Jiyai Shin Beats Shiho Kuwaki in Playoff, Sweeps Japan's Women's Majors

Jiyai Shin, known in Japan as Shin Ji-ae, defeated Shiho Kuwaki on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Japan Women's Open Golf Championship at Takarazuka Golf Club's Old Course in Hyogo Prefecture on October 4, 2026, according to the Japan Golf Association and Yahoo News Japan. Both players finished the scheduled 72 holes tied at 11-under-par 269.

A final-round rally

Kuwaki, 23, had carried a two-stroke lead into the final round after rounds of 68, 68 and 65, and at one point stretched her lead to three shots during the round, Golf Digest Japan reported. Shin, 38, pulled back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th holes, then tied the match with a birdie at the 17th, according to Yahoo News Japan (Nikkan Sports). Both players made par at the 18th. Shin closed with a 66, Kuwaki with a 68, played in rain, 18.1°C and light wind in front of 8,539 spectators, per the Nikkan Sports account.

Decided in a playoff

With the regulation score tied at 11-under, the title went to sudden death. Shin won on the third extra hole, the same report said. The tournament carried a total purse of ¥150 million, with ¥30 million going to the champion.

A record sweep of the domestic majors

The Japan Women's Open is one of four tournaments recognised as majors on the JLPGA Tour, alongside the Salonpas Cup, the Japan Women's Professional and the Tour Championship Ricoh Cup, Golf Digest Japan reported. Shin had already won the other three majors earlier in the season; Saturday's victory made her the first player in the tour's history to win all four domestic majors. It was also her 30th career win on the JLPGA Tour, which under tour rules grants permanent playing exemption — a status Nikkan Sports said made her the seventh player in tour history to reach it. The outlet also reported the win as Shin's sixth major title overall and put her career earnings at more than ¥1.5 billion, the highest on tour.

What Kuwaki was chasing

Kuwaki arrived at Takarazuka on a run of form. The Okayama native had won the Miyagi Television Cup Dunlop Women's Open the previous week, her fourth victory of the season, and led the JLPGA's annual points ranking, Golf Digest Japan reported. In August, she had won her first major, the AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in England, beating Germany's Esther Henseleit in a playoff to finish at 5-under 279, according to the Nikkei and Arab News Japan. Nikkei described her as the fourth Japanese winner of that championship since it gained major status in 2001, following Hinako Shibuno's 2019 title and Miyu Yamashita's 2025 win — Ayako Okamoto had also won the event in 1984, before it carried major status — and as Japan's seventh major champion overall. After her Round 3 chip-in birdie at Takarazuka, Kuwaki said of the shot: "The line was visible so I was aiming for it," according to Golf Digest Japan. A win at the Japan Women's Open would have given Kuwaki back-to-back titles and, Yahoo News Japan (Sports Hochi) reported, made her only the third golfer on record to win both a domestic and an international major in the same calendar year. The playoff loss means that feat did not happen in 2026.

Defending champion Hori Kotone finished tied for 16th at 2-over, well outside the playoff picture, Golf Digest Japan reported.