Philippines’ Saso makes history

San Francisco, June 7

Yuka Saso birdied the third playoff hole to beat Nasa Hataoka and become the second teenager to win the US Women’s Open after Lexi Thompson collapsed down the stretch.

Saso overcame back-to-back double-bogeys early in the round to make the playoff. She then won it with a 10-foot putt on the ninth hole to become the first player from the Philippines to win a golf Major on Sunday. Saso matched 2008 winner Inbee Park as the youngest US Women’s Open champion at 19 years, 11 months, 17 days.

Both players made pars at ninth and 18th in the two-hole aggregate playoff, sending the tournament to sudden death back at the ninth hole. That set the stage for Saso to win it just up the road from Daly City, dubbed the Pinoy Capital of the United States for its large population of Filipinos.

Thompson, who had a five-stroke lead after the eighth hole, played the final seven holes in 5-over for a 75 that left her a stroke back. Her approach shot on the par-4 18th ended up in the bunker and then she missed a 10-foot putt to make the playoff.

The only other players to finish under-par were Megan Khang and Shanshan Feng, at 2-under. High school junior Megha Ganne played in the final group but shot 77 and finished 3-over as the low amateur for the tournament. — AP/PTI

Ajeetesh finishes 29th

Hamburg: Indian golfer Ajeetesh Sandhu endured a forgettable final round at the Porsche European Open to finish tied-29th after being in the reckoning for a top-10 finish here. Sandhu, hoping for his first top-10 in 20 months, did have five birdies but he also had three bogeys, a double-bogey and a triple-bogey in his 4-over 75 and fell from overnight 2-under to 1-over for 54 holes. The tournament had been reduced to three rounds.

Atwal T-49th

Raleigh (USA): Indian golfer Arjun Atwal rounded off the week at the Rex Hospital Open with a flawless 3-under 68 to sign off tied-49th in the Korn Ferry Tour here. Atwal had rounds of 66-68-71-68 for a total of 8-under 276. Agencies