ATHLETE PROFILE | Yuka Saso looks to hit back-to-back milestones in Tokyo Olympics

July 19, 2021 , 12:52 PM

By Mark Allan Cervantes

Last June, golf prodigy Yuka Saso made history by becoming the first Filipino to ever win a major tournament after topping the US Women’s Open.

Now, just a few weeks removed from the momentous feat, Saso is in a prime position to give the Philippines the elusive gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

A native of San Ildefonso, Bulacan, the 20-year old Saso is no stranger to historic achievements. In fact, she’s been doing it her entire career.

Born to a Filipina mother and a Japanese father, she started learning golf when her family moved to Japan when she was four years old. Relocating to a different country was quite the adjustment, but Saso found her refuge in golf. She spent her days accompanying his dad at the driving range and watching countless videos of a four-time major winner.

It became apparent early on that golf will be a big part of Saso’s future.

“I couldn’t speak Japanese and I didn’t have any friends so my dad brought me to the driving range, to the golf course, that’s the only thing that I did,” said Saso in a report by Olympics.com. “When I was nine, I said to my dad, I want to be a professional golfer like Rory (McIlroy).”

Her father Masakazu Saso was her biggest influence and first coach. He brought Saso back to the Philippines to train full-time, jumpstarting her ascent to become the new face of golf in the Philippines.

Saso first gained national attention when she won two gold medals in the 2018 Asian Games. Just a year later, she fulfilled the goal she set when she was still a wide-eyed kid in Japan, as she became a professional golfer.

Her meteoric rise culminated last June after winning the US Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, displaying nerves of steel in beating Japan’s Nasa Hataoka in three gut-wrenching playoff holes.

“I’m not numb. I just trusted the process, and that worked. For me, being nervous is different from feeling pressure. Everyone gets nervous, but it’s up to you if you want to feel pressure. Nervousness just comes, but pressure you can control,” said Saso in a report by ESPN 5.

From The Olympic Club to the actual Olympics, that exact composure will be key for Saso, who’s climbed to no. 8 in the world rankings.

The goal is to give the country its first gold medal in the Summer Games, in the home country of her father, no less. Some people might think that’s too much pressure for the country’s youngest delegate to handle, and rightfully so.

But Saso is built different. She enters every competition with the quiet confidence and unassuming disposition she is now known for. Despite the demands and everything else happening around her, golf provides a calming presence.

For Saso, it’s not just another sport. It’s something that gave her solace when she moved to a different country. It is something that strengthened the bond of a daughter and a father. It’s something that continues to allow her to give honor to the Philippines.

“When you love what you’re doing, you can never go wrong, and together with inspiration such as knowing that your family, friends, team, and fans are on your side and cheering for you, really makes a big difference,” said Saso. (PM)

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