MANILA – Filipina-Japanese golfer Yuka Sosa bucked early struggles to capture the 2020 LPGA Tour of Japan Nitori Ladies tournament championship on Sunday afternoon in Hokkaido, Japan.
The feat was historic for the 19-year-old Saso after becoming the first rookie to nail two consecutive championships in the JLPGA tour after also ruling the NEC Karuizawa tourney last August 16.
Saso, who brought home the top prize of P16,500,000, finished the tournament with 13-under 275 aggregate defeating runner-up Sakura Koiwai, who finished with an 11-under 277.
Saso entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over Koiwai but lost it after a double-bogey at the par-4 second hole. The Filipina-Japanese recovered with four birdies to close out the front nine back with the one-shot advantage with a score of 34.
Holding to a one-shot advantage heading into the back nine, Saso took on the 12th hole, a par-3 one, in just two strokes to extend her lead over the hometown golfer.
But that shot of Saso turned out to be the title-clinching hole as the two almost went stroke-for-stroke in the remaining six holes of the course.
Saso, a gold medal winner during the 2018 Asian Games, became the season’s first back-to-back winner. Japan’s Ayaka Watanabe was the only other winner in the JLPGA series this year./PN
