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Entering the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open, only the most avid golf fans knew much about 19-year-old Yuka Saso. After stellar play, grit, and determination through the four rounds at the Lake Course at Olympic Club, Saso captured the win. In doing so, she became a household name and tied Inbee Park for the youngest player to ever win the U.S. Women’s Open.

Saso, whose mother is from the Philippines and father from Japan, started playing golf at the age of eight. Her amateur victories began just six years later with the Sabah International Junior Masters, the Visayas Regional Amateur, and the ALM Tournament. In 2015, she took home the Kartini Cup and in 2016 Saso won the Philippine Junior Amateur, Philippine Junior Amateur Match Play, and the World Junior Girls Championship.

In 2017, Saso repeated as Philippine Junior Amateur champion, won the Philippine Amateur Open Championship, and the Philippine Amateur Open Match Play Championship. The following year, Saso wont the first golf medal in both the women’s team golf competition (teamed with Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go) and individual competition.

Saso competed at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina and played very well, tying for second with Alessia Nobilio and Emma Spitz. Saso missed out on a medal in the playoff. She also played in a mixed-team event with Carl Jano Corpus. A highlight for Saso in 2018 was when she competed and finished tied for 17th as a 16-year-old in a Ladies European Tour event at the Women’s Victorian Open.

Saso finished her amateur career with several victories, at the 2018 Philippines Ladies Open, Victorian Junior Masters, Thunderbird International Junior, 2019 Philippines Ladies Open, and Girl’s Junior PGA Championship.

Following a great amateur career, Saso turned professional in November 2019. She earned her LPGA of Japan Tour card and entered her professional event at the Earth Mondahmin Cup. Saso made an immediate impact, finishing fifth. Her first two professional wins came back-to-back at the 2020 NEC Karuizawa 72 and the Nitori Ladies Golf Tournament.

Saso entered the U.S. Women’s Open with two professional wins and 40th in the Rolex World Golf Rankings. She admitted that she had relatively low expectations, and her emotional win will boost her in the rankings. Look for Saso to be a household name in the world of women’s golf for many years to come.