Yuka Saso triumphs at US Women’s Open after superb final-round 68

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 huge blow when she followed a birdie on the second with a four-putt and the sixth for a double bogey.

However, Saso steadied the ship with five consecutive pars before making birdies at the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th to effectively seal the victory. A closing 68 gave the 22-year-old a winning total of four under par, three shots ahead 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 compatriot Ewing on level terms, while Ewing blazed through the field with a 66.

Meechai fared even worse with a final score of 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. “By winning in 2021, I represented the Philippines. I feel like I was able to give something back to my mother. This year I was able to represent Japan and I think I was able to give something back to my father. 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. I haven’t won since 2021. I think it 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 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 bit of doubt as to whether I could win again or whether I wouldn’t win again. But I was able to prove something to myself.”

Elsewhere, Scot Robert MacIntyre bounced back from a shaky start to hold off a host of challengers to win his first PGA Tour title at 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 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 on the last to potentially force a play-off. That meant MacIntyre had the luxury of two-putting from 10 feet for the win before hugging his father Dougie, who had been called up to caddy at short notice.

When asked why he was so emotional about the win, MacIntyre gestured to his father 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 did it with him on the bag. I cry for joy, but I laugh because I thought it wasn’t possible.”

MacIntyre had seen his four-shot lead wiped out overnight in the space of four holes after making the first bogey and Mackenzie Hughes notching a hat-trick of early birdies.

However, MacIntyre responded admirably with birdies at the fourth, seventh and eighth to regain control of the £7.4 million event, despite having to request several times for a drone to be used to monitor television coverage. move 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 birdied the 15th and safely parried the last three holes.