Shiho Kuwaki won the 2026 AIG Women's Open in a playoff against Esther Henseleit to claim her maiden Major title at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Kuwaki had earlier set the clubhouse target on five-under following a one-under closing round and appeared destined to clinch the season's final Major in regulation, only for her German rival to hole a monster putt on the 18th and force extra holes.
Despite a period of around 20 minutes without swinging a club as she nervously waited to see if anyone could catch her, Kuwaki ground out a strong par on the first run back down 18 while Henseleit missed a putt to win it from mid-range.
The Japanese star - who began the day three strokes back of 54-hole leader Yealimi Noh - then rallied supremely on the second playoff hole to set up a winning par.
The winning moment! 🍾A par on the second play-off hole for Shiho Kuwaki is enough to see her clinch a first major title. pic.twitter.com/lfkoK0hjDIAugust 2, 2026
Meanwhile, Henseleit could have remarkably denied Kuwaki once more with a sweeping putt after digging her wayward drive out of a gorse bush, but it was not meant to be as the 23-year-old continued Japan's mini-run of AIG Women's Open success following Miyu Yamashita's victory in 2025.
Kuwaki's reward for a seventh pro win was a payout of $1.5 million from an overall pot of $10 million along with multiple other perks for landing the AIG Women's Open title.
Early on Sunday, however, it seemed as though Kuwaki's dream would remain just that with an early birdie making way for consecutive bogeys on the fourth and fifth holes.
Yet, as almost all of the leading players took turns to drop out of the running through clumsy errors, Kuwaki picked up birdies on the ninth and 13th - the latter of which helped her hit the front for the first time.
As Noh flip-flopped between the lead and a share of second place, five consecutive fours from Kuwaki left her in the clubhouse on five-under and in prime position.
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And although Henseleit gave herself a second chance in the playoff, Noh's bogey at the 14th ultimately proved costly with Kuwaki's moment in the spotlight still to come.
While there was delight for Kuwaki, there was frustration for many others in the top-10.
Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul finished in a share of fourth on two-under ahead of a large group in T6th on one-under. Lottie Woad and Charley Hull featured among them, as did Wei-Ling Hsu, Shannon Tan, Rio Takeda, and Haeran Ryu.
Paula Martin Sampedro won the Smyth Salver for a second successive year after ending T29th on four-over - the Spaniard was one of only two amateurs to make the cut at Royal Lytham & St Annes alongside Yunseo Yang.
AIG Women's Open Leaderboard 2026
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WELCOME
Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the 2026 AIG Women's Open final round. Yealimi Noh is the current leader, but the American suffered consecutive bogeys towards the end of the front nine and her lead is now just a single stroke when it was three not too long ago.
The 25-year-old, who hadn't broken par in a single LPGA stroke play event since April prior to this week, remains best placed to lift the biggest title of her career, however. Can she hang on? Let's find out together. Thanks for tuning in!
WOAD PARS 12
With Noh scrambling at the moment, Lottie Woad simply has to remain close to give herself a chance coming home. The English star escapes with par at the 12th and has a chance up coming. Will the 13th be lucky?
CHANCE FOR NOH
A very strong drive down the 10th has left 125 yards in for Noh. A committed nine-iron later and it's a decent look at birdie for the American. Maybe 15 feet. It could be just what she needs.
LI WITHIN TWO
With the leader at five-under and leaking oil, anyone under par will feel they have a chance to strike yet. Lucy Li, as baby-faced as she might be, is a killer in these situations. She proves it by rolling home a birdie at the 11th to reach three-under. Noh is at five-under with a birdie to come.
NOH GOOD
The leader sends her putt towards the hole with an ideal weight behind it, but the direction isn't quite there and it'll be a par. Five-under through 11.
HULL LIP-OUT
A great drive wasn't rewarded with the best approach from Hull at the 14th and she had a 25-footer for birdie. It looked pretty good en route, but no cigar in the end as it lipped out.
At one-under, Hull needs to find some gains right now or she will head to Royal St George's next year wondering what might have been.
HOW IS YOUR LUCK?
