And I know as a mere mortal, I'll never close the gap between my game and theirs. That's why I don't try to. Instead, I look for patterns. The things that, if we applied them to our game, could move us closer to our score goals.

That's why I'm not looking at how I can replicate their swings. I'm looking for how I can replicate their thinking.

Take Your Medicine

I had already noticed this theme over the weekend but the play-off is where it landed hardest. Two extra holes, both played down the 18th. Both of them with a player in trouble.

The first being Shiho Kuwaki, who pulled her drive into deep grass short of a bunker. A major championship so close she could almost touch it. And no shot at the green. She took her medicine, got herself back in play and then stuck her shot in to about three feet. And holed it. Par saved, play-off extended.

Next it was Esther Henseleit who found the trouble, after her tee shot clattered off a marshal's "that'll hurt tomorrow" shin and finished in a gorse bush. She followed the same process. Get back in play. Wedge to about 12 feet and a putt to give herself a chance.She missed it, but that’s not the point that stayed with me. It’s that she gave herself a chance. After finding the trouble, she didn’t panic. She chose the shot that put her in a position to possibly save par. And that's the key – to give ourselves chances.

As golfers, we know the feeling. We find ourselves in trouble, we know we should play it safe but that little voice tells us to take it on. So we do, before we hear the clatter of that branch and get that sinking feeling that we just made the wrong choice. And the bigger number that follows wasn't caused by the trouble-finding tee shot. It was caused by our decision to hit-and-hope it, rather than take our medicine.

Here's what I keep coming back to about that play-off. In the biggest moments of their careers, neither player tried to make up for the “bad” shot with the next one. Even when it was all on the line. I've been working on this myself recently – my recovery thinking. And last week, I carded my first ever round without a double bogey.

And the funny thing is, when I look back on that round, the thing I’m most proud of isn’t the pars I made, it’s the bogeys I saved from becoming worse. Because now I know that even without my best golf, I can finish a few shots off my personal best by focusing on my recovery thinking.

So it might just be that the shot that saves your round isn't the spectacular one. It's the boring one that gives your next shot a chance.

Position Over Power

Royal Lytham & St Annes might have the most bunkers I've seen at a Major in a long time. With 167 of them lining the fairways and hugging the greens, it’s hard to imagine not finding the sand at some point.

It was the fairway bunkers that looked the most punishing, with lips high enough to make any chance of going for the green unlikely. That’s why I found it inspiring to see World No 1 Nelly Korda play for position off the tee on those par 4s. Instead of always reaching for driver, Nelly took an iron. One of the longest and best-swinging players in the women’s game, choosing to take the trouble out of play.

Here's what struck me about that. I would back Korda to find a fairway more often than not but she still chose not to take driver just because she could. She knew that being long is no use if that’s where the trouble is.

How often do we play for length over position? Pulling driver because we think we should, when actually it's the club that brings that fairway bunker into play? We've all done it. Taken driver, almost on auto-pilot, found the sand, then had to wedge it out. When a wood off the tee would have left us a slightly longer second but from a safe place and a much better chance of a par.

The question isn't whether we can hit driver. It's what driver buys us on that hole. So when it comes to a tee shot that often leaves me scuttling into the sand, I’ll be thinking more like Korda. And laying back, knowing that’s giving my second shot a better chance of being off the short stuff.

It's Not Your ceiling. It’s Your Floor

This is the one I've been thinking about most deeply. When it comes to winning Majors for a pro or playing to - or below - our handicap, for us amateurs, it’s easy to think we need to play our best every round.

But there’s a pattern that’s become clear in my own golf recently that this weekend’s Major confirmed for me. It’s not about how good your best rounds are. It’s about how good your bad rounds are.

Furue shot 65 on Saturday, the second-lowest round of the championship. And she finished tied 53rd because on Sunday she shot 82. That’s a 17 shot gap between her best (ceiling) and her floor (worst).

Jeeno Thitikul shot 64 on the opening day, the lowest ever score in an AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham. And she shared fourth place because her following rounds went 73, 72, 73. A 9 shot gap. The two lowest rounds of the championship produced a tie for fourth and a tie for 53rd.

Now look at it from the other end. Of the 11 players who finished under par, not one of them shot worse than 74 over the four rounds. Charley Hull went 69, 71, 71, 72 – a 3 shot gap – and she finished tied sixth. Kuwaki's four rounds ran from 66 to 73. A 7 shot gap. The ceiling didn't separate them. The floor did.

I think this is the most useful thing us amateurs can take from watching the pros and those who finished highest on the leaderboard. Because I believe it’s the opposite of how we think about our golf.

When we play, we put pressure on ourselves to play our best. To come in with more than 36 points. To finally break that score goal. We want the round that finally clicks and proves what we know we’re capable of. And that’s what we measure ourselves against – our best.

But I've come to realise that closing the gap to our score goals isn't about hoping for our best golf. It's about making our bad rounds better. That’s what boosts our confidence - scoring well, even without our best game.

Follow Jess’ golf journey on Instagram.

At the start of play, Yealimi Noh appeared to be closing in on her maiden Major title, beginning with a three-shot lead.

However, she gradually lost her grip on proceedings as the afternoon wore on, with several players still harboring realistic hopes of victory with just a handful of holes remaining.

That brought the possibility of a playoff to determine the winner firmly into the equation, but what is the format if two or more players share the lead after 72 holes?

If there’s not an outright winner in regulation, a sudden-death playoff will take place.

That will mean each player co-leading heads back to the 18th tee box, with the same hole played over and over until a winner is found.

Sudden-death is a format that has already been needed for a women’s Major this year, when Haeran Ryu defeated Brooke Henderson with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff at the Amundi Evian Championship.

Since becoming a Major in 2001, the AIG Women’s Open has only needed one playoff to determine a winner.

That came four years ago, when Ashleigh Buhai beat In Gee Chun on the third extra hole at Muirfield.

However, the tournament has been around significantly longer, with the first edition taking place in 1976.

The following year, Vivien Saunders and Mary Everard finished tied after 72 holes, with Saunders winning on countback after her closing 76 bettered Everard's 79.

There have been two other playoffs in the event’s history, in 1988, when Corinne Dibnah beat Sally Little, and 1990, when Helen Alfredsson beat Jane Hill.

They include an AIG Women’s Open exemption until the age of 60 and places in the other four Majors for the next five years.

There was life-changing money on the line, too, with this year’s winner Shiho Kuwaki earning a record $1.5m, before various factors reduce how much she really gets to keep. One of those is the money the Kuwaki will pay to her caddie, Toru Oda, from the $1.5m.

It is widely accepted that tournament winners generally give their caddies 10% of their prize money. Oda is expected to receive $150,000 for his role in helping Kuwaki win at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

That’s an increase from a year ago, when Miya Yamashita won $1,462,500, giving her caddie John Bennett around $146,250. In 2024, Lydia Ko won $1,350,000, of which around $135,000 would have been paid to her caddie Paul Cormack.

That $150,000 is not likely to be the full amount Oda will earn either, with players negotiating separate terms with their caddie.

For example, most caddies are either paid an annual salary or given a weekly base rate, although that information is generally kept between them.

The caddies of players finishing further down the leaderboard are also expected to be well compensated for their work.

Caddies of players finishing in the other positions in the top 10 of the AIG Women’s Open leaderboard are expected to receive around 7% of the prize money, with around 5% going to the caddies of other players in the field.

Shiho Kuwaki won the 2026 AIG Women's Open in a playoff against Esther Henseleit to claim her maiden Major title at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Kuwaki had earlier set the clubhouse target on five-under following a one-under closing round and appeared destined to clinch the season's final Major in regulation, only for her German rival to hole a monster putt on the 18th and force extra holes.

Despite a period of around 20 minutes without swinging a club as she nervously waited to see if anyone could catch her, Kuwaki ground out a strong par on the first run back down 18 while Henseleit missed a putt to win it from mid-range.

The Japanese star - who began the day three strokes back of 54-hole leader Yealimi Noh - then rallied supremely on the second playoff hole to set up a winning par.

Meanwhile, Henseleit could have remarkably denied Kuwaki once more with a sweeping putt after digging her wayward drive out of a gorse bush, but it was not meant to be as the 23-year-old continued Japan's mini-run of AIG Women's Open success following Miyu Yamashita's victory in 2025.

Kuwaki's reward for a seventh pro win was a payout of $1.5 million from an overall pot of $10 million along with multiple other perks for landing the AIG Women's Open title.

