U.S. Women's Open Golf 2021: 19-year-old Yuka Saso wins in a 3rd playoff hole at The Olympic Club.

All that work paid off and now Saso is a U.S. Open champion just like her idol thanks to a clutch playoff putt after a back-nine collapse by Lexi Thompson.

Saso’s 10-foot putt for birdie on the third playoff hole Sunday helped her edge out Nasa Hataoka and become the second teenager to win the U.S. Women’s Open.

Saso overcame back-to-back double bogeys early in the round to make the playoff and then became the first player from the Philippines to win a golf major.

Both players made pars at Nos. 9 and 18 in the two-hole aggregate playoff, sending the tournament to sudden death back at the ninth hole. That set the stage for Saso to win it just up the road from Daly City, dubbed “Little Manila” for its large population of Filipinos.

She became the first player from the Philippines – male or female – to win a major.

Saso matched 2008 winner Inbee Park as the youngest U.S. Women’s Open champion at 19 years, 11 months, 17 days.

Thompson, who had a five-stroke lead after the eighth hole, played the final seven holes in 5 over to finish a stroke back.

Saso joins Webb Simpson (2012), Lee Janzen (1998), Scott Simpson (1987), Billy Casper (1966) and Jack Fleck (1955) as U.S. Open champions at Olympic.

“I was actually a little upset,” Saso said about her poor start. “But my caddie talked to me and said, ‘Just keep on going; there’s many more holes to go.’ That’s what I did.”

“I was actually a little upset,” Saso said about her poor start. “But my caddie talked to me and said, ‘Just keep on going; there’s many more holes to go.’ That’s what I did.”

"I don’t know what’s happening in the Philippines right now, but I’m just thankful that there’s so many people in the Philippines cheering for me,” she said. “I don’t know how to thank them. They gave me so much energy. I want to say thank you to everyone.”

“I really didn’t feel like I hit any bad golf shots,” she said. “That’s what this golf course can do to you.”

“I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life,” Ganne said. “It’s everything I’ve wanted since I was little, so it’s just the best feeling.”