AIG Women’s Open R4

Women’s Open 2022 R4

August 04-07
Muirfield, East Lothian, Scotland
$7,300,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 3

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

 

Ashleigh Buhai held off three-time major champion In Gee Chun in a four-hole, sudden-death playoff to win her first major at the AIG Women’s Open and becomes the first woman to win at Muirfield.

 

Women’s Open 2022 R4

“In Gee is a major champion, and I knew I had to go out and win it. I mean, 18 played so tough the whole week, so it was going to be a grind and then it started to get cold and windier,” said the South African. “I was just very proud of how I managed to stay focused on myself and try to do what I needed to do.”

 

Women’s Open 2022 R4

Buhai became the second women’s major winner from South Africa following Sally Little (1980 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, 1988 du Maurier Classic). Seven of her countrymen have also won major titles, including Gary Player and Ernie Els, who won at Muirfield in 1959 and 2002, respectively. Buhai is the 44th player to become a Rolex First-Time Winner at a major championship.

“I turned pro when I was 18. I was kind of expected, there was a lot of things expected of me. I won straight off the bat on the Ladies European Tour. But this game has a way of giving you a hard time. I’m just so proud of how I’ve stuck it out. I have said the last four or five years, I’ve finally started to find my feet on the LPGA and felt I could compete, and although I’m 33 now, I feel I’m playing the best golf of my career. It’s been a long journey, but man, it’s all worth it right now.”

 

Women’s Open 2022 R4

Buhai started the day with a five-stroke lead at 14-under and still held a three-stroke lead at 13-under at the turn.

But at the 15th, she found a fairway bunker off the tee and hit out sideways, needing two shots get out of the deep rough leading to a triple-bogey 7 and dropped into a tie with Chun at 10-under.

“It’s probably the worst swing I made all week. Was a little quick on the top. But if I had half a lie in that bunker, a plug off the drive, I could have got it out the other way in the fairway. Obviously compounded the mistake,” said Buhai. “I didn’t panic, which I thought was huge, and just tried to make a good swing on the next and just try to make good swings coming in to give myself a chance.”

She had a chance for birdie at the 17th to regain the lead but her putt hit the right edge of the cup and ricocheted out, leaving her to par. She closed with a 75 to reach 10-under while Chun carded a 70.

“I think I did what I can do,” said Chun. “Ashleigh made a great up-and-down on 18. Almost close, but still, I don’t want to give up and I just want to look for another tournament, another day.”

Japan’s Hinako Shibuno finished in solo third place at 9-under after a final round 71.

Ireland’s Leona Maguire’s 66 gave her a share of fourth place at 7-under alongside Australia’s Minjee Lee (69) and Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom (71).

 

Women’s Open 2022 R4

Pos.	Player	To Par	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Ashleigh Buhai (RSA)	-10	70	65	64	75	274
2	In Gee Chun (KOR)	-10	68	66	70	70	274
3	Hinako Shibuno (JPN)	-9	65	73	66	71	275
4	Leona Maguire (IRL)	-7	71	69	71	66	277
	Minjee Lee (AUS)	-7	68	70	70	69	277
	Madelene Sagstrom (SWE)	-7	70	65	71	71	277
7	Celine Boutier (FRA)	-5	68	70	74	67	279
	Nasa Hataoka (JPN)	-5	71	69	71	68	279
	Lydia Ko (NZL)	-5	71	70	70	68	279
	Atthaya Thitikul (THA)	-5	71	69	69	70	279
	Brooke M Henderson (CAN)	-5	70	70	69	70	279
	Stephanie Kyriacou (AUS)	-5	70	68	70	71	279
13	A Lim Kim (KOR)	-4	70	71	69	70	280
	Miyuu Yamashita (JPN)	-4	69	68	71	72	280
15	Kotone Hori (JPN)	-3	72	68	72	69	281
	Alison Lee (USA)	-3	74	69	67	71	281
	Hyo-Joo Kim (KOR)	-3	73	66	70	72	281
18	Sei Young Kim (KOR)	-2	74	70	67	71	282
19	Linn Grant (SWE)	-1	72	70	73	68	283
	Louise Duncan (SCO)	-1	67	73	74	69	283
	Jodi Ewart Shadoff (ENG)	-1	68	73	70	72	283
22	Emily Kristine Pedersen (DEN)	Par	70	70	72	72	284
	Georgia Hall (ENG)	Par	70	72	70	72	284
	Jeongeun Lee6 (KOR)	Par	71	68	72	73	284
	Charley Hull (ENG)	Par	71	70	69	74	284
	Eun-Hee Ji (KOR)	Par	70	72	68	74	284
	Inbee Park (KOR)	Par	69	67	70	78	284
28	Ariya Jutanugarn (THA)	+1	71	73	71	70	285
	Xi Yu Lin (CHN)	+1	72	70	72	71	285
	Megan Khang (USA)	+1	74	69	70	72	285
	Rose Zhang (USA) (a)	+1	72	70	70	73	285
	Andrea Lee (USA)	+1	72	67	72	74	285
	Hye-Jin Choi (KOR)	+1	69	70	70	76	285
	Sung Hyun Park (KOR)	+1	72	69	68	76	285
35	So Yeon Ryu (KOR)	+2	70	72	70	74	286
	Hannah Green (AUS)	+2	71	66	74	75	286
37	Jennifer Kupcho (USA)	+3	73	72	71	71	287
	Jessica Korda (USA)	+3	66	74	73	74	287
	Cheyenne Knight (USA)	+3	75	70	67	75	287
	Mel Reid (ENG)	+3	73	68	70	76	287
41	Nelly Korda (USA)	+4	70	74	72	72	288
	Leonie Harm (GER)	+4	73	70	72	73	288
	Angela Stanford (USA)	+4	73	72	70	73	288
	Lilia Vu (USA)	+4	76	68	70	74	288
	Narin An (KOR)	+4	75	68	70	75	288
	Marina Alex (USA)	+4	70	69	72	77	288
	Maja Stark (SWE)	+4	68	71	70	79	288
48	Bronte Law (ENG)	+5	73	71	71	74	289
	Whitney Hillier (AUS)	+5	72	69	73	75	289
	Sarah Schmelzel (USA)	+5	73	71	70	75	289
51	Mo Martin (USA)	+6	73	69	76	72	290
	Jennifer Chang (USA)	+6	72	73	72	73	290
	Ally Ewing (USA)	+6	76	67	72	75	290
54	Esther Henseleit (GER)	+7	73	70	76	72	291
	Lizette Salas (USA)	+7	71	70	77	73	291
	Brittany Altomare (USA)	+7	70	71	76	74	291
	Albane Valenzuela (SUI)	+7	73	70	74	74	291
58	In-Kyung Kim (KOR)	+8	71	74	74	73	292
	Wichanee Meechai (THA)	+8	70	74	72	76	292
	Lydia Hall (WAL)	+8	73	72	71	76	292
	Gaby Lopez (MEX)	+8	67	73	73	79	292
	Paula Reto (RSA)	+8	74	70	69	79	292
63	Gemma Dryburgh (SCO)	+10	75	69	77	73	294
64	Ryann O’Toole (USA)	+11	71	73	71	80	295
65	Lee-Anne Pace (RSA)	+12	71	73	75	77	296