To play in the last tournament of the year and finish in the Top 20 in the money ranking, it’s been a pretty good year
Yuka Saso (ninth from left) poses with some of the top Junior PGT campaigners during a recent clinic at The Country Club. | Photograph courtesy of LPGT
Yuka Saso marked her performance in the past season on the Ladies Professional Golf Tour with seven Top 10 finishes in 22 tournaments with a notable runner-up effort in a major championship (Women's PGA) last June.
Despite not securing a victory, the 2021 US Women's Open champion values the achievement of staying injury-free throughout the grueling season.
"I think that's the most important thing," said Saso, emphasizing the significance of maintaining her physical well-being.
Since scoring a major breakthrough with a sudden death win over Nasa Hataoka a couple of years ago, the ICTSI-backed shotmaker's primary goal has been to steer clear of injuries while consistently delivering solid performances, including multiple Top 10 finishes and stints in all major tournaments.
While she acknowledged the ups and downs of the season as a normal part of the process, Saso expressed contentment with her overall performance marred by four missed cuts.
"To play in the last tournament of the year and finish in the Top 20 in the money ranking, it's been a pretty good year," said Saso, referring to the CME Group Tour Championship where she tied for 23rd. She also finished at No. 17 in the Race to CME Globe Season.
The 22-year-old ace also earned $1.822 million, ending up at No. 9 in the money rankings topped by world No. 1 Lilia Vu on the strength of her victories in two majors — the Chevron Championship and the AIG Women's Open.
Looking ahead to the next season, Saso is determined to improve her game and remains committed to her practice routine.
"I just have to keep on practicing. What I've been doing since I was a kid, that won't change… more practice and hard work. It's a process — doing the same thing over and over again," she said.
In a departure from her previous schedule, the Tokyo Olympics veteran will be skipping the first two LPGA events in January, aiming to be better prepared for the challenges ahead.
"I think I need to be better prepared. My goal is to play all the majors," said the world No. 27.
As the 2024 Paris Games approaches, Saso has also voiced her desire to play in the Olympics again despite facing strong competition with the Japanese contingent.
With her sights set on gaining valuable points in ranking LPGA tournaments, Saso, who tied for ninth in the Tokyo Games in 2021, remains optimistic about her chances and underlines a focused, week-by-week approach to secure a spot in the Quadrennial Games.
"There will be tournaments every week, so each week will be important to get to the Olympics," Saso said.
"I will focus on every tournament, stay in the moment and try not to look far ahead."
