Ashleigh Buhai
Ashleigh Ann Buhai is a South African professional golfer who won the 2022 AIG Women’s Open, one of the major championships in women’s golf. Competing primarily on the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour, she has built a reputation as a consistent ball-striker and a determined match-play competitor. Beyond her major breakthrough, she has also captured multiple titles on the Sunshine Ladies Tour and the WPGA Tour of Australasia, cementing her standing as one of the leading South African players of her generation.
Early Life and Background
Ashleigh Ann Buhai was born on 11 May 1989 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Growing up in one of the country’s most established golfing communities gave her early access to well-maintained courses and competitive junior events. Her formative years were spent developing a calm temperament and a disciplined approach to the game, qualities that have remained visible throughout her professional career.
She initially competed under her maiden name, Simon, before adopting the Buhai surname following her marriage. Standing 165 centimetres tall, she plays a controlled, percentage-based style of golf built on accuracy and course management rather than raw power. Her South African roots continue to shape her schedule, with regular appearances on the Sunshine Ladies Tour alongside her international commitments.
Path to Professional Golf
Buhai enjoyed a highly successful amateur career that established her as one of the country’s brightest young prospects. She became the youngest player to win both the ladies’ South African Amateur Stroke Play and Match Play titles in the same year, an unprecedented double at the time. That early versatility across formats foreshadowed the well-rounded game she would later showcase on professional circuits.
As an amateur, Buhai also represented South Africa three times in the largely professional Women’s World Cup of Golf, gaining valuable experience against seasoned competitors. She turned professional the day after her 18th birthday in 2007, choosing to begin her career on the Ladies European Tour. The decision to start in Europe rather than on a predominantly domestic circuit reflected both her ambitions and the strong amateur pedigree she had already established.
Ashleigh Buhai Career
Early Career (2007–2013)
Buhai made an immediate impact in her first season as a professional. Her third event as a professional was the 2007 Catalonia Ladies Masters, which she won, becoming the youngest ever professional winner on the Ladies European Tour. That early breakthrough signalled her readiness to compete against experienced campaigners and provided a foundation of confidence that would serve her for years to come.
Throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, she balanced appearances in Europe, South Africa, and Australasia, steadily adding titles and refining her craft. In 2017, she won the Sunshine Ladies Tour Order of Merit, recognising her as the leading performer on the South African women’s circuit that season. These years laid the groundwork for her eventual push toward a full-time schedule on the LPGA Tour.
Ladies European Tour Breakthrough (2007–Present)
Buhai’s early success on the Ladies European Tour was anchored by her Catalonia victory in 2007, which announced her arrival on the international stage. She continued to add LET titles over the following years, building a multi-win resume on the tour. Her ability to perform across different climates and course types made her a reliable contender in both stroke-play and match-play events.
She has recorded five Ladies European Tour wins in total, with several of those co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Ladies Tour or the LPGA Tour. The variety of venues and partners in those co-sanctions has helped her maintain competitive sharpness across tours, a hallmark of her career strategy.
LPGA Tour Breakthrough (2014–Present)
Buhai earned her LPGA Tour card for the 2014 season by progressing through qualifying school, marking her transition to a full schedule in the United States. The years that followed required patience, as she adjusted to new courses, travel demands, and the depth of the LPGA Tour field. She remained a steady presence, regularly contending without quite breaking through for a signature individual title.
That breakthrough arrived on 7 August 2022, when she won the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield, Scotland. After 221 LPGA Tour starts, she captured her first major championship, defeating Chun In-gee on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff after both players finished regulation play at ten under par. The victory validated years of perseverance and elevated her profile across women’s golf. She added a second LPGA Tour title in December 2022 at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, winning by one stroke over Jiyai Shin, and successfully defended that title in December 2023, again by one stroke, this time over Minjee Lee at The Australian Golf Club.
Sunshine Ladies Tour Era (2007–Present)
Buhai has been a dominant figure on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, accumulating 12 career wins on the circuit, several of which were co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour. Her 2017 Order of Merit title reflected a season of consistent high finishes and confirmed her status as the leading South African player of that year. Her continued presence on the Sunshine Ladies Tour keeps her connected to the domestic game and emerging South African talent.
