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Meet Shiho Kuwaki
Meet Shiho Kuwaki — the “Yellow Baller” whose dramatic playoff victory at the 2026 AIG Women’s Open introduced one of Japan’s most accomplished golfers to a worldwide audience.
Jump to: Watch First · Why Fans Are Talking About Her · At a Glance · Who She Is · Early Life · JLPGA Career · The Playoff · Her Clubs · Off the Course · Timeline · Shorts · Related Golfers · FAQ
The Playoff That Made Her a Major Champion
“Shiho Kuwaki wins her first major on second playoff hole | AIG Women’s Open | Golf on NBC Sports” — NBC Sports Golf, August 2, 2026.
Four Things That Make Shiho Kuwaki Memorable
Get to Know Shiho
Who Is Shiho Kuwaki?
Shiho Kuwaki is a Japanese professional golfer who spent the first five years of her career building a strong record on the LPGA of Japan Tour before breaking through internationally in dramatic fashion at the 2026 AIG Women’s Open.
She’s also known in the Japanese press for her distinctive fashion on tour — including a memorable pair of red lobster-patterned pants that drew attention during one tournament appearance.
From Okayama to the JLPGA Tour
Kuwaki was born January 29, 2003, in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, and began playing golf at age four.
Her amateur record was strong well before she turned pro: she won the China Women’s Amateur Golf Championship during her third year of junior high school (around age 14), then claimed The One Junior Golf Tournament in her third year of high school (around age 17).
She attended Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts in her home prefecture, turning professional in June 2021 and joining the LPGA of Japan Tour.
Building a Record on Home Soil First
Kuwaki won the JLPTGA Rookies Championship Kaga Electronics Cup in her first year as a professional. In 2023, she finished runner-up at the Shiseido Ladies Open, losing a playoff to Kokona Sakurai, and tied for second at the Toto Japan Classic, an event co-sanctioned by the JLPGA and the LPGA Tour.
2024 was her breakout domestic season: three JLPGA Tour wins, including the Shiseido Ladies Open (this time as the winner), the Nitori Ladies, and the season-ending Japan LPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Cup — a major on the Japanese tour. Her win at the Ricoh Cup came with an unusual prize: 120kg of Okayama-produced rice and 2kg of Okayama Wagyu beef from JA Group Okayama.
In January 2025, she was named a designated training player by the Japanese Olympic team, alongside Miyu Yamashita, Yuka Saso, and the Iwai sisters. She didn’t win on the JLPGA Tour in 2025, but stayed remarkably consistent — 15 top-10 finishes and only one missed cut all season. She added two more JLPGA wins in 2026 — the Sky RKB Ladies Classic and the Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open Golf Tournament — becoming the tour’s No. 1-ranked player heading into her international breakthrough.
JLPGA résumé: five wins on the LPGA of Japan Tour, including one Japanese major (the 2024 Ricoh Cup), plus a 2021 rookie title — seven professional wins total before factoring in her international breakthrough.
Beating Esther Henseleit in a Playoff
Kuwaki made her AIG Women’s Open debut in 2025 at Royal Porthcawl but missed the cut. Her second appearance, in 2026 at Royal Lytham & St Annes, ended with her holding the trophy.
Neither Kuwaki nor Germany’s Esther Henseleit had ever won an LPGA event before that week — both had multiple wins on their home circuits, and Henseleit had been an Olympic silver medalist in 2024, but the biggest tour title had eluded them both. They reached 5-under par to force a sudden-death playoff after American Yealimi Noh, who had led the tournament on multiple days, finished one shot back at 4-under.
On the first playoff hole, Henseleit found the fairway while Kuwaki’s tee shot went into the rough, forcing a pitch-out. Henseleit reached the green in regulation, but Kuwaki’s approach settled three feet from the hole — close enough to save par after Henseleit’s birdie attempt missed.
On the second extra hole, the situation reversed. Kuwaki found the fairway this time, while Henseleit’s tee shot deflected off a spectator and into the gorse, forcing her own pitch-out. Henseleit’s third shot reached the green, but her par putt slid right. Kuwaki two-putted for her four and became the 2026 AIG Women’s Open champion.
The result: Kuwaki’s first global major title — and it came in only her second AIG Women’s Open start, in a two-hole playoff over Esther Henseleit at Royal Lytham & St Annes. It was her T14 finish at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open, months earlier, that had been her best major result up to that point.
The win made Kuwaki the fourth Japanese golfer to claim the AIG Women’s Open, joining Ayako Okamoto, Hinako Shibuno, and Miyu Yamashita — and gave Japan back-to-back champions after Yamashita’s win in 2025. Following the victory, she rose to No. 16 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings; that ranking moves weekly, so treat it as a snapshot from immediately after the win rather than a fixed number.
What Clubs Does Shiho Kuwaki Use?
Kuwaki plays a near-all-Bridgestone setup, including the yellow ball that earned her the “Yellow Baller” nickname. Her putter brand is still unresolved between two conflicting equipment sources.
View Shiho Kuwaki’s Full Bag
See the confirmed driver, irons, wedges, putter, and golf ball on the dedicated Clubs & Specs page.
Things You May Not Know About Shiho Kuwaki
Shiho Kuwaki’s Career
Shiho Kuwaki on YouTube Shorts
The Winning Putt at the 2026 AIG Women’s Open
Golf Channel, August 3, 2026.
Winning the 2026 AIG Women’s Open
Fairways of Life with Matt Adams Golf Show, August 3, 2026 — post-round celebration.
A Near-Eagle at the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Official PGA Championship channel, June 20, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shiho Kuwaki
Compare Your Game With a Major Champion’s
Kuwaki’s equipment fits her own speed and feel preferences. You can still get matched to a driver, iron set, or golf ball built for your own game.
Editorial review: August 4, 2026. This page covers a result from within the last two days — recheck details (prize money, world ranking movement) before treating as final.