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It was the first major championship of the year for the LPGA, with the tour in The Woodlands, Texas for the Chevron Championship. And whoa, it did not disappoint as there were five players that ended in a sudden-death playoff, the largest in the history of women’s majors.
Now, it didn’t look that way for most of the day. Ariya Jutanugarn, a two-time major winner, was in control on the 72nd hole, up by one shot. But she whiffed her chip shot, then failed to get up and down and made bogey to back into the playoff.
A simple par on the par-5 hole would’ve got the job done. Instead, she was tied with Hyo Joo Kim and Ruoning Yin. Playing the 18th behind her, Lindy Duncan and Mao Saigo both made birdies to then get to the magic, seven-under-par number.
Ultimately, Saigo was the only one to make birdie on the first playoff hole and captured her first major win. Yin three-putted for par, and Jutanugarn had her birdie attempt lip out. For Japan’s Saigo, 23, it was her first LPGA victory.
Nelly Korda was the defending champion, having collected her fifth straight LPGA victory last year, and struggled to make the cut this year, but then rebounded with a good weekend to tie for 14th place. Twenty-four of the top 25 players in the world participated. Only Rose Zhang (22) was not here, as she is dealing with an injury. Twenty-six players made their debut in the Chevron Championship.
Amateurs playing in the event is a big part of its history, similar to the Masters for the men. Gianna Clemente was the only one to make the cut and earned low amateur honors. She tied for 71st place.
Here’s the rundown of the prize money payout each player earned who made the cut.
WIN: Mao Saigo, -7/281, $1.2 million
T-2: Ariya Jutanugarn, -7/281, $462,966
T-2: Hyo Joo Kim, -7/281, $462,966
T-2: Ruoning Yin, -7/281, $462,966
T-2: Lindy Duncan, -7/281, $462,966
T-6: Jin Young Ko, -5/283, $214,136
T-6: Sarah Schmelzel, -5/283, $214,136
T-6: Haeran Ryu, -5/283, $214,136
T-9: Manon De Roey, -4/284, $145,789
T-9: Carlota Ciganda, -4/284, $145,789
T-9: Hye-Jin Choi, -4/284, $145,789
T-9: Yan Liu, -4/284, $145,789
13: Angel Yin, -3/285, $121,442
T-14: Nelly Korda, -2/286, $104,783
T-14: Weiwei Zhang, -2/286, $104,783
T-14: Minjee Lee, -2/286, $104,783
T-14: Lexi Thompson, -2/286, $104,783
T-18: Allisen Corpuz, -1/287, $83,803
T-18: Esther Henseleit, -1/287, $83,803
T-18: Mi Hyang Lee, -1/287, $83,803
T-18: Chanettee Wannasaen, -1/287, $83,803
T-18: Lauren Coughlin, -1/287, $83,803
T-18: In Gee Chun, -1/287, $83,803
T-24: Jeeno Thitikul, E/288, $69,424
T-24: Sei Young Kim, E/288, $69,424
T-24: Emily Kristine Pedersen, E/288, $69,424
T-24: Somi Lee, E/288, $69,424
T-28: Brooke Matthews, +1/289, $61,648
T-28: Georgia Hall, +1/289, $61,648
T-30: Chisato Iwai, +2/290, $48,689
T-30: Stephanie Kyriacou, +2/290, $48,689
T-30: Andrea Lee, +2/290, $48,689
T-30: Dewi Weber, +2/290, $48,689
T-30: Ayaka Furue, +2/290, $48,689
T-30: Miya Yamashita, +2/290, $48,689
T-30: Sophia Popov, +2/290, $48,689
T-30: Pajaree Anannarukarn, +2/290, $48,689
T-30: Elizabeth Szokil, +2/290, $48,689
T-30: Lucy Li, +2/290, $48,689
T-40: Yuri Yoshida, +3/291, $36,286
T-40: A Lim Kim, +3/291, $36,286
T-40: Cassie Porter, +3/291, $36,286
T-40: Megan Khang, +3/291, $36,286
T-44: Brooke Henderson, +4/292, $28,741
T-44: Maja Stark, +4/292, $28,741
T-44: Yuna Nishimura, +4/292, $28,741
T-44: Akie Iwai, +4/292, $28,741
T-44: Gabriela Ruffels, +4/292, $28,741
T-44: Hinako Shibuno, +4/292, $28,741
T-44: Albane Valenzuela, +4/292, $28,741
T-44: Auston Kim, +4/292, $28,741
T-52: Nasa Hataoka, +5/293, $22,215
T-52: Lydia Ko, +5/293, $22,215
T-52: Ingrid Lindblad, +5/293, $22,215
T-52: Ina Yoon, +5/293, $22,215
T-52: Miranda Wang, +5/293, $22,215
T-52: Amy Yang, +5/293, $22,215
T-52: Cheyenne Knight, +5/293, $22,215
T-59: Grace Kim, +6/294, $18,639
T-59: Anna Nordqvist, +6/294, $18,639
T-59: Rio Takeda, +6/294, $18,639
T-62: Aditi Ashok, +7/295, $17,032
T-62: Jasmine Suwannapura, +7/295, $17,032
T-62: Paulina Roussin-Bouchard, +7/295, $17,032
T-62: Minami Katsu, +7/295, $17,032
T-62: Ashleigh Buhai, +7/295, $17,032
T-67: Alena Sharp, +8/296, $15,551
T-67: Leona Maguire, +8/296, $15,551
T-67: Alexa Pano, +8/296, $15,551
70: Gigi Stoll, +9/297, $14,812
T-71: Paula Reto, +10/298, $14,533
T-71: Jenny Shin, +10/298, $14,533
T-71: Gianna Clemente, +10/298, $0 (amateur)
T-74: Jin Hee Im, +11/299, $14,161
T-74: Yu Liu, +11/299, $14,161
T-76: Peiyun Chien, +12/300, $13,812
T-76: Frida Kinhult, +12/300, $13,812
78: Lilia Vu, +13/301, $13,549
T-79: Ryann O’Toole, +14/302, $13,291
T-79: Jeongeun Lee5, +14/302, $13,291
81: Pernilla Lindberg, +15/303, $13,037
Main Image: Katelyn Mulcahy
