Ashleigh Buhai wins her first LPGA title on U.S. soil at ShopRite Classic

GALLOWAY, N.J. — Ashleigh Buhai is in her 16th year on the professional golf circuit, and notched her first LPGA win last year at the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield in Scotland. But there’s one thing that has remained elusive until now: a win on U.S. soil.

Buhai finally got that with her victory at the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Seaview’s Bay Course on Sunday, securing it with a 5-under 66 to finish at 14 under, one shot better than Hyo Joo Kim.

“My goal this year was to win in the U.S.,” Buhai said. “After the AIG Women’s Open, I’ve won in Australia, South Africa. My goal this year was to get the monkey off my back and finally win here on U.S. soil. And so to do it, I’m very proud of myself for taking it all, for playing some really solid golf.”

Buhai, who hails from South Africa, entered the final round in third place behind second-round Dani Holmqvist and Kim, who was in second. Buhai started her third round with four birdies in the first five holes to edge into the lead.

“At no point did I think it was mine until now, until it was really confirmed,” Buhai said. “I did well to stay mentally in it. Stuck to my process, and didn’t get ahead of myself and think of the outcome at all, and I just trusted the one thing I was trying to do in my golf swing and hopefully that could take care of it.”

Holmqvist led the first two days, but shot a 1-over par 72 to drop into a tie for fourth. Holmqvist, after going bogey-free in Round 1, had five bogeys and four birdies on Sunday. This marks her best finish on the LPGA tour, and the first time this year that she has made the cut.

In the end, it came down to Buhai and Kim. Buhai birdied 18, her seventh of the round, to finish 14 under and have a two-shot lead. But that lead was tenuous, as Kim’s chip shot on 18 stopped right on the edge of the hole, inches from an eagle that would have forced a playoff. She settled for birdie and a 68 to finish 13 under.

“I kind of looked up at the leaderboard after my second shot and I saw Hyo Joo had birdied [on the 17], so I said to myself, well, got to get up and down obviously to give myself a chance to win it outright, and make her have to eagle and put some pressure on her,” Buhai said.

“Dave, my husband, could see [Kim’s final hole], and I was just waiting for it obviously. If you hear a big cheer, OK, we’re going into a playoff. I heard that. It was very close. Hats off to Hyo Joo.”

Buhai hit all 14 fairways, after hitting just seven Friday and 11 Saturday.

“I normally drive the ball really well. It’s one of my strong points. The first nine holes on Friday was uncharacteristic of me, but I did so well to hang in there. I could have been easily 4-over, and instead I turned under par,” Buhai said. “I just went and hit a few balls and said to myself, all right, keep the face through that a little bit better throughout the golf swing, and that’s what I did the last two days, which improved my driving and gave me birdie opportunities from the fairway.”

Yan Liu, a 25-year old rookie from China, finished 11-under par for third place, her first top-10 result. Liu had three bogeys and seven birdies in the third round.

In her LPGA debut, 17-year old Chiara Roja carded a 70 on the final round to finish in a tie for 12th.

The tour returns to New Jersey June 22–25 for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, held at Baltusrol’s Lower Course.

» READ MORE: Teenage sensation Chiara Noja shoots into a tie for fourth at the ShopRite LPGA Classic