The Chevron Championship was determined in a five-person playoff, the largest playoff in major championship history on the LPGA Tour.
Champion Mao Saigo of Japan made three birdies and five bogeys to close with a 2-over 74, finish at 7-under overall and join the playoff. She made birdie on the first playoff hole (No. 18) to win her first major championship and LPGA Tour victory.
“It was my dream to earn this major. It is my first time to win this tournament, I was able to realize my dream and I’m very happy about this.”
Saigo’s final round 74 ties the second-highest final round score for a winner of this championship. Betsy King shot a closing 75 in 1990 and still won by two strokes.
She led the field in birdies, with seventeen in regulation. She hit 13 of 14 fairways and eight of eighteen greens on Sunday. She co-led the field in fairways, hitting 49 of 56 overall. The 45 GIR tie the fewest for a winner of this championship since 2000 (Brittany Lincicome).
Saigo is just the fourth reigning LPGA Rookie of the Year in the last twenty seasons to win a major the year after earning that award. She is the first since Jin Young Ko won The Chevron Championship and The Amundi Evian Championship in 2019 (won 2018 Rookie of the Year award).
She played the par 3s at Carlton Woods better than any player in the field who made the cut, shooting 6-under overall on those holes.
South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim carded a 70, China’s Ruoning Yin and Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn both carded 71s and American Lindy Duncan closed with a 73 to join the playoff.
Korean Haeran Ryu who co-led after the first and third rounds recorded a 76 and finished T6 at 5-under alongside compatriot Jin Young Ko and American Sarah Schmelzel who shot 70 and 74 respectively.
Defending champion and Rolex Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States carded a 70 and finished T14 at 2-under.
