They say, ‘take one step at a time toward your goal,’ and that strategy is paying off for 2025 Chevron Championship winner Mao Saigo. The golfer made headlines by emerging victorious in a historic five-player playoff — the largest ever at an LPGA major. Now, with her sights set even higher, Saigo is closing in on an even bigger goal: dethroning Nelly Korda to claim the world number one ranking.

After claiming the silver trophy, the Japanese star was completely honest with her claims and said, “I still have four more majors to go, and I want to shoot for No. 1 in the world. I will do my best in the remaining four majors,” when asked about her future plans. Her win at Carlton Woods helped her earn 100 points and become the 13th-best golfer in the world. She was 17th before the Chevron Championship. Also, after her win, she earned 60 points toward the 2025 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award and became the leader in the points standings. That’s right. The Rolex ANNIKA Major Award honors the LPGA Tour player with the most exceptional performance across all five major championships in a single season.

Last year, Nelly Korda won the award, accumulating 84 points. The number one golfer won the Chevron Championship and had a T26 finish at the Amundi Evian Championship and a stunning tied T2 finish at the AIG Women’s Open. Despite missing the cut at both the U.S. Women’s Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, her overall performance was still strong enough to secure her a spot. So, one can guess that Saigo’s step is a big one, as she earned 60 points with a single win.

The road won’t be easy by any means. Mao Saigo will have to start with the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin, from May 29 to June 1. The field is still stacked with golfers like Yuka Saso, another Japanese star who won the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open, Lydia Ko, Lilia Vu, and more. Although the path looks very tough right now, with her ‘laser-focused’ approach on the greens, things may get even better for the 1x major champion.

Mao Saigo just thinks about the ball on the greens

“Last year it was a very intense competition,” Saigo recalled as she was unable to make the cut at the 2024 Chevron Championship. However, things are better this year, as she admitted, “I was so close, but I was not able to make it. It was very disappointing. This year I was able to win and earn the LPGA title, and I’m extremely excited about this.” The first victory demanded full commitment from her, and she gave that. “I was so laser-focused and nervous and really in the zone,” revealed the golfer.

On top of that, she was up against Thai golfer Ariya Jutanugarn, Chinese golfer Yin Ruoning, American golfer Lindy Duncan, and South Korean golfer Kim Hyo-Joo at the Playoffs. It’s tough to handle the pressure when the stakes are too high. However, she narrowed her focus and thought about the ball and nothing else. To this, she added, “All I could think of is the ball in front of me. I couldn’t see anything else. I was shaking from nervousness, but I did my best to calm down, and I shot, and it went in.” 

Now that Mao Saigo has taken another step towards her goal, how do you think things would turn out for her? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!