(Reuters) -Japan’s Mao Saigo was living the dream after she survived the largest major playoff in LPGA history on Sunday, beating four others in sudden death to win the Chevron Championship.
It was the first major win for the 23-year-old, who was tied for the lead after the first three rounds with South Korean Ryu Haeran but carded a two-over par 74 on Sunday after a handful of late errors.
She sunk a birdie putt on the par-five 18th hole just to stay in it, joining China’s Yin Ruoning, South Korean Kim Hyo Joo, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and Lindy Duncan of the United States in the playoff.
“It meant a lot that I got a birdie putt on 18 and that gave me more confidence in the playoff,” she said in televised remarks.
She won it with another birdie putt on 18 in the lone hole of the playoff, after both Yin and Jutanugarn lipped out attempted birdie putts, drawing gasps from the crowd in The Woodlands, Texas.
“This is like dreaming,” said Saigo. “It was one of my big dreams and goals this year so I still can’t believe it.”
It was the second-largest playoff across all LPGA competition, with two six-person playoffs previously recorded at non-major events.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
Comments