SAN FRANCISCO – Yuko Saso has never met Rory McIroy, but he’s been deeply influential. She first started to become obsessed with the Northern Irishman’s swing around age 12 and would lose track of time watching YouTube videos. Even as recently as the Masters in April, Saso found herself watching video of his swing for an hour or more.
What does she admire the most about the four-time major champ’s swing?
“Everything,” she said. “I like everything, yeah.”
Saso currently leads the U.S. Women’s Open at 6-under 136, one stroke ahead of 2019 U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6, who birdied three of the last four holes on Olympic’s historic Lake Course to match Saso’s 67.
Yuka Saso
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— U.S. Women’s Open (USGA) (@uswomensopen) June 5, 2021
Saso carded six birdies on Friday and is the only player in the field to break 70 in the first two rounds. Megha Ganne, the 17-year-old amateur from New Jersey, sits in a share of third with Megan Khang at 4 under. Major champions Shanshan Feng (-3), Inbee Park (-2) and Lexi Thompson (-2) and Ariya Jutanugarn (-1) are within striking distance.
Mel Reid, the overnight co-leader from England, dropped down to 2 under after a 73. Reid still felt good about her position, however, saying that everyone is going to have a tough stretch this week, and that she was pleased to get it out of the way on Friday.
“It kind of just felt a little bit of a nick in my back a little bit on the back nine,” said Reid. “I was just trying to make the best swing possible. Didn’t hit it as good today. I know exactly what I’m doing, so that’s fine.”
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While Saso, 19, might not be well-known to American golf fans, she’s No. 40 in the Rolex Rankings and a two-time winner on the Japan LPGA. She tied for 13th at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open in Houston, her best finish in a major, and recently held the 36-hole lead at an LPGA event in Hawaii, ultimately taking a share of sixth.
The powerful Saso only hit six fairways in the second round and slashed her way out the rough in a way few in the field could match. She’s ranks second in the field in putting, taking 26 putts the first round and 27 in the second.
Yuka Saso hits from the second fairway during the second round of the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. Photo by/Jed Jacobsohn/Associated Press
Saso has a Filipina mother and a Japanese father and rose to prominence in the Philippines after winning both the team and individual gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games. She turned professional in 2019 after earning her JLPGA card and started working out of Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki’s practice facility.
Saso said the legendary Ozaki, who won 94 times on the Japan Golf Tour, is a quiet man who doesn’t offer much advice unless asked. She likes that about him.
She’s been working on how to keep her club more upright – “like since I was born” – and goes to 74-year-old Ozaki from time to time for help on an old habit.
When asked if she’d hear from him at a time like this, Saso said no.
“He doesn’t have a (cell) phone,” she explained. “He’s a very old-style man.”