Ashleigh Buhai has risen from a teenage sensation to SA’s No 1 and now at the top of her game, writes LALI STANDER.
Buhai quashed the assumption that early success is ‘the only success’ by securing the biggest payday of her career, at the age of 30, with a top-five finish at the AIG British Women’s Open.
The South African banked $185 118 (roughly R2.6-million) at the final Major of the season. ‘That’s a pretty good return for four days’ work,’ laughed Buhai, who also ticked another big box on her bucket list. A huge haul of World Ranking points catapulted the Johannesburg golfer from 123rd to 89th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
‘I’ve been on the pro circuit since 2008, yet I’ve never felt so alive or as ready to win as right now. Ever since the PGA Championship in June, the confidence has been building. I am in the top 100; I feel like I am a real contender. I might be a late bloomer, but the best is yet to come and I know I am knocking on the door for that first LPGA Tour win.’
The three-time Ladies European Tour champion put the golfing world on notice with a seven-under-par 65 in the first round to take the lead.
Much was made of the fact she had never finished better than 25th at a Major, but Buhai held their attention as she stayed ahead with a second-round 67. She carded 72 on ‘moving day’ and fans held their breath as Buhai started the final round two shots behind Japan’s Hinako Shibuno at Woburn’s Marquess Course.
‘I have had one bad round in every tournament this season, so I’d take a 72 on any given day, as a bad round, but in retrospect, that probably cost me the title.
‘I don’t have a British Open hangover, though. I felt I played really well in the final round, but Hinako played better. I rallied after a bogey start and I made three birdies over the first four holes after the turn to get back into contention. I missed a short birdie putt at the 2nd, a par putt on 9 and another short birdie putt on 11. But even if I had made those putts, I still couldn’t have beaten her.
‘After that bogey at 16, I knew I was still in the top five and I played to stay there. What most people probably didn’t realise was that I played the shot of the tournament to get out of a really bad lie in the trees on that hole. It was a great bogey.
‘Hinako played unbelievable golf and it was an eye-opener playing with her. She had fun out there. That’s something I forget sometimes and I could really enjoy that final round with her. She also taught me another home truth: the more experienced we become, the more we tend to hold back in the big moments. I was babying my putts in the final round, but she was fearless, hammering putts on every hole. If it missed, the ball ran six to 10 feet past, like when she four-putted for a double on the 3rd. But she never changed her strategy, and even her winning putt was hard and fast.
‘I remember thinking I was that fearless back in 2008. It’s something that has stuck and I want to bring that back into my game. I was really rooting for her down the stretch, because she is great for golf. She is going to attract a lot of young girls to the game.’
In a storied amateur career, Buhai dominated the local amateur golf scene and distinguished herself on the international stage. She won four professional events as an amateur, including the 2004 SA Women’s Open at the age of 14 and the SA Women’s Masters at 16. She remains the only amateur to achieve this feat in both flagship events and the only amateur to win the SA Women’s Open twice.
Expectations were huge when she joined the paid ranks in June 2007 and she didn’t disappoint.
Within three starts, she broke through at the Catalonia Ladies Masters and won again in 2011 in Portugal. After a couple of dry seasons, Buhai was in striking form when the Sunshine Ladies Tour launched in 2014, winning three titles in succession.
Although she finished in the winner’s circle again and again on the local circuit, success on the LPGA Tour proved elusive.
‘I really had to grind to keep my card in 2015 and 2016, but in 2017 I had two great finishes that I now think were the start of my resurgence. I tied for third at the Blue Bay LPGA and finished second at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic. I could feel the confidence returning.’
At the end of 2017, Buhai and caddie husband Dave decided to call it quits.
‘That’s on the golf course, not the marriage! Dave had been on the bag for eight years; I relied on him so much that I lost control of my own game. I’ve never been a very technical player; I am much more of a feel player, and I’d lost my touch.
‘Dave picked up on this, so after we won the 2018 Investec SA Women’s Open, he started working for Pernilla Lindberg and I felt around until I found Gary du Plooy. He worked the men’s circuit for years and caddied for Brandon Stone, Miguel Angel Jimenez and a few others, so we had some growing pains at first. He wasn’t used to the emotion on the women’s circuit and I had to get used to calling the shots again. But we are a good team now. He trusts me to know my own game. If we have a left pin, five from the left, most players would see a draw, but I know I can fade it in and he lets me. I steer the boat again and it’s been a really good partnership.’
Her long-standing partnership with coach Doug Wood from the Wanna Be A Champion Academy has also played
a pivotal role in turning her career around this season.
‘I don’t see Doug often enough, but when he came out to the KPMG we started working green and yellow zones, which is something he introduced to Erik van Rooyen. It’s a concept that has been absolutely brilliant for me.
‘Green is straight at it and you’ll have a tap-in putt. Yellow is if you miss it, that’s where you want to land up. Gary and I know I have the shots to execute the goal, so I just commit to the shot. It’s really taken my game to the next level and built a lot of confidence.’
Buhai believes she is heading for her best season on the American-based circuit.
‘I’ll play two events in Canada, a couple in the US and then we’re off to Asia. I call those events our ‘Christmas bonus’, because everything is paid for and we earn money at every event.
‘Hopefully, I will have a good stint so I start the CME Group Tour Championship in a strong position. I know I am not going to perform well in every start, because that’s how it goes. Some courses suit you better than others. But right now, I feel the world is my oyster and I want to push the boat out as far as I can.’
Any regrets?
‘None. But perhaps one concern. I usually start in Australia and support the Sunshine Ladies Tour, but then I always hit this bad patch when I get to America. Perhaps I need to cut down on the tournaments at the start, and put my focus on building for the Majors. Maybe play Florida and skip Australia. I don’t know what the answer is.
‘We will have to revisit this at the end of the season, but I do know I won’t ever miss the SA Women’s Open. That’s the one event that will always take priority for me, even if I can’t play the rest of the Tour.’
