Ashleigh Buhai

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.”

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. “Obviously there’s a lot of hard work and many years of dedication going into this.” “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.”

Ashleigh Buhai recovered from throwing away a five-shot lead to secure a dramatic play-off victory and maiden major title at the AIG Women's Open.

Buhai hacked out of a fairway bunker into the rough and barely advanced her ball with her next effort, then missed the green with her fourth shot and two-putted for a triple-bogey seven. Buhai made a two-putt par on the first extra hole, where Chun produced a spectacular up and down from the greenside bunker, while Chun then holed from eight feet to scramble a bogey at the next after Buhai had failed to save par from the sand. Buhai made a clutch par-save at the first but failed to get up and down to avoid a dropped shot at the next, as Chun - playing in the group ahead - made birdies at the second and fourth holes to cut her lead to two shots.

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.

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.

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.

Ashleigh Buhai joins a storied list of Muirfield champions that includes Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Tom Watson and Lee Trevino.

Buhai met her husband, David, at a golf academy in Johannesburg and the couple began dating long distance 15 years ago. Buhai, née Simon, began playing golf at age 6 and has been the face of women’s golf in South Africa since she was a teenager. Standing on the 15th tee, Buhai held a three-shot lead when her worst drive of the week found a poor lie in a fairway bunker. Buhai became the third South African to win a British Open at Muirfield, joining her heroes Els and Gary Player, who won in 1959. The pair traded sudden-death blows down the 18th four times, with the Muirfield clubhouse providing a dramatic backdrop. During a practice round at Muirfield, Ashleigh Buhai pulled up a YouTube video of Ernie Els’ magnificent bunker shot on the par-3 13th from his victory 20 years ago for inspiration.

MUIRFIELD, Scotland (AP) — After seeing a five-shot lead slip away in the final round, Ashleigh Buhai still managed to secure a first major title at t...

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.”