Kuwaki Wins Women’s Open After Dramatic Playoff

What's happened

Kuwaki has won the Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes after defeating Henseleit in a playoff. Kuwaki finished five under and clinched the title after Henseleit’s playoff miss and a wayward drive into the gorse. Noh led after regulation before finishing three behind in second.

What's behind the headline?

The pressure of a major finally breaks

• Kuwaki’s victory comes from a calm finish under high nerves, showing how a playoff can swing on a single shot on the 18th.
• Henseleit’s late birdie reflected a rare blend of risk and precision; the pressure of a major can tilt moments in seconds.

What changed in the narrative

• The result cements Japan’s back-to-back Women’s Open titles, underscoring a shift in women’s golf leadership on the global stage.
• Noh’s early lead dissolved as late-round pressure reshaped the leaderboard, highlighting the tournament’s volatility.

Forecasting the next chapters

• Expect rising interest in Kuwaki as a major champion, with sponsorship and invitations expanding as Japan’s players gain prominence.
• The course at Lytham will be remembered for the risk-reward decisions on the closing holes, likely influencing future majors.

How we got here

The Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes saw a dramatic final round end in a playoff between Shiho Kuwaki and Esther Henseleit. Kuwaki’s 5-under total followed a late surge from Henseleit, who forced extra holes with a 45-foot birdie on 18. Read before for a sense of the field’s volatility and the eventual Japanese triumph.

Our analysis

The Guardian reports on the dramatic playoff and final-hole drama; The Independent highlights the playoff and Noh’s performance; The Japan Times provides the immediate final round record and quotes from Kuwaki.

Go deeper

• Will Kuwaki’s victory translate into sustained form on the LPGA tour?
• How will Henseleit rebound from heartbreak in this playoff?
• What impact does back-to-back Japanese titles have on the sport regionally?

More on these topics

• Esther Henseleit - German professional golfer

  Esther Henseleit is a German professional golfer and member of the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour.

• Yealimi Noh - Golfer

  Yealimi Noh is an American professional golfer, currently playing on the LPGA Tour. She turned pro in 2019 and qualified for the 2020 LPGA season after finishing 3rd in the qualifying school.

• Nelly Korda - American golfer

  Nelly Korda is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour, where she has won six times. She played on the 2019 Solheim Cup.

• Charley Hull - English professional golfer

  Charley Esmee Hull is an English professional golfer who has achieved success both on the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour, winning honours as Rookie of the Year, becoming the youngest competitor to participate in the international Solheim Cup match

• Japan - Country in East Asia

  Japan is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.

• United Kingdom - Country in Europe

  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland.