First-time winner last one standing after duffed chip and other playoff blunders hand her Chevron title

By

[PHOTO: Alex Slitz]

No matter how many tournaments Mao Saigo might win in her young career, her first victory surely will go down as the most dramatic. And she’ll always have Ariya Jutanugarn to thank.

The 23-year-old from Japan drained a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation to get in a playoff and then made a four-foot putt for birdie to win the Chevron Championship, her first LPGA victory and first major. She shot a final-round 74 to finish at seven-under 281.

It was an unbelievably wild finish with a five-woman playoff, the largest in the history of an LPGA major. Saigo and Jutanugarn joined Lindy Duncan, Hyo Joo Kim and Ruoning Yin.

“This is like dreaming,” Saigo said through a translator while wiping away tears. “Big dream and goal.”

Saigo pumped her fist then let out a visible sigh of relief. She and her team then took the plunge in the pond and because it was such a hot (30 degrees) and sweltering day with good old Texas humidity, they lingered in the cool water.

The playoff featured five golfers from five countries but it was because of a heartbreaking shot by Jutanugarn that there even was a playoff at The Club at Carlton Woods.

Jutanugarn, a two-time major winner, led for most of the final round and was behind the 18th green playing the 72nd hole. She had a one-shot lead with two groups of players behind her and it was relatively clear that making par probably would’ve clinched her third major victory. The pressure of the moment got to her as she nearly missed the ball, advancing it only about a few centimetres in the rough. Surely it was one of the most gut-wrenching moments in her career.

Watch Chevron leaders’ tee shots end side by side, leading to ruling, midway through final round

Instead of celebrating a third major (she’s already won the US Women’s Open and AIG Women’s Open), Jutanugarn then failed to get up and down, made bogey and fell into a playoff with Saigo, Duncan, Yin and Kim.

Asked about the errant chip shot, Jutanugarn said, through a translator: “Just have to keep working on what’s good and probably have to do some short game, improve my short game a little bit.”

Jutanugarn declined an interview in English through a spokesperson.

Saigo was the last woman standing, and it was improbable that of the five players, she was the only one to make birdie in the playoff. Her steady and resilient play earned her $US1.2 million of the $US8 million purse.

Saigo was the LPGA Rookie of the Year last year and she now has 10 career top-10 finishes.

And a swim in the pond to boot.

“I’m not really a good swimmer,” Saigo said. “When I first went in I thought I was going to drown.”

Her team wasn’t going to let that happen.

Yin had perhaps the best shot to win in the playoff after she hit the green in regulation on the par-5 18th hole. She faced a 12 footer for eagle but putted the ball well past the hole and missed the comebacker for birdie.

Kim and Jutanugarn both missed makeable birdie putts in the playoff and Duncan, a 34-year-old journeywoman, needed to chip in from short of the green for her birdie attempt and did not.

As for Saigo, she’s got big plans for more celebrations. But none will be quite like this.

“I still have four more majors to go, and I want to shoot for No.1 in the world,” Saigo said. “I will do my best in the remaining four majors.”