Major Success for Former Faldo Series Asia Alumni Saso

San Francisco, United States: Yuka Saso is the latest Faldo Series alumni to join golf’s elite list of professional major champions.

In a dramatic denouement to the 76th US Women’s Open, Saso defeated fellow former Faldo Series Asia contestant Nasa Hataoka on the third hole of a play-off at The Olympic Club.

“Congratulations to Yuka and Nasa,” said Sir Nick Faldo, Founder of the Faldo Series. “They both produced brilliant performances in pressure-cooker conditions and I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of them in the near future.”

Saso, aged 19, is the first player from the Philippines to win a Major championship.

For 22-year-old Japanese Hataoka, winner of the overall girls’ title at the 2016 Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, it was a second agonising loss in a Major championship play-off, having also been edged out at the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Faldo said: “I know from personal experience how disappointing it is to lose a play-off at a Major championship. But Nasa has proved that she has the temperament to bounce back. Like Yuka, she should be proud of what she’s already achieved.”

It was in May, 2014 in the opening event of the 2014-15 Faldo Series Asia season that Saso graced the seventh edition of the Faldo Series Philippines Championship.

Then aged 12, Saso showed glimpses of great promise, finishing third in the Girls’ Under-16 category.

Now, at 19 years, 11 months, 17 days old, Saso has joined World Golf Hall of Fame member and seven-time Major winner Park In-bee as the youngest champion in US Women’s Open history – to the day.

She also becomes the first player from the Philippines to engrave her name on the Harton S. Semple Trophy. Princess Mary Superal (2014 US Girls’ Junior) is the only other player from the Philippines to claim a USGA title.

Superal was overall winner of the Faldo Series Philippines Championship in 2014, going on to finish as the leading female in the 2015 Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.

A two-time winner on the LPGA Tour of Japan since turning professional last year, Saso’s San Francisco success sparked celebrations in Manila and across Asia.

“I’m thankful that there’s so many people in the Philippines cheering for me,” said Saso, winner of the individual and team gold medals at the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018, the year in which she was also runner-up to Atthaya Thitikul in the inaugural Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific.

As well as winning a cheque for US$1 million, Saso’s success means she’s exempt from qualifying for the next 10 US Women’s Opens and the next five AIG Women’s British Opens, KPMG Women’s PGA Championships, Amundi Evian Championships and ANA Inspirations.

A handful of other Faldo Series Asia players also featured at the US Women’s Open. While Thai Thidapa ‘Jasmine’ Suwannapura was tied for 35th, Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan, New Zealander Amelia Garvey, Japan’s Minori Nagano and the Chinese Taipei trio of Cheng Ssu-chia, Lorena Tseng Tsai-ching and Hung Jo-hua all missed the half-way cut.