What transpired Saturday at Ko Olina is why we watch sports. Drama, straight out of nowhere.

The youngster taking on the established veteran.

The up-and-comer breaking through and making the 10-time winner sweat, forcing a playoff.

Lizette Salas started the final round of the Lotte Championship tied for fifth, five strokes off the pace set by Suzann Pettersen.

She shot a 67 in Friday’s third round to get her there … but was "there" close enough to make a serious run at Pettersen and whoever else between them might heat up?

Was a second-year pro who had recently shot a 79 in the fourth round at the Kraft Nabisco ready to trade punches down the stretch with some of the top-ranked players in the world?

An eagle and a barrage of birdies later, and we had our answer. A 62 … yes, that might do.

When Salas followed a couple of birdies on the front nine by holing her second shot on the par-4 10th, it was game on.

"The best swing of the week, obviously," she said.

Salas meant HER best swing. But it was the best swing of the entire tournament, by anyone (including the two holes-in-one) because it gave the final round some intrigue when it looked like Pettersen would run away with it.

Then Salas’ birdie run of five in a row on the back nine, including the 10-foot putt on No. 15 that had her mom yelling, "That’s my girl!"

She seemed unstoppable at that point. But, "Even when you’re hot, all the putts won’t fall," Salas said, and it’s true. They didn’t at 17 and 18, a 15-footer just an inch short and a 10-footer that lipped out.

AND THEN SPLASH in the playoff, and that’s that.

Thanks for the excitement, but you’ll have to notch your first win another time.

If she keeps putting herself in position like she has recently, it will probably be soon. Late Saturday at Ko Olina it looked like it was going to be here and now for Salas, but the veteran Pettersen was just good enough down the stretch.

Salas has come too far to stop now. She wasn’t born with a golden tee in her hand. But she did get some homemade clubs from her father, who was the head mechanic at Azusa Greens Golf Course. Then to USC and now the LPGA, proving doubters wrong all along the way.

Nancy Lopez befriended her about a year ago, and Salas credits her as a mentor.

"She’s teaching me how to bring out that fighter in me," Salas said. "Before I used to be scared to let it out because I wasn’t sure how to manage it."

Of course there were some jitters for Lizette Salas on Saturday down the stretch. But they were the good kind, the kind that make you excited for the next time.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783.