Ashleigh Buhai won for the fourth time worldwide in 10 months when she collected her second LPGA victory at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
The 34-year-old, the oldest player to win on tour this season, played more than 200 tournaments on the LPGA before breaking through with her first title at the 2022 AIG Women’s British Open at Muirfield.
“I had the same feelings as Muirfield except I was able to hold it down the stretch a little bit,” said Buhai, “which was something that … only comes from experience.”
Buhai started off hot with four birdies in her first five holes, including a bomb from off the green on the fifth hole that she called a “hallelujah” putt.
“Those things need to happen for to you win, obviously,” she said.
Buhai birdied the 18th to post her second consecutive 65 and hold the clubhouse lead at 14 under at the Bay Course at Seaview in Galloway, New Jersey. She then waited to see if fellow major champion Hyo Joo Kim could match it. Kim’s eagle chip on the closing par 5 came dangerously close to sending the festivities into overtime. Kim had to instead settle for a tap-in birdie to finish one shot back.
Overnight leader Dani Holmqvist, who hadn’t made a cut in five starts this season, birdied the last to finish tied for fourth and earn $81,847.
Chiara Noja, 17, tied for 12th in her first LPGA start. The LET winner heads soon to prom back home in Dubai. Noja earned $29,995 in only her second start on American soil.
The German-born player finished runner-up last week at the Belgian Ladies Open and has seven top-15 finishes so far on the LET this season. She’s currently fifth in the 2023 Race to Costa Del Sol rankings for LET Player of the Year.
Buhai, who won the Australian Women’s Open last December and the South African Women’s Open in March, becomes only the second South African with multiple LPGA wins, following Sally Little (15).
“Definitely the best golf I’ve played in my career,” said Buhai, who celebrated on the 18th with husband David, who caddies on tour for Jeongeun Lee6. “I think we have found a good balance. I’m on the older side on tour nowadays, one of the veterans.”
The former prodigy credited much of her success to her work with sports psychologist Duncan McCarthy.
“I really only have one thought with everything,” said Buhai. “I have one thought with the swing, one thought with the chipping, one thought with the putting, and I just tried and do that over and over.
“I know it sounds boring and I know he says, ‘I know this is getting boring,’ but this is what creates good results. So when I put it all together, this is what can happen.”
