Saso out of Asian Games

MANILA, Philippines – Funny, but the winningest player in women’s golf competitions in the last Asian Games won’t be around when the 19th edition of the region’s premier sporting conclave is unwrapped on September 23 in Hangzhou, China.

Yuka Saso, who pulled off an improbable backside rally from three strokes down with one hole left in Jakarta five years ago and snatched the individual golf while steering the Philippines to the team championship, is out of the Japan squad.

Currently at No. 24 in the rankings, Saso is fourth among the Japanese in the Top 25 with Nasa Hataoka, whom Saso defeated in sudden death to score her major breakthough in the LPGA Tour — the US Women’s Open — in 2021, tipped to secure the first of three slots in the Asiad-bound team at No. 18.

Next is Ayaka Furue at 20th while Miya Yamahita is at No. 22.

Though they are closely bunched together, the first three are expected to anchor the Japanese team in the upcoming Asiad, leaving Saso out of the event set to played on September 28-October 1.

“To our knowledge, she (Saso) is not playing in the Asian Games this year, unfortunately,” Saso’s handler Sterling Sports Management LLC told Philstar.com.

Then carrying the Philippine tri-colors, as her wont in her previous stints with the national team, including in the Tokyo Olympics, Saso stole the spotlight in the 2018 Jakarta Asiad and became an instant golfing sensation.

With Bianca Pagdanganan, who likewise bagged the individual bronze via countback over Furue, and Lois Kaye Go, the Philippines also captured the team gold, as women's golf accounted for half of the country's four-gold haul in Jakarta.

Saso, who also played in the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, then went on to join the pro ranks. Though she failed to make the grade in Stage II of the tough LPGA Q-School, the San Ildefonso, Bulacan-born star took the next best route to the sport’s grandest stage — the LPGA of Japan Tour.

And she didn’t disappoint, easily qualifying in the region’s most lucrative circuit and winning two of her first three tournaments in 2020. She also finished on top of the money list, earning her invites to top LPGA Tour events.

And she didn’t only use those chances to gain exposure and experience, but also made the most out of them — winning the US Women’s Open at age 19 years, 11 months and 17 days to match Korean Inbee Park, the 2008 USWO champion, as the youngest to win the LPGA’s most precious jewel.

Saso, who dreams of becoming the world No. 1 someday and winning the Olympic gold, reached a career-best No. 6 ranking in the world on Oct. 21, 2021 on the strength of her major milestone but has considerably dropped in the standings following a string of mediocre performances marred by missed cut stints, including seven in 26 events last year.

While she remained winless after her US Women’s Open feat, Saso had turned in eight Top 10 finishes this season, marked by a runner-up effort in the Women’s PGA Championship where she lost by one to Chinese Ruoning Yin, incidentally the new world No. 1 this week.

Months after her historic major win, Saso chose the Japanese citizenship in what her team described as a major career-move although her steady drop in the world rankings eventually cost her the chance to make the Japanese team and defend the Asiad gold.

Instead, the Philippines will pin its hopes on the troika of amateurs Rianne Malixi and holdover Go and pro Chanelle Avaricio, who will leave with the golf contingent on September 24 as they try to familiarize themselves with the West Lake International Golf Course in Xihu District.