Ashleigh Buhai Biography: From Amateur Golfing Sensation to Major Champion

Meet Ashleigh Buhai, a South African professional golfer who became the youngest player to win the ladies’ South African Amateur Stroke Play and Match Play double. Likewise, she is the winner of the 2022 Women’s British Open, a major championship in women’s golf.

Dear readers, Ashleigh Buhai biography is a tale of an amateur golfer who climbed through the ranks and became a major sensation. Through this article, we will explore Ashleigh Buhai’s personal and professional life.

Not only at the Amateur Stroke, Buhai won the 2007 Catalonia Ladies Masters, becoming the youngest-ever professional winner on the Ladies European Tour. Besides, she has numerous victories in her name and has an impressive record in the All-Time Money List.

Ashleigh Buhai Maiden Name: Who Are Her Parents?

Born as Ashleigh Ann on May 11, 1989, she grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. She was born to parents Gianni Bugno Simon (father) and Debbie Simon (mother). Therefore, Ashleigh’s maiden name is Simon.

Ashleigh Buhai Biography. Image Credit: Instagram.

Ashleigh attended Holy Rosary School, a private independent girls’ Catholic School in South Africa. Talking about her siblings, she has one younger sister named Jessica Fachin. From the early age of 6, Buhai started playing golf, but she also played field hockey at school.

The person who has been the most influential on her golf career is Ashleigh’s Buhai’s parents, especially her father, who constantly encouraged her to pursue a golf career. Regarding Ashleigh’s age, she is in her early 30s, but her golf career remains strong as always.

ALSO READ: Take A Look Into Leona Maguire Earnings From Her Impressive Golf Career

Who Did Ashleigh Buhai Marry? Know Her Husband and Their Love Story

They say the best way to remember your wife’s birthday is to forget it once. But Ashleigh Buhai’s husband, David Buhai, has never missed once to wish on his wife’s birthday. Additionally, he occasionally expresses love for his LPGA golfer partner. So, how did they meet, and when did they get married?

Ashleigh Buhai Biography. Image Credit: Instagram.

Ashleigh Buhai first met her future husband/caddy, David Buhai, at Gavan Levenson’s Golf Academy in 2007. It was the place where David himself worked as an elite amateur golfer from 2005 until 2006. Later, he shifted his profession and worked as a caddy for his girlfriend for seven years in the LPGA and LET.

The couple took their relationship to the next level when David popped the big question in 2015. On December 12, 2015, he surprised his longtime girlfriend, Ashleigh, when she was playing in the season finale at Emirates Golf Club during the Dubai Ladies Masters. Well, she obviously got a shock, but in a good way.

Ashleigh Buhai Biography. Image Credit: Instagram.

One year later, Ashleigh and David Buhai tied their wedding knot on December 15, 2016, at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club in South Africa. For their big day, the bride had her wedding dress made by Vesselina Pentcheva, while the groom looked dashing in a formal navy suit.

After their marriage, the Buhais decided to part ways professionally as David began caddying for other golfers, including Madelene Sagstrom. Despite being married for nearly seven years, Ashleigh doesn’t share children with her spouse. Well, we have to wait for the news before the couple decides to become parents.

Net Worth: How Much Money Did Ashleigh Buhai Win?

The 2022 AIG Women’s Open winner, Ashleigh Buhai, has won numerous tournaments since turning professional in 2007. Besides her impressive golf stats, Buhai is ranked as one of the wealthiest female golfers in South Africa. So, how much is her career earnings?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by AIG Women’s Open (@aigwomensopen)

As per the latest LPGA career earnings, Ashleigh Buhai’s net worth lies somewhere between $3.5 million-$4 million. The amount may vary because of taxes, expenses, and other factors. The same reports show that Ashleigh Buhai’s wealth from her golf career is totaled at $4,577,389.

Some of Ashleigh’s recent earnings are shown below:

Table Source: Espn

Recently, in October 2023, Buhai made her first career ace in the third round of the Maybank Championship. This season is a giving charitable program with a minimum guaranteed donation of $500,000. Meanwhile, the top three highest-earning female golfers are Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, and Cristie Kerr.

Buhai earned some of the best prize money in 2017, 2020, 2022, and 2023, where the total earnings surpassed the $2 million mark. Likewise, the LET golfer earns a substantial amount of wealth from her sponsorships as well. Therefore, Buhai’s golf earnings are desirable.

Similarly, you might want to read about pro golfer Ariya Jutanugarn‘s Career Earnings.

Career: Ashleigh Buhai World Ranking

Having a successful amateur golf career, Ashleigh Buhai represented her country in the Women’s World Cup of Golf three times. After winning the 2007 Catalonia Ladies Masters, she became the youngest-ever professional winner in the Ladies European Tour.

On August 7, 2022, Buhai claimed her first major title after winning the AIG Women’s Open in Scotland. She defeated Chun In-gee on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff. Similarly, she won the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open in December 2022 by one stroke over Jiyai Shin.

Buhai has won 5 Ladies European Tours, 2 LPGA Tours, 12 Sunshine Ladies Tours, 1 WPGA Tour of Australasia, and numerous other tournaments. As of the 2023 Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, she is currently ranked 12 with an average point of 4.31, having appeared in 50 events.

Often regarded as one of the best golfers from South Africa, Ashleigh Buhai biography proves why she is a star in her home country. Her professional golf career is a testament to the fact that women can achieve anything regardless of their country and origin. Also, she is one of the top women’s golfers on the international list.