RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 4 sourcesShiho Kuwaki missed the cut at the Women's Open 12 months ago [Getty Images]
AIG Women's Open - fourth round
-5 *S Kuwaki (Jap), E Henseleit (Ger); -4 Y Noh (US); -2 N Korda (US), J Thitikul (Tha)
Selected others: -1 C Hull (Eng), L Woad, (Eng), H Ryu (Kor), R Takeda (Jap); E C Boutier (Fra), S Kouskova (Cze); +1 L Li (US), L Coughlin (US)
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Shiho Kuwaki held her nerve to beat Esther Henseleit in a two-hole play-off to become the second consecutive Japanese player to win the Women's Open.
A gripping finale at Royal Lytham & St Annes was brimming with drama, magic and misfortune - particularly on the crucial 18th hole.
Henseleit initially forced an extension to play by sinking a 45-foot birdie putt to draw level at five under par with Kuwaki, who sat nervously inside the clubhouse watching on.
However, after both made pars in distinctly different fashion on the first sudden-death play-off hole, Henseleit was left in difficulty when her drive hit a course marshal and was redirected into a gorse bush.
When she was unable to save her par, that effectively allowed Kuwaki two putts to secure the top prize of £1.11m just 12 months after failing to make the cut at Royal Porthcawl.
"I just can't believe it," said Kuwaki, whose previous five wins as a professional had all arrived on her home tour.
"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.
"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."
For most of Sunday afternoon the most pertinent question appeared to be if anyone could catch the unfancied Yealimi Noh.
And if so, just who, on a day when the vagaries of links golf on the blustery Lancashire coast propelled several players into realistic contention and just as quickly swept their aspirations aside.
Unfortunately for world number 69 Noh, that included her hopes of claiming just her second ever win on the professional circuit as she finished a stroke back.
Instead, Kuwaki - the only player in the final eight groups to go under par on the day along with Henseleit - provided the answer and in the end was a deserved winner despite her play-off opponent's misfortune.
Henseleit had been aiming to follow in Sophia Popov's footsteps by becoming only the second German female to win a major, and her heroics on the 18th green as she concluded her round with Noh postponed Kuwaki's celebrations for almost an hour.
Prior to that Kuwaki's one-under 70 had put her in prime position to become the fourth Japanese to win the tournament.
The English challenge of Lottie Woad and Charley Hull had failed to spark while Haeran Ryu's ability to contend had been hampered by her frequent trips into the bunkers festooned around Royal Lytham & St Annes.
And world number one Nelly Korda was left rueing her double-bogey finish in Saturday's third round, that frustratingly put her just out of reach of a career grand slam 24 hours later, despite carding a three-under 68 to end the championship at two under.
Kuwaki's eye-catching style wins the day
For a time as the early-evening chill began to factor, Henseleit's steady approach threatened to deliver the ultimate dividend.
The 27-year-old recovered from successive bogeys on the eighth and ninth holes to birdie the 11th, 12th and 15th, before the pressure told on the 16th green and a left-to-right putt lacking conviction slid past the edge of the cup to deliver a costly bogey.
However, to her credit she regrouped and set up a superb climax with a magical moment before a packed gallery in front of the clubhouse.
"It was a great moment when that putt dropped in," said Henseleit, who will feature for Europe at the Solheim Cup in September.
"Very happy with how I gave myself the opportunity to win today and how I handled myself. Just got a bit unlucky on the second play-off hole there."
However, Kuwaki more than merited her celebrations in the fading daylight, not that you could have missed her with her mint-green top and luminous green ball.
And she matched her eye-catching fashion sense with a similar performance from tee to green, carving out several excellent birdie chances that could have provided her with a more comfortable Sunday evening.
Her birdie on the 13th arrived as Noh was in a spot of bother on the 12th having pushed a birdie chance way past its intended target.
And while the American, who ended up carding a bogey, immediately bounced back a further dropped shot on the 14th signalled that it would not be her day.
While her second appearance in September's Solheim Cup match against Europe now seems assured, for the 25-year-old it will come as scant consolation.
While Kuwaki becomes the 43rd different winner in 50 editions of the Women's Open, Noh is the first to have held a three-stroke lead after 54 holes and failed to win the championship.
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