MANILA, Philippines – Filipino-Japanese golfer sensation Yuka Saso will miss the upcoming 30th Southeast Asian Games which the country is hosting from November 31 to December 11, 2019.

Saso beg off from participating in the golf competitions of the 30^th SEAG as it coincided with an Olympic qualifying tournament.

She opted to compete in the qualifying tournament instead to boost her chances on making it into the July 2020 Tokyo Olympics where the top 60 players get an automatic berth.

Saso ranks No. 27 in the world after winning a golden double in the 2018 Asian Games and striking gold in the Philippine Ladies Open last February 19-21, 2019.

Saso’s position in world rankings merits her to join world championships where she can collect Olympic ranking points.

On her absence, fellow Asian Games gold medalists Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go, along with Abby Arevalo are left with the task of steering the country’s amateur golf campaign in the SEA Games. (Lloyd Tagbago/IAMIGO/CNS)