04/27/25 07:40:00
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04/27 19:39 CDT Mao Saigo of Japan wins the Chevron Championship with a birdie
in a 5-way playoff
Mao Saigo of Japan wins the Chevron Championship with a birdie in a 5-way
playoff
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) --- Mao Saigo was shaking with nervousness before her
putt for birdie on the first hole of a five-way playoff Sunday in the Chevron
Championship.
The 23-year-old Japanese player managed to compose herself in time to sink the
3-footer and win her first major title.
"I did my best to calm down and I shot and it went in," she said in Japanese
through a translator.
Saigo birdied the par-5 18th in regulation for a 2-under 74, leaving her tied
with Hyo Joo Kim, Ruoning Yin, Ariya Jutanugarn and Lindy Duncan. They finished
at 7-under 281 at The Club at Carlton Woods.
Saigo won on the 18th in the playoff after Yin and Jutanugarn had birdie tries
lip out. Jutanugarn bogeyed the 18th in regulation after stubbing her third
shot only inches.
Jutanugarn led for most of the final round before her late gaffe after making
two birdies and an eagle on the front nine.
"The front nine was very solid especially with the eagle, but back nine just
couple mistakes on par 5 that I made; two bogeys," she said.
Saigo won for the first time on the LPGA Tour. She was the tour's rookie of the
year last season. She's the first Japanese winner in the event and the fifth
major champion. She has six victories on the Japanese tour, five in 2022.
The victory comes after runner-up finishes at the CPKC Women's Open and Buick
LPGA Shanghai last year.
"Last year it was a very intense competition," she said. "I was so close but I
was not able to make it. It was very disappointing. This year I was able to win
and earn the LPGA title and I'm extremely excited about this."
The 34-year-old Duncan bogeyed the playoff hole to come up short in her more
than a decade-long quest to win her first title. But she was still happy with
her performance overall.
"Yeah, top five in a major, any week, is unbelievable; to have a chance,
feeling the nerves," she said. "And I feel like I have some things to learn
about how to handle my swing and things like that. I'll reflect on it (but)
yeah, but what a week."
It's the second time in three years that the tournament ended in a playoff
after American Lilia Vu birdied the first extra hole to win in 2023.
Saigo took home $1.2 million from the $8 million purse.
Winners had been jumping into Poppie's Pond off the 18th green at Mission Hills
since 1988, and Saigo became the second to do it in Texas by leaping into the
brown-tinged water. She shrieked and smiled as she went in holding hands with
two members of her team.
The experience ended up being a bit harrowing for Saigo who said she isn't a
very good swimmer.
"When I went inside it was deep and at first I thought I was going to drown,"
she said.
Saigo entered the day tied with Haeran Ryu at 9 under. But she bogeyed five
holes Sunday to fall behind before her birdie on the 18th hole got her a spot
in the playoff to set up the thrilling finish.
Top-ranked Nelly Korda shot 70 to tie for 14th at 2 under. Winless this season,
she won the event last year for the last of her record-tying five straight
victories.
"Obviously, I have a lot to work on," she said. "Last year was last year. Such
an amazing year but it's in the past. It's not going to help me with my future."
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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