Ashleigh Buhai

Twenty years on from Ernie Els' Open triumph at Muirfield, Ashleigh Buhai overcame a big wobble to follow her fellow South African into the winners' circle.

She asked the question with a brilliant approach and Buhai blinked by finding the greenside bunker on the right with her second. Els played a stunning bunker shot from the other side of the green in 2002. At the moment, the gap to Chun was one but a hole ahead, Chun found a bunker on 10. Finding a bunker off the tee was the start of the troubles. A heavy-handed chip left her with a 15-footer which she missed, meaning she walked off the green with a triple-bogey seven. A hack advanced the ball only 20 yards and she came up short of the green with her fourth. But an error came on nine, as she found a bunker off the tee and chalked up a bogey. At the fourth extra hole, it was Chun who faltered off the tee and Buhai held nerve to claim a maiden major title. Chun made a terrible mistake on 12, short-siding herself on the left. Buhai stood on the 15th tee with a three-shot lead. “It is a lot of hard work, many years of dedication, and there are lots of South Africans at home with grey hair right now,” Buhai said at the presentation. Buhai built her lead -it stood at five shots overnight- on the back of confident, controlled golf.

With the light fading, the South African golfer made a superb bunker shot on the fourth playoff hole to leave herself with a short par putt, while Chun settled ...

On the first, Chun sent her second shot into a bunker while Buhai found the heart of the green. “Forgive me, there will be a few tears,” Buhai said during the trophy presentation. “But I’m very proud of myself, the way I dug deep and kept myself in it to get into that playoff.” This was the first time the Women’s British Open was played at Muirfield, a club that didn’t even allow female members until 2019 following a vote two years earlier. “My caddie said to me on the last one, I don’t want to brag, but she said ‘Show them why you’re No. 1 in bunkers this year.’ So, you know, she gave me the confidence. Maybe it’s got something to do with Muirfield and South Africans and bunker shots.”

Leona Maguire wasn't a million miles away from being involved in the playoff that ultimately decided this historic AIG Women's Open at Muirfield, ...

But it was from there she produced the shot of a champion, splashing out to a couple of feet. Then, it was about Buhai. After her drive found the middle of the fairway, her approach was pushed right into a greenside bunker. Buhai had started the final round with destiny in her own hands, carrying in a five stroke lead, but one which whittled away to the point it disappeared entirely. Maguire could most surely reflect on what might have been, for last year’s star of Europe’s Solheim Cup win brought that team performance into her own world with a stunning final round that saw her finish three shots adrift of the two who fought it out in the play-off. This may have been the fifth and final Major championship of the year, but – again – Maguire proved she has the DNA for these toughest of tests. It just would have been nice to be a few shots further up the leader board heading into today but overall I have learned a lot from this week and it’s nice to be sort of knocking on the door again,” said Maguire, who added €330,000 to her LPGA Tour winnings for a season that has already seen her register a breakthrough tournament win.

Two decades after her idol Ernie Els won the Open at Muirfield, South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai followed in his footsteps after a dramatic finish to the ...

Both players missed the green on the second extra hole and hit poor third shots before Chun inexplicably charged her par putt eight feet past the hole, but the 27-year-old recovered her composure to salvage a bogey after Buhai’s long par attempt came up short. The players returned to the 18th for extra holes and Chun brilliantly saved par from a greenside bunker to keep her hopes alive, with Buhai two-putting from long range. After her birdie putt on the par-five 17th caught the edge of the hole and stayed out, Buhai had to hole from four feet on the last to force a play-off after charging her long birdie attempt past the hole.

Two decades after her idol Ernie Els won the Open at Muirfield, South Africas Ashleigh Buhai followed in his footsteps after a dramatic finish to the ...

Despite the fading light and dropping temperature, Chun and Buhai both hit superb shots into the green on the third extra hole, but neither was able to convert. Both players missed the green on the second extra hole and hit poor third shots before Chun inexplicably charged her par putt eight feet past the hole, but the 27-year-old recovered her composure to salvage a bogey after Buhai's long par attempt came up short. The players returned to the 18th for extra holes and Chun brilliantly saved par from a greenside bunker to keep her hopes alive, with Buhai two-putting from long range.

