The final group of the 2025 Chevron Championship has one of the more unique stories of the season so far, Haeran Ryu and Mao Saigo are tied for the lead and in the final grouping on Sunday.
Saigo and Ryu share something in common, they are the last two winners of the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award.
Haeran Ryu won the award in 2023 on a season where she had 25 starts, making the cut in 21 of them. In those 21 made cuts, Ryu had six top-10 finishes and three top-five finishes. She got her first career victory on tour at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, winning by three strokes over Linnea Ström.
Of course, Ryu just continued to improve in 2024, having one of the most consistent seasons in the world. Ryu made 23 cuts in 26 starts, finishing in the top 10 13 times and the top three seven times. She got her second career win at the FM Championship in Boston.
Saigo had a bit of a different journey in her first full season on tour. Despite being part of a strong rookie class, nobody won an event, but Saigo clinched her title the last week of the season at the CME Group Tour Championship. Saigo made 24 cuts in 29 starts and had seven top-10 finishes.
Saigo is still looking for her first career win, and this week would be quite the time to do it.
