MIDLAND, MICHIGAN – JULY 15: Yuka Saso of the Philippines plays a shot on the 15th hole during the second round of the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational at Midland Country Club on July 15, 2021 in Midland, Michigan. Sam Greenwood/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by SAM GREENWOOD / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — It’s as if fate intervened, Yuka Saso and Lexi Thompson were grouped in the same tee time in the first round of the women’s golf competition of the Tokyo Olympics.
The two shared history after Saso beat Thompson in the 2021 US Women’s Open golf championship where the American golfer was poised to win the cup but blew her chance in the later holes.
Saso, thus, became the first Filipino to win the event while Thompson, who, at one point held a five-stroke lead, finished with a career-best third place.
Thompson, Saso and Brooke Henderson of Canada are scheduled for Wednesday’s round 1 at 7:25 a.m. (Manila time) at Kasumigaseki Country Club.
Bianca Pagdanganan has an earlier tee time at 6:52 a.m.
Saso and Pagdanganan hope to bring the Philippines its first medals in Olympic golf after Juvic Pagunsan failed in his chance in the men’s competition.