It took 15 years of hard work and patience, and 76 holes of determination at Muirfield. Now, South African Ashleigh Buhai is a major champion.

With a thrilling four days at Muirfield, Buhai finally added her name to the LPGA Tour record books. Buhai’s 6-footer for par came up just short, leaving her a tap-in for bogey, and Chun nailed the comebacker to force another hole. On the third trip back to No. 18, Buhai’s birdie attempt was right on line, but heartbreakingly died to the left. Buhai had a prime opportunity at No. 17 to reclaim the lead. But it all went haywire at No. 15 for Buhai, who found a fairway bunker off the tee and hit out sideways, needing two shots to escape the deep rough. Buhai became the 44th player to become a Rolex First-Time Winner at a major championship.

Buhai kept her composure to beat In Gee Chun -- and the setting sun -- in a playoff at Muirfield on Sunday for her first career victory in an LPGA Tour event.

But the South Korean hit a near-perfect bunker shot to within a few feet of the hole to salvage the par. Chun was in trouble on the first two playoff holes, but her short game bailed her out both times. This was the first time the Women's Open was played at Muirfield, a club that didn't even allow female members until 2019 following a vote two years earlier. "But I'm very proud of myself, the way I dug deep and kept myself in it to get into that playoff.'' "My caddie said to me on the last one, I don't want to brag, but she said, 'Show them why you're No. 1 in bunkers this year.' So, you know, she gave me the confidence. With the light fading, the South African golfer made a superb bunker shot on the fourth playoff hole to leave herself with a short par putt, while Chun settled for a bogey.

South African Ashleigh Buhail defeated Chun In-gee after four extra holes having let a big lead slip with a triple bogey on the 15th hole.

This was, again, Buhai’s to lose and this time from the middle of the fairway. On the first re-playing of the 18th, Chun had a wonderful shot from a greenside bunker to rescue a four. On hole 74, Chun fluffed a chip from left of the green. At the last, the eventual champion rattled her putt for a three past the hole. Buhai advanced the ball 10 yards, with her fourth shot just short of the green. For Buhai, glory and $1.1m from a major she looked at one point determined to give away.

Buhai survived losing the lead late in the final round and required four extra holes to defeat South Korea's In Gee Chun.

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Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa holds an impressive five-shot lead heading into the final round at the AIG Women's Open.

The wind is going to blow, which is good. To be able to I think shoot that score in those conditions, you have to be able to pat yourself on the back,” said Buhai after her impressive third round. “So much so that I thought I was 6-under, not 7, so I was 8-under playing the last, which I think I have to look back is probably one of the best rounds of golf I’ve ever played.”

Ashleigh Buhai survived a violent wobble late in her final round to win the AIG Women's Open at the fourth playoff hole against Korea's In Ghee Chun at ...

Eventually, the South African stroked home her par putt to spark wild celebrations from her husband and supporters on the green. On a nervy afternoon, Buhai was out in a one-over par 37, marked by bogeys at the 2nd and 9th and a birdie at the 6th. In the end, Buhai had to hole a knee-knocking four footer to force a playoff, which dragged on for a further hour as it took four holes to separate the pair.

Two decades after her idol Ernie Els won the Open at Muirfield, South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai followed in his footsteps after a dramatic finish to the ...

Two decades after her idol Ernie Els won the Open at Muirfield, South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai followed in his footsteps after a dramatic finish to the £6million AIG Women’s Open. After her birdie putt on the par-five 17th caught the edge of the hole and stayed out, Buhai had to hole from four feet on the last to force a play-off after charging her long birdie attempt past the hole. Two decades after her idol Ernie Els won the Open at Muirfield, South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai followed in his footsteps after a dramatic finish to the £6million AIG Women’s Open.

South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai savoured a “life-changing” achievement after defeating three-time major winner In Gee Chun in a play-off to win ...

