U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

May 31, 2024

Yuka Saso

Lancaster Country Club

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: Please welcome back 2021 champion Yuka Saso, 1-over today. You ended yesterday obviously in the lead. What was your mindset coming into today?

YUKA SASO: My mindset was just focus on every shot, not to look too far ahead, and just enjoy playing golf.

Q. You shot 1-over par but you ended your day and you're still tied for the lead. How does that feel that you maybe didn't have your best stuff but you're still in this position?

YUKA SASO: It feels good, obviously with the tough conditions out there. I think because we started early, we didn't have much gust front nine, but I wasn't playing as well.

Like I said yesterday, I had so much luck in putting, and I think not so much today, but I still was able to perform pretty well.

Q. How would you sum up the year so far in terms of what's been working really well for you?

YUKA SASO: I think this year has been pretty good. I think every tournament I have less misses than I did compared to last year, and my shots are more consistent than last year.

I think some of luck a few times in a round helps.

Q. Is that due to some of your work in the off-season? Was there a particular part of your game that you focused on?

YUKA SASO: No, not really. I worked on every aspect of my game from driver to putting. I try not to focus on only one thing because to be able to win a tournament everything has to work. Everything has to come together to win a tournament. I work on pretty much everything.

Q. What was your best shot today?

YUKA SASO: My best shot? That's hard. I don't know, maybe my drive on 9. I hit a fairway. I hit the 9th fairway three times today.

Q. When you started the way you did and you make a couple of bogeys and it's early in the round and it's hard here, is it difficult to calm yourself down, to stay settled?

YUKA SASO: I think so, especially when it's a major championship. It's a bit difficult to stay calm compared to normal events. But I think eating something like snacks or talking to a caddie or playing partners I think helps a little bit.

Q. What similarities have you noticed between Lancaster and Olympic when you won?

YUKA SASO: Similarities? I don't think so because Olympic, I don't know if anyone noticed, but we had fairway and rough. That's it. We didn't have first cut like here.

I don't think I should be comparing the two golf courses. Olympic is a great golf course, Lancaster is a great golf course. I think they have a very special -- the way USGA set it up, I think it has a little bit of pace in it. I don't think it's similar.

Q. Life changed a lot for you after you won at Olympic. What was the toughest part of that transition coming over to play full time on the LPGA?

YUKA SASO: I think the toughest one was everything was quick. I wasn't expecting -- I wanted to win the U.S. Women's Open, but I wasn't expecting it to come that quick. Everything just happened too quickly.

I think just my -- I was young, and I think I had a hard time catching up on the speed that my life was changing. But I think with that experience I was able to mature more and grow up a little bit faster.

Q. When did you feel kind of settled into this new life?

YUKA SASO: I don't know, I don't think I'm settled in yet. Hopefully soon. (Laughter.)

Q. How important or how much are you thinking about the Olympics and trying to get a spot for Japan?

YUKA SASO: Yeah, I think we only have a few more tournaments until the last --

Q. KPMG I think is the last one.

YUKA SASO: Yeah, so two more after this. I'm not sure where my ranking is right now, but I think trying to play good for the last two events, three events that I have, I think that would give myself a chance to be in the Olympics.

But yeah, I think my focus right now is this tournament and trying to play good to be able to give myself a chance to play on the Olympics.

Q. Lastly and importantly, do you know what a Whoopie Pie is, and have you had one this week?

THE MODERATOR: We'll get her one.

YUKA SASO: I don't know, I've never had it.