ASHLEIGH BUHAI column
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In her latest regular column, South Africa's most recent Major champion reflects on the positives despite missing the cut on her return to competitive golf
My return to competition golf was quite a baptism of fire! It had been five months – actually, 158 days if we are counting – since I last played tournament golf in a LPGA event in Florida last November, before teeing up in the first women's Major of 2026, The Chevron Championship in Houston.
Of course there was disappointment in not making the weekend, but there was also plenty to be encouraged by. I improved on my opening round with a one-over 73, birdied the par-five 1st on both days, and after nearly five months away, stepped straight back into a Major and felt at home again among familiar faces on the LPGA circuit.
The biggest positive was that I played pain-free. I had full mobility without constant physio, or daily intervention just to function normally. I had been dealing with a herniated disc at L4-L5 — in the lower spine as well as a tear in my disk — and anyone who has experienced that kind of issue will understand how disruptive it can be, let alone trying to swing a golf club at this level.
No matter how much work you do on the range, there is no substitute for tournament golf. You can prepare as much as possible, but there is always rust until you step back into competition. You can hit balls, prepare, build volume, and feel technically sharp, but nothing quite recreates the rhythm, pressure, and decision-making of competitive play. Cricketers can spend hours in the nets. Boxers can spar countless rounds. But there is always rust until you step back into the arena.
And Memorial Park was no gentle reintroduction.
At 6811 yards, it was the longest course we’ll see all season and it played every bit of it, especially after heavy rain took away any run on the fairways. Taking nothing away from Nelly Korda and her amazing play It was no surprise to see the longer hitters dominate. My average driving distance was 233 yards, compared to 269 for Nelly and 276 for Patty Tavatanakit.
But the biggest takeaway had little to do with numbers.
The week was about proving I could return, trust my body, and swing freely. When you’ve lived with pain for long enough, your mind starts expecting it. So to stand on the tee in a Major and swing without that fear was a huge step forward.
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British Open winner
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When I think that only 10 days before The Chevron Championship I was finally able to spend more than an hour on the range, then to come through a full Major week without any physical setback feels like a real win. I am grateful for the team around me for keeping me motivated and helping me get back to playing.
There is still work to do, but I left Houston with momentum, confidence, and belief — and that feels like a very good place to start.
SARAH STIER | GETTY IMAGES
