(August 7, 2022, Muirfield, Scotland) South Africa’s 33-year-old Ashleigh Buhai defeated three-time Grand Slam champion Tian Renzhi through a grueling four extra holes in the Scottish classic Miao Field won the AIG Women’s Open, achieving her first major championship and her first LPGA title.
Ashley Buhey entered the final round with a five-shot lead, but had an ups and downs day when she was tied by Tian Renzhi after a triple bogey on the 15th hole. Ashley Buhai shot a 75 in the final round and Tian Renzhi shot a 70. The two had a four-round score of 274, 10 under par, and needed extra holes to win.
After a tie on the first three holes, Ashley Buhai made a par on the fourth extra hole to win the championship, becoming the second South African woman to win a Grand Slam, for which she received a championship check of 1.095 million Dollar.
Sally Little won the LPGA Grand Slam twice in the eighties. In addition, seven other South African men have won a Grand Slam, including Gary Player (1959) and Ashley Buhai’s childhood idol Ernie Els. Els, 2002) won The Open at Muirfield.
This is Ashley Buhai’s second sprint to win the AIG Women’s Open. In 2019, she took fifth place in a fierce battle with Japan’s Shibuno Hyuga at Woburn. Today, the two started from the last group again, but Ashley Buhai’s main opponent was Tian Renzhi who started in the previous group. Tian Renzhi made three birdies in the first six holes, including long putts on the fourth and sixth holes for birdies, quickly closing the gap. Although Ashley Buhai made a mistake, she has always been in the lead.
The situation changed on the par-4 15th hole. Ashley Buhai tee-off into the bunker, hit the second shot into the deep rough, hit the third shot only a short distance, still missed the green for the fourth shot, all two putts for a 7 , triple bogey, 3-shot lead vanished in an instant, tied for the lead with Tian Renzhi.
Ashley Buhai did not collapse, and then made three pars in the next three holes to enter the playoff with Tian Renzhi. It was the fourth extra hole in tournament history, but the first since 1990.
On the first extra hole, Tian Renzhi made par from the bunker on the edge of the green to 3 feet to the hole, as did Ashley Bouhai. On the second extra hole, Tian Renzhi made another mistake. He made two putts on the rough side of the green and made a bogey. However, Ashley Bouhai also made a mistake and made a bogey with two putts in the green bunker. In the third extra hole, the two sides made two pushes and two pars to tie.
As the night fell on Muirfield, Ashley Buhay ushered in her triumphant moment. Tian Renzhi tee-off fell into the fairway bunker, the second shot just hit the fairway, the third shot hit the edge of the green, two putts made bogey. Ashley Buhey hit a bunker on the green with her second shot, but chipped brilliantly to 1 foot to the edge of the hole. She made the winning putt and the celebration with husband David Booy began.
“I was relatively calm in the playoffs and tried to focus on the job at hand. I couldn’t control other things and I knew it was going to be very difficult,” Ashley Buhai said. I’m really honored and proud to be following two great players, idols I grew up with (Els and Player), plus it was our first time playing Muirfield and making history I am South African.”
History seems familiar. Ernie Els won at Muirfield 20 years ago. He also struggled in the main game at first, and finally won in the extra hole. And he was also remembered by fans for his wonderful shot in the bunker (the 13th hole in the main game).
But the result was a bit cruel to Tian Renzhi. She started five shots behind and looked set to win her second major of the season, only to fall short.
“I think I gave it my all, but Ashley made a great putt of everything and came close to finishing the game, but I didn’t give up, and I think I did a great job today, too,” said the Women’s PGA Championship. Champion Tian Renzhi said.
The 2019 champion Shibuno Hyugako birdied the 17th hole, one shot short of entering the playoff, and finished third with a 9-under 275 (65·73·66·71) in four rounds.
U.S. Women’s Open champion Li Minzhi had a 69, Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom had a 71, and Ireland’s Leona Maguire had a 66. The three finished with a 277. At 7 par, tied for fourth.
Stanford student Zhang Siyang scored 285 in four rounds (72·70·70·73), 1 over par, and tied for 28th with Lin Xiyu (71) and other players and won the Best Amateur Player Award.
The 2022 AIG Women’s Open has come to an end, and we’ll see you next year at Walton Heath Golf Club.Return to Sohu, see more