Saigo champion as Ariya fluffs

CARLTON WOODS: Japan's Mao Saigo birdied the first extra hole to win a five-woman playoff and capture her first major title on Sunday at the LPGA Chevron Championship.

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Saigo sank a tension-packed birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation to fire a final-round two-over par 74 at Carlton Woods and finish 72 holes on seven-under 281 just to reach the playoff.

At the 18th again in the playoff, Saigo sank a four-foot birdie putt to capture the crown after clutch putt misses by her rivals.

Saigo, a 23-year-old who was last year's LPGA Rookie of the Year, defeated China's Yin Ruoning, South Korean Kim Hyo-Joo, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and American Lindy Duncan in the playoff.

"It was my dream to earn this major. I was able to realise my dream and I'm very happy," Saigo said.

"It means a lot that I made a birdie putt on 18. That gave me more confidence for the playoff."

Saigo plans to carry that confidence boost into the remainder of the campaign.

"I’m extremely excited," she said. "I still have four more majors to go and I want to shoot for No.1 in the world."