Early on Sunday, however, it seemed as though Kuwaki's dream would remain just that with an early birdie making way for consecutive bogeys on the fourth and fifth holes.

Yet, as almost all of the leading players took turns to drop out of the running through clumsy errors, Kuwaki picked up birdies on the ninth and 13th - the latter of which helped her hit the front for the first time.

As Noh flip-flopped between the lead and a share of second place, five consecutive fours from Kuwaki left her in the clubhouse on five-under and in prime position.

And although Henseleit gave herself a second chance in the playoff, Noh's bogey at the 14th ultimately proved costly with Kuwaki's moment in the spotlight still to come.

While there was delight for Kuwaki, there was frustration for many others in the top-10.

Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul finished in a share of fourth on two-under ahead of a large group in T6th on one-under. Lottie Woad and Charley Hull featured among them, as did Wei-Ling Hsu, Shannon Tan, Rio Takeda, and Haeran Ryu.

Paula Martin Sampedro won the Smyth Salver for a second successive year after ending T29th on four-over - the Spaniard was one of only two amateurs to make the cut at Royal Lytham & St Annes alongside Yunseo Yang.

AIG Women's Open Leaderboard 2026

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After 54 holes, Yealimi Noh led by three, but her relatively strong grip on proceedings gradually loosened as the afternoon wore on at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

That left the door ajar for several players, including Esther Henseleit and Shiho Kuwaki, and after finishing her round earlier, it was the latter who headed back to the clubhouse to see if she'd done enough after shooting 70.

Still, Noh and Henseleit had a chance to force a playoff, with both heading down the 18th needing a birdie.

Both players left themselves long birdie putts to force extra holes, and one of them, Henseleit, defied the odds to do just that and keep her chances of victory alive.

Kuwaki and Henseleit headed to the 18th tee box for the sudden-death playoff, and it was Kuwaki who edged out her opponent on the second extra hole.

That brings an array of perks for the LPGA of Japan Tour professional, including huge prize money, but how much did she win? Thanks to her victory, Kuwaki wins $1.5m of the record $10m prize money.

For comparison, a year ago, Miyu Yamashita won $1,462,500 for her AIG Women's Open victory.

While there will be understandable disappointment for Henseleit after running her opponent so close, she still ends the week significantly better off than she started it, with prize money of $994,669.

Below is what each player who made the cut won at the AIG Women's Open.

AIG WOMEN'S OPEN PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWN

The American carded a 69 on Saturday, to put daylight between her and five others at the top of the leaderboard.

As a result, she's in the final group to tee it up on Sunday at Royal Lytham & St Annes, where she will play alongside one of the players in pursuit, Esther Henseleit. The duo begin at 9.35am EDT (2.35pm BST).

Jeeno Thitikul has long been touted as a future Major winner, and she remains firmly in the hunt in her last opportunity of 2026. She's grouped with Lucy Li on Sunday, with the pair getting started at 9.25am EDT (2.25pm BST).

That leaves two more on four under, Haeran Ryu, who is looking for her third consecutive Major title, and Shiho Kuwaki. They get underway at 9.15am EDT (2.15pm BST).

Local fans will be cheering on Englishwoman Lottie Woad on Sunday. She is four back of Noh on three under and grouped with Ayaka Furue, who is on two under. They begin at 9.05am EDT (2.05pm BST).

Another group featuring two world-class players features 2024 winner Lydia Ko and another English star, Charley Hull. They have a tee time of 8.45am EDT (1.45pm BST).

Here are all the tee times for the final round of the AIG Women's Open.

AIG Women's Open Tee Times: Final round

All times BST (EDT)

• 3.45am (8.45am): Casandra Alexander, Mi Hyang Lee
• 3.55am (8.55am): Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Aunchisa Utama
• 4.05am (9.05am): Aki Iwai, Julia Lopez Ramirez
• 4.15am (9.15am): Arpichaya Yubol, Anna Nordqvist
• 4.25am (9.25am): Auston Kim, Nasa Hataoka
• 4.35am (9.35am): Amanda Doherty, Jinyoung Ko
• 4.45am (9.45am): Alison Lee, Kajsa Arwefjall
• 5.00am (10.00am): Minji Kang, Alice Hewson
• 5.10am (10.10am): Maja Stark, Patty Tavatanakit
• 5.20am (10.20am): Amelia Garvey, Cara Gainer
• 5.30am (10.30am): Yana Wilson, Rose Zhang
• 5.40am (10.40am): Ariya Jutanugarn, Yuna Araki
• 5.50am (10.50am): Annabell Fuller, Yunseo Yang (a)
• 6.00am (11.00am): Hyojoo Kim, Nastasia Nadaud
• 6.15am (11.15am): Manon De Roey, Lindy Duncan
• 6.25am (11.25am): Jenny Shin, Amy Yang
• 6.35am (11.35am): Sara Kouskova, Pia Babnik
• 6.45am (11.45am): Paula Martin Sampedro (a), Mao Saigo
• 6.55am (11.55am): Hannah Green, Brooke Henderson
• 7.05am (12.05pm): Dewi Weber, Sei Young Kim
• 7.15am (12.15pm): Chizzy Iwai, Yuka Saso
• 7.30am (12.30pm): Celine Boutier, Mimi Rhodes
• 7.40am (12.40pm): Alexandra Forsterling, Jing Yan
• 7.50am (12.50pm): Lauren Coughlin, Robyn Choi
• 8.00am (1.00pm): Nelly Korda, Rio Takeda
• 8.10am (1.10pm): Shannon Tan, Wei Ling Hsu
• 8.20am (1.20pm): Carla Tejedo Mulet, Jinhee Im
• 8.30am (1.30pm): Ashleigh Buhai, Soo Bin Joo
• 8.45am (1.45pm): Lydia Ko, Charley Hull
• 8.55am (1.55pm): Chanettee Wannasaen, Minami Katsu
• 9.05am (2.05pm): Ayaka Furue, Lottie Woad
• 9.15am (2.15pm): Haeran Ryu, Shiho Kuwaki
• 9.25am (2.25pm): Jeeno Thitikul, Lucy Li
• 9.35am (2.35pm): Esther Henseleit, Yealimi Noh

Fast-forward 12 years, and after 54 holes of the 2026 AIG Women’s Open, she was making her name at a Major again, tied for second on the leaderboard, three shots behind leader Yealimi Noh.

Li’s enviable position on the leaderboard with just 18 holes to play perhaps isn’t too surprising, because despite still only being 23, she has plenty of experience of big events and is in her seventh year as a pro.

Along the way, she has won twice, while she has had strong finishes at other Majors, including T12 at the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

During her professional career, Li has worked with caddies including Bryan Bush and John Pavelko. However, for the Royal Lytham & St Annes edition of the AIG Women's Open, her caddie was someone with solid experience of the tournament – Paul Drummond.

Drummond was born in Scotland, close to two-time host venue of the AIG Women’s Open, Carnoustie. Indeed, it was during the 2021 edition of the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie that he caddied for LPGA Tour legend Lexi Thompson.

Drummond worked as a club caddie at Carnoustie for 16 years, and that knowledge of the course clearly helped, as Thompson was T4 after three rounds and firmly in contention for her second Major title, before finishing in a tie for 20th.

Following his spell helping Thompson, Drummond turned to DP World Tour player Dan Bradbury. After that, he returned to the LPGA Tour scene, assisting Nicole Broch Estrup and Olivia Cowan before linking up with LI, setting the wheels in motion for their shot at AIG Women's Open glory.

They include whether Haeran Ryu can win her third consecutive Major, or whether players such as Jeeno Thitikul, Lottie Woad and Charley Hull will claim their first.

However, away from the spotlight at Royal Lytham & St Annes, other stories of heartache and triumph are unfolding.

Among the shocks were the likes of Major winner Ruoning Yin and defending champion Miyu Yamashita missing the cut, but for one player, confirming her place in the last two rounds was a big moment.

Sara Kouskova is making just her second AIG Women’s Open appearance, having qualified via the 2025 LET Order of Merit.

After opening with a six-over 77, the Czech player was staring down the barrel of her second consecutive missed cut at the Major.

Her prospects looked even bleaker after a second-hole bogey on Friday, before she responded with two birdies to leave her five over at the 18th.

Even then, she needed another push to scramble above the cut line, and she found the extra she needed, rolling in a birdie putt at the last for a 69 - eight shots better than her opening round - to secure her place for the weekend.

