Shiho Kuwaki wins AIG Women’s Open playoff
Shiho Kuwaki poses in front of the iconic Royal and Lytham clubhouse – image R&A via Getty Images
Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki recorded a final round of 1 under 70 to come from three behind the 54-hole lead at the AIG Women’s Open Championship and then emerge the winner of a two-hole playoff against Germany’s Esther Henseleit.
Playing two groups ahead of Henseleit and third round leader, Yealimi Noh, Kuwaki birdied the second before dropping shots at the fourth and fifth and holes but on a day where blustery winds and tough pin positions made an already demanding Royal Lytham & St Annes layout even more so, the 23 year old played her last 13 holes in 2 under and waited while those behind tried to match her 5 under total.
Kuwaki, who has been a prolific winner on the Japan LPGA Tour but without status on the LPGA Tour, needed to wait 25 minutes or so while the final two groups attempted to join the leader, and it boiled down to the final pairing of Noh and Henseleit needing to birdie the last to do just that.
Both found the green, but Henseleit, from some 40 feet away, holed out, ensuring the event would need extra holes to determine the winner.
Kuwaki and Henseleit returned to the 18th, and it would be Kuwaki who found the thick rough short of a fairway bunker and could only advance her second 70 yards or so. Henseleit, in the meantime, hit her approach to 25 feet and appeared to have the front running before Kuwaki pitched from 100 yards to 4 feet. Henseleit missed, and Kuwaki holed for par, and so it was back to the 18th once again.
Henseleit’s tee shot at the second attempt was right and heading close to the gorse bushes before it hit a Marshall’s foot and bounced right into a near unplayable lie. Kuwaki had found the fairway and waited as Henseleit advanced her ball about 60 yards to set up a very similar but reverse situation to the first playoff hole after Kuwaki’s second finished 25 feet left of the hole.
Henseleit pitched to 15 feet or so but on a similar line to her remarkable birdie putt in regulation time, she was unable to save par, and when Kuwaki two-putted for par the title had gone to Japan for the second consecutive year and for the fourth time in the history of the event.
Overnight leader, Yealimi Noh, from the USA finished third on four-under-par after a closing 74 while World numbers one and two Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul tied for fourth place on two-under, with English pair Lottie Woad and Charley Hull and South Korea’s Haeran Ryu a shot further back.
“I just can’t believe it,” said the champion. “I was planning to go play in Q-School later this year so I don’t have to worry about that anymore. Yeah, just to have all those things you said coming my way is just something that’s very, very special and hasn’t quite sunk in yet.”
When asked about her style on the golf course, Kuwaki responded: “I’m not one of the longest hitters, but I feel like my accuracy allows me to compete, and that’s something I am very proud of.
“I was planning to go play in Q-School later this year so I don’t have to worry about that anymore. Just to have all those things coming my way is just something that’s very, very special and hasn’t quite sunk in yet.”
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko finished as the leading Australasian in 20th place. Ko birdied the second hole to move within three of what would eventually be the playoff score but played the remaining 16 holes in 4 over par to finish at 2 over.
Fellow New Zealander Amelia Garvey posted one of her best performances in professional golf, with a six-birdie final round of 68 to finish 3 over and tied for 23rd.
Hannah Green was another shot further back while Robyn Choi struggled to a final round of 78 to finish in a share of 47th.
