Saso dreams of playing with McIlroy one day

HONG KONG • When a little-known teenager from the Philippines burst into the global golf spotlight by winning last year's US Women's Open, it changed her life - but left tricky decisions ahead.

Yuka Saso will next week enjoy the new experience of defending a Major. But at Pine Needles, she will play under a different flag, the crimson red circle of Japan.

Saso, who was born in the Philippines and has a Filipina mother and Japanese father, agonised over the "very difficult" decision to switch allegiance to the land of her father. Japan does not allow adults to hold dual nationality, leaving her with a gut-wrenching choice to make before she turns 21 next month.

"I grew up in the Philippines and I played big events with the Philippine flag beside my name so it was a big decision," she said. "It was very difficult... I'm a professional golfer. I needed to make a decision that was good for my job."

The scales were tipped by the Japanese passport affording easier travel in a post-pandemic world.

The Philippines will always hold a special place in her heart - she won two gold medals for the country at the 2018 Asian Games and played for it at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

She said: "Hopefully, people will not think that I abandoned the Philippines, because I love the Philippines. I also love Japan. It's still the same me, it's just the flag."

Twelve months ago, Saso arrived in San Francisco as an unknown golfer who had won a couple of events on the Japan LPGA Tour. By the time she left the Olympic Club, after only her seventh LPGA Tour start, she had become the first golfer from the Philippines, man or woman, to win a Major.

She said: "It was life-changing and ever since, I've learnt a lot inside and outside the golf course."

The win propelled her from 40th in the world into the top 10 and brought a five-year exemption on the LPGA Tour, as well as big commercial endorsements.

Best of all, it gave Saso the chance to meet her idol Rory McIlroy at the men's US Open the following week. Saso's fluid swing is remarkably similar to that of the four-time Major champion from Northern Ireland.

"It's real that I tried to copy his swing," she laughed, revealing the pair have kept in touch after meeting again at the Tokyo Games.

"I don't really want to bother him, I know how busy he is. But whenever I have questions, he always replies and gives some advice. One of my dreams is to be able to play with him one day."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE