Japan’s Yuka Saso overcame an early four-putt to overturn a three-shot deficit and 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 Saso’s chances of catching them took a massive blow when she followed a birdie on the second by four-putting the sixth for a double bogey.
However, Saso steadied the ship with five straight pars before making birdies on the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th to effectively seal victory. A closing 68 gave the 22-year-old a winning total of four under par, three shots clear of her compatriot Hinako Shibuno.
They were the only two players to finish under par as Andrea Lee struggled to a closing 75 to share third place with her fellow American Ally Ewing on level par, Ewing surging 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 their first two LPGA Tour titles.
“It feels great,” Saso said. “Winning in 2021 I represented the Philippines. I feel like I was able to give back to my mom. This year I was able to represent Japan, and I think I was able to give back to my dad. I’m very happy that I was able to do it.
“It’s just a wonderful feeling that I was able to give back to my parents in the same way. Since 2021 I haven’t won. I think it just makes it special after a long wait and I wasn’t expecting to win the US Women’s Open, the same as last time.
“I think I really wanted it, as well. Not just to get a second win but also to prove something to myself. I haven’t won in two and a half or three years. I definitely had a little doubt if I can win again or if I won’t win again. But I was able to prove a little bit something to myself.”
Elsewhere, Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre recovered from a shaky start and held off a host of challengers to win his first PGA Tour title in the RBC Canadian Open. MacIntyre shot a final round of 68 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club to finish 16 under par, a shot ahead of the home favourite Ben Griffin.
Griffin had piled on the pressure with birdies on the 15th, 16th and 17th to close within one of his playing partner, but could not find a fourth in a row on the last to potentially force a playoff. That meant MacIntyre had the luxury of two-putting from 10 feet for the win before embracing his father Dougie, who had been called on to caddie at short notice.
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Asked why he was so emotional at the win, MacIntyre gestured to his dad as he told CBS: “Because of this. I’m speechless to be honest. This is just everything for me and my family, my girlfriend, my team. I can’t believe I’ve done it with him on the bag. I’m crying with joy but I’m laughing because I didn’t think it was possible.”
MacIntyre had seen his four-shot overnight lead wiped out in the space of four holes after he bogeyed the first and Mackenzie Hughes made 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, despite having to ask for a drone being used for the television coverage to be moved on several occasions before he finally got his wish.
Another birdie on the 11th was followed by a wild tee shot on the 12th into a water hazard and another bogey on the 13th opened the door for the chasing pack, but the Ryder Cup star crucially birdied the 15th and safely parred the last three holes.