Mao Saigo wins maiden Major and first LPGA title

The Sun

28-04-2025

JAPAN'S Mao Saigo claimed her maiden LPGA Tour title and first Major victory at The Chevron Championship on Sunday, winning a dramatic five-player sudden-death
playoff at The Club at Carlton Woods.
The largest playoff in LPGA Major championship history only lasted one hole, and it was 2024 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Saigo who prevailed with a birdie. The 23-year-old became the fourth Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2025 season, joining compatriot Rio Takeda (Blue Bay LPGA), American Yealimi Noh (Founders Cup presented by US Virgin Islands) and Sweden's Ingrid Lindblad (JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro).
Saigo was tied for the lead with Korean Haeran Ryu on nine-under-par heading into the final 18 holes at Carlton Woods' Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. As Ryu fell off the pace with a final round 76, Saigo birdied the last regulation hole to get into the playoff. Saigo's closing 74 gave her a tournament aggregate of seven-under-par 281 (70-68-69-74), matched by China's Ruoning Yin (71- 69-70-71), Korea's Hyo Joo Kim (67-71-73-70), American Lindy Duncan (72-66-70-73) and Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn (68-72-70-71).
The playoff at the par-five 18th hole saw Duncan and Kim elect to lay up with their second shots, while Saigo, Jutanugarn and Yin went for the green in two. Saigo's approach went long, and she took relief from the grandstand before playing a superb chip to three feet.
After Duncan and Kim failed to convert long birdie attempts, it was down to Yin and Jutanugarn to see if they could make their putts from around six feet. Both players missed and Saigo calmly rolled in her birdie to take the title, and the USD1.2 million winner's cheque.
'It was my dream to earn this Major. It is my first time to win this tournament, and I was able to realize my dream and I'm very happy about this,' said Saigo, who is the first Japanese winner of the tournament since its inception in 1972.
Saigo is the fifth player from Japan to win a Major title and the third to do so over the last two seasons, joining Yuka Saso (2024 US Women's Open) and Ayaka Furue (2024 The Amundi Evian Championship).
'My predecessors have also earned majors, and I really thought I needed to catch up with them as much as possible. But instead of applying too much pressure on myself, I wanted to respect each process and move forward steadily,' noted Saigo, who is a six-time Japan LPGA winner.
Three players finished in a tie for sixth on five-under-par, including Ryu and 2019 Chevron Championship winner Jin Young Ko, also of South Korea. Defending champion and world No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States settled for joint 14th on two-under-par after starting with a 77.
Malaysian amateur Jeneath Wong had earlier missed the halfway cut of two-over-par, following rounds of 78 and 76 in tough, blustery conditions brought about by thunderstorms.
'The experience of playing in The Chevron Championship was unreal and amazing. Playing in the first Major of the year and coming in with no expectations made this tournament a lot more enjoyable, and there are lots of positives to take from the week,' said Wong, who earned her place in the Major with her victory at last month's Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific championship in Vietnam.
'Being able to play on the world stage in a Major with the world's top professionals is just an honour. I was able to see what the pros do differently and was able to learn from that,' added the Pepperdine University junior.
This was Wong's second Major outing following the 2023 US Women's Open at Pebble Beach, where she missed the cut by three shots. The 21-year-old will be accorded two more Major invitations this year as reigning Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific champion, for the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort in France and the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales, both in July.