Kuwaki seals victory on second extra hole
Japan's Shiho Kuwaki captured the Women's British Open on Sunday at Royal Lytham & St Annes in Lancashire, England, defeating Germany's Esther Henseleit on the second play-off hole to claim her first major title. Both players finished regulation at 5-under 279 after Henseleit drained a long birdie putt on the 18th hole to force the tie-breaker. On the first extra hole, Kuwaki found the rough off the tee but recovered with a strong approach as both saved par; on the second, Henseleit, a Paris Olympics silver-medallist, miscued her tee shot and bogeyed, allowing Kuwaki to tap in for the winning par.
A record payday and a personal milestone
The 23-year-old Kuwaki earned a tournament-record $1.5 million in prize money for the win, the fifth and final women's major of 2026. Her previous best finish in a major was a tie for 14th at this year's U.S. Women's Open, and she had missed the cut on her British Open debut a year ago. She turned professional in 2021 and has won five times on the LPGA of Japan Tour since 2024.
Continuing Japan's run in women's majors
Kuwaki became the seventh Japanese woman to win an LPGA major, following Miyu Yamashita's 2025 victory at Porthcawl and a run that includes Yuka Saso's U.S. Women's Open titles in 2021 and 2024, Ayaka Furue's 2024 Evian Championship, and Mao Saigo's 2025 Chevron Championship. Earlier Japanese British Open winners were Yamashita, Hinako Shibuno (2019) and Ayako Okamoto. Kuwaki is the second consecutive Japanese winner of the event, and her triumph came on the tournament's 50th anniversary.
Field context and what's next
World No. 1 Nelly Korda, winner of the year's first two majors, finished in a share of fourth place at 2-under 282. The Olympics.com report noted that Kuwaki plans to join the LPGA Tour full-time in 2027 as a result of the victory. Kuwaki is from Okayama, the same prefecture as Shibuno, whose success she cited as inspiration, and her father, now 69, accompanied her on the domestic pro tour as a data provider until suffering a stroke in 2023.
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