MUIRFIELD: South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai survived a disastrous fifteenth hollow to assert a “life-changing” victory in a marathon play-off in opposition to Chun In-gee within the Girls’s British Open at Muirfield on Sunday. Each avid gamers tied on 10 below par after 72 holes, and, in close to overall darkness, it was once Buhai who ultimately secured the overall main of the season with a par 4 on the fourth further hollow, the 18th. Chun bunkered her force and took 5, whilst Buhai were given up and down from a greenside bunker, holing out from two toes for victory.

She was once just about tears as husband David rushed onto the fairway and gave her a kiss and a loving hug. “It’s been a large number of laborious paintings over a few years,” stated the 33-year-old, who gained the primary of 3 South African Newbie titles when she was once simply 14. Her skilled occupation hasn’t ever rather hit the similar heights with 3 wins in Europe and two South African Opens. However she had by no means gained an LPGA name till now, and a big at that to make it much more particular.

5 forward in a single day, she needed to continue to exist a triple-bogey seven on the fifteenth – that dragged her again right into a tie with Chun – earlier than snatching the dramatic play-off win. “I’m very pleased with myself,” she persisted. “I needed to dig deep. However I used to be unusually calm within the play-off. Simply attempted to stick within the second. “Sooner than I hit the bunker shot within the play-off, my caddie (Tanya Paterson) stated ‘display them why you’re ranked No.1 in bunkers this yr’. It was once nice to do it.” Gary Participant (1959) and Ernie Els (2002), Buhai’s hero rising up, are South African winners of the Open Championship at Muirfield.

Magnanimous Chun

“I’m so proud to enroll in them as main winners at Muirfield,” Buhai persisted. “It in point of fact goes to be life-changing.” Chun was once magnanimous in defeat. The winner of 3 majors, together with this yr’s Girls’s PGA Championship, stated: “I by no means gave up, and gave it is going to all.” The 27-year-old Korean added: “Ashleigh performed a super bunker shot and she or he deserved it. I’m more than pleased for her.” Buhai had regarded in overall keep an eye on when she led through 3 pictures with simply 4 to play.

However she drove right into a bunker on the fifteenth, hit out sideways into tough after which moved the ball only some yards together with her 3rd shot on how you can a triple-bogey seven. Now tied for the lead, she did neatly to par the overall 3 holes for a 75 that matched Chun’s 10-under par overall. The Korean closed with a spherical of 70. Japan’s Hinako Shibuno, the 2019 winner, completed 3rd on 9 below after a last spherical 71. American teen Rose Zhang gained the Smyth Salver for the main newbie. She closed with a 73 for one over par. – AFP