Kuwaki has been near the top of the leaderboard all week with an opening 66 (-5) followed by a 70 (-1) and a 73 (+2). On the final day, she held her nerve to shoot a round of 70 (-1), which included three birdies and two bogeys.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
American Yealimi Noh, who led at the 54-hole mark, had a tough final day, carding a 74 (+3) to finish in solo third place on four-under-par.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
World number one Nelly Korda and world number two Jeeno Thitikul shared fourth place on two-under-par.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India\u2019s Hero-supported Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok had missed the cut earlier this week.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kuwaki, who set the clubhouse lead on five-under-par, was joined by Germany\u2019s Henseleit at the top of the leaderboard, and then the duo headed back down the 18th and each made a par on the first playoff hole.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 23-year-old then found the fairway and green in two on her second attempt, while Henseleit\u2019s ball went in the gorse off the tee.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite recovering well, the German missed her par putt and made bogey, leaving Kuwaki to sink her par putt and win the 2026 AIG Women\u2019s Open.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kuwaki said, \u201cAfter last year, Yamashita\u2019s win, and to be able to win again as a Japanese player is such an amazing feeling. I hope as part of Team Japan we can continue to light up the golf world and hope everyone enjoys it as well.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Germany\u2019s Henseleit was in the final group of the day, and she also produced a round of 70 (-1) to put herself on five-under-par and in the playoff.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The two-time LET winner had an up-and-down day with a bogey on the third followed by a birdie on the sixth before back-to-back bogeys on holes eight and nine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Henseleit found some form on the back nine with birdies on the 11th, 12th and 15th holes. She made another bogey on 16 but finished in style with a clutch birdie on 18 to secure her place in the playoff. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
The two-time LET winner had an up-and-down day with a bogey on the third followed by a birdie on the sixth before back-to-back bogeys on holes eight and nine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the LET Order of Merit, South Africa\u2019s Casandra Alexander extended her lead at the summit and has 1,899.98 points.<\/p>\r\n\r\n