The moment the putt dropped, it was obvious what it meant to her, with Kouskova throwing her arms in the air in celebration before embracing playing partner Annabell Fuller.

The significance of the putt wasn’t lost on those watching, either, with cheers and warm applause greeting her crucial birdie.

The two-time LET winner received more congratulations as she left the 18th, where she wiped tears of joy from her eyes as she headed towards the recorder’s hut.

Kouskova held her own in the third round, too, finishing even for the day to stay on four over with 18 holes to play.

However, regardless of where she finishes on the leaderboard, the emotional reaction to Kouskova making the weekend serves as a reminder that, for some players, simply earning the chance to walk down the 18th fairway on Sunday is an achievement in itself.

Having claimed the last two Major championships - KPMG Women's PGA Championship and Amundi Evian Championship - the South Korean is searching for a hattrick at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Carding rounds of 66 and 69, Ryu is one clear of Shiho Kuwaki at six-under, while Jeeno Thitikul and Yealimi Noh, who are searching for their first taste of Major success, are both five-under.

In terms of the top 10, Soo Bin Joo is solo fifth at three-under, while eight players share sixth spot at two-under.

Among them are home heroes Charley Hull and Lottie Woad, as well as Lauren Coughlin and amateur Paula Martin Sampedro.

On what promises to be an exciting Moving Day, the final pairing of Ryu and Kuwaki head out at 2.40pm (local time), while Noh and Thitikul tee off at 2.30pm.

Pairings that will draw attention are Hull and Coughlin at 2.00pm, while Woad and Major winner Celine Boutier at 1.35pm will gain some following.

In terms of the marquee group, though, that would be Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko at 1.15pm, with the duo alongside each other for a third straight day.

Both multiple-time Major winners are one-under-par and will look to make charges up the leaderboard on Saturday.

AIG Women's Open Tee Times: Round Three

All times BST; For Eastern Time -5hrs

• 8.50am: Pia Babnik, Sara Kouskova
• 9.00am: Manon de Roey, Cara Gainer
• 9.10am: Nastasia Nadaud, Ayaka Furue
• 9.20am: Hyojoo Kim, Yunseo Yang (a)
• 9.30am: Alison Lee, Amelia Garvey
• 9.40am: Carla Tejedo Mulet, Patty Tavatanakit
• 9.50am: Maja Stark, Casandra Alexander
• 10.05am: Annabell Fuller, Alexandra Forsterling
• 10.15am: Yuka Saso, Amy Yang
• 10.25am: Jin Young Ko, Wei Ling Hsu
• 10.35am: Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Mi Hyang Lee
• 10.45am: Ashleigh Buhai, Chizzy Iwai
• 10.55am: Arpichaya Yubol, Jenny Shin
• 11.05am: Lindy Duncan, Aki Iwai
• 11.20am: Yuna Araki, Sei Young Kim
• 11.30am: Amanda Doherty, Alice Hewson
• 11.40am: Dewi Weber, Brooke Henderson
• 11.50am: Hannah Green, Nasa Hataoka
• 12.00pm: Ariya Jutanugarn, Rose Zhang
• 12.10pm: Minji Kang, Shannon Tan
• 12.20pm: Julia Lopez Ramirez, Mao Saigo
• 12.35pm: Auston Kim, Anna Nordqvist
• 12.45pm: Esther Henseleit, Rio Takeda
• 12.55pm: Aunchisa Utama, Yana Wilson
• 1.05pm: Kajsa Arwefjall, Mimi Rhodes
• 1.15pm: Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko
• 1.25pm: Robyn Choi, Jinhee Im
• 1.35pm: Celine Boutier, Lottie Woad
• 1.50pm: Minami Katsu, Chanettee Wannasaen
• 2.00pm: Charley Hull, Lauren Coughlin
• 2.10pm: Paula Martin Sampedro (a), Lucy Li
• 2.20pm: Jing Yan, Soo Bin Joo
• 2.30pm: Yealimi Noh, Jeeno Thitikul
• 2.40pm: Shiho Kuwaki, Haeran Ryu

The Korean star followed up her opening 66 with a 70 on Friday to lead Japan's Shiho Kuwaki by one with 36 holes to play at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

A number of big names are in the chasing pack, including home favorites Lottie Woad and Charley Hull just five back in T6th.

However, plenty of notables fell by the wayside, with the cut coming in at four-over-par.

Here's a look at a number of big names, Major champions and Solheim Cup stalwarts who won't be around to contest for the title this weekend...

Big names to miss the 2026 AIG Women's Open cut

Andrea Lee: +5 (71-76)

Andrea Lee got off to a solid start courtesy of a level-par 71 on Thursday but a five-over-par 76 saw her agonizingly miss the cut by a single stroke. It's her first ever missed cut in the event in her seventh start.

The former Stanford star, who won the LPGA's Portland Classic in 2022, carded a disappointing five-over 76 in round two.

She made five bogeys and a double on Friday, with her birdie on the 18th ultimately too little, too late.

Leona Maguire: +5 (73-74)

Solheim Cup star Leona Maguire was another big name to miss out by a single stroke after 36-holes at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

The Irishwoman will rue back-to-back bogeys on 13 and 14 in round two, which ultimately sealed her fate following a 73 on Thursday and a bogey-bogey start in round two.

Maguire has now missed four cuts in the five Majors this season.

Gaby Lopez: +5 (73-74)

Lopez was two-under after six holes of the championship but she missed the cut mark by a single stroke after a 74 on Friday to follow up her first-round 73.

The Mexican made an eagle and just two birdies in her first 36-holes along with nine bogeys, including two in a row to finish on Friday.

She would have hoped for better after finishing T2nd at the US Women's Open last month, which was her best Major finish to date.

Hinako Shibuno: +5 (74-73)

The 2019 champion at Woburn misses the cut at the AIG Women's Open for the fourth consecutive year.

The Japanese star finished bogey-bogey in round one for a lacklustre birdie-free 74 and a 73 featuring three birdies and five dropped shots sends her home early.

Lilia Vu: +5 (75-72)

Lilia Vu's difficult stretch continues after two bogeys in her final three holes saw her miss another Major cut.

The former World No.1, who won the Chevron Championship and AIG Women's Open in 2023 to become World No.1, has now missed nine consecutive cuts in the Majors.

The Californian is now ranked 171st in the world and looks set to miss out on the USA's Solheim Cup team.

Jennifer Kupcho: +6 (70-78)

Jennifer Kupcho continues her poor AIG Women's Open record, making it four consecutive missed cuts for six MCs in nine starts.

The 2022 ANA Inspiration (now Chevron Championship) winner started strong with a one-under-par 70 but made three doubles in a costly 78 on Friday.

Georgia Hall: +6 (76-72)

The 2018 Lytham champion is another big name going home early.

The damage was done on Thursday for Hall, where she failed to make a birdie in a five-over-par 76. She fared much better in round two with a two-under-par front nine but a double-bogey on the 18th left her at six-over for the tournament.

Hall only returned to the professional game in May after becoming a mother for the first time, so it was a good effort from the Englishwoman who is still adapting to balancing motherhood and elite-level sport.

Megan Khang: +7 (74-75)

Khang found herself needing a strong round two after a three-over-par 74 on Thursday but she failed to make a birdie on Friday to shoot 74-75 over the first two rounds.

The US Solheim Cup star bogeyed three of the first four holes on day two and parred her way in to comfortably miss the cut.

It means she misses three of the five Major cuts this year.

Minjee Lee: +7 (75-74)

Minjee Lee was two-under-par for her first six holes of the championship but it all unravelled from there.

The Australian went on to make two doubles and post a 75 before falling further back on Friday, although a one-under-par closing nine will hopefully give her some positive momentum for the rest of the season.

The three-time Major winner has now very uncharacteristically missed three consecutive Major cuts.

Miyu Yamashita: +7 (72-77)

It was not a dream return to the AIG Women's Open for the defending champion.

Yamashita was only one-over after round one and was set to just about make the weekend before a quadruple-bogey 8 on the 18th put her outside of the cut line.

It's her first Major missed cut in two years and a big surprise considering she was T4th at the Evian Championship just last month.

Allisen Corpuz: +10 (73-79)

Corpuz misses her third consecutive AIG Women's Open cut and second Major weekend in a row after also missing the cut at the Evian.

The 2023 US Open champion finished at 10-over-par for two days after making six bogeys in her opening eight holes of round two.

