Japanese pro golfer Saigo Mao wins her first overseas major title

Apr 29, 2025 | News On Japan

Apr 29, 2025 (NHK) - Japanese pro golfer Saigo Mao has clinched her first major overseas tournament in the United States, sinking a birdie putt to beat four rivals in a one-hole playoff.

The 23-year-old Saigo was named rookie of the year on the US tour last year. She became the fifth Japanese female golfer to win a major overseas tournament and the first since Furue Ayaka's victory in France in July of last year.

Saigo started Sunday's final round tied atop the leaderboard with a South Korean golfer at the Chevron Championship held in the state of Texas. But she ended tied with four others at seven under par. It was the first major ladies' tournament of the year in the US.

Saigo started off with a bogey on the first hole of the final round, but played a tenacious game the rest of the way.

Trailing by one shot to start the 18th hole, Saigo sank a birdie putt on the par-5 hole.

Her score for the round was two shots higher than the previous day but was good enough to make the playoff with the four others at seven under.

She returned to the 18th for the first hole of the playoff and hit her tee shot onto the fairway. She then landed her third shot from the side of the green with the ball near the pin, and completed the hole as the only player to score a birdie.

All of Ishinomaki City Ordered to Evacuate as Rain Pounds Tohoku

An evacuation order has been issued for the entire city of Ishinomaki and parts of Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture as heavy rain caused by the autumn rain front disrupts transportation across the region, with a linear rainband potentially forming along the Pacific side of Tohoku through the evening.

Rail Disruptions Continue Across Kanto

Heavy rain caused by the autumn rain front continued to disrupt rail services across the Tohoku and Kanto regions on September 7, with parts of the Shonan-Shinjuku Line and other routes remaining suspended while some major Tokyo commuter lines returned to normal operations after running reduced services earlier in the day.

Typhoon No. 24 Nears Minami-Daito Before Weakening Into Tropical Depression

Typhoon No. 24 (Krovahn) was near Minami-Daito Island, about 300 kilometers southeast of Okinawa, as of 3 a.m. on September 7, moving east-northeast at about 10 kilometers per hour and expected to weaken into a tropical depression by the afternoon, although strong winds and high waves were forecast to persist before its remnants move north and potentially intensify the autumn rain front over western and eastern Japan later in the week.

Tokyo Unveils Design for Symbol Tree at Shinjuku Station

Tokyo has unveiled the design for a major redevelopment of the plaza outside Shinjuku Station's west exit, with a landmark tree, water-play area and event space planned as part of a transformation centered on "greenery, light and people" that is scheduled for completion in 2035.

Japanese Researcher Wins Ig Nobel Prize

A late former professor at Asahikawa Medical University has won the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine for scientifically examining the proper way to blow the nose, extending Japan's streak of Ig Nobel winners to 20 consecutive years.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sports NEWS

Asian Games Athletes Begin Arriving in Aichi Ahead of September 19 Opening

Athletes competing in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games began arriving in Japan in greater numbers on September 6, with competitors from countries including Jordan and South Korea entering through Chubu Centrair International Airport in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, ahead of the September 19 opening.

From Sydney to Berlin: The Rise of Women's Basketball on the Global Stage

The 20th FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup will be held in Berlin from September 4 to 13, 2026.

Imperial Palace Running Boom Sparks Calls for Better Manners

Running around the Imperial Palace has become one of Tokyo's most popular fitness activities, but growing numbers of runners and pedestrians sharing narrow sidewalks are raising safety concerns and prompting calls for stronger rules and better infrastructure.

Aonishiki Returns to Ozeki as Autumn Grand Sumo Rankings Announced

The Japan Sumo Association announced the rankings for the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on August 31, with last tournament's champion Aonishiki returning to ozeki after two tournaments and taking the second position on the east side of the rankings.

Japan U-18 Baseball Team Begins Training for Asian Championship

Japan's high school baseball national team began preparations for the U-18 Asian Baseball Championship with a training session in Yokohama on August 28, as the squad looks to capture the continental title at the tournament opening in Taiwan on September 7.