Japan’s Mao Saigo birdied the primary further gap to win a five-woman playoff and seize her first main title on Sunday by profitable the LPGA Chevron Championship.
Saigo sank a tension-packed birdie putt on the 18th gap in regulation to fireplace a final-round two-over par 74 at Carlton Woods and end 72 holes on seven-under 281 simply to succeed in the playoff.
On the 18th once more within the playoff, Saigo sank a four-foot birdie putt to seize the crown.
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Saigo, a 23-year-old who was final yr’s LPGA Rookie of the Yr, defeated China’s Yin Ruoning, South Korean Kim Hyo-joo, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and American Lindy Duncan within the playoff.
“That is like dreaming,” Saigo mentioned by way of a translator. “It was my large dream and objective this yr. I nonetheless can’t consider it.
“It means lots that I made a birdie putt on 18. That gave me extra confidence for the playoff.” The playoff was on the par-five 18th and Yin reached the inexperienced in two by blasting over a water hazard. Saigo and Ariya every went over the inexperienced with their second pictures, Duncan was in need of the inexperienced in three and Kim discovered the inexperienced close to Yin’s ball along with her third shot.
Ariya and Saigo missed their eagle bids, setting the stage for Yin’s eagle try and win from about 12 ft. It went eight ft previous the opening as stress mounted.
Kim missed her birdie putt, Duncan missed a 10-foot par putt and tapped in for bogey, then Yin lipped out a birdie putt and tapped in for par.
Ariya lipped out on her eight-foot birdie putt and tapped in for par, leaving Saigo to sink her four-foot birdie for the triumph.
Ariya had botched a chip on the 72nd gap in regulation and made a bogey that dropped her right into a share of the lead, serving to to disclaim her a 3rd main victory and first in seven years.
Yin and Kim every sought a second profession main whereas Duncan settled for her first top-10 main end.
Ariya led by a stroke on the 18th tee in regulation and blasted her second shot from the green over the inexperienced and off the grandstand.
Stunningly, she then miss-hit a chip from the tough that hardly moved the ball earlier than sending her fourth shot 15 ft past the opening. She missed the comeback try and made bogey.
That dropped her to seven-under and right into a share of the lead with Yin, who birdied the 18th, and Kim within the clubhouse.
Saigo and Duncan every wanted a birdie at 18 to share the lead. South Korea’s Ryu Hae-ran, their enjoying accomplice, holed out a chip for the primary eagle of the week at 18. Neither Duncan nor Saigo might match her, however every made a birdie putt to succeed in the playoff.
– Early Ariya cost –
Saigo and South Korea’s Ryu shared the lead coming into the ultimate spherical however Ariya, who began three adrift, closed the hole with a birdie on the second gap and an eagle on the par-five fourth.
Ryu fell again with 4 bogeys within the first six holes however Saigo had two birdies and two bogeys within the first eight holes and shared the lead with Ariya at nine-under.
Saigo started the again 9 with back-to-back bogeys, falling two again, however Ariya made bogey on the par-five thirteenth that trimmed her result in one.
Duncan shook off a bogey on the par-three twelfth with a birdie at 13 and sank a four-foot birdie putt at 14 to seize a share of the lead, however stumbled with bogeys at 15 and 16.
– Aussies recap –
Minjee Lee remained one of the best of the Australians regardless of a two-over par ultimate spherical of 74 to slide again to -2 general.
The 2-time main champion completed in a tie for 14th, 5 pictures again from the playoff.
Steph Kyriacou shot a fair par 72 to complete T30 at +2 for the event, whereas Cassie Porter was a shot again with a spherical of 73 to complete off her main debut.
Gabriela Ruffels slipped again to +4 with a 76 and Grace Kim shot a 73 to complete +6.