Grace Kim: +10 (75-77)

The 2025 Evian Championship winner managed just one birdie in 36 holes following nine bogeys and a double in two rounds at Lytham.

The Australian comfortably misses her first AIG Women's Open cut, which is the second Major weekend in a row where she won't have a tee time.

Ruoning Yin: +10 (73-79)

Yin misses her second successive AIG Women's Open cut to make it a third consecutive season without a Major victory. The World No.8 is the highest-ranked player in the field to miss the cut.

The former World No.1, who captured the 2023 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, was out of sorts at Lytham - especially in round two.

The Chinese star made seven bogeys and a triple in her 79, which left her near the bottom of the leaderboard after 36 holes for an early exit.

Other notables to miss the 2026 AIG Women's Open cut:

• +5 Jiyai Shin
• +5 Aditi Ashok
• +5 Diksha Dagar
• +5 Pajaree Anannarukarn
• +5 Nanna Koerstz Madsen
• +6 Linn Grant
• +6 Jodi Ewart Shadoff
• +7 A Lim Kim
• +8 Perrine Delacour
• +8 Kiara Romero (a)
• +9 In Gee Chun
• +9 Carlota Ciganda
• +10 Maria Jose Marin (a)
• +10 Helen Briem
• +11 Yani Tseng
• +12 Steph Kyriacou
• +19 Ryann O'Toole
• +20 Sophia Popov

Hull is undoubtedy one of the best female players not to win a Major despite coming so close on five occasions, and yet again she enters the weekend with high hopes of finally getting over the hump.

The 30-year-old has finished second once at the Chevron Championship, twice at the US Women's Open and twice at the AIG Women's Open - including both last year and in 2023.

And after adding a Friday 71 to her opening 69 at Royal Lytham & St Annes she ended the day on two under and in a tie for fifth place when she finished her round - four shots off the clubhouse lead at the time.

Hull's recent plan for the Majors has been to try and just make the weekend with as few mistakes as possible, and then go for broke in the final two rounds.

That's certainly been the case in her last two near misses, both at this year's US Women's Open and last year's AIG Women's Open.

She played the second half of those tournaments in 13 and nine shots fewer respectively than the opening two rounds, but came up short by just a combined three shots.

Hull is well in touch again heading into the weekend, and she's not going to be holding anything back at Royal Lytham in her quest for glory.

"Just to go at everything," she said to Sky Sports about her gameplan. "I've just got to carry on with my good swing thoughts, the nerves should go away by then and I can just go for everything."

And that includes off the tee despite Lytham being riddled with bunkers all around the course - but attack may be the best form of defence according to Hull.

"Even off the tee, if you're not hitting driver and trying to take the bunkers out of play you can still find them. So you might as well hit driver and find a bunker 50 yards further down there and be closer to the green, make the hole a bit shorter."

Charley Hull's near misses in Majors

It does seem like it's coming. Hull's finished second in two of her last five Majors, with another top 10 in there too - and finishes of T2-20-2-T22 in her last four Women's Opens suggest this could be her week.

In her previous second places she's only once started the final round top of the leaderboard, and that resulted in her worst return - so maybe this week she'd be better off just tucked in behind and come flying home.

2026 US Women's Open

Hull started the final round three behind Nelly Korda, shot two better than the American but came up just one shot short. The margins were wafer thin, with just a couple of late putts missing while Korda's nervy effort on the last horseshoed around the cup but dropped.

That was the difference in an agonising result.

2025 AIG Women's Open

It was more frustration last year at Royal Porthcawl as Hull was three off the lead on Saturday night but could only get within two strokes of Miyu Yamashita.

2023 AIG Women's Open

Her best chance going into Sunday, Hull was tied at the top of the leaderboard at Walton Heath alongside Lilia Vu, but while she shot 67 Hull carded a bitterly disappointing 73 to fade away.

2023 US Women's Open

A stunning Sunday at Pebble Beach as Hull came storming through with a 66 in the final round. She started seven off the lead and six off eventual champion Allisen Corpuz - who managed to keep three strokes ahead thanks to a 69.

2016 Chevron Championship

Just two shots off Lexi Thompson's lead heading into Sunday, Hull shot 69 to overhaul the American, but sadly so did Lydia Ko to pip her by just a shot.

Charley Hull's major runner-up spots

Any good omens for Lytham?

These things in golf always tend to have a story behind them, so looking for omens is never a bad thing - even beyond Hull going close so many times.

Firstly, her big mate Georgia Hall won the Women's Open here at Lytham in 2018, so it'd be hugely apt if Hull would follow her buddy and claim her maiden Major on the same course.

And secondly, there's been plenty of pictures of Hull playing in the Pro-Am at Lytham in 2006 as a baby aged just 10!

So that would create a wonderful full circle moment if 20 years later she could lift the big prize at the some place she showcased her immense talent even as a kid.

Hull and her supporters will be hoping the stars can indeed align and she can land the Major victory her talent has long suggested would be a foregone conclusion.

Hull revealed before the Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes that she pranked caddie Adam Woodward with a fake scratchcard - making him believe he'd won £100,000 ($135,000) and filming the entire thing.

The 30-year-old has come in for some criticism for the prank, with plenty of talk on social media and with Dame Laura Davies calling it "extremely cruel" on the TV broadcast.

Hull, though, refused to apologise for her prank, and in typical Hull style said: "If people don't like it they can lump it."

Hull, who shot 70 in her opening round at Royal Lytham as she chases her maiden Major title, says she hasn't seen any online comments.

"I don't have any social media on my phone," she said, while adding that she would "100 percent" do it again.

"He thought it was funny after," she said of Woodward's reaction. "He's not uptight. Like it's a joke. If people don't like it they can lump it, do you know what I mean?

"And people that have complaints about it, I would say loosen up.

"I felt bad for Adsy, but at the end of the day I've just got to have a good week, and at the end of the week I'll buy him 100 scratchcards.

"Hopefully he can earn more money than that as well this week if we play well."

Hull says that she distances herself from social media during tournaments, so hasn't heard any outside noise while she concentrates on the job at hand.

That's a sound tactic these days with social media as it is, and with far more pressing matters such as searching for that elusive Major breakthrough.

This week, though, it has the added bonus of not being aware of all the negative reaction to her pranking of her caddie - although she believes she's done nothing wrong.

"I don't really have my social media on my phone on tournament weeks," Hull added. "So I delete it and when I go home I'll add it again. I don't really like people seeing me and tagging me and stuff. I like to keep in the present moment.

"But, yeah, I think people need to lighten up if they're taking that too seriously because it was pretty funny."

Hull's response is no surprise, she's one of the biggest characters in the women's game and has always done things her own way - so some negative comments over a prank were hardly going to ruffle her feathers.

But what do you think? Was Hull's prank too much or just a joke? Let us know by joining the conversation below...

However, achievements don’t come much bigger than winning a Major, and in the women’s game, the biggest stars have five opportunities to do that each year.

Since 2013, the Chevron Championship, US Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Amundi Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open are the big five events of women’s golf.

There have been high-profile winners since the five-Major era began with the elevation of the Amundi Evian Championship. For some world-class talent, though, a Major title remains elusive.

Some are now approaching the twilight of their careers, but for others, many more opportunities remain to claim one or more of the coveted titles.

Here are 15 of the biggest names yet to win a women’s Major.

Jeeno Thitikul

Still aged just 23, the Thai star has already achieved more in the game than most players ever will.

That includes two CME Group Tour Championship titles and spells at the top of the world rankings.

Despite several close calls, though, she is yet to win a Major.

Ahead of the 2026 AIG Women's Open, the closest she had come was runner-up at the 2025 Amundi Evian Championship.

With top-10s in all five women's Majors, it is surely a matter of time until Thitikul wins one, but until that day comes, it will remain an obvious omission from an otherwise glittering list of achievements.

Charley Hull

There are few players with more ability than Charley Hull, but does she win often enough given her huge talent?

Some would argue that the nine wins Hull has in her 13-year professional career are a few short of the number she should have at this stage.

However, it's not for the want of trying, particularly in Majors, where she has five runner-up finishes without a title.

The latest of those came at the 2026 US Women's Open, where Nelly Korda beat her by one.

That suggested she still has plenty of appetite to keep pushing, and if she does eventually win a Major, she will certainly have earned it.

Nasa Hataoka

Like Hull, Nasa Hataoka has come agonizingly close to winning a Major without managing it, including two runner-up finishes.

