THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Mao Saigo was shaking with nervousness before her birdie putt 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 an interpreter.
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.
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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.
Yin was in the best position in the playoff after getting onto the green in two shots. But she missed a 12-foot eagle putt and her comebacker for birdie lipped out to set up Saigo for the win.
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 third 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.”
