Shiho Kuwaki has clinched a surprising victory at the Women's Open, securing her first major championship after a tense playoff against Esther Henseleit. The 23-year-old Japanese golfer's triumph at Royal Lytham & St Annes marks Japan's second consecutive Women's Open win.
The playoff was forced by Henseleit, who sank a 45ft birdie on the final hole of regulation play. The decisive moment came when Henseleit's tee shot ricocheted off a volunteer's ankle into a gorse bush, giving Kuwaki a clear advantage to secure the trophy.
England's Charley Hull and Lottie Woad both finished tied sixth, with Hull carding a 72 and Woad a 73. Anna Nordqvist, who closed with a 68, admitted her performance was affected by the stresses of her European Solheim Cup captaincy, with her four captain's selections due to be named on Monday.