It was Yuka oh no from Thompson’s perspective
GOLF fans were treated to the widest gamut of emotions at last week’s US Women’s Open.
We witnessed a spellbinding mix of sporting spectacle and sorrow – the unbridled joy of teenager Yuka Saso and the pain of Lexi Thompson’s epic collapse.
A heady cocktail of folklore and frustration jockeyed for position as the oldest women’s major in the world went to the wire at the Olympic Club.
The Lake Course had been set up to provide the sternest of tests and many informed onlookers thought experience would provide the key to victory.
But no one factored in the precocious talent of Saso, who shredded the script with cavalier aplomb to become the first Filipino to win a major
The youngster, ranked 40th in the world, charted a course to the play-off and sank an eight-foot birdie putt on the third hole to outlast Japan’s Nasa Hataoka.
At only 19 years, 11 months and 17 days old, she emulated South Korea’s Inbee Park, who was the exact same age when she won the women’s oldest major in 2008.
Drama aside, it was a joy to watch some of the world’s top female golfers go toe-to-toe and I must say I continue to marvel at the grace and balance of their play.
Saso is a class act and almost boasts a female version of Rory’s swing, but more importantly I was also impressed by her focus and character down the stretch.
Despite suffering consecutive double-bogeys early doors, she showed a really powerful mindset to rebound on the back nine, posting birdies at the 16th and 17th.
While Saso was conjuring up the unexpected, the American TV and press corps was preparing for Lexi Thompson’s coronation as the first US champion since Brittany Lang in 2016.
Unfortunately live sport doesn’t always square with expectation and Lexi’s challenge imploded in spectacular fashion with five dropped shots in the final eight holes.
After shipping only four shots in the previous 64 holes and carving out a five shot lead midway through the final round, she fell apart. It was a painful watch.
Thompson, ranked ninth in the world and chasing her second major win and first in seven years, would go on to add a third place to her T2 at the US Open two years ago.
So near and yet so far, again.
She will recover – she has no other choice – but it’ll be a tough process analysing the calamitous nature of her loss. The scar tissue will run deep.
The US Open was another brilliant showcase for the female game and on a side note I came away with an enhanced appreciation of Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow.
Yes, Stephanie may have missed the cut and Leona didn’t tee it up, but the fact both Irish girls are mixing it at this level on the LPGA Tour is great credit to them.