Shiho Kuwaki clinched a spectacular play‑off victory against Germany's Esther Henseleit in the AIG Women’s Open, delivering a dramatic conclusion to a tournament that saw Charley Hull and Lottie Woad fall short on the final day. The climax unfolded at Royal Lytham & St Annes, where Henseleit produced an astonishing 45‑foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, pulling herself level at five under par alongside Kuwaki, who had posted a steady one‑under 70 after erasing a three‑stroke deficit on Sunday. Both competitors returned to the par‑four 18th for a sudden‑death showdown.
Kuwaki, after an errant tee shot that left her in a difficult position, managed to scramble a pars, while Henseleit missed a 10‑foot birdie attempt that would have secured the title. The drama intensified on the second extra hole when Henseleit’s tee shot struck a marshal's ankle and lodged in a bush, forcing her to fight back into the fairway and ultimately card a bogey. Kuwaki, steady as ever, two‑putted for par and became the second Japanese champion in a row at the AIG Women’s Open, following Miyu Yamashita’s triumph the previous year. The tournament had been a roller‑coaster from the start.
Yealimi Noh entered the final round with a three‑stroke lead and briefly extended her advantage to four strokes, only to stumble with three consecutive bogeys on the front nine, eventually finishing third behind Nelly Korda and Jeongeun Lee (Thitikul). Hull and Woad, both hoping to deliver a home victory, ended tied for sixth, four strokes behind the leaders, after failing to mount a late charge. Meanwhile, Haeran Ryu, who was chasing a third consecutive major, concluded the week at one under par. Kuwaki’s round began with her among a group tied for second after the first day.
She quickly seized a birdie on the second hole, but a string of bogeys from the fourth hole saw her slip back as Noh widened her lead. Noh displayed resilience, saving par with a spectacular up‑and‑down on the first hole and birdieing the second, while maintaining a four‑stroke cushion over the chasing pack.
Henseleit, after a modest setback on the third, birdied the sixth to stay within three strokes of the leader. The back nine was a battlefield of shifting leads. Kuwaki rallied with a birdie‑two on the front nine, narrowing the gap to a single stroke behind Noh, while Henseleit fell two shots back after consecutive bogeys on the eighth.
The momentum swung repeatedly as the leaders navigated the challenging links layout. Noh bogeyed the 12th, allowing Kuwaki to birdie the drivable 13th, while Henseleit responded with back‑to‑back birdies on 11 and 12, pulling herself back within a stroke of the lead. At the 15th, Henseleit nearly holed her approach and secured a close‑range birdie, briefly tying the competition.
However, a three‑putt on the 16th green handed her a bogey, dropping her a stroke behind once more. Kuwaki steadied herself, finishing the round with pars and setting a clubhouse target of 72, which forced a playoff after no other competitor could match her score. The first playoff hole saw both players miss the green, but Kuwaki produced an impressive up‑and‑down from the middle of the fairway to match Henseleit’s par.
On the second extra hole, a conservative approach and solid putting earned Kuwaki another par, clinching the $1.5 million (£1.1 million) winner’s share and the most significant triumph of her career. After the win, an emotional 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." The Ladies European Tour will remain in England for the PIF London Championship at the Centurion Club, while the LPGA Tour takes a brief hiatus before the Standard Portland Classic in August. Golf fans can follow the action on Sky Sports or stream the events without a contract.