JAPANESE PRECISION: Saigo survives thriller, bags LPGA Chevron crown

HOUSTON (AFP) — Japan’s Mao Saigo birdied the first extra hole to win a five-woman playoff and capture her first major title on Sunday at the LPGA Chevron Championship.

Saigo sank a tension-packed birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation to fire a final-round two-over par 74 at Carlton Woods and finish 72 holes on seven-under 281 just to reach the playoff.

At the 18th again in the playoff, Saigo sank a four-foot birdie putt to capture the crown after clutch putt misses by her rivals.

Saigo, a 23-year-old who was last year’s LPGA Rookie of the Year, defeated China’s Yin Ruoning, South Korean Kim Hyo-joo, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and American Lindy Duncan in the playoff.

“It was my dream to earn this major. I was able to realize my dream and I’m very happy,” Saigo said.

“It means a lot that I made a birdie putt on 18. That gave me more confidence for the playoff.”

Saigo plans to carry that confidence boost into the remainder of the campaign.

“I’m extremely excited,” she said. “I still have four more majors to go and I want to shoot for No. 1 in the world.”

The playoff was at the par-five 18th and Yin reached the green in two by blasting over a water hazard. Saigo and Ariya each went over the green with their second shots, Duncan was short of the green in three and Kim found the green near Yin’s ball with her third shot.

‘Back nine just a couple mistakes, but I did really well the rest of the tournament. It has built my confidence for the rest of the season for sure.’

Ariya and Saigo missed their eagle bids, setting the stage for Yin’s eagle attempt to win from about 12 feet. It went eight feet past the hole as tension 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.

“I was shaking from nervousness, but I did my best to calm down and I shot and it went in,” Saigo said.

Ariya had botched a chip on the 72nd hole in regulation and made a bogey that dropped her into a share of the lead, helping to deny her a third major victory and first in seven years.

“Overall, I’m very happy,” Ariya said.

“Back nine just a couple mistakes, but I did really well the rest of the tournament. It has built my confidence for the rest of the season for sure.”

Yin and Kim each sought a second career major while Duncan settled for her first top-10 major finish.

Saigo had more tense moments after the victory when she took the traditional winner’s leap into a pond.