Shiho Kuwaki rallies to win AIG Women's Open on second playoff hole

· Yahoo Sports

Shiho Kuwaki overcame a five-shot deficit and a competitor's miracle shot to win the 50th AIG Women's Open, the first LPGA major tournament victory of her career.

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The 23-year-old from Japan won on the second playoff hole over Esther Henseleit, who had made a 40-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the fourth round to force overtime at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England.

Henseleit had a chance to win on the first playoff hole but missed a 15-footer for birdie on the 18th hole. On the second playoff hole, which also was played on the 18th, Henseleit hit an errant drive and made bogey, while Kuwaki got on the green in two shots and made two putts for par.

It's only the second time there's been a playoff at the AIG Women's Open since the tournament became a major in 2001.

Yealimi Noh finished third as the latest leader to collapse in the tournament. She had entered the final round with a four-shot lead but suffered three bogeys in the first four holes. Noh lost the lead for good after bogeying the 12th while Kuwaki birdied the 13th.

"I will be taking away a lot more than I thought this week," Noh told Cara Banks on the NBC Sports broadcast. "It stings just being one short. But very happy with the week. I told myself no matter what happens, I’m just really happy to be in this position again."

Kuwaki becam the sixth Japanese player in the past eight years to win an LPGA major tournament.

Her previous best finish in an LPGA major was a tie for 14th in the U.S. Women's Open this year. She had won two of her past four starts on the LPGA Tour by winning her first major tournament.

After bogeying the fifth hole, Kuwaki was five shots behind the lead, but she was steady with 11 pars and two birdies over the final 13 holes.

Nelly Korda (tied for fourth at 2-under) and Haeran Ryu (tied for sixth at 1-under) each came up short in their bids for a third major tournament victory this year.

Ryu had taken a one-shot lead over Kuwaki after the second round but shot 6-over over the final 36 holes.

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