NW ARKANSAS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 19, 2025

Mao Saigo

Q. All right, here with Mao Saigo after her first round here at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G. Ton of birdies on the scorecard today. Just what was working so well?

MAO SAIGO: So I was hitting my shots very well, putting very well, making lots of birdies. On back nine my shots were getting a little bit right to left, but I was able to save good bogeys, make more birdies. Overall it was pretty good.

Q. I heard you talking with Lilia in scoring. You hit off the cart path. What was the story with that?

MAO SAIGO: So I hit in the water on my second shot, and my fourth shot was missed shot, too, which end up on the cart path.

It was still in the penalty area so couldn't take a free drop. So I had to decide to hit like off the cart path. That was the best shot from the cart path in my life.

Q. What hole was that?

MAO SAIGO: 7.

Q. You were extremely accurate off the tee. You hit all 13 fairways. Was that the key to success out there?

MAO SAIGO: Yeah, so we had a pretty far (indiscernible) today, so keeping on the fairway is one of the key for the good round. So I was kind of focused on keeping on the fairway.

Q. What will you take from this round into the weekend?

MAO SAIGO: Keep hitting the way I hit for the day through the weekend, and just, you know, focus on my shot.