Three birdies in her final round on Sunday saw Ashleigh Buhai get a top-10 finish in the Gainbridge LPGA tournament in Orlando, Florida as she signed for a closing one-under-par 71 in tough conditions.
She finished at eight-under-par for the tournament in a seven-way tie for eighth as America’s Nelly Korda cantered to an easy win by three strokes over compatriot Lexi Thompson and former world number one Lydia Ko if New Zealand.
Buhai got off to a slow start and dropped a shot on the par-three fourth. But she made consecutive birdies on eight and nine ahead of the turn to nudge herself into the top 10. A bogey on another par-three, the 13th saw her slip back a little, but she got the shot back with a birdie on the par-five 15th. Only one player ahead of Buhai was able to make birdies in the final three holes – Sarah Kemp of Australia picked up shots on the 16th and 18th – so finishing in par was good for the South African.
Korda was the only player to keep all of her scores in the 60s, while Buhai’s second round of five-under vaulted her into contention when added to her three other rounds of one-under 71 each.
For Korda, it was her fourth victory on home soil, and she followed her sister into the 2021 winner’s circle after Jessica won the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in January.