The most recent of those came in the 2021 US Women's Open, when she lost in a playoff to Yuka Saso.

A T6 at the 2026 US Women's Open aside, Hataoka's Major form hasn't been as strong in recent years, although at the age of 27, she should still have plenty of opportunities to add one of the big titles to her list of achievements.

Rose Zhang

After a record-setting amateur career, Rose Zhang arrived on the professional scene with some suggestions that she could be the women's game's equivalent of Tiger Woods.

A win in her first professional start, at the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open, only raised expectations, and she followed that up with a second LPGA Tour title at the 2024 Cognizant Founders Cup.

Her form has dipped more recently, but Zhang remains one of the most talented young players in women's golf, with plenty of years in the game to realize her huge potential with a Major title.

Angel Yin

It's not often that a Major season goes by without Angel Yin featuring in the top 10 at least once, but despite some remarkable consistency at the events, she hasn't won a title.

The two-time LPGA Tour winner couldn't have got much closer on two occasions, when she was runner-up.

The first time was at the 2019 US Women's Open, when she finished two back of Jeongeun Lee6.

Four years later, she got even closer, taking Lilia Vu to a playoff at the Chevron Championship, missing out after finding the water on the first extra hole as Vu made a birdie.

Carlota Ciganda

Carlota Ciganda is in the latter stages of her career, but the search for a maiden Major title continues.

The Spaniard, who turned professional in 2011, has come close on numerous occasions, recording top-10 finishes in all five Majors and placing third four times.

However, she is now 36, with the clock ticking on her chances of capping a memorable career with one of the biggest titles in the game.

Gaby Lopez

The Mexican is a three-time LPGA Tour winner, but she is yet to get over the line in a Major.

Lopez has four top-10 finishes in the tournaments, including T2 at this year's US Women's Open.

On that occasion, she was left stranded with Hull as Nelly Korda claimed her fourth Major title, but she will surely have found encouragement from running her so close at Riviera Country Club.

Lauren Coughlin

Another three-time LPGA Tour winner still awaiting a Major title is Lauren Coughlin.

The American has rarely brought her best form to the big events, although she still has two top-five finishes in Majors, both of which came in 2024.

The highest of those was T3 at the Chevron Championship, where she led after the first round before missing out to Nelly Korda by three.

A placing of fourth followed at the Amundi Evian Championship later in the year, but she has not really got close since.

Linn Grant

Linn Grant turned professional around the same time as another talented Swede, her friend Maja Stark, in 2021.

However, while Stark claimed her maiden Major title in the 2025 US Women's Open, Grant is still searching for her first success in one of the big events.

She has top 10s in all of them except the Chevron Championship, but three missed cuts and a T61 at the Amundi Evian Championship in 2026 suggested she needed to get back on track.

Grant's best form at Majors could return at any time, and at 27, she will surely have ample opportunities to prove her credentials.

Leona Maguire

Former World No.1 amateur Leona Maguire has built an excellent professional career, including LPGA Tour wins and starring in the Solheim Cup, but she has yet to crack the code in the Majors.

Maguire's best finish came in 2022 with T4 at the AIG Women's Open, but that's one of just four top-10s in the big events.

The most recent came in 2025, when she placed T7 at the Amundi Evian Championship, but before the AIG Women's Open, her 2026 Major season had been disappointing.

She'll be hoping to bounce back sooner rather than later, beginning at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Hye Jin Choi

Choi has 12 LPGA of Korea Tour wins, and she has demonstrated that form in the Majors, too, with seven top-10s, three of which came in 2025.

Ahead of the 2026 AIG Women's Open, the South Korean's Major season wasn't quite as productive.

Still, considering her record, she'll surely feel she can find her best form sooner rather than later as she continues striving for her maiden Major title.

Megan Khang

Another player with top-10 finishes in all five Majors is Megan Khang.

The closest the American has come to getting over the line is T3 at the 2023 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, but it is far from the only time she has been firmly in contention, only to come up short.

Overall, Khang has 11 top-10 finishes in a Major without lifting a trophy.

Khang also had to wait before winning her maiden LPGA Tour title, with victory finally coming in 2023 after 33 top 10s.

That will give her hope that, where it comes to a Major title, patience could be a virtue.

Lottie Woad

Of all the players on this list, Lottie Woad is the least experienced, with the 22-year-old only turning pro in 2025.

She soon made her mark, though, winning the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open in her first professional start.

By that point, she had already made an impression at Majors, winning low amateur honors with a T10 at the 2024 AIG Women's Open and T3 at the 2025 Amundi Evian Championship.

With four top-10 Major finishes in a little more than two years, it appears only a matter of time before she wins her maiden Major title.

Akie Awai

Akie Awai is a six-time winner on the LPGA of Japan Tour, while she also has an LPGA Tour title to her name. To add to her growing reputation, she has a solid record in Majors, too.

The Japanese star only made her Major debut in 2023, but she has placed in the top-10 three times, including third at the 2026 Amundi Evian Championship.

At the age of just 24, there is no hurry for Awai to win a Major, although the early signs indicate she will get there at some stage.

Chizzy Iwai

Like her twin sister Akie, Chizzy Iwai has multiple LPGA of Japan Tour titles and an LPGA Tour victory under her belt.

She hasn't made as big an impact as Akie in the events so far, but the 24-year-old has shown glimpses, including T4 at the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

While we await either Iwai sister to get over the line at a Major, it seems likely that at least one of them will achieve the feat as their careers progress.

European captain Anna Nordqvist now knows her final eight automatic qualifiers after the conclusion of the final women's Major of the season at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The AIG Women's Open also offered the final chance for those not bagging spots to impress Solheim Cup stalwart Nordqvist enough to grab one of her four captain's picks.

And those picks will be announced on Monday, the day after the final round of the AIG Women's Open, while there's still some time to run for Team USA with Angela Stanford not naming her side until August 24 following the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada.

The 2026 Solheim Cup will take place the weel of September 7-13 at Bernardus Golf Club in the Netherlands and with double points on offer at the AIG Women's Open there was plenty to play for in Lytham.

The top two on the European Solheim Cup points list automatically qualify, with six spots filled by the top six European players on the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings.

Nordqvist will then complete her team with four captain's picks, but despite plenty of support she's decided against picking herself and being a rare playing captain.

The 39-year-old Nordqvist has played in the last nine Solheim Cups and with a 17-15-3 record only five players have won more matches in the event - and with a T7 finish at the Evian Championship, T28 at the Women's Scottish Open and T29 at the AIG Women's Open, the form is there, but she's already ruled herself out of consideration.

So who will be playing for Europe? Here's who has guaranteed their place following the AIG Women's Open...

Who has qualified automatically for the Solheim Cup?

Charley Hull finished top of the Solheim Cup points list on over 264 points, almost double the player who bagged the crucial second spot.

"I can't believe I've qualified for my eighth Solheim Cup," said Hull. "I'm very proud to represent Team Europe again in front of the home fans in the Netherlands."

Esther Henseleit was next on the points list, meaning one of the big consolations of her playoff defeat to Shiho Kuwaki at the AIG Women's Open is the luxury of knowing her Solheim Cup place is secure, without needing to rely on a captain's pick.

Before the final Major of the year, Swiss player Chiara Tamburlini held second place, but she misses out by less than a point.

To rub salt into her wounds, Tamburlini, who missed the cut at Royal Lytham & St Annes, would have clinched an automatic place had Henseleit finished worse than solo second. As a result, her hopes now rest with Nordqvist's captain's picks.

That leaves the six other automatic qualifiers, each of whom gets their via their world ranking.

Lottie Woad is the highest-ranked European, and the Englishwoman has secured her maiden Solheim Cup appearance.

The Swedish pair of Maja Stark and Linn Grant have also qualified automatically, giving each their third Solheim Cup appearance.

French star Celine Boutier has also qualified, meaning she will make her fifth appearance at the Solheim Cup.

There's also the vastly experienced Carlota Ciganda, with the Spaniard playing in the match for the eighth time, with Danish player Nanna Koertz Madsen set for her second Solheim Cup appearance after her maiden appearance came in 2021.

While Tamburlini missed out due to Henseleit's runner-up finish in the AIG Women's Open, it opened the door for Madsen, who walks through it owing to Henseleit no longer qualifying via her world ranking.

Who could get a Solheim Cup captain's pick?

Nordqvist will have the usual quandary over her four captain's picks come Monday, but Leona Maguire must be close, with a world ranking not too far beneath Madsen.

