Shiho Kuwaki wins Women's Open in sudden-death playoff after Henseleit's tee shot hits marshal

Final round chase

Shiho Kuwaki closed with a 1-under 70 to post the clubhouse target at 5-under 279. She climbed into contention steadily as overnight leader Yealimi Noh began to falter. Kuwaki birdied the 2nd, 9th and 14th holes, with bogeys at the 4th and 5th, and moved into a share of the lead with a birdie at the 13th before staying patient over the closing stretch.

Noh, who started the day with a three-shot lead, saw her advantage cut by bogeys at the 7th and 8th. She briefly recovered with a birdie at the par-four 13th to regain a share of the lead, but a dropped shot at the 14th left her trailing Kuwaki by one. She finished third at four under, missing the playoff by a single stroke.

Esther Henseleit produced a strong back-nine charge of her own. After bogeys at the 8th and 9th, she birdied the 11th, 12th and 15th to draw level with Kuwaki. A bogey at the 16th appeared to end her challenge, but she rolled in a birdie putt on the 18th, measured at 40 to 45 feet across different reports, to force extra holes.

I just can't believe it. To be on a stage like this is an honour and every hole I was just focused on shot by shot. I just tried to enjoy it as much as I could.

The playoff

Both players made par on the first sudden-death hole, the 18th, in distinctly different fashion. Kuwaki was in deep grass short of a bunker and had to lay up, then hit a wedge to 3 feet to save par. Henseleit missed a 15-foot birdie putt that would have won the title.

On the second playoff hole, Henseleit's tee shot struck a course marshal and was redirected into a gorse bush. Unable to save par, she tapped in for bogey. That left Kuwaki with two putts to secure the championship, and she converted to claim her first major title.

It's an amazing feeling to win again as a Japanese player. I hope as team Japan we can continue to light up the golf world.

The field

World number one Nelly Korda briefly held the clubhouse lead after a closing 3-under 68 but finished tied for fourth at two under alongside world number two Jeeno Thitikul. For Thitikul, still seeking her first major, it was a 12th top-10 finish at a major championship. South Korea's Haeran Ryu saw her bid for a third consecutive major fade with bogeys at the 17th and 18th, finishing tied for sixth at one under alongside England's Lottie Woad and Charley Hull.

Kuwaki becomes the second consecutive Japanese champion of the Women's Open, following Miyu Yamashita's victory at Royal Porthcawl in 2025. She is the fourth Japanese woman to win the event, joining Yamashita, Ayako Okamoto (1984) and Hinako Shibuno (2019). Her previous best major finish was a tie for 14th at this year's US Women's Open. She turned professional in 2021 and won the Japan LPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Cup in 2024. Kuwaki missed the cut on her only prior Women's Open appearance last year.

Kuwaki earned a tournament-record $1.5 million in prize money. Referencing an earthquake in Japan that killed at least 36 people, she added: "Recently we had an earthquake in Japan and I'd like to wish people a speedy recovery and best wishes."