WPGA Tour of Australasia Era (2022–Present)
On the WPGA Tour of Australasia, Buhai has secured two career wins, both of which came via her consecutive ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open titles in 2022 and 2023. These victories in Australia further broadened her global resume and reinforced her reputation as a clutch performer in marquee events. The Australasian swing has become a productive hunting ground in her annual schedule.
Driving Style and Strengths
Buhai is known for her precise iron play and her composed temperament under pressure, traits that were decisive during her four-hole playoff win at Muirfield. Her strategy emphasises accuracy off the tee and giving herself scoring opportunities from known distances, rather than chasing aggressive lines. She pairs well with experienced support teams and adapts her game plan to the demands of links, parkland, and resort courses alike.
Notable Events and Milestones
Her 2022 AIG Women’s Open victory stands as the defining moment of her career, both as her first major and as a win achieved under the most intense pressure. The consecutive ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open titles in 2022 and 2023 added further landmark moments, demonstrating her ability to follow a major breakthrough with sustained excellence. Her record as the youngest professional winner in LET history remains a notable statistical milestone from her rookie season.
Ashleigh Buhai Career Wins
Across the Ladies European Tour, LPGA Tour, Sunshine Ladies Tour, and WPGA Tour of Australasia, Buhai has accumulated more than 20 professional titles, a tally that places her among the most successful South African women golfers of her era. Her wins span multiple continents and include a major championship as well as a successful title defence in Australia.
Ladies European Tour Highlights
Buhai has recorded 5 Ladies European Tour wins, beginning with her landmark 2007 Catalonia Ladies Masters title as the youngest professional winner in tour history. Her LET victories have come in a mix of stroke-play and limited-field events, reflecting her adaptability. She has also been a strong performer in LET co-sanctioned events, reinforcing her status as a reliable international competitor.
LPGA Tour Highlights
On the LPGA Tour, Buhai has 2 career wins, both coming in the December window of 2022 and 2023. Her first LPGA victory was the 2022 AIG Women’s Open major, followed by back-to-back ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open titles in 2022 and 2023. The Australian Open wins, while not always counted by the LPGA in its main statistics, are recognised as co-sanctioned LET titles.
Sunshine Ladies Tour and Other Wins
Buhai has 12 Sunshine Ladies Tour wins, several of which were co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour, in addition to 4 other professional wins outside the headline tours. Her domestic dominance, capped by the 2017 Order of Merit, has been a consistent feature of her professional career. Together, these results paint the picture of a well-rounded international competitor with deep roots in South African golf.
Ashleigh Buhai Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Buhai’s immediate family beyond her husband is limited. Her adoption of the Buhai surname followed her marriage, and she has spoken about the support she has received from her family throughout her career. She initially competed under her maiden name, Simon, before transitioning to her married name on the international tours.
Personal Life
Buhai is married to David Buhai, with the couple tying the knot in December 2016. Since then, she has competed under the name Ashleigh Buhai on the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour. She maintains an active presence on social media, where she shares updates about her tournament schedule and life on tour.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Buhai continues to balance commitments on the LPGA Tour, the Ladies European Tour, and the Sunshine Ladies Tour. Her recent major victory and back-to-back Australian Open titles have positioned her among the more established names in the women’s game. Consistency across multiple tours remains a defining feature of her annual schedule.
Key objectives for 2025 include contending in the majors, defending her co-sanctioned titles where possible, and maintaining her high standing on the Sunshine Ladies Tour Order of Merit. Her experience in sudden-death playoff golf, gained at Muirfield, provides a competitive edge in high-pressure moments. Strong early-season form typically sets the tone for her major preparations later in the year.
With a blend of major experience, multiple tour memberships, and a proven record in title defences, Buhai enters 2025 as one of the senior stateswomen of South African women’s golf. Her ability to compete across continents and formats ensures she remains a fixture on leaderboards around the world.