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Andrew McNicol

Filipino-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso hopes Hong Kong will host a prestigious LPGA Tour event in the future.
Describing her soft spot for playing in the city, the 20-year-old Saso has emerged as one of Asia’s top female talents since gracing Fanling Golf Course in 2015.
“I played my first Queen Sirikit [Cup] in Hong Kong,” said Saso, who won her first major at the US Women’s Open in June.
“The course was excellent, and the whole experience was something I’ll never forget. I still remember the amazing food and how fun it was to explore the city.

“For these reasons and many others, I would love to see an LPGA Tour event there one day,” added the world No 8, who was named an AXA Asia and Africa ambassador this month.
Though it is unlikely that Saso will feature at a Hong Kong Ladies Open any time soon – she earned LPGA card status this year – Hong Kong Golf Association chief Danny Lai Yee-june would welcome any opportunity for the two-time Asian Games gold medallist to return to the city’s links.
Who is Yuka Saso? Meet the teen US Women’s Open champion
Saso won both the women’s individual and team events in Jakarta, the first Filipino golfer ever to win Asian Games gold.
“Yuka played on the Fanling new course with the Philippines team in 2015. They came second in the Queen Sirikit Cup – Korea won – and it was the same year that Tiffany Chan [Tsz-ching] played,” Lai said.
“But I remember Yuka most when she played and won at the 2018 Asian Games [in Jakarta]. She was fabulous. Fantastic.

“We would love to see her play in Hong Kong for sure. Apart from Fanling, we have other good courses that could host international tournaments, like Clear Water Bay.”
With the Clear Water Bay links preparing for a return to normalcy starting with the Nomura Cup next June, Lai hopes both courses will attract more international tournaments – although any talk of an LPGA iteration is perhaps a little premature.
“I would love to have the LPGA in Hong Kong for sure. Having an LPGA in Hong Kong would definitely inspire local players, but it would be very expensive and we would have to locate sponsors,” Lai said.


As for Saso, who has finished in the top-five four times since winning the US Open, the goal is to be as consistent in her second season as a professional as role model and former world No 1 Inbee Park.
“There have been many seasons in golf where my game struggled, and I wasn’t playing as well as I’d hoped,” Saso said.
“Golf is a difficult game, and these rough patches come regularly for us all. Whenever I go through one of these seasons, I do my best to focus on the present and not look too far ahead. That helps me to stay calm and spend time working on the steps I need to take to improve. It also helps me remember to have fun.”












View this post on Instagram























A post shared by Yuka Saso (@yukasaso_official)



In November, Philippines-born Saso announced she would give up her dual citizenship to represent her father’s home of Japan. She explained she would be forced to “eventually choose” as Japan does not recognise dual citizenships and those eligible for two nationalities must decide by age 22.
Earlier this month, Saso won the LPGA of Japan Tour’s 2020-21 season “Bright” award. She has won two JLPGA wins – the NEC Karuizawa 72 and Nitori Ladies Golf Tournament – since earning a Tour card soon after turning pro in 2019.
Saso also played at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, finishing ninth overall in the women’s individual category.


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LPGA Tour

Reigning US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso ‘would love to see’ LPGA Tour event in Hong Kong

Filipino-Japanese women’s golf player Yuka Saso at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational tournament event at Midland Country Club in the US. Photo: EPA   

Filipino-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso after winning the US Women’s Open Championship in San Francisco in California. Photo: AFP 

Filipino-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso plays at the CME Group Tour Championship at the Tiburon Golf Club in Florida, US. Photo: Kyodo 

US Open: Philippine teen Yuka Saso edges Nasa Hataoka in play-off to claim first major

Filipino-Japanese teenager Yuka Saso won her first major at the US Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. Photo: Kyodo

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 06: Yuka Saso of the Philippines celebrates with the Harton S. Semple Trophy after winning the 76th U.S. Women's Open Championship at The Olympic Club on June 06, 2021 in San Francisco, California. Saso won following a three-hole playoff against Nasa Hataoka of Japan. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Golf sensation Yuka Saso on life since US Open win, shadowing LPGA star Inbee Park and ‘remembering to have fun’

Filipino-Japanese player Yuka Saso in the second round of the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida. Photo: Kyodo   

Filipino-Japanese player Yuka Saso at the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida, US. Photo: Kyodo 

South Korea’s gold winner Inbee Park (centre) bites on her Rio 2016 Olympic Games medal, along with New Zealand’s silver medal winner Lydia Ko (left) and China’s bronze medallist Feng Shanshan. Photo: AFP 

Yuka Saso with the US Women’s Open Championship trophy after winning a play-off game at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. Photo: AFP 

Yuka Saso choosing Japan will not hold back Philippines golf, says chief

Yuka Saso of the Philippines in action on the LPGA Tour. The 2018 Asian Games gold medallist has said that will choose Japanese citizenship. Photo: EPA

Tokyo Olympics: Hong Kong golfer Tiffany Chan hopes Xander Schauffele’s yardage book will bring same gold medal success

Hong Kong golfer Tiffany Chan Tsz-ching and caddie Aaron Chu at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Tokyo, where she will open her Olympic Games campaign on Wednesday. Photo: IGF

Yardage book of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games men's golf gold medallist Xander Schauffele's caddie Austin Kaiser. Photo: IGF

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Golf - Men's Individual - Final - Round 4 - Kasumigaseki Country Club - Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan - August 1, 2021. Xander Schauffele of the United States in action. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Cheung Ka-long has made history for Hong Kong.? ? He will be the first fencing medalist for the city, and it could get better still - he could become only Hong Kong's second gold medallist.? getty image

Thirteen-year-old golfer Arianna Lau out to follow idol Tiffany Chan’s LPGA Tour and Olympic footsteps as she sets world No 1 blueprints

Hong Kong junior golfer Arianna Lau at an EFG pro-am event at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling in 2020. Photo: Ike Images

Hong Kong golfer Arianna Lau at an EFG pro-am event at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling in 2020. Photo: Ike Images

Hong Kong golfers Tiffany Chan Tsz-ching and Arianna Lau at an EFG pro-am event at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling in 2020. Photo: Ike Images

Sport

Golf

Hong Kong

The 20-year-old breakout star recalls Hong Kong debut in 2015, which she says was ‘something I’ll never forget’
Hong Kong Golf Association chief Lai welcomes ‘fantastic’ Saso back to city, though an LPGA home event ‘would be very expensive’


The 20-year-old breakout star Yuka Saso recalls ‘unforgettable’ Hong Kong debut in 2015, while Hong Kong Golf Association chief Danny Lai says an LPGA Tour event in city would ‘definitely inspire local players’.


Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA)

US Open (golf)

CME Group