Golf: Mao Saigo sinks rare albatross, moves up to 2nd at LPGA Classic
Japanese golfer Mao Saigo scored a rare albatross Saturday on her way to a 6-under-par 65 that will see her tee off the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic trailing leader Lee Il Hee of South Korea by one stroke.
The 23-year-old Saigo, a major winner at April's Chevron Championship, added to her highlight reel when she holed out with her second shot from 214 yards on the par-5 3rd hole at Seaview's Bay Course.
She also had five birdies and a pair of bogeys to finish the second round of the 54-hole tournament tied for second at 10 under with compatriot Ayaka Furue, as well as Americans Jennifer Kupcho and Elizabeth Szokol.
"I wasn't that accurate with my irons and off the tee, but I'm happy with my score," said Saigo, who already has four top-10 finishes in her brief LPGA career. "I didn't think the albatross was going in."
Furue had five birdies in a bogey-free round of 66, while Lee followed her opening 63 with a 68.
Japan's Miyu Yamashita and Chisato Iwai, who secured her first LPGA win at last month's Mexico Riviera Maya Open, both shot 66 to join four others tied for sixth at 8 under.
Related coverage:
Golf: Takeda finishes 2nd as Stark wins U.S. Women's Open
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Kyodo News
3 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: July 28, 2025
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Japan Today
a day ago
- Japan Today
'Oddball' Ichiro faced hardship head-on in decorated career
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The Mainichi
2 days ago
- The Mainichi
Baseball: 'Oddball' Ichiro faced hardship head-on in decorated career
KOBE (Kyodo) -- Reflecting on his journey to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Ichiro Suzuki said choosing the difficult path meant he confronted challenges head-on, allowing him to develop his famed mental strength. When he was in the third year of elementary school, Ichiro began to work out with his father every afternoon instead of playing with friends. "My father said to me, 'If you want to become a professional ballplayer, you don't have time to play after school. I'll practice with you if you can continue every day,' so my father and I promised to do that," the Seattle Mariners icon said in a recent interview with Kyodo News. "Once it began, it was quite painful for an elementary school kid, but my goal was clear since then." For high school baseball in his native Aichi Prefecture, Ichiro, who is widely known by just his first name, picked a military-style life in Aikodai Meiden's dormitory over Toho, where he could stay at the team's manager's house. He said dormitory life was stricter and harder than he expected, describing it as "a real hell." "The same goes for my decision to go to America. Everyone thought I was headed on a big adventure. Even looking back now, it was a tough decision," Ichiro said. He initially wanted to go pro as a pitcher before a traffic accident in his second year of high school led him in a different direction. While playing first base during his rehabilitation, he developed a case of the "yips" that made him reconsider playing on the mound. "It turned out to be good, since I was able to concentrate on being a position player, but the time I spent worrying about whether I would become a pro was so stressful, and I felt desperate," Ichiro said. "I was lucky enough to be drafted (by the Orix BlueWave), but it wasn't until around 1998 that I overcame (the yips). It took me six to seven years, but overcoming the symptoms that are hard for anyone to beat gave me a lot of confidence." In 2001, Ichiro defied the preseason odds to win both the American League MVP and Rookie of the Year awards, hitting .350 and stealing 56 bases for the Mariners. Ichiro said he endured setbacks when his 200-hit streak ended after 10 seasons and when his move to the New York Yankees in 2012 saw him lose his status as a regular starter. Asked how he managed to persevere during those periods, Ichiro said, "I can't digest those feelings, so I had no choice but to keep playing despite feeling frustrated." Ichiro retired as a Mariner in 2019 after having 1,278 hits in nine seasons in Japan and 3,089 hits in his 19-year major league career. Meanwhile, Ichiro has questioned today's data-driven game and the increasing lack of individuality. "It's getting harder to see players' true feelings. It seems like many are prioritizing not getting involved in any trouble (by making textbook comments). It's like there's no praise or criticism," he said. After his retirement, Ichiro has visited high schools, including Aikodai Meiden, to instruct young players and has pitched in games against female all-star teams. His team Kobe Chiben is scheduled to play a game against a girls' high-school all-star team at Vantelin Dome Nagoya on Aug. 31. The game will also feature other former major leaguers Hideki Matsui, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Kazuo Matsui. In early June, Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima's death shocked the country. His former Yomiuri Giants teammate and Nippon Professional Baseball all-time home run leader Sadaharu Oh reflected that Nagashima kept moving forward and never retreated throughout his life. Asked if he can relate, Ichiro said, "I would say: I follow my own will and act based on my belief. My image is 'I'm moving forward to the horizon.' Some people say 'they are climbing to new heights.' I haven't had that kind of feeling since my playing days." "Ideally, I want to run just a little ahead of other people. But if I'm too far ahead, then I'll end up looking like an oddball."