She also has Solheim Cup pedigree having gone unbeaten in 2021, 3-2-0 in 2023, although only playing two matches in 2024.

She's a fiesty competitor though and dogged matchplayer so she has to be near the top of the list for Nordqvist.

Considering how unlucky she was to miss out on automatic qualification, Tamburlini is sure to at least be in consideration as a possible rookie, and what about former World No.1 amateur Julia Lopez Ramirez for a wildcard selection?

The big-hitting Spaniard topped the LPGA Tour driving distance stats as a rookie in 2025 by averaging 285.42 yards off the tee, and is second this year, while she came through Q-School to get a full LET card to become eligible for Solheim Cup selection.

Among those with Solheim Cup pedigree, Emily Kristine Pedersen has four appearances for Europe under her belt but failed to qualify for the AIG Women's Open.

Meanwhile, Georgia Hall has been on the last five teams in the tournament and must be another name near the top of the list, despite missing the AIG Women's Open cut in her first appearance since giving birth in February.

Perhaps one clue as to Nordqvist's thinking came in an interview with Sky Sports following her final round at the AIG Women's Open.

She said: "Overall, with the picks, if you played well this year, you're probably going to get a pick. But the only way to really control it was by playing yourself in."

Almost 18 months later, Noh opened the 2026 AIG Women's Open with a four-under 67 to head back to the clubhouse near the top of the leaderboard in her bid to add a Major title to her resume.

In recent years, the American has worked with caddie Tyler Ekenberg, but who is he, and how did he embark on his career?

Ekenberg hails from Minnesota, where he took up the game as a youngster.

Later, he attended the University of North Alabama, where he played on its golf team. After leaving the amateur game behind, he spent a season on the Asian Development Tour in 2015, where he achieved a best finish of eighth.

Around that time, though, Ekenberg's career took a different direction when he crossed paths with Alison Lee at the 2015 CME Group Tour Championship.

That meeting led to Ekenberg becoming Lee’s full-time caddie. However, by 2024, she had linked up with Taylor “Shota” Takada, with Ekenberg going on to work alongside Noh.

Success for the pair soon followed, not least with Noh’s Founders Cup victory, finishing four shots clear of Ko.

While another LPGA Tour victory eluded Noh between the Founders Cup and the 2026 AIG Women's Open, she recorded several top-10 finishes with Ekenberg on the bag before her opening round at Royal Lytham & St Annes put her in the early running for the biggest title of her career.

World No.1 Nelly Korda arrives in the North West of England as the favourite to win the 50th edition of the Women's Open, having already lifted the Chevron Championship and US Women's Open in 2026.

Those victories saw the 27-year-old American double her Major tally to four and victory here would be momentous for several reasons, as it would complete the career Grand Slam and secure her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

One player in even better form than Korda is South Korea's Haeran Ryu, who followed her maiden Major title at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship last month by capturing the Amundi Evian Championship two weeks later. The 25-year-old is aiming to become the first female player to win three successive Majors since compatriot Inbee Park in 2013.

Talking of going back-to-back, Japan's Miyu Yamashita arrives as defending champion after claiming her first Major at Royal Porthcawl 12 months ago. The 24-year-old is aiming to become the first player to retain the Women's Open since Yani Tseng in 2011.

Meanwhile, home hopes appear to rest on Lottie Woad and Charley Hull, ranked fifth and seventh in the world respectively.

In this guide, Golf Monthly brings you all the details on how to watch AIG Women's Open 2026 online, on TV, and from anywhere in the world.

Watch AIG Women's Open 2026 from anywhere

If you are outside your usual country, you can still access the streaming services you subscribe to, even when you're away from home, thanks to a handy piece of software known as a VPN.

A Virtual Private Network – to give it the full name – can make your devices appear to be in any location, bypassing geo-restrictions so you can watch the things you've signed up for. It's perfect for watching golf from anywhere, and it comes with a host of internet security benefits, too.

Our expert colleagues over at TechRadar have tested loads of VPNs and they reckon NordVPN is the best VPN provider out there right now.

How to watch AIG Women's Open 2026 in the US

In the US this week, TV coverage of the AIG Women's Open is spread across the Golf Channel, USA Network and NBC.

The Golf Channel and USA Network are sharing coverage of the first two days of the tournament. You can access both channels through cord-cutting services like YouTube TV (free trial), Hulu + Live TV (free trial) and Sling (cheapest monthly option).

Days three and four will be broadcast across USA Network and NBC. NBC is available to watch via streaming platform Peacock while USA Network will require a cord-cutter as mentioned abovee.

You can find the full TV schedule below.

All times EDT

How to watch AIG Women's Open 2026 in the UK

The AIG Women's Open is being shown on Sky Sports in the UK and free on R&A TV.

In Rounds 1 and 2, coverage of the Featured Groups begins at 9am BST on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event, with full coverage from 1pm.

Round 3 will be live only on Sky Sports Golf, starting from 12pm BST on Saturday, while coverage of the final round begins at the same time on Sunday. Sky Sports Main Event will also be showing Round 4 live from 1.30pm.

Prices start at £20/month for Sky Sports on top of an existing Sky TV plan, while you can also stream all the action on NOW Sports. Prices start at £14.99/day.

Need to know more? Check out our dedicated how to watch golf in the UK page.

How to watch AIG Women's Open 2026 in Canada

TSN in Canada is showing the AIG Women's Open, with linear coverage available via the TSN channels for round 3 and 4.

The action can be live streamed on TSN+. Prices start at $8/month and rise to $80 for a full annual plan.

How to watch AIG Women's Open 2026 in Australia

In Australia you can watch the AIG Women's Open on Fox Sports and Kayo. Kayo Sports will offer live streaming of all four days.

Kayo Sports plans start at AU$30/month, though you can get a 7-day trial for just AU$1.

AIG Women's Open 2026: Preview

It is a milestone year for the Women's Open as the championship marks its 50th anniversary - and what better place to celebrate than at one of Britain's most iconic courses, Royal Lytham & St Annes?

The Lancashire venue hosts the tournament for the sixth time, and the first since 2018 when home hero Georgia Hall shot a final-round five under par to lift her sole Major to date.

Lottie Woad and Charley Hull have usurped the 30-year-old as England's best hope of a home winner, but they will have to beat some players in frightening form, namely world No.1 Nelly Korda and Haeran Ryu, ranked third on the planet, who have shared the opening four Majors of the year.

Nevertheless, it would be the perfect time for Hull in particular to end her long wait for a Major, having finished runner-up on five occasions - including twice in the past three editions of this tournament.

While it may not produce a British winner, it promises to be a special weekend in the North West as the Women's Open brings up its half century.

