It was another exciting ending to the ShopRite LPGA Classic golf tournament as South African Ashleigh Baha’i won the annual event held at Seaview Resort in Galloway Sunday. The reigning AIG Women’s British Open queen finished with weekend rounds of back-to-back 65s to win her second career LPGA event. It was the 34 year-old’s second win in just eleven months.
Baha’i made seven birdies and one bogey in Sunday’s scintillating final round to edge Hyo Joo Kim. She nearly forced a playoff by narrowly missing an eagle chip at the par-5 Eighteenth Hole.
“Definitely the best golf I’ve played in my career,” said Bahai. “I think we have found a good balance….I think everything I’m doing from my putting work, swing coach, and the mental side, when I put them all together, I know that I can compete and have a chance to win.”
New Jersey’s Marina Alex played well, as well, taking 12th place at -6, averaging 2-under par rounds of 69.
The victory raises Bahai’s 2023 Rolex World ranking to 16 and moves her into 4th position in the season-long Race to the CME Globe Points List.
Next week, Buhai and Alex and the rest of the top players in the LPGA and the World go to Baltusrol Country Club in Union County New Jersey to compete at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
