Yuka Saso of Japan watches the ball after teeing off on the 12th hole during the third round of the 2022 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 22, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Julio Aguilar/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines—Yuka Saso’s campaign under the Japanese flag has begun with the LPGA rising star finishing sixth in the 2022 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida.
The tournament was her first since opting for Japanese citizenship late last year.
Saso, however, stressed that her decision didn’t change anything about her Filipino roots.
“Well, obviously for me it doesn’t really matter. I’m very proud of my dual citizenship. Whatever I represent, I’m Filipino,” she said.
“So it was just for passport more, because if I have Japanese passport then I can travel mostly everywhere with no visa, and that will be very helpful for my game, for my career,” the world No. 9 said. “So that was pretty much it.”
The 20-year-old Saso was still representing the Philippines when she made history at the US Open last year. She also placed ninth as a member of the Philippine team at the Tokyo Olympics.