Teen golf sensation Yuka Saso could’ve chosen to represent Japan from the start, but she went with the Philippines.

This is what National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) secretary-general Bones Floro pointed out when talks turn to why Saso – who was born to a Filipino mother and a Japanese father – opted to play for the Philippines.

“She’s very Filipina and she loves the Philippines,” said Floro.

“She’s very happy representing the Philippines. In fact, that was her choice when she could have done both or she could’ve gone with Japan.”

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Discussions about her citizenship rose after she won the 2021 US Women’s Open title as the Japan citizenship law states that dual citizens have to choose their citizenship at the age of 22 years old.

But the 19-year-old golfer doesn’t want to make the decision just yet, but affirmed that she is both Filipino and Japanese.

“Whatever happens in the future, I’m still Filipino and I’m also Japanese. I don’t want to choose,” said Saso, who is set to represent the Philippines in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“I don’t want to look too much ahead. I just want to focus on right now.”

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Saso, who became the first Filipino major golf tournament winner, started playing golf in the Philippines when she was eight years old.

Since then, she has represented the country in juniors tournaments and in major amateur tournaments.

She broke into the Philippine sports scene when she won a double gold in the 2018 Asian Games.

Though she skipped the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in order to qualify for the professional golf tours, she will don the country’s colors once again as she virtually qualified for the Tokyo Games with a world No. 8 ranking. – Rappler.com