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Mao Saigo Shocks Earl Grey GC With Stunning 61 On Saturday At The CPKC Women’s Open | LPGA

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Mao Saigo Shocks Earl Grey GC With Stunning 61 On Saturday At The CPKC Women’s Open | LPGA

Mao Saigo is only a debutant on the LPGA Tour this season, but she did not perform like a debutant on Moving Day at the CPKC Women’s Open in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The 22-year-old Japanese stunned fans at Earl Grey Golf Club on Saturday by overwhelming the field with an 11-under 61 and breaking the 18-hole tournament record at the CPKC Women’s Open, originally set in 2009 by Song Hee-Kim at Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club, also in Calgary.

Saigo began the third round tied for 46th at 3-over, and quickly birdied the par-5 1st hole to move back to 2-over overall. She birdied the par-5 4th hole again, then birdied back-to-back holes eight and nine to move back into the red, making the turn at 1-under for the tournament.

Saigo then had her highlight of the day on the par-4 10th hole, holing out from 134 yards with her pitching wedge for an eagle to go 6 under for the round. She followed that spectacular shot with a pair of birdies on holes 11 and 12, and now sits at 5 under overall and 8 under on the day with six holes remaining.

But Saigo didn’t stop there.

She double-birded again on the par-5 14th and par-5 15th holes to go to 7-under for the tournament and 10-under for the round. She made a final birdie on the par-3 17th hole to go to 11-under 61. It was her lowest score ever over 18 holes on the LPGA Tour and the new 18-hole record at the CPKC Women’s Open.

“I’m really proud of myself because that was probably my best round since I started playing golf,” said Saigo, who is now tied for third place with two-time LPGA Tour winner Rose Zhang. “There wasn’t much wind, so I just tried to make birdies on the par 5s and stick to my strengths with my iron shots. I was able to do that, so I was really proud.”

Saigo finished in a tie for second place during the final qualifying event of the 2023 LPGA Qualifying Series. The performance in Lower Alabama earned her an LPGA Tour membership for the 2024 season.

Before joining the organization, Saigo had won six times on the JLPGA Tour, five of which came in 2022, an impressive feat for a young athlete who turned pro just a few years ago. She had also made 12 starts on the LPGA Tour, nine of those 12 in made cuts, and nearly won the 2022 Amundi Evian Championship as a non-member, eventually finishing in a tie for third place in Evian-les-Bains, France.

So it seemed that the learning curve that rookies typically face in their first season on the LPGA Tour wouldn’t be as steep for Saigo as it has been for some of her peers this season, especially given her previous experience playing high-level professional golf. That was certainly evident in her 61 on Saturday at the CPKC Women’s Open.

“I played on the Japan Tour for three years and that experience helped me qualify for the LPGA Tour,” Saigo said. “Just because I’m a rookie, I wasn’t going to be intimidated. I just wanted to play my game and be able to shoot this score, and I’m really happy with that.”

This is Saigo’s 16th tournament of her debut season. In her 15 previous appearances, she has had five top-15 finishes. Her best and most notable finish was a tie for seventh at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club last month.

And prior to this week in Calgary, Alberta, the 22-year-old was ranked second on the LPGA Tour for rounds under par (32), third for greens in regulation (73.02%), eighth for rounds in the 60s (17) and ninth for scoring average (70.61). That statistical mix might have predicted an extremely low round for the young talent.

But for virtually all professional athletes, at the end of the day, there is only one column that really matters in their personal record books: victories. And Mao Saigo is no exception.

She currently trails 54-hole leader Haeran Ryu by just five strokes at 8-under par. If she can recreate the magic she discovered on Moving Day at Earl Grey Golf Club, Saigo may not be so far away from a first Tour title on Sunday at the CPKC Women’s Open.

“When I wanted to play pro golf, my dream was to win on the LPGA Tour, so I (want to) make that dream come true,” Saigo said. “I always reset no matter what I shoot, so even though I’m leading the tournament (right now), that attitude won’t change. I’ll reset and play tomorrow.”

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