AIG Women's Open 2026: Tee Times for Round 2

All times BST; For Eastern Time -5hrs

• 6.30am: Jing Yan, Agathe Laisne, Lauren Walsh
• 6.41am: Kelsey Bennett, Weiwei Zhang, Kajsa Arwefjall
• 6.52am: Erika Hara, Chiara Tamburlini, Melanie Green
• 7.03am: Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Kana Nagai, Esme Hamilton
• 7.14am: Shiho Kuwaki, Helen Briem, Lucy Li
• 7.25am: Anna Huang, Jenny Bae, Paula Martin Sampedro (a)
• 7.36am: Lilia Vu, Shuri Sakuma, Rose Zhang 
• 7.47am: Ariya Jutanugarn, A Lim Kim, Casandra Alexander
• 7.58am: Hinako Shibuno, Georgia Hall, Valentine Delon (a)
• 8.09am: Gaby Lopez, Chisato Iwai, Celine Boutier
• 8.20am: Ruoning Yin, Nasa Hataoka, Jennifer Kupcho
• 8.31am: Miyu Yamashita, Jeeno Thitikul, Lauren Coughlin
• 8.42am: Charley Hull, Hannah Green, Brooke Henderson
• 8.58am: Maja Stark, Jinhee Im, Allisen Corpuz
• 9.09am: Min-sol Kim, Patty Tavatanakit, Megan Khang
• 9.20am: Pajaree Anannarukarn, Youmin Hwang, Leona Maguire
• 9.31am: Ashleigh Buhai, Fuka Suga, Dewi Weber
• 9.42am: Minsun7 Kim, Mi Hyang Lee, Nicole Broch Estrup
• 9.53am: Chanettee Wannasaen, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Yu Liu
• 10.04am: Ryann O'Toole, Robyn Choi, Charlotte Naughton (a)
• 10.15am: Nataliya Guseva, Noora Komulainen, Lauren Crump (a)
• 10.26am: Carla Tejedo Mulet, Diksha Dagar, Yana Wilson
• 10.37am: Daniela Darquea, Polly Mack, Gina Kim
• 10.48am: Aunchisa Utama, Ana Pelaez Trivino, Vanessa Bouvet 
• 11.14am: Alice Hewson, Amanda Doherty, Chloe Williams
• 11.25am: Amelia Garvey, Leonie Harm, Smilla Tarning Soenderby
• 11.36am: Wei Ling Hsu , Aditi Ashok, Darcey Harry
• 11.47am: Anna Nordqvist, Cassie Porter, Sayaka Takahashi
• 11.58am: Minami Katsu, Yealimi Noh, Steph Kyriacou
• 12.09pm: Carlota Ciganda, Karis Davidson, Maria Jose Marin (a) 
• 12.20pm: Ina Yoon, Alison Lee, Yunseo Yang (a)
• 12.31pm: Jiyai Shin, Auston Kim, In Gee Chun 
• 12.42pm: Linn Grant, Jinyoung Ko, Kiara Romero (a)
• 12.53pm: Sei Young Kim, Rio Takeda, Yuna Araki
• 1.04pm: Hyojoo Kim, Minjee Lee, Mao Saigo 
• 1.15pm: Lottie Woad, Akie Iwai, Andrea Lee
• 1.26pm: Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, Haeran Ryu 
• 1.42pm: Hye Jin Choi, Grace Kim, Mimi Rhodes
• 1.53pm: Somi Lee, Esther Henseleit, Ayaka Furue
• 2.04pm: Lindy Duncan, Amy Yang, Julia Lopez Ramirez
• 2.15pm: Sophia Popov, Jenny Shin, Perrine Delacour
• 2.26pm: Yan Liu, Shannon Tan, Yuka Saso
• 2.37pm: Yani Tseng, Nastasia Nadaud, Alexandra Forsterling
• 2.48pm: Arpichaya Yubol, Cara Gainer, Minji Kang
• 2.59pm: I K Kim, Manon De Roey, Carolina Lopez-Chacarra 
• 3.10pm: Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Anna Zanusso, Justice Bosio
• 3.21pm: Sara Kouskova, Soo Bin Joo, Annabell Fuller
• 3.32pm: Pia Babnik, Anna Foster, Bel Wardle

AIG Women's Open 2026: Leaderboard after Round 1

• Jeeno Thitikul: -7
• Haeran Ryu: -5
• Shiho Kuwaki: -5
• Yealimi Noh: -4
• Celine Boutier: -4
• Chanettee Wannasaen: -3
• Chizzy Iwai: -3
• Shannon Tan: -2
• Lottie Woad: -2
• Mao Saigo: -2
• Rio Takeda: -2
• Diksha Dagar: -2
• Ashleigh Buhai: -2
• Charley Hull: -2
• Lauren Coughlin: -2
• Paula Martin Sampedro: -2

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Being played at Royal Lytham & St Annes, the Major is the only one on the women's calendar to be held at a links course, which has forced Korda to introduce something to her bag for the first time at the championship.

Speaking in her press conference, the World No.1 revealed a change to her reliable equipment set-up.

Talking about strategy to tackle the Lancashire layout, Korda stated: "Yeah, not many drivers off the tee. Probably max four or five.

"I have put a 4-iron into play this week, which I don't think I've ever done in a British (Open) because I've just never really hit it that good.

"I have a little bit of a lower ball flight, so always worked with my hybrid. I really like this 4-iron. I tested it out at KPMG and I'm putting it into play this week."

Korda isn't known for changing her set-up often, with the four-time Major winner using a TaylorMade Qi4D driver, TaylorMade Stealth 2 fairway woods and a Ping G425 hybrid.

Usually, her iron configuration consists of a TaylorMade P770 5-iron, P7CBs from 6-iron to pitching wedge, as well as a mix of TaylorMade and Titleist wedges.

At the AIG Women's Open, though, it seems the Ping G425 hybrid has been taken out for the 4-iron, which we believe is the same TaylorMade P770 model as her 5-iron.

One aspect that is unlikely to have changed is the shaft in the irons, as Korda uses AeroTech SteelFiber i80 CW throughout her whole set-up.

Going into the final Major of 2026, Korda is favorite, but the American hasn't had it all her way in the women's big five championships, with Haeran Ryu matching the 28-year-old.

Korda may have won the Chevron Championship and US Women's Open, but Ryu matched her with victories at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and Amundi Evian Championship.

The duo will battle it out for the chance to finish the season with three Major crowns, but there are still plenty of big names looking to stop them.

Miyu Yamashita is the defending champion and in good form following her Meijer LPGA Classic win in June.

Charley Hull and Lottie Woad are flying the home flag at Royal Lytham & St Annes, while Jeeno Thitikul, Hyo Joo Kim, Ruoning Yin and Sei Young Kim are also among the betting favorites.

Aged 22, Woad has already claimed three professional titles as well as landing the Augusta National Women's Amateur and Girls Amateur Championship.

Currently ranked as World No.5 despite having only turned pro in July 2025, it's impossible to call the English star one for the future anymore. She's one of the best right now.

But how far can she go? A first Major still eludes her, yet there have been four top-10s in 12 starts prior to the AIG Women's Open. For many, it's only a matter of time.

Edwards is one of those people who thinks Woad will claim a Major one day. But not just one, the England Golf performance director believes she will land multiple.

Asked what Woad's ceiling is off the back of an incredibly successful start to life as a pro, Edwards said: "What is Lottie's ceiling? Who knows? Potentially World No.1, potentially Major champion.

"I think she'll play the Solheim Cup. I think she'll play multiple Solheim Cups. And I hope she goes on and wins not just one Major, but multiple Majors as well."

What gives him so much confidence in Woad? It isn't just evidence collected over the past 12 months or so.

Edwards has been a part of Woad's golfing journey over the past six or seven years and knows exactly the type of player she really is - especially at the sharp end of tournaments.

He continued: "I think when she gets in the moment and has the opportunity to win, she doesn't back off. She's not frightened of it. And that's a great skill to have.

"And that's why she's won those tournaments I mentioned earlier. Because she's got in there and she's delivered.

"You look at the way she finished the Augusta National Women's Amateur with all those birdies in the last few holes.

"The way she challenged for a Major last year at the Evian Championship. She's not frightened of it and I think she definitely has the skill to win Majors."

In Woad's pre-AIG Women's Open press conference earlier this week, the Florida State University alumna stated her sincere desire to win the year's final Major and highlighted its importance to her as a British golfer.

Woad also went on to talk about the high standing she holds England Golf in and how it helped set her up for the opportunity to potentially clinch a Major.

Speaking last month, Edwards outlined what kind of a student Woad was during her time in the set-up and gave an insight into why she's enjoyed the kind of ascent many golf fans are now witnessing.

Edwards said: "She probably came into the national program aged 15 or 16, and most people when they go into a national program they're quite reserved or quite shy because it's a new environment.

"I think what Lottie brought to the table was an inquisitive mind. If you gave her something to work on, she would always ask you why and how am I going to do it and why am I spending all this time doing this?

"She wanted to know the reasons why she would be doing something and what would the outcome be.

"And you knew she would go away, try it, and she'd come back and say, "That didn't work. What else can we try?" Or, "It did work, right? How do we push on?" So, I think she was great in that regard.

"What really stood out was the fact that she wasn't frightened to try something new to try and get better.

"But also she wasn't frightened to come back and say that didn't work. Therefore, for a coach she would have been very challenging, but in the right way.

"She really bought into the England golf program, and to this day she still uses a lot of the coaches that were involved in the program as well as her home coach.

"Hence you're seeing somebody who is doing great on the LPGA Tour, who has won as an amateur in the pro game and then, first week as a pro, wins on the LPGA Tour in Scotland."

LOTTIE WOAD NOTABLE WINS

• 2021 Welsh Women's Open Stroke Play Championship
• 2022 Girls Amateur Championship
• 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur
• 2025 KPMG Women's Irish Open (won as an amateur)
• 2025 ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open
• 2026 Kroger Queen City Championship

Originally designed by the club’s first pro, George Lowe, the course has seen few changes since Harry Colt was employed to oversee some alterations in 1919.

There have, of course, been several subtle tweaks to the layout in the years since, but the routing has stood the test of time and remains one of the finest tests of golf in the British Isles.

