Shiho Kuwaki wins British Open after gripping sudden death playoff

LYTHAM ST ANNES, England — Shiho Kuwaki won the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes after defeating Germany’s Esther Henseleit in a dramatic double playoff.

Kuwaki was the clubhouse leader on 5-under-par when Henseleit’s dropped a monster 40ft putt to birdie the 18th, taking the final major of the year to a sudden death playoff. After both players shot par on the first extra hole, the 18th, they played it again.

It was then when Henseleit’s tee shot bounced off a marshal into a gorse bush, which put Kuwaki on course to win her first major and become the fourth Japanese player to win the British Open.

The 23-year-old’s name joins that of compatriots Ayako Okamoto (1984), Hinako Shibuno (2019) and last year’s champion golfer Miyū Yamashita — who failed to make the cut this weekend — onto the silver trophy.

Kuwaki, who plays on the Japan LPGA, and Henseleit were the only players in the last eight groups to end the day under par. As others dropped shots on the west Lancashire coast, Kuwaki also shot a couple of bogeys on holes No. 4 and 5. But birdies on the 2nd, 9th and 14th took her a step closer to the biggest win of her career.

American Yealimi Noh, who started the day with a three-shot lead and was also looking to land her first major title, missed out on the playoff by a single shot.

Shiho Kuwaki celebrates with her caddie on the 18th green. (Warren Little / Getty Images)

Up until the last, it was difficult to predict who would end the day victorious. Noh and Henseleit were just a shot behind after the 17th, putting the prospect of a playoff on the horizon — although neither had birdied the par-four 18th on the previous three days.

But when the pressure was at its highest, Henseleit produced a stunning birdie to take the competition to sudden death.

The world’s top two players, Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul, finished tied fourth on two under. For world number two Thitikul, who is still looking for a first major title, it was a 12th top-10 finish at a major championship.

World No.7 Charley Hull, who earlier in the week made headlines for her now-viral prank on her long-time caddie, shot a one-over 72 to finish at one under.

This is a breaking story.