South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai is a powerhouse in women's golf and will forever be known as a Major winner. Discover more about her life and career so far via these facts.
Ashleigh Buhai Facts
1. Buhai was born Ashleigh Simon in Johannesburg, South Africa on May 11, 1989.
2. Buhai started playing golf at the age of six and credits her dad as the individual with the most influence over her career.
3. She enjoyed a successful amateur career, becoming the youngest player to win the Ladies’ South African Amateur Stroke Play and Match Play in 2004.
4. Buhai won two of her four South African Women's Open titles as an amateur, with the first arriving in 2004 while she was just 14 years old and the second occurring in 2007.
5. Buhai became the first player in 101 years to win the South African Women's Open title three times (2018). She then triumphed again in 2023 to move second on the list of all-time winners of the event behind Lee-Ann Pace.
6. She represented her country in the mainly professional Women's World Cup of Golf four times - three of which was while still an amateur - (2005-2008).
7. Buhai turned professional the day after her 18th birthday - May 12, 2007.
8. In her third event as a professional, she won the 2007 Catalonia Ladies Masters. In the process she became the youngest ever professional winner on the Ladies European Tour at the time.
9. She secured her LPGA Tour card in 2014 via Q-School.
10. Buhai married her partner, David - who is a professional caddie - in December 2016.
11. Her hobbies include playing sports, listening to music, spending time with friends and family, and playing the guitar.
12. She represented South Africa at the Rio 2016 Olympics and was selected for Tokyo 2020 after qualifying but withdrew before the event began. Her second full Olympic appearance occurred at Paris 2024.
13. Buhai became a Major champion in 2022 after winning the AIG Women's British Open on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff against In-gee Chun.
14. The South African's first regular LPGA Tour title arrived via the 2023 ShopRite LPGA Classic. She had previously gone close in 2020 before losing in a playoff to Georgia Hall at the Cambia Portland Classic.
15. She has 22 total professional wins throughout her career.
16. The lowest round of her professional career is 63.
17. Buhai claimed consecutive ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open titles in 2022 and 2023.
18. Her highest-ever Rolex Ranking is 12th in the world.
19. Buhai made her first ace on the LPGA Tour in the third round of the Maybank Championship. She holed it in one from 101 yards with a gap wedge.
20. Buhai's career earnings are almost $7.5 million.
