Reigning AIG Women’s Open and Australian Open champion Ashleigh Buhai has triumphed on American soil for the first time, winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey.
The 34-year-old South African fired a second-straight round of 65 to finish at 14-under-par and win by one shot from South Korean star Hyo Joo Kim (68) on Sunday.
It was Buhai's fourth victory worldwide in the past 12 months.
The AIG Women's Open winner last year at Muirfield, Buhai had five career Ladies European Tour victories to her name and claimed the Women's Australian Open title at Victoria Golf Club in December.
"It's definitely the best golf I've ever played in my career, but I think we've found a good balance," Buhai said.
"I said I'm on the older side on Tour nowadays, one of the veterans, but I think between everything I'm doing between my putting, working with a putting coach, my swing coach and the mental side, when I put them all together, I know that I can compete and have a chance to win."
Yan Liu of China shot a final-round 67 to take third place at 11-under. Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark fired a 65 and tied Sweden's Dani Holmqvist for fourth at 10-under.
Australia's Su Oh rocketed home with a closing 64 to finish tied sixth, five shots behind Buhai.
Buhai entered the final round three shots off the pace.
Kim had a chance to force a play-off if she eagled the par-5 18th at the Seaview Golf Club's Bay Course, but her pitch shot came up short and she had to settle for a birdie that gave her a final-round 68 and pushed her to 13-under.
Buhai rolled in five of her seven birdies over her first eight holes, including a long putt at the 5th, to make a charge up the leaderboard. Her lone bogey came at the par-3 11th, but she rebounded with a birdie at 14 and added a birdie on the last that ended up solidifying her winning score.
"Obviously I got off to such a good start, and the putt on 5 is a hallelujah," Buhai said.
"It's like, those things need to happen for you to win, obviously. But at no point did I think it was mine until now, until it was really confirmed."
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