Yuka Saso, 22, captures second U.S. Women's Open title - ESPN

LANCASTER, Pa. — As she stood on the 18th green at Lancaster Country Club late Sunday, clutching the Harton S. Semple Trophy for the second time in her young career, Yuka Saso paused, looked down and let the wave of emotion register.

«My family,» she said tearfully, eventually speaking after the horde of onlookers gathered around the hole clapped and cheered encouragement, «I wouldn't be here without their support.»

It was fitting then that three years after gifting her mom with a U.S. Women's Open win, Saso, 22, could give a similar present to her father.

«It's just a wonderful feeling that I was able to give back to my parents in the same way,» Saso said.

Yuka Saso became the youngest two-time champion in U.S. Women's Open history with her win Sunday at Lancaster Country Club.

In 2021, Saso became the first golfer from the Philippines — the country of her mother's origin — to win the U.S. Women's Open. Months later, while holding dual Philippine/Japanese citizenship, she decided to instead solely represent her father's native Japan and has been playing underneath that country's banner since.

Saso's win puts her in position to compete for Japan at the Olympics later this summer. She represented the Philippines in the Tokyo Games in 2021.

Sunday's victory was also the first Saso has had in any tournament since her first U.S. Women's Open win. The long layoff between trophy presentations caused her to wonder if she ever would finish atop an event again.

«I definitely had a little doubt if I can win again,» she said. «It just makes it special because after a long wait — I wasn't expecting to win the U.S. Women's Open. Every time, last time, too, I wasn't expecting it, and this time, too, I wasn't expecting it.

»I think