Girls’s British Open: Ashleigh Buhai rallies from late collapse to win first main title in playoff

August 8, 2022

The South African had held a five-stroke lead heading into Sunday’s ultimate spherical, however a disastrous triple bogey on the fifteenth gap noticed three-time main champion Chun In-gee draw degree at 10-under to drive a sudden demise playoff.

Matching one another for par, bogey, par, the pair couldn’t be separated after three rounds of the 18th gap, but the breakthrough got here on the fourth time of asking when Chun drove her tee shot right into a bunker.

Because the South Korean bogeyed, an excellent strategy shot from the sand left Buhai needing to faucet residence to win with par, and the 33-year-old made no mistake to take her maiden main victory on the first ever Girls’s Open held at Muirfield.

It makes Buhai the primary South African to win the occasion since Alison Sheard in 1979 and ends a 34-year look forward to the nation’s subsequent ladies’s main champion after Sally Little’s victory on the du Maurier Traditional in 1988.

Taking part in host to ladies golfers for the primary time, Muirfield already held particular significance for the South African males’s recreation because the stage of first Open wins for legendary duo Gary Participant and Ernie Els in 1959 and 2002, respectively.

“It is an enormous honor to have extra South African success right here,” Buhai informed reporters.

“To observe these two greats [Els and Player], two of my idols rising up, and for us to play right here for the primary time at Muirfield, making historical past, I am very, very honored and really, very proud to be South African proper now.

“I am somewhat overwhelmed to be sincere. I am making an attempt to take a breath, however it’s clearly implausible to win this championship … it is a dream come true,” she added.

‘It has been a protracted journey’

Having turned skilled in 2007, triumph at Muirfield marks Buhai’s first win on the LPGA Tour, with the $1,095,000 prize lifting her profession earnings to $3,503,926, in accordance with the LPGA web site.

The South African has gained thrice on the Girls European Tour — together with an early win on the Catalonia Girls Masters — however after a fifth-place end on the 2019 Open in Woburn had marked her finest profession efficiency at a significant, Muirfield represents an unprecedented new peak.

“It has been a protracted journey,” Buhai stated.

“I turned professional once I was 18, there have been lots of issues anticipated of me. I gained straight off the bat on the Girls European Tour, however this recreation has a method of supplying you with a tough time.

“I am simply so happy with how I’ve caught it out. I’ve stated, the final 4 or 5 years, I’ve lastly began to search out my toes on the LPGA and felt I may compete, and though I am 33 now, I really feel I am taking part in one of the best golf of my profession.

“It has been a protracted journey, however man, it is all price it proper now.”

Buhai’s first main win was a becoming encapsulation of that journey. After roaring right into a commanding lead by taking pictures 70, 65, 64 throughout the primary three rounds on the par-71 course, the South African sliding in direction of an agonizing collapse on the shut.

After sinking eight birdies Saturday, Buhai made only one all through the whole thing of the ultimate spherical, as her four-over 75 opened the door for Chun to reel her in with a one-under 70.

In search of so as to add the British Open to her three main titles, together with a win on the PGA Championship in June, a runner-up end marked the closest the South Korean has come to profitable the occasion.

“I am at all times pleased to complete in a great place,” Chun informed reporters. “I felt like I had an important season, and I’ve extra tournaments coming sooner or later.

“I feel now I’ve lots of confidence I can play nicely at hyperlinks programs.”

Regardless of an eagle on the fifth gap, Japan’s Hinako Shibuno missed out on making the playoff by a stroke after carding an even-71.

Eire’s Leona Maguire, Sweden’s Madelene Sagström and Australia’s Minjee Lee tied for fourth at 7-under, with newly topped Evian Championship winner Brooke Henderson among the many group two photographs behind in seventh.