Shiho Kuwaki Wins AIG Women’s Open in Dramatic Playoff

Photo: Shiho Kuwaki courtesy of Oli Brady/LET.

Bobby Jones was once quoted as saying “There is golf, and there is tournament golf.”

It might also be said that there is golf and there is links golf—with all its history and unique challenges. Above all, it requires patience.

Fittingly, Jones won the first of his three Open Championships at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1926.

A century later, as the sun set Sunday evening at the same storied links, Shiho Kuwaki’s patience was rewarded when she was crowned the AIG Women’s Open champion.

It was a life changing event for the 23-year old, who trailed by five shots at one point in the final round.

The win was her first on the LPGA Tour—she has won five times on the JLPGA Tour—and brought with it a US$1.5 million winner’s check. Kuwaki, who had the option to accept immediate LPGA Tour membership, elected to defer membership until 2027.

Kuwaki earned her victory by defeating Esther Henseleit on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff, rolling in her optic-yellow golf ball for a par after the pair finished regulation play at 5-under-par 279.

Kuwaki had been in the clubhouse for roughly half an hour when Henseleit rolled in a 40-foot putt at the 72^nd hole to force the playoff.

At the first extra hole, the par-4 18^th, Kuwaki danced on a wire when she drove her tee shot into the right rough. She pitched out and wedged to inside five feet to salvage par after her opponent missed a 20-foot birdie attempt.

When the players returned to the 18^th tee, Kuwaki found the parched fairway while Henseleit found the gorse. Kuwaki reached the green in regulation, while Henseleit punched out of the gorse and wedged her third shot to 18 feet. Henseleit missed her par putt, leaving Kuwaki a two-foot putt for the championship as a contingent of Japanese players watched and chronicled the event.

“I'm used to watching them on television when they're playing out here,” Kuwaki said. “To have them celebrate for me was an amazing feeling.”

Kuwaki’s parents watched from Japan as she became a first-time LPGA winner in her 10^th Tour start. Seven of those starts have come in major championships. She’s also competed in the TOTO Japan Classic three times, from 2023-2025.

Kuwaki is the seventh player from Japan to win an LPGA major championship. The others are:

•      1977 LPGA Championship—Hisako Higuchi
•      2019 AIG Women’s British Open—Hinako Shibuno
•      2021 and 2024 U.S. Women’s Open—Yuka Saso
•      2024 Amundi Evian Championship—Ayaka Furue
•      2025 Chevron Championship—Mao Saigo
•      2025 AIG Women’s Open—Miyu Yamashita

P.S.—We LOVE a yellow golf ball.