That could be the sort of break Noh needs to regain some momentum. At the 11th, her drive was pulled towards the two fairway bunkers, but the ball just landed past them and bounced on and right back towards the fairway. It's still in the rough, but she can advance it at least.
HSU TO SET TARGET
Wei-Ling Hsu makes a gutsy par at the 17th and goes down 18 with a chance to set the clubhouse target at four-under with a good drive. She's currently three-under and playing well.
KORDA FINISHES WITH A FLOURISH
Nelly Korda holes a long putt at the 18th to reach two-under and set the clubhouse target. That's almost certainly about to be usurped, but it's a decent week nonetheless.
Korda's dismissive kind of wave at the ball once it dropped tells me she thinks it was very much too little, too late, however.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Noh navigates her way down the par-5 11th safely and gives herself a decent look at birdie, but the ball wiggles its way past the hole on the left side and she smiles wryly after the fact.
Meanwhile, Esther Henseleit - who has not putted well at all - makes the final group's third collective birdie of the day. She's up to three-under and within two...
HSU IN THE SAND
One of many chasers, Hsu, finds one of the left fairway bunkers off the 18th tee. That all but rules out four-under for her.
KUWAKI INTO A SHARE
Japanese talent Shiho Kuwaki has been really quiet over the past half an hour or so, but she's making some noise now alright. The woman with the loud clothing rolls in a birdie putt at the 13th to reach five-under. For the first time today, Noh has company at the top.
MISTAKES MISTAKES
Oh no, Hsu. What have you done? She needed to go backwards out of the fairway bunker but completely fluffed her lines and the ball barely made it out before rolling back in.
The pro from Chinese Taipei advanced it forward with her third, but she's now looking at a first dropped shot of the day at such a crucial juncture.
Meanwhile, Noh leaves her tee shot into the par-3 12th very short and is in danger of three-putting...
POOR PUTT
Noh practices a big old swing of her broom-handle putter at the 12th as she aims well left of the target. She slightly pushes her ball in terms of line and also hammers it past the hole. That will be a really awkward one coming back, I feel.
HENSELEIT WITHIN ONE
Here comes Esther Henseleit! The German rolls in a lovely 20-footer for birdie at the par-3 12th and she's now within one. She could very shortly be tied with Noh...
CRUCIAL THREE-PUTT
It's a three putt for Noh and Kuwaki now leads. The American's putt was always drifting right and that's where it stayed. Noh was leading by three on the front nine. She's now one back.
KUWAKI GOES DEEP
The new leader sends her approach into the par-4 14th towards the back portion and she'll simply try and two-putt to retain her position at the top. Kuwaki has won a Major on the JLPGA Tour in her career, but this one would certainly top that.
THITIKUL BIRDIE
The former World No.1 makes a gain at the par-4 13th to repair some of the damage she's caused today. Thitikul is two-over for the day but two-under for the championship in a tie for sixth.
CLUTCH TWO PUTT
Kuwaki lag putts her way off the 14th to perfection. That first effort gave her maybe two feet at most and she tidies up with the minimum of fuss. Five-under leads still.
WAYWARD WOAD
At the 15th hole, Lottie Woad has a long-range putt for birdie. It sweeps sharply from left to right at the end, but it wasn't good for either line or pace. She will hopefully tap in for par, but that wasn't quite her best.
HENSELEIT MAKING A RUN
Henseleit was hitting some really poor putts earlier on, but she's finally found her groove. This one didn't drop, but the lag putt almost made its way into the hole. With some confidence in the putter, this title could yet be the Germans...
NOH RESPONDS
We have a share at the top once again! Yealimi Noh recalibrated at the 13th and just about manages to send her birdie putt into the right side of the hole. It threatened to stay above ground, but the ball toppled in and Noh is back to five-under.
WIDE RIGHT
Kuwaki drops a lovely approach into the 15th hole and has maybe 15 feet left for birdie. But the Japanese pro just misreads the effort slightly and it misses. Not by much though.
Kuwaki stands on the 16th tee knowing she is maybe three holes away from glory. But her drive sails into the right rough, so a birdie chance might be out of the question on this hole...
