Ashleigh Ann Buhai (née Simon, born 11 May 1989) is a South African professional golfer who won the 2022 Women's Open, one of the major championships in women's golf.
Amateur career Buhai had a successful amateur career. She was the youngest player to win the ladies’ South African Amateur Stroke Play and Match Play double. She represented her country in the mainly professional Women's World Cup of Golf three times while still an amateur.
Professional career Buhai turned professional the day after her 18th birthday. She won the 2007 Catalonia Ladies Masters, which was her third event as a professional. She became the youngest ever professional winner on the Ladies European Tour (South Korea's Amy Yang won the 2006 ANZ Ladies Masters at a younger age as an amateur).
Ashleigh now plays under the name Ashleigh Buhai after marrying her husband, David, in December 2016.
Buhai earned her LPGA Tour card for 2014 at qualifying school.
On 7 August 2022, after 221 LPGA Tour starts, Buhai won her first major title by winning the AIG Women's Open at Muirfield, Scotland. She defeated Chun In-gee on the fourth hole of sudden-death playoff after both players finished regulation play at −10.
In December 2022, Buhai won the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open by 1 stroke over Jiyai Shin. In December 2023, she successfully defended her ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open title with a 1 stroke victory over Minjee Lee at The Australian Golf Club
Amateur wins 2004 Jack Newton Junior International Classic (Australia), South African Amateur Stroke Play, South African Amateur Match Play 2005 South African Amateur Stroke Play 2006 South African Amateur Stroke Play, South African Amateur Match Play, AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions (USA) 2007 South African Amateur Stroke Play, South African Amateur Match Play
Professional wins (22) LPGA Tour wins (2) LegendMajor championships (1)Other LPGA Tour (1) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-upWinner'sshare ($)17 Aug 2022AIG Women's Open70-65-64-75=274−10Playoff Chun In-gee 1,095,000211 June 2023ShopRite LPGA Classic69-65-65=199 −141 stroke Kim Hyo-joo 262,500 Co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour.
LPGA Tour playoff record (1–1) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult12020Cambia Portland Classic Georgia HallLost to par on second extra hole22022AIG Women's Open Chun In-geeWon with par on fourth extra hole
Ladies European Tour wins (5) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMarginof victoryRunner(s)-up117 June 2007Catalonia Ladies Masters70-68-70=208−82 strokes Becky Brewerton Kirsty Taylor2 15 May 2011ISPS Handa Portugal Ladies Open66-67-67=200−163 strokes Gwladys Nocera310 Mar 2018Investec South African Women's Open (3) 69-71-67=207−92 strokes Karolin Lampert47 Aug 2022AIG Women's Open70-65-64-75=274−10Playoff Chun In-gee511 Mar 2023Investec South African Women's Open (4) 64-65-69-68=266-224 strokes Ana Peláez Co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Ladies Tour. Co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour.
Ladies European Tour playoff record (1–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult12022AIG Women's Open Chun In-geeWon with par on fourth extra hole
WPGA Tour of Australasia wins (2) 2022 ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open 2023 ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open
Sunshine Ladies Tour wins (12) 2014 (3) Chase to Investec Cup Glendower, Ladies Tshwane Open, Chase to Investec Cup Blue Valley 2015 (1) Sunshine Ladies Tour Open 2017 (3) Cape Town Ladies Open, Sun International Ladies Challenge, Investec Royal Swazi (Ladies) 2018 (2) Joburg Ladies Open, Investec South African Women's Open (3) 2019 (1) Canon Sunshine Ladies Tour Open 2020 (1) Jabra Ladies Classic 2023 (1) Investec South African Women's Open (4) Co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour.
Other wins (4) 2004 Acer South African Women's Open (as an amateur) 2005 Pam Golding Classic (Ladies Africa Tour) (as an amateur) 2006 Nedbank Masters (Ladies Africa Tour) (as an amateur) 2007 Acer South African Women's Open (2) (as an amateur)
Major championships Wins (1) YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner-up 2022 AIG Women's Open Five shot lead −10 (70-65-64-75=274) Playoff Chun In-gee
Results timeline Results not in chronological order. Tournament 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Chevron ChampionshipCUTT75U.S. Women's OpenCUTCUTCUTT27T57T55Women's PGA ChampionshipT31T40CUTT50T36T47CUTThe Evian Championship ^CUTCUTT37Women's British OpenCUTCUTCUTT43CUTT47CUTT66T47T30CUT5 Tournament 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026Chevron ChampionshipCUTCUTCUTT18CUTT62CUTU.S. Women's OpenT30CUTT68T51CUTCUTWomen's PGA ChampionshipT18CUTT21T39T52CUTCUTThe Evian ChampionshipNTT58T15T20WDCUTCUTWomen's British OpenT11CUT1CUTT22T50T23 ^ The Evian Championship was added as a major in 2013.
CUT = missed the half-way cut WD = withdrew NT = no tournament T = tied
Summary Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts madeChevron Championship 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 3Women's PGA Championship 0 0 0 0 0 2 14 9U.S. Women's Open 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 6The Evian Championship 0 0 0 0 0 2 9 4Women's British Open 1 0 0 2 2 5 19 11Totals 1 0 0 2 2 10 63 33 Most consecutive cuts made – 7 (2022 WPGA – 2023 Evian) Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (twice)
LPGA Tour career summary Year Tournaments played Cuts made* Wins (Majors) 2nds 3rds Top 10s Best finish Earnings($) Moneylist rank Scoring average Scoringrank200511000012n/an/an/an/a2006210001T7n/an/an/an/a2007530000T16n/an/an/an/a20081450000T3520,33015774.2714420091570000T2339,75211873.181012010110000T4312,81014073.25n/a2011200000Cut0n/a73.50n/a20120 ** 0 ** 0000T563,146 ** n/a76.25n/a2013110000T4710,55414273.75n/a20141890000T1578,2949872.649520151780000T4240,83111773.1211420161680000T2273,21010771.87662017211001132461,0944271.6066201828170001T7254,6927271.93772019271900015407,5465171.60772020161401032429,6282471.8355202124170002T8229,6957571.2763202224151 (1)00311,553,0041071.196020232317101611,016,0492670.76332024231900026569,6816771.4963202522140002T9291,8808871.2453Totals^292 (2008) 181 (2008) 2 (1) 2 2 24 1 5,489,050 88 ^ official as of 2025 season * Includes matchplay and other tournaments without a cut. ** *ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open not counted by LPGA
World ranking Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year. Year World ranking Source 2012 173 2013 170 2014 163 2015 212 2016 223 2017 113 2018 115 2019 104 2020 70 2021 84 2022 24 2023 23 2024 57 2025 122
Team appearances Amateur Espirito Santo Trophy (representing South Africa): 2004, 2006 (winners)
Professional World Cup (representing South Africa): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
References
External links