LANCASTER, Pa. — The first Filipina to win the U.S. Women’s Open, and now the first from Japan. Sweetest of all for Yuka Saso was sharing the biggest prize in her sport with countries of both her parents.

Saso delivered a masterpiece on the back nine at tough Lancaster Country Club on Sunday amid collapses from so many contenders. She closed with a 2-under 68 for a three-shot victory.

And then she held back tears at the trophy presentation – the silver Semple Trophy has only the names of the 79 winners, not their countries – as she thought about how her Filipina mother and Japanese father have provided so much care and support.

She won at The Olympic Club in 2021 playing under the flag of the Philippines. She won three years later under the flag of Japan. She couldn’t be prouder of both.

“Winning in 2021, I represented the Philippines. I feel like I was able to give back to my mom,” Saso said. “This year, I was able to represent Japan, and I think I was able to give back to my dad. I’m very happy that I was able to do it.

“It’s just a wonderful feeling that I was able to give back to my parents in the same way.”

Only the flag changed. The 22-year-old Saso was just as rock-solid down the stretch as she was at Olympic Club, where two late birdies got her into a playoff she won over Nasa Hataoka.

This time, she rode four birdies over a five-hole stretch on the back nine, and no one could catch her.

Saso got up-and-down for par from short of the 18th green to finish at 4-under 276, winning by three shots over Hinako Shibuno, who in 2019 became the first Japanese player to capture the Women’s British Open.

They were the only players under par, the fewest for the Women’s Open in 10 years. Saso’s only other LPGA Tour victory was the Women’s Open at Olympic Club in 2021. She also has two titles on the Japan LPGA.

Andrea Lee, part of a three-way tie for the lead at the start of this wild day, was the last player who had a chance to catch Saso. But the Stanford alum, a former No. 1 amateur, badly missed her tee shot on the easy 16th and had to settle for par, then took bogey on the 17th. Lee made one last bogey on the 18th for a 75 to tie for third with Ally Ewing (66).

Saso has said she wishes she could play for two flags – her mother is from the Philippines, her father from Japan. She decided to switch citizenship before turning 21, and wound up leading a strong showing by Japan, which had five players among the top 10.

Saso won $2.4 million from the $12 million purse, the largest in women’s golf.

The victory also put Saso in position to return to the Olympics. She played for the Philippines in 2021 in the Tokyo Games.

As much as Saso shined, Sunday was filled with meltdowns. The final two groups combined to go 22-over par, none more shocking than Minjee Lee.

Lee, a two-time major champion who captured the Women’s Open at Pine Needles in 2022, led by three shots on the front nine. She still had control until putting her tee shot into the water on the par-3 12th, where she took double bogey to fall into a tie with Saso.

She hit into waist-high grass two holes later for another double bogey and closed with a 78.

Wichanee Meechai of Thailand, the outsider among the leaders with no LPGA wins and a No. 158 world ranking, fell back early and made a triple bogey on the par-3 sixth. She shot 77.

PGA: Robert MacIntyre, with father Dougie at his side as his caddie, held on to win the RBC Canadian Open in Hamilton, Ontario, for his first PGA Tour title.

Four strokes ahead entering the final round at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, MacIntyre shot a 2-under 68 to beat playing partner Ben Griffin by a stroke. On the par-4 18th, the 27-year-old Scottish left-hander two-putted for par from 12 feet.

“Goose bumps. It’s incredible,” MacIntyre said. “It’s a dream of mine to play golf for a living. It’s been a dream of mine to win on the PGA Tour. … I just can’t believe I done it with my dad on the bag. The guy’s taught me the way I play golf.”

MacIntyre finished at 16-under 264 for the breakthrough victory in his 45th career PGA Tour start. The former McNeese State player was a member of Europe’s winning 2023 Ryder Cup team and has two European tour victories.

Griffin shot a 65. He parred the 18th after birdieing the previous three holes.

Victor Perez of France was third at 14 under after his second straight 64.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Ernie Els won the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, Iowa, for his fourth career PGA Tour Champions victory, closing with a 7-under 65 to beat defending champion Stephen Ames by two strokes.

Els eagled the par-5 15th and had five birdies in his bogey-free final round. The 54-year-old Hall of Famer from South Africa finished at 21-under 195.

Ames shot 66. He leads the tour with two victories this season.

Bernard Langer tied for third at 17 under after a 68. Rod Pampling (69) and David Duval (67) also were 17 under.

EUROPEAN TOUR: English golfer Laurie Canter overcame three bogeys in a 1-under 72 to win the European Open by two shots in Hamburg, Germany.

Canter, who also plays on the LIV Golf breakaway circuit and was ranked No. 224, was under pressure after playing his first 10 holes in 1-over, but he recovered with three birdies on his way to an overall total of 13-under 279.

Thriston Lawrence (68) of South Africa and Bernd Wiesberger (71) of Austria tied for second.