Saso-led Pradera begins PAL ladies title defense

Yuka Saso displays the Philippine red-white-and-blue with pride after winning the gold medal in the women’s individual golf in the 2018 Asian Games. Musong R. Castillo/INQUIRER 

DAVAO—Yuka Saso swears she hasn’t changed a bit even if her double gold medal effort in the recent Indonesia Asian Games gives her celebrity status in the PAL Ladies Interclub which tees off Wednesday.

Swarmed by employees of the Rancho Palos Verdes layout here and even by fellow players, Saso comes into the 13th edition of the country’s unofficial ladies’ team golf championship looking to lead Pradera Verde to a second straight title.

Saso says that she will be treating this tournament the same way she treated the Asiad.

But with a twist.

“I’m going to make sure that I enjoy playing here,” the 17-year-old told the Inquirer after hitting the ceremonial drive together with PAL president Jaime J. Bautista. “Of course this is a big tournament for me. I am not going to take this lightly. I will play it like the way I played the Asian Games.”

Saso, who won the individual gold and helped the ladies team to the title, will be playing in her first competitive round since that scintillating week at Pondok Indah Golf Course  in Jakarta.

“But I am in shape, definitely,” Saso said.

Pradera won by an astounding 43 points over Manila Southwoods-Masters last year.