South Africa\u2019s Ashleigh Buhai clinched the first Major of her career by winning the 2022 AIG Women\u2019s Open after a four-hole playoff.<\/p>\n
After being level on 10-under-par with Korea\u2019s In Gee Chun after 72 holes, it took four holes to separate the duo.<\/p>\n
It was a par on the fourth playoff hole, after a magnificent bunker shot, which saw Buhai secure her first LPGA Tour title and the AIG Women\u2019s Open crown.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a lot of hard work, and many years of dedication that went into this,\u201d she said. \u201cI know there is a lot of people in South Africa with lots of grey hairs right now \u2013 especially after that 15th<\/sup> hole! I\u2019m very proud of myself and how I dug deep and kept myself in it to get into the playoff.\u201d<\/p>\n The 33-year-old held a five-shot lead overnight after rounds of 70 (-1), 65 (-6) and 64 (-7) on the first three days at Muirfield.<\/p>\n But it wasn\u2019t the easiest final day for Buhai who dropped a shot on the second, before making a birdie on the fifth, and dropping another shot on the ninth.<\/p>\n The South African maintained her lead until the par-4 15th<\/sup> when she made a triple bogey which brought her back level with Chun and she kept her cool on the last to ensure she was in the playoff.<\/p>\n \u201cI was surprisingly calm,\u201d she explained. \u201cI kept going through my steps and my thoughts and like I said yesterday, my only thought was 40% and that\u2019s all I tried to do and stay in the moment. On the last, my caddie said to me \u2018show them why you are number one in bunkers this year\u2019, she gave me the confidence and maybe it\u2019s also something to do with Muirfield and South Africans and bunker shots.\u201d<\/p>\n Buhai follows in the steps of fellow South Africans Gary Player and Ernie Els, who won The Open Championship at Muirfield in 1959 and 2002, respectively.<\/p>\n After coming close in the 2019 edition of the AIG Women\u2019s Open, it meant a lot for the South African superstar to finally get over the line.<\/p>\n She added: \u201cIt is so difficult to put into words now what it means, I think it might only hit me in a few days. I\u2019m very proud. For me to a be female South African Major winner, it is life changing. I have always said the AIG Women\u2019s Open is my favourite event of the year, so to be called a champion is a true honour.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI loved this course. It played like should, it was firm and fast, and the wind did what it was supposed to do to be a true test. I\u2019d like to thank my family and my parents back home; I know they\u2019re watching right now \u2013 thank you for all your support! I\u2019d like to thank my coach Doug Wood and my mental coach Duncan McCarthy, my caddie Tanya Paterson and lastly my husband David Buhai.\u201d<\/p>\n Japan\u2019s Hinako Shibuno, the 2019 AIG Women\u2019s Open champion, finished in third place on nine-under-par with Ireland\u2019s Leona Maguire, Australia\u2019s Minjee Lee and Sweden\u2019s Madelene Sagstrom in a tie for fourth place on seven-under-par.<\/p>\n Six players rounded out the top ten and finished in a share of seventh place on five-under-par including three-time LET winner Celine Boutier, 2021 Race to Costa del Sol winner Atthaya Thitikul and two-time LET winner Steph Kyriacou.<\/p>\n The coveted Smyth Salver for low amateur was awarded to American Rose Zhang, who is the number one amateur in the world, after she finished in a tie for 28th<\/sup> place.<\/p>\n In the 2022 Race to Costa del Sol, Sweden\u2019s Maja Stark is still at the top of the rankings and has 2,412.64 points with compatriots Linn Grant in second and Johanna Gustavsson in third.<\/p>\n England\u2019s Georgia Hall moved up to eighth place, while 2022 AIG Women\u2019s Open champion Buhai has jumped from 125th<\/sup> up to 15th<\/sup> place and now has 745.20 points.<\/p>\n