Kuwaki wins British Open on second playoff hole
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- Shiho Kuwaki of Japan won the Women's British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, claiming her first major title with a par on the second playoff hole after both players closed regulation with matching 70s to finish tied at 5-under 279.
- Esther Henseleit forced the sudden-death playoff by holing a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole in regulation and held the advantage on the first extra hole when Kuwaki landed in deep grass short of a bunker and had to lay up short of the green.
- Kuwaki survived the first playoff hole by hitting a wedge to 3 feet to save par, then sealed the title on the second extra hole after Henseleit missed a 15-foot birdie putt that would have ended the championship.
- The 23-year-old Kuwaki converted her par save into a major breakthrough on the second extra hole, completing a final-round duel that saw both finalists shoot 70 at the historic links course.
Why it matters: At age 23, Kuwaki claimed her first major title in a playoff decided by inches — she saved par from deep grass with a wedge to 3 feet, while Henseleit missed a 15-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole that would have ended the championship. Both players finished regulation tied at 5-under 279, making the title swing on a single wedge shot and a single missed 15-footer.
