🏆 Mao Saigo Claims First Major at Chevron Championship — A New Chapter for Japanese Women’s Golf

I’ll be honest—I didn’t see this coming.
But take a breath, step back, and think about it:
The Chevron Championship isn’t just any tournament. It’s the first major of the LPGA season. The stage? Massive. The pressure? Off the charts.

And yet… Mao Saigo walked into a five-way playoff—against some of the fiercest names in women’s golf—and closed it out in just one hole. One birdie. Game over.

Let’s take a quick look at the elite company she faced:

🎯 The Playoff Contenders:

🇯🇵 Mao Saigo (Japan’s rising force)
🇰🇷 Hyo Joo Kim (Korea’s ace and perennial top-10 threat)
🇨🇳 Ruoning Yin (China’s rising phenom)
🇹🇭 Ariya Jutanugarn (Former world No.1, major winner)
🇺🇸 Lindy Duncan (America’s dark horse with nerves of steel)

You see that lineup?
Every single one of them? Major-caliber players.

And Saigo silenced them all—with a single birdie.

Just how monumental is that?
Oh, I’ll explain. In due time.
But first—etch this moment into your golfing soul. 🏆🔥

🏆 What Exactly Is the Chevron Championship Mao Saigo Just Conquered?

📢“Heard of the Chevron Championship and thought, ‘Wait, which one’s that again?’
Don’t worry—you’re not alone. The name’s changed more times than a tour pro’s caddie.”

Now listen up.
The Chevron Championship isn’t just “some LPGA event.”
It’s the first major of the women’s golf season. That’s right—major. Capital M.

In other words:
“Win here, and you’re not just a champion—you’re the face of the season.”

Yeah. It’s that big.

Mao Saigo takes the iconic leap into Poppie’s Pond — the ultimate celebration at the Chevron Championship.

シェブロン選手権✨✨✨
西郷 真央勝者恒例の池へのダイブ pic.twitter.com/Mp9Dy0cXWb

— 🌴常夏☆タイランド🌴🎌⛳🚗🥥🍉🌶🤿🙏🐍 (@down_blows) April 28, 2025

🏌️‍♀️ Must-Know Facts About the Chevron Championship (Don’t Skip This!)

🔵 Started in 1972
Originally known as the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle, this tournament has energized women’s golf for decades. Even back then, it was already the big spring showdown everyone circled on their calendars.

🔵 Sponsors Come and Go — and So Do the Names!
As the decades rolled by, so did the title sponsors.
And with each change came a new name.
Here’s a quick walk through the evolution:

📜 Name Changes Through the Years

Year(s)	Tournament Name
1972–1980	Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle
1981	Colgate-Dinah Shore
1982	Nabisco Dinah Shore Invitational
1983–1999	Nabisco Dinah Shore
2000–2001	Nabisco Championship
2002–2014	Kraft Nabisco Championship
2015–2021	ANA Inspiration
2022–present	The Chevron Championship

…Feeling dizzy yet? Yeah, I thought so. 😏
That’s why you’ve probably said,
“Wait—I thought it was called ANA Inspiration… Chevron now?”

But here’s the thing:
No matter what they’ve called it, it’s always been major.
That’s the real magic—the name changes, but the greatness doesn’t.

🔵 Venue Change Alert: It’s Texas Time Now!
In 2023, the tournament waved goodbye to its long-time home—Mission Hills Country Club in California—and made a bold move to The Club at Carlton Woods in Texas.

And let’s be clear — this isn’t your old cozy layout anymore.
The new course? A whole different beast:

Narrow fairways. Rock-hard greens. Wind that whispers… then howls.

To win here, you don’t just need a good swing —
you need elite ball-striking and samurai-grade focus.
This is no place for pretenders.

💦 The Iconic Poppie’s Pond Jump Lives On!

Even with the Chevron rebrand, the tradition lives on.
The winner still takes the ultimate plunge —
a celebratory cannonball into the pond beside the 18th green.

And yes, it’s as glorious as it sounds.

Annika Sörenstam did it.
So did Korea’s greatest stars.
And now?
Mao Saigo added her own “splash of history” with a fearless leap into legend.

👉 Read how Rio Takeda stunned the LPGA field at Blue Bay.

あわせて読みたい

Rio Takeda Wins ¥55 Million at Blue Bay LPGA — Japanese Stars Making Waves on the U.S. Tour 🇯🇵 日本語 | 🇬🇧 English 🧠【The Golf Philosopher’s Commentary】 "The Rookie? No—She’s the Architect of Annihilation." L...

🏆 A Quick Guide to the Five Women’s Majors in the U.S.

🏆 The Five Women’s Majors — Simplified Guide

🏆 Tournament	🌍 Location / Timing	🔍 What You Should Know
The Chevron Championship	Texas, USA / Spring	First major of the season. Famous for the victory pond jump. Win this and you’re the “Queen of Spring.”
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship	USA / Early Summer	The women’s version of the PGA Championship. Pure test of power and precision.
U.S. Women’s Open	USA / June	The toughest, most prestigious title in women’s golf. Win it — become a legend.
Amundi Evian Championship	France / July	Stunning scenery, brutally tricky greens. A mental and technical battle.
AIG Women’s Open	UK / August	Links-style test of grit. Wind, rain, hard turf — Mother Nature doesn’t play nice.

🔵 TL;DR — The Majors at a Glance

Women’s Open (British): Survival Against the Elements 🌧🌬

Chevron: Crown the Queen of Spring 👑🌸

Women’s PGA: A Battle of Pure Skill 🎯

U.S. Women’s Open: The Ultimate Golf Gauntlet 🏆

Evian: Precision Under Pressure 🎯💎

🎯 In Other Words… Here’s the Bottom Line!

📝 Spotlight Section:
The LPGA season begins here — and those who conquer this stage often become the heroines of the year.
In 2025, it was Mao Saigo who stepped forward to carry Japan’s banner into battle.

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🏆 Mao Saigo’s Miracle: Winning a Five-Way Playoff Showdown!