Shiho Kuwaki clinched an unforgettable victory in the AIG Women’s Open after a nail‑biting playoff against Germany’s Esther Henseleit, delivering a dramatic conclusion that will be remembered for years. The showdown unfolded at the historic Royal Lytham & St Annes course, where both competitors had to summon every ounce of skill and composure to survive a relentless Sunday. Going into the final round, Kuwaki trailed the leader by three strokes, but a steady 70 (one under par) on the last day erased the gap and forced a tie at five under alongside Henseleit. The German had produced a spectacular 45‑foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, a shot that seemed to seal her triumph.
Yet the tournament rules required a sudden‑death playoff on the same par‑four 18th, and it was here that Kuwaki’s resilience shone through. On the first extra hole, Kuwaki’s tee shot veered off the intended line, leaving her with a difficult approach. Undeterred, she managed to salvage a par, while Henseleit missed a 10‑foot birdie putt that would have ended the contest instantly.
The tension escalated as the two players moved to a second playoff hole. Henseleit’s tee shot struck a marshal’s ankle and ricocheted into a bush, forcing her to scramble back onto the fairway and ultimately settle for a bogey.
Kuwaki, by contrast, two‑putted for par, securing the win and becoming Japan’s second consecutive champion at the AIG Women’s Open. The tournament featured several other notable storylines. Yealimi Noh entered the final round with a three‑shot lead and briefly extended her advantage to four strokes, but a string of three bogeys across five holes on the front nine caused her to slip back, ultimately finishing third behind Nelly Korda and Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul.
Meanwhile, home‑grown players Charley Hull and Lottie Woad were unable to mount a late surge; they finished tied for sixth, four strokes off the lead. Ha‑ran Ryu, who was chasing a third straight major, concluded the event at one under par.
Kuwaki’s round began with a birdie on the second hole, quickly lifting her into contention. However, a pair of bogeys on holes four and five allowed Noh to stretch her lead. Throughout the day, the leaderboard was in constant flux. Noh displayed remarkable recovery shots, such as an up‑and‑down to save par on the first hole and a birdie on the second, but she also faltered with a bogey on the fourth.
Henseleit, after an early bogey on the third, responded with a birdie on the sixth, keeping her within striking distance. The middle of the round saw Kuwaki close the front nine with a birdie‑two, narrowing the gap to a single stroke behind Noh. Henseleit, meanwhile, fell two shots back after consecutive bogeys on the eighth.
The back nine became a roller‑coaster of lead changes. Noh dropped a shot on the 12th, allowing Kuwaki to seize the moment with a birdie on the 13th, a hole that is reachable for many players. Henseleit answered with back‑to‑back birdies on the 11th and 12th, pulling herself back into contention. As the pressure mounted, Henseleit nearly holed her approach on the 15th, settling for a close‑range birdie that kept her within a stroke of the lead.
A three‑putt on the 16th green gave her a bogey, and she fell one behind Kuwaki, who finished the round with a string of pars, setting the clubhouse target at five under. The playoff was historic, marking the first time in four years that the Women’s Open required extra holes to determine a champion. On the opening playoff hole, Kuwaki executed a superb up‑and‑down from the middle of the fairway, matching Henseleit’s par. On the second hole, her steady par was enough to clinch the $1.5 million (£1.1 million) first‑place prize and the most significant win of her career.
After the victory, an elated Kuwaki, speaking through an interpreter, said, "I just can't believe it. To be on a stage like this is just an honour. Every hole I was just focused on shot by shot, and just tried to enjoy it out there as much as I could.
After Miyu Yamashita's win last year, to be able to win again as a Japanese player is such an amazing feeling." Her words captured the pride of representing Japan and the emotional weight of following in Yamashita’s footsteps. The Ladies European Tour will remain in England for the upcoming PIF London Championship at the Centurion Club, while the LPGA Tour takes a brief pause before resuming with the Standard Portland Classic in mid‑August. Fans can continue to follow the action on Sky Sports, which offers live streams, analysis, and exclusive content across multiple platforms. Overall, the 2025 AIG Women’s Open delivered a compelling narrative of perseverance, skill, and unexpected twists.
From Noh’s early dominance to Kuwaki’s stunning comeback and Henseleit’s valiant effort, the tournament showcased the depth of talent in women’s golf and set the stage for future battles on the world’s biggest stages.