The 79th edition of the U.S. Women’s Open will be remembered for the carnage it delivered during its four rounds at Lancaster Country Club.
The damage occurred early and often, including crushing the hopes of red-hot Nelly Korda when the world No.1 recorded a 7-over 10 (gulp!) on her third hole of the opening round, effectively ending her tournament after just three holes.
It also had no mercy on Lexi Thompson, who was hoping for a storybook sendoff to retirement. Instead, the former world No.1 shot rounds of 75 and 78 to finish +13 and miss the cut.
Virtually every name at the top of the leaderboard on Sunday also struggled at one point. But it was Yuka Saso, the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open champion, who came out on top, posting a 68 to reach 4-under par, three clear of compatriot Hinako Shibuno (72).
The Japanese pair were the only players in the field to finish in the red.
Entering Sunday’s finale in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a trio of players were tied at the top on 5 under: Andrea Lee, Minjee Lee and Wichanee Meechai.
Early on, it appeared that Minjee Lee had the inside track as the Aussie surged to 6-under with a birdie on the No. 1 hole. Coupled with bogeys by Andrea Lee and Meechai, Minjee was two shots in the clear.
That would be Minjee’s only birdie of the day, en route to a 78 and a T9 finish.
Andrea Lee, though, drained a 16-foot birdie putt on No. 12 to get back into the conversation at 2-under but not for long.
The 22-year-old Saso, who started the final round three shots behind the trio of leaders, made birdie on the No. 2 hole to move to 3 under. A double bogey on the par-3 6th hole dropped her back to 1 under, where she stayed until a birdie at No. 12.
Saso made another birdie on the par-5 13th hole to reach 3 under and added two more gains on Nos. 15 and 16. A bogey-par finish gave Saso a comfortable three-shot win and her second career LPGA win, both majors and both U.S. Opens.
“Since 2021, I haven’t won after that,” said Saso of her second LPGA Tour victory. “I think it makes it special because after a long wait, and I wasn’t expecting to win the U.S. Women’s Open, the last time, too, I wasn’t expecting it, and this time, too, I wasn’t expecting it.
“I think that’s why it made me a bit emotional. Winning just makes you look back on all the things that your family and your team and my sponsors, they supported me throughout good or bad.”
LPGA press release and stats used to compile report.