CONTRASTING FORTUNES IN FINAL GROUP
Noh has 179 yards into the green at the par-4 14th and she takes 6-iron. Even with the wind hurting at about 12mph, Noh's ball lands pin-high but bounces on through the putting surface and she'll have a tough up-and-down ahead.
Meanwhile, Henseleit has another chance to draw level from mid-range after she drops her ball in from slightly closer range.
STANDOUT PLAYER
Shiho Kuwaki is the only player in the last eight groups under par for the day. That is telling.
But the Japanese player has found the front-left greenside bunker at the 16th despite only have 130 yards in.
AGGRESSIVE PUTTS
Looking to re-take the lead, Noh makes a run at the flag on the 14th with her birdie try. It's good for line, but the power is a touch aggressive. It shouldn't be a problem for par, though.
Her playing partner, Henseleit, also leaves nothing in the tank but will walk away with par.
KUWAKI ESCAPES
That is a lovely bunker shot from Kuwaki, brushing her ball towards the flag and watching it roll out to tidy-up range. And there's a change at the top once again...
KUWAKI LEADS (AGAIN)
Maybe I spoke too soon - it wouldn't be the first time. Yealimi Noh pulls her three-foot par putt and she suffers yet another bogey at the 14th. Henseleit and Noh, who make up the final pairing, are both on four-under now and a shot back of the lead.
LEADERS MAKING MOVES
Both Henseleit and Noh find the fairway at the 15th, while Kuwaki safely pars the same hole to remain one clear at five-under.
KORDA SETS THE TARGET
Nelly Korda with a birdie at the last 👀As it stands, she has the lead in the clubhouse at -2.📺 https://t.co/WmL2h6e9ZE pic.twitter.com/PfkVg7fDhjAugust 2, 2026
LI STILL STRUGGLES
She started so well, but Li has made back-to-back bogeys at the 14th and 15th to drop to three-over for the day and one-under for the championship.
WHAT A SHOT FROM THE GERMAN
Wow, that was close from Henseleit at the 15th!
Playing her approach, the German's second brushes the hole on its way by and she will have a great look at birdie coming up to move to five-under.
Noh, meanwhile, plays a decent approach into the green, leaving 25-feet for birdie.
HULL FINISHES UP
It's a one-over-par final round for Hull, who finishes one-under for the championship and in a share of seventh.
Alongside Hull, Lydia Ko birdies the last and finishes two-over-par, with a 74 putting her T20th.
HENSELEIT JOINS THE LEAD
Her excellent approach is rewarded by a simple birdie putt at the 15th, with the German moving to five-under and alongside Kuwaki, who has found the green at the par 4 17th.
GREAT EFFORT
Her putting has been excellent today and, at the par 4 17th, Kuwaki narrowly misses her lengthy birdie attempt, with a simple par keeping her five-under.
A few holes back, Henseleit goes left with her tee shot at the 16th, but hasn't found any bunkers, while Noh is in the center of the fairway.
HOW HENSELEIT JOINED THE LEAD
Henseleit joins the lead!She almost holes out for eagle on 15, but rolls in the birdie to join Kuwaki at the top on -5.📺 https://t.co/WmL2h6e9ZE pic.twitter.com/BhOrSvxcwtAugust 2, 2026
SAFE DRIVE FROM KUWAKI
The Japanese star narrowly finds the right rough with her tee shot at the 72nd hole, but does have a clear line into the green.
WOAD FINISHES UP HER ROUND
Woad cards a two-over-par 73 final round and finishes at one-under-par.
She is alongside Hull and three other names at one-under, with the Englishwoman currently in a share of seventh spot.
WORK TO DO FOR HENSELEIT
Her approach comes up short and, with a lengthy putt upcoming, the German races it by six-feet, leaving a tough par putt coming back.
In terms of Noh, she just misses her birdie putt, leaving a guaranteed par to remain four-under.
HENSELEIT MISSES
Her putting has been hit-and-miss today and, at the 16th, Henseleit's attempt for par is weak and falls short on the right-side.
She drops to four-under, one back of Kuwaki, who is safely on the green at the 18th.
