Yuka Saso triumphs wins US Women's Open golf

San Francisco: Yuka Saso battled back from a horrid start to best Japan's Nasa Hataoka in the third hole of a sudden death playoff to win the 76th US Women's Open golf championship at the Olympic Club in San Francisco on Sunday.

With the victory, the 19-year-old Saso became the first Filipino player to win a golf major and announced herself as a new force in the game.

Saso pumped her firt and smiled after drilling a 10-foot birdie putt to seal the win before having champagne poured on her to close out a picture-perfect day at the Lake Course.

"I was actually upset," she said about two double bogeys in her first three holes, which seemed to doom her chances.

"My caddie talked to me and said there are still many holes to go and to keep doing what I've been doing the past few days," she said. "And to trust the process."

All week Saso enjoyed the vocal support of fans from nearby Daly City, which is home to a large Filipino population.

"There were so many people holding up Philippines flags," she said. "It made me really happy."

Saso, who earlier in the tournament revealed she has tried to emulate four-time men's major champion Rory McIlroy's swing, received encouragement from the Northern Irishman on social media on Sunday.

At 19 years, 11 months and 17 days, Saso matched South Korea's Park Inbee to the day as the youngest champion at the women's game's oldest major. Agencies

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