At Royal Lytham & St Annes this past weekend, Shiho Kuwaki emerged victorious in the Women’s British Open, clinching the title after a dramatic playoff against Esther Henseleit. The 23-year-old golfer from Okayama, Japan, secured her first major championship in a fiercely contested sudden death round.
Kuwaki’s triumph marks a significant moment for Japanese golf, as she becomes the second consecutive Japanese winner of the AIG Women’s Open, following Miyu Yamashita’s success in the previous year. This back-to-back achievement underscores Japan’s growing prominence on the women’s golf stage.
How Shiho Kuwaki Became Japan’s Second Straight AIG Women’s Open Winner
After completing the final round with a score of 70, Kuwaki finished at 5-under 279, setting the stage for a gripping conclusion. Esther Henseleit answered with a remarkable 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, forcing the playoff.
The first playoff hole saw Kuwaki skillfully navigating thick rough to position her wedge shot just three feet from the hole, allowing her to save par. Henseleit, facing a 15-foot birdie opportunity, was unable to convert, extending the sudden death battle.
Ultimately, the championship was decided on the second playoff hole. Henseleit’s drive veered into a bush, compelling her to punch out back to the fairway. Although she managed to land her approach shot close, her par putt missed. Kuwaki then calmly sank a tap-in to seal her victory.
Earlier in the final round, Yealimi Noh held a commanding three-shot lead through the front nine but faltered with consecutive bogeys, finishing solo third at 4-under. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Nelly Korda closed her round with a 68, concluding the tournament tied for fourth place at 2-under.