talents.

Among other key matchups, world No. 1 Nelly Korda also seeks redemption from a failed Olympic title defense as she clashes with world No. 2 and defending champion Lilia Vu and England’s Charley Hull at 1:10 p.m. on the first hole.

Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko slugs it out with Ally Ewing and Celine Boutier at 12:26 p.m., while former World No. 1 Jin Young Ko faces Ashleigh Buhai and Leona Maguire at 12:37 p.m., also on the