Golfer Yuka Saso among to be feted at the PSA virtual awards
ONE of the bright lights for Philippine sports during these trying times, Filipino golfer Yuka Saso will be one of personalities to be honored by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) in its annual awards ceremonies later this month.
Ms. Saso, 19, performed well in her professional debut year in 2020 just as the sporting world was trying to grapple with the effects brought about by the pandemic.
And for that she is the PSA’s Athlete of the Year.
The Asian Games double gold medalist won two straight titles in the rich Japan LPGA in 2020 and had a strong 13th place finish in the US Open in her first crack at a major LPGA championship later in the year.
It will be Ms. Saso’s second PSA Athlete of the Year award in the last three years, but first time as an individual awardee as she previously shared the accolade with fellow golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go, along with weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, during the 2018 edition of the annual event following their gold medal romp in the Jakarta Asiad.
Entering 2021, the Filipina golfer with a Japanese descent ranked 45th in the world and had a total of P50 million in earnings during her rookie season.
Aside from the Athlete of the Year, the PSA will likewise hand out its regular awards such as the Executive of the Year, President’s Award, National Sports Association (NSA) of the Year, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Major honorees in various sports as well as citations and recognitions are likewise included in the honor roll list.
With the coronavirus still a going concern, this year’s PSA Awards Night on March 27 will be done virtually from the TV5 Media Center. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
