Saigo wins first major in historic LPGA playoff at Chevron Championship

TEXAS: Japan’s Mao Saigo was living the dream on Sunday after surviving the largest playoff in LPGA major history to win the Chevron Championship. The 23-year-old clinched her first major title by beating four others in sudden death, capping off a dramatic finale at The Woodlands, Texas.

Saigo, who had shared the lead through the first three rounds with South Korea’s Ryu Haeran, struggled with a two-over-par 74 in the final round but kept her hopes alive with a clutch birdie putt on the 18th hole. That sent her into a five-way playoff alongside China’s Yin Ruoning, South Korea’s Kim Hyo Joo, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, and the United States’ Lindy Duncan.

“It meant a lot that I got a birdie putt on 18 and that gave me more confidence in the playoff,” Saigo said afterward. Her belief paid off immediately — she birdied the par-five 18th once again during the playoff, while rivals Yin and Jutanugarn narrowly missed their birdie attempts.

“This is like dreaming,” an emotional Saigo said. “It was one of my big dreams and goals this year so I still can’t believe it.”

The playoff was the second-largest in LPGA history across all events and marked an unforgettable moment in Saigo’s blossoming career.(Reuters)