Ashleigh Buhai delighted to have fought off the pressure in SA Open victory

Though she had insisted ahead of the tournament she was not absorbing any pressure, Ashleigh Buhai admitted at the weekend that she was both relieved and delighted to have lifted the South African Open title once again.

After starting the final round of the co-sanctioned Sunshine Ladies Tour and Ladies European Tour event at Steenberg Golf Club in Cape Town with a four-stroke lead, Buhai managed to maintain her advantage for the final 18 holes, firing a four-under-par 68 to secure a convincing victory and wrap up her fourth national title.

“I’m over the moon, obviously,” said Buhai, who also lifted the British Open trophy in August last year.

“I’m ecstatic to have gotten the job done. My goal was to come here and win this week.

“I tried to play it down, because I know it’s a lot of pressure and it was going to be difficult to do. But now that I’ve got it over the line, I’m really happy.”

Buhai hadn’t won the SA Open since 2018, but she proved again she deserved to be listed among the best players on tour.

‘Familiar routine’

She felt she was finding consistent success at the highest level by sticking to her processes during pressure moments, and she was pleased to have been able to maintain her composure against another international field.

“I have my routine on the greens, and I have found that following that every time rather than worrying about whether the putt goes in calms me down a lot, and the results will come from the familiarity of that routine,” Buhai said.

Meanwhile, Ana Pelaez Trivino of Spain took the runner-up spot for the second week in a row after finishing in a tie for second place at the Joburg Open the previous weekend.

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“We’re making sure that every area is covered and then just go out there and have fun. Luckily, we’re playing good golf and we can enjoy it even more,” Trivino said.

“I’m going to take everything next week and hopefully get that win. I like runner-up finishes, but I’d rather have the trophy with me.”