Yuka Saso claims NEC title, wins first JLPGA

FILE – Yuka Saso during the PSA Awards. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-Japanese Yuka Saso trumped her competition in spectacular fashion with a nine-under par 63 to capture the title in the NEC Karuizawa golf tournament Sunday at Karuizawa north course in Kitasaku-gun, Nagano Prefecture in Japan.

The Asian Games gold medalist is the first Filipino to win a tournament in the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association.

Saso was on target at the start of Sunday’s competition with five birdies in the front nine.

She then added a couple more birdies on the 10 and 14 while shooting an eagle from eight feet on the 16th hole.

Saso finished with a 16-under 200 in the 54-hole course, four shots ahead of Saito Fujita and Mai Wakabayashi who tied for second.

The 17-year-old won ¥14.4 million (P6.65 million) from the total purse of ¥80 million (P37 million).