Ashleigh Buhai\u00a0fired a final round of 68 (-4) to win the 2023 Investec South African Women\u2019s Open at Steenberg Golf Club.<\/p>\n
The South African superstar had held a four-shot lead since the midway mark and maintained that advantage on the final day.<\/p>\n
Buhai rolled in six birdies and two bogeys on the fourth day of competition to seal her fifth LET title with a score of 22-under-par and win this tournament for the fourth time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m over the world right now,\u201d\u00a0said the Major champion.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m ecstatic to have got the job done. My goal was to come in here and win this week. I tried to play it down because it\u2019s a lot of pressure and I knew it was going to be difficult. Now, I\u2019ve got it done and over the line I\u2019m really happy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always important for me to try and play the Investec SA Women\u2019s Open when I can, unfortunately the scheduling didn\u2019t work out in the last few years with it moving due to Covid but I\u2019m happy even though it was at the end of a four-week run. I was a little tired at the beginning of the week but obviously, now I\u2019m thrilled I was able to come back and play it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith what I\u2019m doing at the moment between my golf swing and the mental side, I just need to stick it. Don\u2019t try to reinvent the wheel and hopefully, I can keep up this consistency, that\u2019s what my main goal is to become more consistent and give myself a chance every now and then to win a golf tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n
The\u00a02022 AIG Women\u2019s Open\u00a0champion began her day with a birdie on the first and then made three birdies on the trot between holes four and six, before adding another on the ninth.<\/p>\n
It was a tougher back nine for Buhai with bogeys on 15 and 17, but she finished in style with a birdie on 18 to win her home tournament for the first time since 2018.<\/p>\n
She explained:\u00a0\u201cIt was great to start off with a birdie especially after yesterday when I made a bogey. I hit a good putt on two and three, birdied four and five. I just kept it going.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the back nine, I felt I hit good shots, I was just in between yardages and the wind got a little bit trickier. Luckily, I had that big lead, so I could just hit it to the space on the green and take my two putts and they had to come chasing. I did what I had to do to get the job done.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very proud of myself with how I battled through and also Dave keeping me in it especially yesterday, trying not to exert energy. Today my energy was back and it showed with the way I came out and I did really commit to hitting those golf shots.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure there will be a celebratory brie tonight! We\u2019ve got a few family and friends here so it\u2019s going to be nice to be able to share it with them.\u201d<\/p>\n