Ariya Jutanugarn dramatically fluffed a chip at the final regulation hole before losing in a five-way play-off as Mao Saigo won The Chevron Championship after a remarkable finish in Texas.
Jutanugarn attempted to dink onto the 18th green from the adjacent rough but stubbed her shot and the ball only moved a matter of inches.
She went on to suffer a bogey six to lose her one-shot lead, drop to seven under and slip into an overtime shootout with Saigo, Hyo-Joo Kim, Ruoning Yin and Lindy Duncan at the first major of the season.
Yin, Duncan and Saigo all nailed birdie putts on the final green to reach the play-off but Kim missed one of her own that would ultimately have seen her victorious in regulation time after Jutanugarn’s bizarre moment at the last.
Ariya Jutanugarn was made to pay for a huge error on the 18th hole in Texas
The sole play-off hole required was also laced with action as Yin failed to convert an eagle effort that would have seen her take the trophy and then slipped the subsequent birdie look past the cup.
After Jutanugarn squandered her birdie shout, too, Saigo – who held the co-lead heading into the final round – converted hers to ensure her maiden victory on the LPGA Tour was a major.
Jutanugarn misses out on third major title
Jutanugarn was within touching distance of a third major and first in seven years, after the 2016 Women’s Open and 2018 US Women’s Open, only for her late mistake – when nerves perhaps settled in for a player who had not won an event since 2021 – to cost her.
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The 29-year-old had made two birdies and an eagle across her first eight holes to open up a two-shot lead before bogeys at nine and 13 set her back, although a number of clutch par saves around that kept her in control while many of her rivals, including Saigo and Yin, stuttered.
Duncan registered successive birdies at 13 and 14 to earn a share of the lead at eight under, only to then record consecutive bogeys at 15 and 16 as her hopes of a maiden major appeared to have evaporated.
Jutanugarn’s woe at 18 let Duncan back in, though, and the American had an eagle putt from off the green to win the title, only for that to skid on past the hole and leave a tricky birdie putt to force her way into the play-off.
Defending champion Nelly Korda’s hopes of back-to-back titles were largely wrecked by a five-over opening round
Korda left to rue opening 77 and third-round double bogeys
Defending champion and world No 1 Nelly Korda ended up in a tie for 14th on two under with her hopes of going back to-back largely wrecked on the opening day when she shot a five-over 77 but also dented by successive double bogeys on the back nine during her third round.
Korda – yet to win an event this season after seven victories in 2024 – carded a two-under 70 on the final day.
Lexi Thompson’s bid for a second major title – and first since entering semi-retirement – faded as she shot a four-over 76 after beginning on six under par and three strokes adrift of 54-hole leaders Saigo and Hae-Ran Ryu.
Lexi Thompson’s charge faded on the final day at The Woodlands
Thompson, who won this event in 2014, has stepped back from full-time golf and is only playing in selected events.
The top European was ninth-placed Carlota Ciganda on four under with the best Brit England’s Georgia Hall, who ended up in joint 28th on one over.
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