Yuka Saso returns to action in Japan on Thursday when she competes in the Toto Japan Classic at the Seta Golf Course in Shiga Prefecture.
This would be Saso’s first tournament in Japan since competing in the Tokyo Olympics last August where she finished joint ninth.
The 20-year-old reigning US Women’s Open champion also guns to eclipse her runner-up finish in last year’s edition of the 72-hole tournament, which stakes 33 million yen (around P14.6 million) to the champion.
Last year, Saso finished three strokes behind winner Jiyai Shin.
The South Korean Shin, 33, is expected to defend her title based on the latest list of confirmed players participating in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Saso has been campaigning in the LPGA since seeing action at the Olympics. She saw action in five tournaments that put her currently at No. 6 in the world rankings.
The Fil-Japanese last played at the Cognizant Founders Cup early October in New Jersey, where she finished tied at fourth and pocketed $138,664 consolation prize (around P7 million).
Her previous tournaments include the Shoprite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer in New Jersey where she finished tied for 19th, the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G where she also tied for fourth, the AIG Women’s Open in United Kingdom where she settled for joint 39th, and the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open where she came in at joint 15th.
Since winning the US Women’s Open in June, Saso has been in a hunt for another title.