Linksfield North golfer wins Women’s Open Championship in Muirfield, Scotland
Great skill and immaculate shots made for golfer Ashleigh Buhai victorious major championship win at the AIG Women’s Open.
Golfer Ashleigh Buhai whose home ground the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington, Linksfield North, is a major champion.
Author at SA Tour Golf Mike Green reported that the South African number one made par on the fourth play-off hole late on August 7. This enabled Buhai to win the American International Group (AIG) Women’s Open Championship at Muirfield and become only the second South African woman to win a major.
Green said it was fitting that it took a sublime bunker shot on that fourth extra hole to win her the title, given that two other South Africans have won majors at Muirfield – both amongst the greatest bunker players of their generations. Buhai joins Gary Player and Ernie Els as winners of major championships at Muirfield.
“Buhai would have thought the sweetness of her triumph was out of reach after her five-stroke lead going into the final round was squandered after she made triple-bogey seven on the 15th coming down the stretch. Before her poor tee-shot, she held a three-shot lead and should have been cantering home. The South African endured a terrible time of things at the 15th. After finding a bunker from the tee, she then mishit her next shot into thick rough when trying to play out safely, before failing to make clean contact with her third,” described Green.
He said the end result was a triple-bogey seven that left her level with In Gee Chun at 10-under and also brought Hinako Shibuno – Buhai’s playing partner in the final group – back into the equation.
Green said 32 years on from this championship’s last play-off, the remarkable conclusion left spectators gripped as Buhai and Chun, who had both finished on 10-under-par, matched each other shot for shot over three extra trips down the 18th.
“Both players hit immaculate tee shots at every time of asking in the first three holes of the play-off. It was Chun who faltered first. The end finally came – in fading light at 09:10 (local time) – as Chun made bogey after driving right into a fairway bunker and Buhai got up and down superbly from a greenside trap to clinch victory with a par,” Green narrated.
“I’ve got no words,” said Buhai. “It’s life-changing.”
Filler: Share your comments on Twitter @RK_Gazette
Related articles:
