AIG Women's Open - 4th 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)
Shiho Kuwaki held her nervus to bushed Esther Henseleit successful a two-hole play-off to go the 2nd consecutive Japanese subordinate to triumph the Women's Open.
A gripping finale astatine Royal Lytham & St Annes was brimming with drama, magic and misfortune - peculiarly connected the important 18th hole.
Henseleit initially forced an hold to play by sinking a 45-foot birdie putt to gully level astatine 5 nether par with Kuwaki, who sat nervously wrong the clubhouse watching on.
However, aft some made pars successful distinctly antithetic manner connected the archetypal sudden-death play-off hole, Henseleit was near successful trouble erstwhile her thrust deed a people marshal and was redirected into a gorse bush.
When she was incapable to prevention her par, that efficaciously allowed Kuwaki 2 putts to unafraid the apical prize of £1.11m conscionable 12 months aft failing to marque the chopped astatine Royal Porthcawl.
"I conscionable can't judge it," said Kuwaki, whose erstwhile 5 wins arsenic a nonrecreational had each arrived connected her location tour.
"To beryllium connected a signifier similar this is an honour and each spread I was conscionable focused connected changeable by shot. I conscionable tried to bask it arsenic overmuch arsenic I could.
"It's an astonishing feeling to triumph again arsenic a Japanese player. I anticipation arsenic squad Japan we tin proceed to airy up the play world."
English (US)·