SHIHO KUWAKI SETS THE TARGET
An impressive round for Shiho Kuwaki ends with a par at the 72nd hole, with the Japanese star setting the target at five-under-par.
A one-under round means Kuwaki is in pole position to make it back-to-back AIG Women's Open winners from Japan, but we will know in around 30 minutes if she has done enough.
ADVANTAGE NOH
The final group find the fairway at the 17th and, following Henseleit's approach, which goes long, Noh then plays a nice second to 20-feet.
Both players will have their putts to get to five-under and join Kuwaki at the top of the leaderboard.
CAN ANYONE CATCH THE LEADER?
Shiho Kuwaki leads in the clubhouse.A final round of 70 sees her set the clubhouse target at -5. pic.twitter.com/N3yyAO31pOAugust 2, 2026
PARS AT THE PENULTIMATE HOLE
Henseleit comes up short with her lengthy birdie putt, while Noh blasts her attempt through the break and past the hole.
In terms of their par putts, both roll them in convincingly, meaning they will need birdies at the 72nd hole to match Kuwaki at five-under.
BIRDIE REQUIRED
Yealimi Noh and Esther Henseleit need a birdie. It's quite literally birdie or bust now on the 405-yard par 4.
OUT TO THE RIGHT
Noh takes driver and doesn't hold back, but her ball has sailed right towards the fans. If she has a lie, the opportunity is still there. It looks OK.
ALMOST PERFECT FROM HENSELEIT
The German almost finds one of the left fairway bunkers off the tee, but Henseleit's ball skirts around it and ends in the left rough. That lie is certainly fine, though, and with a back-right pin location she's in a great spot to access it. I'd still rather be Shiho Kuwaki at this stage, though...
TOUGH APPROACH
Noh has 145 yards to go, but she's the wrong side of the fairway so this requires nothing other than a cut. There's a little grass behind and to the right of the ball, too. It's a tough shot on any day of the year, but in the final group on AIG Women's Open Sunday...
7-iron to come...
NOH LEAVES 30-FOOTER
It's a chance, but it's not a great one from Noh. The contact was decent and it started on the right line, but the ball just wouldn't move left-to-right and she's got her work cut out to force a playoff...
KUWAKI IN PRIME POSITION
With 125 yards to go and pitching wedge in hand, Henseleit had the green light to go for it. But the execution of the shot was quite disappointing, it must be said, and Henseleit is perhaps even farther away than Noh.
If either is going to force extra holes, they will need to can a pretty lengthy putt.
HENSELEIT INTO A PLAYOFF
Oohh she's done it! That was perfect right off the blade. Esther Henseleit sends her ball into the hole with flagstick still in place from at least 30 feet, putting her fist up to the sky before it even dropped. Sensational.
What a moment! 🔥🔥🔥Esther Henseleit forces a play-off with this huge putt on 18.📺 https://t.co/WmL2h6e9ZE pic.twitter.com/M5AooVmkSUAugust 2, 2026
OH NOH
Yealimi Noh did the one thing you simply cannot do in that position, she left it short! It was a good couple of feet short as well.
She taps in to end on four-under for the week. That will be solo third for Noh.
PLAYOFF INCOMING
Well, well, well. We have a playoff coming up! It seemed quite likely throughout the back nine, but I'm not sure many people would have backed Henseleit to be a part of it - especially with the way she putted early on.
Nevertheless, it's true and we will start a sudden-death playoff momentarily.
PLAYERS MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE TEE
Shiho Kuwaki, now with a second layer on and hand-warmer in place, smiles as she heads back to the 18th tee in the cart.
She hasn't been to the range since finishing, so you do wonder/worry how warm/sharp she'll be. Meanwhile, Henseleit is fresh off the 18th.
The pair greet each other with a hug and a smile on the tee box. Now it's game face on and they're ready to rock.
KUWAKI TO PLAY FIRST
Kuwaki removes her sweater and takes aim down the 18th fairway once more. As a reminder, it's sudden death now.
Her drive crashes into some thick rough short of a fairway bunker down the right. That could be terminal for Kuwaki's chances.
