Shiho Kuwaki wins Women's British Open in two-hole playoff

Shiho Kuwaki arrived at Royal Lytham & St Annes with a vivid aesthetic: long, colorful acrylic fingernails, Loudmouth clothing, and a distinctive yellow ball. By Sunday afternoon, however, the atmosphere shifted to one of stark, high-pressure tension as Kuwaki sat in a brown leather chair in the scoring room, watching the leaderboard fluctuate while waiting to see if her 1-under 70 would hold.

The tension peaked when Germany's Esther Henseleit, a 2024 Olympic silver medalist, drained a monster 40-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to tie Kuwaki at 5-under 279. Henseleit punched the air in celebration as the shot forced a sudden-death playoff. For Kuwaki, the victory — and the accompanying $1.5 million winner's check — would eventually be secured on the second extra hole, marking the first major title of her career and the second consecutive Women's British Open won by a Japanese player.

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The victory provides a career-altering trajectory for the 23-year-old. A non-member of the LPGA Tour and a standout on the JLPGA, Kuwaki had previously planned to attend LPGA Q-School. This win grants her an LPGA Tour card and status for the next five years, making her the first non-member to win the Women's British Open since Sophia Popov in 2020.

The playoff was decided by a sequence of recovery and misfortune on the 18th hole. On the first extra hole, Kuwaki found herself in thick grass short of a bunker, forcing a layup. She managed a critical wedge shot to within 3 feet to save par. Henseleit, unable to convert a 15-foot birdie attempt, matched the score to send the contest to a second playoff hole.

On the second trip to the 18th tee, the momentum shifted. Henseleit's tee shot drifted right; while Yahoo Sports reports the ball simply drifted beneath a gorse bush, AZ Central and Herald Corp state the ball struck a course marshal or spectator before bouncing into the brush.

Henseleit recovered the ball to the fairway and hit a wedge to approximately 12 feet, but her par putt missed. Kuwaki, who hit a 9-iron from 126 yards to set up an 8-meter birdie chance before rolling her ball to within 50 centimeters of the pin, tapped in for par to secure the title.

The result stood in sharp contrast to the collapse of American Yealimi Noh. Noh began the final round with a three-shot lead, which expanded to four at one point. However, a series of bogeys, including one on the 14th, eroded her advantage. Despite having two reasonable looks at birdie on the final holes, Noh finished third at 4-under.

Speaking through tears, Noh noted that she had missed three straight cuts before the week and had been losing motivation, but stated the experience helped her feel better about her game.

Japanese Major Dominance

Kuwaki’s win continues a dominant stretch for Japanese golf, as she is the fifth player from Japan to win an LPGA major in the last three years. She follows Miyu Yamashita, who won the title last year at Royal Porthcawl. Kuwaki also cited the influence of 2019 champion Hinako Shibuno, a fellow native of Okayama whom she describes as a sister. The two maintained contact via text before Sunday's round.

Other contenders failed to sustain their momentum. Haeran Ryu, who had won the Women's PGA and Evian Championship, sought to become the first player since Inbee Park to win three straight majors in one year. Ryu struggled on the back nine, closing with two consecutive bogeys for a 74, which left her in a share of sixth place. World No. 1 Nelly Korda, who won the season's first two majors, shot a 68 to finish fourth.

The victory replaces a different kind of reward for Kuwaki. In 2024, after winning three times on the JLPGA, she was gifted 264 pounds (120kg) of rice and 2kg of Wagyu beef from a local company in Okayama. She confirmed during the trophy presentation that the rice has since been consumed.

Kuwaki expressed her intention to celebrate the win by drinking whiskey and sodas. However, a professional decision looms: she must now determine whether to accept her LPGA status immediately or defer her membership until next season.