Mao Saigo was shaking with nervousness earlier than her birdie putt on the primary gap of a five-way playoff on Sunday within the Chevron Championship.
The 23-year-old Japanese participant managed to compose herself in time to sink the 3-footer and win her first main title.
“I did my greatest to settle down and I shot and it went in,” she mentioned in Japanese by means of 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 completed at 7-under 281 at The Membership at Carlton Woods.
Saigo received on the 18th within the playoff after Yin and Jutanugarn had birdie tries lip out. Jutanugarn bogeyed the 18th in regulation after stubbing her third shot.
READ | Niemann wins LIV Mexico Metropolis, secures US Open berth
Jutanugarn led for many of the closing spherical earlier than her late gaffe after making two birdies and an eagle on the entrance 9.
“The entrance 9 was very strong particularly with the eagle, however again 9 simply couple errors on par 5 that I made; two bogeys,” she mentioned.
Yin was in the perfect place within the playoff after getting onto the inexperienced in two pictures. However she missed a 12-foot eagle putt and her comebacker for birdie lipped out to arrange Saigo for the win.
Saigo received for the primary time on the LPGA Tour. She was the tour’s rookie of the yr final season. She’s the primary Japanese winner within the occasion and the fifth main champion. She has six victories on the Japanese tour, 5 in 2022.
The victory comes after runner-up finishes on the CPKC Girls’s Open and Buick LPGA Shanghai final yr.
“Final yr it was a really intense competitors,” she mentioned. “I used to be so shut however I used to be not capable of make it. It was very disappointing. This yr I used to be capable of win and earn the LPGA title and I’m extraordinarily enthusiastic about this.”
The 34-year-old Duncan bogeyed the playoff gap to come back up brief in her greater than a decade-long quest to win her first title. However she was nonetheless comfortable together with her efficiency total.
“Yeah, prime 5 in a significant, any week, is unbelievable; to have an opportunity, feeling the nerves,” she mentioned. “And I really feel like I’ve some issues to find out about tips on how to deal with my swing and issues like that. I’ll mirror on it (however) yeah, however what per week.”
It’s the second time in three years that the match resulted in a playoff after American Lilia Vu birdied the primary further gap to win in 2023.
Saigo took house $1.2 million from the $8 million purse.
Winners had been leaping into Poppie’s Pond off the 18th inexperienced at Mission Hills since 1988, and Saigo turned the third to do it in Texas by leaping into the brown-tinged water. She shrieked and smiled as she went in holding fingers with two members of her staff.
The expertise ended up being a bit harrowing for Saigo who mentioned she isn’t an excellent swimmer.
“After I went inside it was deep and at first I assumed I used to be going to drown,” she mentioned.
Saigo entered the day tied with Haeran Ryu at 9 below. However she bogeyed 5 holes Sunday to fall behind earlier than her birdie on the 18th gap received her a spot within the playoff to arrange the thrilling end.
Prime-ranked Nelly Korda shot 70 to tie for 14th at 2 below. Winless this season, she received the occasion final yr for the final of her record-tying 5 straight victories.
“Clearly, I’ve lots to work on,” she mentioned. “Final yr was final yr. Such a tremendous yr nevertheless it’s up to now. It’s not going to assist me with my future.”