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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Golf devider Kuwaki claims first major; Thorbjornsen gets maiden PGA Tour title

Kuwaki claims first major; Thorbjornsen gets maiden PGA Tour title

Published Aug 3, 2026 10:38 am

At A Glance

  • LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England (AP) — Shiho Kuwaki became the fifth Japanese player in the last three years to win a major Sunday, Aug. 2, when she outlasted Esther Henseleit of Germany with a par on the second playoff hole to win the Women's British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
Shiho Kuwaki, of Japan, holds up the trophy after winning the Women's British Open golf championship in Lytham St Annes, England, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Shiho Kuwaki, of Japan, holds up the trophy after winning the Women's British Open golf championship in Lytham St Annes, England, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England (AP) — Shiho Kuwaki became the fifth Japanese player in the last three years to win a major Sunday, Aug. 2, when she outlasted Esther Henseleit of Germany with a par on the second playoff hole to win the Women's British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
Kuwaki closed with a 1-under 70 and looked like a winner as she waited in the scoring room to see if anyone could match her 5-under 279. Henseleit holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a 70 to force only the second playoff since the Women's British Open became a major in 2001.
Kuwaki saved par from the fairway after a tee shot into deep rough on the 18th in the playoff and Henseleit missed a 15-foot birdie putt for the win. On the 18th again, Henseleit drove under a gorse bush, chipped out and couldn't make par. Kuwaki two-putted for par from 30 feet.
Kuwaki, a 23-year-old with two wins on the Japan LPGA this year, followed major champions Miyu Yamashita, Mao Saigo, Ayaka Furue and Yuka Saso since 2024.
PGA Tour
DETROIT (AP) — Michael Thorbjornsen made a 26-foot birdie putt on his last hole for a 7-under 63 and a two-shot victory in the Rocket Classic on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title.
The 24-year-old Thorbjornsen sealed his spot in the FedEx Cup playoffs after rolling into the Motor City at No. 69 in the standings. The top 70 advance to the postseason after next week’s Wyndham Championship. He also earned a spot in the Masters for the first time next April.
He’s the eighth first-time winner this season on the PGA Tour and the second straight, following Jackson Koivun's victory last week in the 3M Open.
Xander Schauffele (65) briefly led during the final round and finished second, two shots back. Davis Riley (70) was another stroke behind in third, falling out of the lead with four bogeys.
PGA Tour Champions
VILAMOURA, Portugal (AP) — Zach Johnson opened with three straight birdies and closed with a 7-under 65 for a two-shot victory over Stewart Cink in the inaugural Portugal Invitational.
Johnson won for the fourth time in his rookie season on the 50-and-older circuit, and it was his third Champions title in his last four starts.
Cink, who closed with a 68, remains atop the Charles Schwab Cup standings. Johnson and Cink have combined to win eight of the 18 tournaments this year on the PGA Tour Champions.
Padraig Harrington closed with a 70 and finished third in his eighth consecutive week playing the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions and European tour.
Korn Ferry Tour
OGDEN, Utah (AP) — Derek Hitchner made a 5 1/2-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a man-playoff to win the Utah Championship for his first Korn Ferry Tour title.
Hitchner closed with a 3-under 67 at Ogden Golf and Country Club to match Cole Hammer (64), Mason Andersen (65), Travis Trace (66) and Tommy Morrison (63) at 21-under 259.
Hitchner jumped from 136th to 26th in the season standings.
Other tours
Rory Franssen of Scotland played bogey-free Sunday for a 5-under 67 and won the Infortar Estonian Challenge by three shots over Andrew Wilson for his first title on the European tour's developmental circuit. ... Dayeon Lee closed with a 3-under 69 for a one-shot victory in the Aurora World Championship for her first title this year on the Korea LPGA.

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