Local News Local News Had a few chances coming in, would have been nice to hole a couple more putts, but it was tough out there and definitely my best golf of the week so far.

With four holes to go, it seemed that Ashleigh Buhai was on her way to a first LPGA Tour and Major title in 221 starts. However, after finding a bunker off ...

A double bogey putt lacked any conviction, as it came up well shy of the target, after tapping-in, she was back into a share of the lead with Chun. Now a freelance writer for Golf Monthly and the PGA, he covers all aspects of the game, from Tour news to equipment testing and buyers’ guides. For Buhai, it wasn't quite a disaster, Chun was up ahead and, following a par at the last, Buhai knew she would need a one-under score over the last two holes to win. Although unclear as to whether she could take a stance to get back to the fairway, the South African played it into the thick rough. Buhai though has been one of the big scorers this week and, thanks to a run of pars whilst others struggled, she extended the lead to three. With four holes to go, it seemed that Ashleigh Buhai was on her way to a first LPGA Tour and Major title in 221 starts.

Two decades after her idol Ernie Els won the Open at Muirfield, South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai followed in his footsteps after a dramatic finish to the &po.

Local News Local News Local News

South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai clinched the first Major of her career by winning the 2022 AIG Women's Open after a four-hole playoff.

I have always said the AIG Women’s Open is my favourite event of the year, so to be called a champion is a true honour.” It played like should, it was firm and fast, and the wind did what it was supposed to do to be a true test. She added: “It is so difficult to put into words now what it means, I think it might only hit me in a few days. On the last, my caddie said to me ‘show them why you are number one in bunkers this year’, she gave me the confidence and maybe it’s also something to do with Muirfield and South Africans and bunker shots.” For me to a be female South African Major winner, it is life changing. “I know there is a lot of people in South Africa with lots of grey hairs right now – especially after that 15th hole!

1. Buhai started playing golf at the age of 6 and credits her dad as the individual with the most influence over her career.

5. In her third event as a professional, she won the 2007 Catalonia Ladies Masters. In the process she became the youngest ever professional winner on the Ladies European Tour 4. She represented her country in the mainly professional Women's World Cup of Golf three times while still an amateur and turned professional on her 18th birthday 2. She enjoyed a successful amateur career, becoming the youngest player to win the Ladies’ South African Amateur Stroke Play and Match Play

The 33-year-old South African won the AIG Women's British Open despite a late triple bogey, taking the title in a dramatic four-hole playoff over In Gee ...

Only once on that almost fateful 15th tee did she succumb to the fault strong wind most commonly causes—the shorter than normal backswing that leads to a loss of timing and less than satisfactory impact conditions. Today, Buhai is the AIG Women’s Open champion, a first-time winner on the LPGA Tour and $1,095,000 richer after she followed her compatriots, Open champions Gary Player and Ernie Els, in claiming a major title over the peerless East Lothian links. She is also the first female South African to win a major since Sally Little claimed the LPGA Championship in 1980, nine years before Buhai was born. Before this week in what is now a 15-year professional career Buhai had just three Ladies European Tour wins to her name and only one top-10 finish (alongside 20 missed cuts) in 42 major championship starts, a T-5 in the Women’s Open Championship at Woburn three years ago. Seven times she failed to qualify for the weekend, most recently one week earlier at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open. A lowly 84th on the Rolex World Rankings, she was a relatively unheralded 50th on the LPGA’s Race to CME Globe points list. I’m proud of the fact that I hit that fairway every time.” It all added up to a triple-bogey 7 and the complete disappearance of the aforementioned lead. Off the 15th tee, the South African made the error you just can’t make at Muirfield—home of 147 bunkers, most of them deep. Or the one that was nearly told. But that rather pedestrian description doesn’t begin to tell the tale that has to be told. Nick Price’s sad deterioration over the last six holes at Royal Troon to lose the 1982 Open is another. Doug Sanders missing from three feet to win the 1970 Open at St. Andrews is one example.

Ashleigh Buhai recovered from throwing away a five-shot lead at the AIG Women's Open by beating In Gee Chun in a playoff.

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