Golf Shiho Kuwaki Bio, News, Award, WITB

Golfer Shiho Kuwaki is a Japanese golfer who burst onto the LPGA stage like a shooting star, winning the AIG Women’s Open.

Although her driving distance is under 250 yards, she is a complete golfer with no weaknesses in putting, iron play, or wedge shots.

Her weakness is difficulty adapting to new courses, but once she adjusts to a course, her strength is consistent, top-tier-level play without dips in performance.

Here is a profile of Kuwaki, who has displayed golf skilled enough to succeed even on the LPGA stage.

Golf Shiho Kuwaki Bio, News, Award, WITB

Japan’s Rising Star Shiho Kuwaki

Born on January 29, 2003, in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, she began playing golf at age 4 under her father’s influence, and from a young age won numerous tournaments including the Okayama Prefecture Junior Golf Championship, becoming known as a promising talent.

In her third year of junior high school, she won the Chugoku Women’s Amateur Golf Championship, and won the same tournament again the following year for back-to-back titles. In high school, she won the Okayama Prefecture High School Athletic Meet and the Okayama Prefecture Ladies Golf Championship, and in her third year of high school, she also took the top spot at “The ONE Junior Golf Tournament,” a junior tournament hosted by golfer Ryo Ishikawa.

On June 25, 2021, she passed the Japan Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association pro test and turned professional, making her professional debut at the San-in Godo Bank Ladies in August of that year. In December 2021, her debut year, she won the JLPGA Rookie Tournament Kaga Electronics Cup after a playoff, earning her first win since turning pro.

While attending Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts in Okayama Prefecture, she balanced her studies with her golf career, but contrary to expectations, she struggled to adapt to the tour in the 2022 season, managing only two top-10 finishes. In the 2023 season, after completing her tour adaptation, she had an unfortunate season marked by three runner-up finishes: losing in a playoff to Kokona Sakurai at the Shiseido Ladies Open, finishing runner-up at the Hokkaido Meiji Cup, and tying for 2nd at the TOTO Japan Classic, jointly hosted by the JLPGA and the U.S. LPGA Tour.

Growth from First Win to Top Ranker

In June of the 2024 season, she pulled off a final-day comeback to win the Shiseido Ladies Open, achieving her first official tour win in her fourth year as a professional, and followed up with a second win in August at the Nitori Ladies. At the season-ending JLPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Cup in November, she started the final day in the lead by 3 strokes and won by 1 stroke over runner-up Sakura Koiwai, capturing her first JLPGA major title.

The red lobster-patterned pants she wore at that win, which drew attention for their flashy fashion, became a talking point, and she has since become known for wearing boldly patterned golf apparel. Although she earned qualification for the 2024 AIG Women’s British Open, it was regrettable that she was unable to compete due to poor physical condition. She finished the 2024 season 6th on the money list, establishing herself as a top-ranked player.

Notably, she recorded 13 eagles during the season, breaking the record for most eagles in a single season. Her driving distance of around 245 yards is mid-tier on tour, but she plays an aggressive style of golf with many birdies, while also recording many double bogeys. As a golfer she is well-rounded, but her weakness is a tendency to falter in the fourth round.

In January 2025, she was selected as a reinforcement-designated athlete (next-generation representative candidate) by the Japanese Olympic Committee, drawing high expectations, but she recorded three more runner-up finishes that season. In the 2025 season, starting with the Women’s US Open, she competed in the Women’s PGA Championship and the Women’s British Open, gaining experience on the LPGA stage.

Entering the 2026 season, her putting gradually stabilized as she gained experience. Starting with a win at the Sky RKB Ladies Classic in May, she won the Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open Golf Tournament in June, achieving her 5th career tour win. That same month, on the 2nd hole (par 5, 491 yards) of the final round of the Bridgestone Ladies Open, she recorded an albatross—the 12th in Japanese women’s tour history and the first in 11 years—which became a major talking point.

※ Shiho Kuwaki’s Albatross

In the 2026 season, she challenged herself on the American LPGA stage, continuing to set new personal bests: 14th at the Women’s US Open, T-24 at the Women’s PGA Championship, and T-41 at the Evian Championship. At the AIG Women’s Open held in July, she traded the lead hole by hole in a close battle with Germany’s Alexandra Hensel, ultimately entering a playoff tied for first.

Although she is a relatively short hitter by LPGA standards, she is a golfer who pursues an aggressive, pin-seeking style of play. Her statistics tend to rise sharply the more course experience she accumulates, and even on the LPGA major stage, as soon as she gained experience, she quickly won and earned LPGA tour status.

Golf Shiho Kuwaki Awards & Career Record

2021: JLPGA Rookie Tournament Kaga Electronics Cup — Winner
2023: Shiseido Ladies Open — Runner-up, Hokkaido Meiji Cup — Runner-up, TOTO Japan Classic — Tied 2nd
2024: Shiseido Ladies Open, Nitori Ladies, JLPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Cup — Winner (3 wins)
2026: Sky RKB Ladies Classic, Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open Golf Tournament — Winner (2 wins)
2026: LPGA AIG Women’s Open — Winner’s prize $1.5 million
JLPGA Tour career wins: 5 (1 major, 1 other notable title)
LPGA career wins: 1

LPGA Major Championship Best Finishes

Chevron Championship: No record
Women’s PGA Championship: Missed cut (2025), T-24 (2026, personal best)
U.S. Women’s Open: T-56 (2025), T-14 (2026, personal best)
Evian Championship: T-41 (2026, personal best)
AIG Women’s Open: Missed cut (2025); in the 2026 tournament, was solo 2nd after 2 rounds and advanced to the final rounds

Amateur Career Wins

Okayama Prefecture Junior Golf Championship — Winner (1st–2nd grade elementary school)
Chugoku Women’s Amateur Golf Championship — Winner (3rd year junior high), back-to-back title (1st year high school)
Okayama Prefecture High School Athletic Meet — Winner (2nd year high school)
Okayama Prefecture Ladies Golf Championship — Winner (2nd year high school)
The ONE Junior Golf Tournament — Winner (3rd year high school)

Golf Shiho Kuwaki WITB

Driver: Bridgestone B-Limited B1LS (9.5 degrees loft)
Wood: Bridgestone B1ST (3-wood, 15 degrees loft)
Hybrid: Bridgestone B2HT (3-hybrid)
Irons: Bridgestone TOUR B 241CB (4-iron through pitching wedge)
Wedges: Bridgestone TOUR B BRM2
Putter: Callaway Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball
Golf Ball: Bridgestone TOUR B X
Golf Apparel: Loudmouth Golf / Golf Shoes, Golf Gloves, etc.

Golf club setup may vary by tournament. She is well known for using a yellow golf ball, and has explained that the benefit of using colored balls is that they are easier to see, helping her avoid playing the wrong ball. She has used colored balls since her junior days, and has explained that she has also used an orange ball before.

※ 2025 AIG Women’s Open Kuwaki Win

Golf Shiho Kuwaki Schedule

AIG Women’s Open winner’s prize: $1.5 million — total purse $10 million

JLPGA schedule & rankings

LPGA schedule & rankings

Aside from being particularly weak on unfamiliar golf courses and tending to see her statistics drop in the final round, her golf has essentially no weaknesses. Even on the LPGA major stage, as soon as she finishes adapting, she competes for wins with stable play against top-ranked players, making her a fast-developing player worth watching going forward.