THE WOODLANDS, Texas — American Lindy Duncan fell short in the largest playoff in women's major Championship history, bogeying the first playoff hole at the Chevron Championship Sunday at the Carlton Woods Nicklaus Course.

Japan’s Mao Saigo birdied to win the five-woman playoff.

Duncan started the final day in the last group and just one shot out of the lead. As an 11-year LPGA veteran at age 34, still seeking her first win, she stayed steady as others drifted in and out of the lead early.

She had an eagle putt from off the green at the par-5 18th to win in regulation and ran it past the hole, but canned the comeback 12-footer to make the playoff.

“I have so many great memories for this day and I will remember the putt I made [to make the playoff] forever,” Duncan said. “That is the loudest I have ever heard the crowd on the golf course.”

In the wild playoff fivesome she was the last to tee off on the first playoff hole, but her drive found the rough left of the fairway and was the shortest of the group.

“There was no way I could go for the green in two shots. I was in the rough, pointed down in the grass and 235 yards from the pin,” she said.

Her wedge landed on the front of the green and spun back, coming to rest against a brick wall. After taking free relief, her fourth chip sailed long and, this time, she missed the comeback putt for par.

“In the past, I would have been quick to hit the panic button, but I stayed calm and was proud of what I was able to do today,” Duncan added.

In regulation play, she never had a share of the lead until rolling in a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-4 14th hole. That didn’t last long as she bogeyed the water-guarded par-4 15th, sending her approach shot over the green and failing to get up and down for par.

She added another bogey on the par-4 16th, and was two back with two holes to play, but refused to quit and arrived at 18 only down one after a Ariya Jutanugarn bogey.

Duncan was just to the left of the green in two shots and chose to putt from off the green. She missed the eagle try but rolled in a 12-putt for birdie to make the playoff, punctuated with a fist pump and a long hug with her caddie Stephen Nuby.

American Sarah Schmelzel started the final round just two shots out of the lead, trying to win her first LPGA title at age 30, but began the Sunday round with back-to back bogeys then added three more on holes 9, 10 and 12, ultimately leaving her in a tie for sixth.

Schmelzel and Duncan were the only Americans in the top 10; Angel Yin finished 13th while pre-tournament favorite Nelly Korda and semi-retired Lexi Thompson finished in a tie for 14th.

Thompson shook off a poor first-round 73 with a Friday 67, then a Saturday 70 had her three shots off the lead going to Sunday.

But three front-nine bogeys without a birdie dropped her out of contention. Thompson announced her retirement from full-time golf last April and this was only her fourth tournament of the year as she is mainly concentrating major championships.

“I have two brothers at home so I’m always going to be competitive, but the biggest difference is more vacations for sure. And not feeling bad about them,” she said. “I have a lot bigger breaks in between events than a normal player would, but it's nice. It's my 15th year. It's very, I think, well-deserved. I'm enjoying my off time and still practicing when I can.”


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lindy Duncan Falls Short in Chevron Playoff, But Just Getting There Was a Win.