Golf Fans Get an Adrenaline Rush as Mao Saigo Snags Chevron Championship Title After Nerve-Wracking 5-Way Playoff

The first major on the LPGA Tour had an unexpected but thrilling end. Regular big names slipped away into obscurity as five players fought hard to establish themselves as the best of the pack. Five golfers from five different countries were tied at T1 with a score of 7 under par after 4 rounds of golf. Japanese golfer Mao Saigo, Thai golfer Ariya Jutanugarn, Chinese golfer Yin Ruoning, American golfer Lindy Duncan, and South Korean golfer Kim Hyo-Joo.

Jutanugarn had helped the lead heading to the 18th hole but her chip shot missed the pin by inches which set a putt. Her putt also fell short leading her to bogey and fall back into T1 for a three-way tie for the first position. Lindy Duncan and Mao Saigo proceeded to card a bride on the final hole to join the leaders.

The birdie on the final hole proved to be crucial for the Japanese golfer as in the end, Mao Saigo reigned supreme. Saigo found the hole in the 18th hole with just 4 strokes while Jutanugarn, Ruoning, and Hyo-Joo needed one more. Duncan carded six on the playoff hole. This is the first-ever victory for the 23-year-old Saigo on the LPGA Tour, having previously won six times on the LPGA of Japan Tour.

The playoff victory will be a welcome relief for the young golfer, as she had started day 4 with a score of 9 under par and tied for first place with Hae-ran Ryu. Both the leaders fell off with Ryu carding a 4 over par to finish T2 while Saigo had to fight back and clinch a tie for first place with a birdie on the last hole.

“This is like dreaming. It was one of my big dreams in golf this year. I still can’t believe it,” Saigo stated after her fighting victory in the playoffs. Fans also were quick to react to the thrilling contest that ensued at the Cabin at Carlton Woods.

Golfing fans react to Mao Saigo’s thrilling playoff victory

The fighting comeback was a testament to Saigo’s resilience and one set of fans really seemed to enjoy seeing her stay in the game and fight it out despite the early difficulties on day 4. “Just proves you need to hang in and anything can happen… wow!!” One netizen had commented after watching Saigo birdie on the 18th hole two times in a row.

The Japanese golfer had a rough day 4 with five bogeys during the course of her 18 holes on Sunday at Texas. The rough start notwithstanding, she came up clutch when it mattered most, with one fan applauding her for her efforts on the course, but lamenting the poor golf on display at the first LPGA Major of the season. “That was a fitting end to an awful major. Happy for Mao Saigo but I cannot believe she’s won that with a birdie.” The user stated. The high-scoring affair was indeed a surprise with players like Lilia Vu going for 13 over par during the 4 rounds of play.

The five-way playoff in itself was crazy, with all players required to compete in a sudden-death playoff to determine the winner. What was even more surprising was that a winner was determined after the end of the first hole itself, with the other four players slipping up and allowing Saigo to claim the bragging rights on the day. The difference proved to be putting as, Saigo nailed her putt similar to what she did at the end of the fourth round, but two other players’ putts grazed the hole, only to stay out. “That has to be one of the craziest finishes to a golf tournament, especially a major,” stated TSN golf reporter Bob Weeks.

Saigo’s victory is the second win this season on the LPGA Tour for a Japanese golfer. Rio Takeda had previously won her second LPGA Title at the Blue Bay LPGA in China. Ayaka Furue has also been exemplary this season, having finished top 25 at all except one of the events she has played so far. She also registered two top-3 finishes as well. This prompted one user to state, “Japanese golf looking good this year.”

An exciting first Major on the LPGA Tour, and this will set expectations for the remaining four majors on the tour. One netizen stated, “That was fun! What a fantastic first major for the LPGA!” 

What do you think of the thrilling finish to the first LPGA major this season? Did it live up to your expectations?