THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) — Mao Saigo of Japan won the Chevron Championship on Sunday for her first major title, making a three-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a five-way playoff.

Saigo birdied the par-5 18th in regulation for a 2-under 74, leaving her tied with Hyo Joo Kim, Ruoning Yin, Ariya Jutanugarn and Lindy Duncan. They finished at 7-under 281 at The Club at Carlton Woods.

Saigo won on the 18th in the playoff after Yin and Jutanugarn had birdie tries lip out. Jutanugarn bogeyed the 18th in regulation after stubbing her third short only inches.

Saigo won for the first time on the LPGA Tour. She was the tour’s rookie of the year last season. The 23-year-old player is the first Japanese winner in the event and the fifth major champion. She has six victories on the Japanese tour, five in 2022.

The 34-year-old Duncan bogeyed the playoff hole to come up short in her more than a decade-long quest to win her first title.

Mao Saigo of Japan wins Chevron Championship with birdie in 5-way playoff | iNFOnews.ca — Mao Saigo, of Japan, in yellow, jumps into the water after winning the Chevron Championship LPGA golf tournament Sunday, April 27, 2025, in The Woodlands, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

It’s the second time in three years that the tournament ended in a playoff after American Lilia Vu birdied the first extra hole to win in 2023.

Saigo took home US$1.2 million from a purse of US$8 million, an increase of $100,000 from last year’s purse.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., finished in an eight-way tie for 44th at 4 over. Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., finished in a three-way tie for 67th at 8 over.

Winners had been jumping into Poppie’s Pond off the 18th green at Mission Hills since 1988, and Saigo became the second to do it in Texas by leaping into the brown-tinged water. She shrieked and smiled as she went in holding hands with two members of her team.

Saigo entered the day tied with Haeran Ryu at 9 under. But she bogeyed five holes Sunday to fall behind before her birdie on the 18th hole got her a spot in the playoff to set up the thrilling finish.

Top-ranked Nelly Korda shot 70 to tie for 14th at 2 under. Winless this season, she won the event last year for the last of her record-tying five straight victories.