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Dame Laura Davies has admitted her surprise at Shiho Kuwaki not heading to the range after completing her final round at the AIG Women’s Open, with Esther Henseleit taking her to a playoff at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
Kuwaki is now a major champion after making a par on the second extra hole. It was a truly enthralling day in Lancashire with the number of twists and turns rivalling the amount of bunkers on the iconic course.
At one stage, it appeared that Nelly Korda may even want to stay put after getting to the clubhouse at two under par for the week.
Ultimately, Kuwaki seemed to play the most measured golf of all of those in the final groups. After dropping shots on four and five, the 23-year-old did not make another bogey.
What Shiho Kuwaki did to surprise Dame Laura Davies during the AIG Women’s Open
When she walked off the 18th green, it did appear that her tally of five under par was probably going to be good enough to secure her first major title.
However, Henseleit had other ideas. A long birdie putt from the German not only took the event to a playoff but also guaranteed her place on Europe’s Solheim Cup team in September.
Kuwaki was actually watching Henseleit’s putt from inside the clubhouse and looked stunned by what happened. With that, she missed the opportunity to go to the range to prepare in case anyone could tie her score.
Thankfully, it worked out for the youngster. Henseleit made a bogey on the second additional hole after an awful break off the tee.
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And speaking on Sky Sports, Dame Laura Davies suggested the reason why she thinks Kuwaki did not head straight out to the practice ground.
“No idea [why she didn’t go to the range]. To be honest, I don’t think she thought anyone was going to birdie 18. I most certainly didn’t,” she said.
“But in golf, you’ve always got to expect the unexpected. So yes, unbelievable she didn’t go and warm up, but she got the job done so she did the right thing whatever. Who knows, she could have been on the range for half an hour, it might not have worked out.”
Davies reacts to Charley Hull and Lottie Woad’s performances at Royal Lytham and St Annes
There will be a number of names who will be kicking themselves following the final major of the year.
Korda finished tied for fourth, while Charley Hull and Lottie Woad were both two places further back.
Both Hull and Woad went into Sunday with outside chances of victory. However, Hull’s hopes were all but dashed when she made a double bogey on the third.
Meanwhile, Woad was never able to get under par for the day. And Davies suggested that both will be quite frustrated given how close they ended up being.
“I think they’ll be happy with their finishes, the fact that they’re in the top 10, tied for sixth they both were, but they’ll both see this as a missed opportunity, because five under has won it,” she said.
“I think really Charley played a little bit in and out. I thought Lottie played really solid golf, but didn’t hole enough putts. Charley made a couple too many mistakes, and that’s the way she plays golf. She goes full out attack. She was pretty disciplined this week, but I think she’ll look back and think, ‘I’m only four back. That’s too close. I should have been in there right at the death’. But it’s hard to get in there and stay up there. I think this course won this week.”
You have to think that Woad’s time will come at some stage given the form she has shown over the last couple of years.
But there is no question that the pressure on Hull is ramping up after letting another chance slip through her grasp.
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