It required 76 holes of perseverance at Muirfield over the course of 15 years of arduous labor and patience. Ashleigh Buhai, a South African, is currently a prominent champion.
Buhai became the first woman to have her name inscribed on the trophy at the renowned Muirfield links when she defeated three-time major champion In Gee Chun in a four-hole, sudden-death playoff to win the 2022 AIG Women’s Open.
With the victory, Buhai joined Sally Little (1980 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, 1988 du Maurier Classic) as the second South African woman to win a major.
She also became the eighth man to win a major championship, following Gary Player (1959) and Ernie Els (2002; both at Muirfield).
At a major competition, Buhai became the 44th player to win a Rolex for the first time.
Buhai, who had a five-stroke advantage after the first round of play at -14, never appeared as at ease on the Muirfield links on Sunday as she had in the first three.
The competition surrounding her was unable to take advantage of her one birdie and two bogeys on the front nine, but she still had a three-stroke lead at -13 at the halfway point.
Where is Ashleigh Buhai From?
Ashleigh Buhai was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Since her amateur years, she has experienced a prosperous career. The youngest player in history, she won the Ladies’ South African Amateur Stroke Play.
In the previous 101 years, she also won the Ladies South African Open three times.