Henseleit, meanwhile, rifles a powerful drive into almost the exact same position she was in during regulation. It's past the left fairway bunkers and just into the left rough from the ideal angle.
The German will hope her approach is slightly better, although, if she manages to get down in three again she won't care where this next shot goes at all.
YARDS REMAINING
Kuwaki's drive went 222 yards and she has 186 yards to go. It's also on the wrong side of the fairway and is buried in thick rough on a pretty severe upslope. This looks awful.
On the contrary, Henseleit has less than 120 yards from a perfect angle. Advantage to the German, certainly.
KUWAKI WEDGES OUT
Going for the green is out of the question for the 23-year-old, so she hacks her ball into the heart of the fairway and will try to make par that way.
HEART OF THE GREEN
Henseleit flicks her wedge forward and the ball skips up to almost hole high out to the left. It's no more than 15 feet and on the same line as the one she's not long holed.
PRESSURE ON
Kuwaki hasn't given up just yet! She flies her yellow golf ball to the right side of the green and it takes a kind kick left before spinning to a standstill some four to five feet away. If Henseleit is going to win this, it might need to be a birdie...
PAR FOR HENSELEIT
The birdie putt drifts just wide to the right from Henseleit and it should be a par to come. But now it's over to Kuwaki to stay alive.
A narrow miss for Henseleit on the first play-off hole.📺 https://t.co/WmL2h6e9ZE pic.twitter.com/gvSQPN1g3uAugust 2, 2026
GRITTY PAR
Shiho Kuwaki tidies up for par and that unfortunate drive is now long forgotten. Was that Henseleit's chance?
Henseleit knocks in for par as well and we will go back down 18 once more.
STARE DOWN
As the players head back down 18, Henseleit and Kuwaki are facing each other in opposing carts. Henseleit is sat in the back of one cart while Kuwaki is in the front of the cart behind. What must the German be thinking right now as Kuwaki continues to smile away?
TAKE TWO
Kuwaki takes a second crack at it and fares much better this time around, nailing her driver right down the middle. Perfect.
FORE RIGHT
Is this game over? Henseleit pushes her driver towards the fans down the right where it appears to strike someone's ankle and bounce into the gorse bush. If that's gone, this could be the end for Henseleit's chances. That would be beyond cruel.
BAD LUCK
Henseleit's ball is visible, but it's very much in drop territory under normal circumstances. It seems as though she's going to take a swipe at this and hope because drop might mean game over. The Solheim Cup hopeful has 173 yards to go still, but that's almost immaterial.
GREAT RECOVERY
What a shot from Henseleit! She thumps down on the back of the ball and it scampers down the firm and fast fairway to a good lie. How on earth she's managed that kind of contact, I do not know.
KUWAKI ON THE GREEN
The Japanese player only has around 125 yards to go, but she does what Henseleit did earlier and slightly pulls the approach. It's about 35 feet away, and we've already seen a putt holed from around there quite recently...
SOLID APPROACH
The 27-year-old clips a solid wedge into the green. It skips on towards the back portion, but isn't far off hole-high out to the left. It looks like 15-20 feet, so it's makeable, but it's still advantage Kuwaki.
PUTT FOR THE WIN
Kuwaki will go first. It's 25 feet or so for the win. For the AIG Women's Open.
COMES UP SHORT
Kuwaki leaves it a couple of feet away. That might be enough yet still if Henseleit doesn't knock this in.
BOGEY FOR HENSELEIT
Henseleit over-borrows on her putt and it sails out to the left. She taps in for bogey and it's over to Shiho Kuwaki to seal her maiden Major victory from no more than two feet. It might even be one.
KUWAKI WINS AIG WOMEN'S OPEN
Shiho Kuwaki taps home for par and she wins the AIG Women's Open on the second playoff hole!
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THE WINNING MOMENT
Here's a look at the winning putt and instant celebrations from Shiho Kuwaki
The winning moment! 🍾A par on the second play-off hole for Shiho Kuwaki is enough to see her clinch a first major title. pic.twitter.com/lfkoK0hjDIAugust 2, 2026