Packed with history and home to a brilliant old clubhouse, golf fans are in for a treat this year, when the AIG Women’s Open visits the famous Fylde links for the sixth time.

Ahead of the final Major Championship of the season, and the 50th staging of the Women’s Open, here are a few interesting facts about one of the most challenging courses on the Open rota.

SIX AND COUNTING

This year marks the sixth time that Royal Lytham & St Annes will have hosted the Women’s British Open.

It was in 1998 that the best players in the world first competed for the title at Lytham - a year in which Sherri Steinhauer triumphed.

Five years later, the great Annika Sorenstam prevailed, completing the Career Grand Slam, before Steinhauer won her second Open on the famous links in 2006 (the American also victorious at Woburn in 1999).

In 2009, Scotland’s Catriona Matthew got her hands on the trophy, and then, after a nine-year break from visiting the venue, Georgia Hall of England took the title in 2018.

BOBBY’S FIRST

Was Bobby Jones the best golfer that ever lived? Quite possibly.

The three-time Champion Golfer, co-founder of the Masters, and the first player to achieve the game's single-year Grand Slam won the first of his three Claret Jugs at Royal Lytham on 25 June 1926.

The great American got the better of compatriot Al Watrous down the final stretch of holes, and his final-round 74 was good enough for a two-shot victory.

There’s a plaque on the 17th that commemorates the famous second shot of Jones in the final round.

A RYDER CUP VENUE

The Open, The Women’s Open, The Senior Open, the Walker Cup, the Curtis Cup, the Amateur Championship… and the Ryder Cup. Royal Lytham has hosted them all.

On the two previous occasions the Ryder Cup came to Lytham, the United States prevailed.

Arnold Palmer made his debut in 1961 as the Americans ran out 14½-9½ winners over GB & Ireland, and the margin of victory was five points again in 1977.

HEAVILY BUNKERED

Rarely will someone leave Royal Lytham & St Annes without having visited several of its famous (maybe infamous) pot bunkers.

The official number of these traps, according to the club’s website, stands at 174 - and they pepper the fairways and surround the putting surfaces.

Bernard Darwin, a pioneering English golf writer, described Lytham as “a beast of a Course, but a just beast”.

SEVE’S PLACE

The late, great Spaniard won two of his three Open Championships at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The first came in 1979, when he displayed his full range of short-game skills, including that chip and putt from a temporary car park, which earned him the nickname the ‘Car Park Champion’.

In 1988, because Saturday’s play was washed out, the Championship was decided in regulation play on a Monday for the first time in its history.

Seve was at his sparkling best, shooting 65 to claim his fifth and final Major.

AN OPENING PAR 3

It’s unusual for a golf course to start with a par 3, but that’s what the players face at Lytham, which requires anything from a mid iron to a wood.

Off the tips, it can play over 200 yards, so this is no gentle opener. There are several nasty bunkers to contend with, too, and the trees to the right of the tee make club selection difficult.

Tough enough for the pros, let alone your average club golfer.

A CLASSIC (HARD) FINISH

And then there’s the 18th, a classic finishing hole with two lines of bunkers across the fairway at an angle from the tee.

Standing on the tee, it’s one of the most daunting finishing holes on the Open rota, and guarantees tension and no shortage of drama right to the very end.

In 1969, Tony Jacklin held his nerve with a perfect drive down the middle, from where he nailed his approach to 15 feet and two-putted for par to win the Claret Jug.

HOME OF THE LYTHAM TROPHY

In the 1960s, with many of the leading amateur tournaments held in the south of England, the club’s members felt that the game would benefit from having an amateur strokeplay event in the North West.

The first Lytham Trophy was played at Royal Lytham in 1965, and it produced a tie between Clive Clark and M.F. Bonallack.

The tournament is held each year at the beginning of May, and because it’s the first major event in the amateur golf calendar, it attracts attention from all the national selectors.

In 2026, it was won by Lauri Rosendahl of Finland.

ROYAL NEIGHBORS

Royal Lytham is actually only 10 miles away from its illustrious royal neighbor, Royal Birkdale, which hosted the 2026 Open.

However, as anyone who has combined these two famous links courses in one golf trip (lucky you), they’re separated by a little over an hour’s drive.

Despite needing to take a 30-odd mile detour around the River Ribble estuary, they’re still considered royal neighbors - as is Royal Liverpool (Hoylake), which is approximately 50 miles away from Lytham.

The Englishwoman over-hit her putt and it ended up running off the green before she took four chip shots to get it back up onto the putting surface.

She holed a good putt to avoid making double figures - and later messaged LPGA Tour commissioner Craig Kessler to complain following the round.

"Listen, at the end of the day it's about position. I am not going to sit here and say, oh, yeah, it was me. Which is was me, but the pin shouldn't have been there," Hull said at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

"I texted the commissioner straight after the round. I was like, listen, at the end of the day I know everyone f***s up, but the pin was about a yard from a massive slope, and where it was on a downslope going towards a slope.

"I've had a 12-foot putt for birdie and walk off with a nine. Yeah, I had four chips up the slope, but I shouldn't have putted off the green. Just shows in fact that I'm human. Even the world so and so can make a nine.

"I thought it was a pretty good nine by the end of it. I holed a ten-foot putt, so, yeah, I think I even fist bumped."

Despite dropping four strokes in a single hole, the World No.7 went on to make cut and finished in a tie for 44th.

"I made a ten before on the golf course and still shot five-under par, and that was a few years ago. It was very, very windy and the golf course last week was playing quite tricky," Hull said on the tournament at Dundonald.

"But I was happy to make the cut. Actually I hit the ball pretty good tee to green that week. It was just the putt[er] was not behaving."

Hull is among the AIG Women's Open betting favorites this week to win her first Major title, and her week got off to a fun start after pranking her caddie, Adam Woodward.

"Went to a prank shop last night and I've got some scratch cards. So we are going into the players' lounge this morning and I was like, oh, right, I got some scratch cards from the shop. He was like, oh, yeah. This one was like $100,000," Hull told media.

"We've got it all on record. He's like scratching it, scratching it, scratching it, and he's like, 'my gosh I've won.' He's taken his hat off. He's taken his glasses off. He's literally running around the players lounge saying, 'I've won $100,000. I'm taking today off.' His face looks so happy. He was sweating. He was trembling. He couldn't believe his luck, and we had to tell him it was fake and he nearly quit the job.

"I've got it on camera to be fair. I'll try and find it and send it to somebody. It's absolutely hilarious. This was his reaction when he thought he won 100,000 pounds. It was just hilarious. I think he's high fiving everybody.

"Yeah, it's so funny. I can't believe I won 100 grand. Yeah, I felt bad. Now I have to have my back up because I don't know what he's going to do to me for payback."

Hull begins her AIG Women's Open quest at 1.26pm in round one alongside Major winners Hannah Green and Brooke Henderson.

Like The Open Championship, the first two rounds of tee times at the AIG Women's Open start at the crack of dawn and move into the middle of the afternoon, with 144 players present.

Miyu Yamashita looks to defend her title from 12 months ago, while Nelly Korda and Haeran Ryu are hoping to make it a clean sweep of Majors in 2026, with the pair claiming the first four between them.

For Korda, she secured the Chevron Championship and US Women's Open, while Ryu claimed the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and Amundi Evian Championship.

At the AIG Women's Open, both Korda and Ryu are paired alongside each other, with LPGA Tour Hall of Famer, Lydia Ko, the third and final player in the marquee group.

Getting underway at 8.42am on Thursday, the trio tee off at 1.26pm on Friday.

In fact, Ko, Korda and Ryu make-up a strong run of groupings, with Hyojoo Kim, Minjee Lee and Mao Saigo teeing off at 8.20am and 1.04pm on Thursday and Friday.

Behind them is home-hero Lottie Woad, Akie Iwai and Andrea Lee (8.31am and 1.15pm), before Korda's group gets underway with Hye Jin Choi, Grace Kim and Mimi Rhodes following.

Like any championship played on a links layout, the weather can play a pivotal part in the outcome and, along with the Thursday morning wave, there are notable groups in the afternoon.

Defending champion, Miyu Yamashita, tees off at 1.15pm for her first round, with the Japanese star alongside Jeeno Thitikul and Lauren Coughlin.

At 1.26pm, home-favorite Charley Hull gets her AIG Women's Open campaign underway, with the Englishwoman alongside Major winners Hannah Green and Brooke Henderson.

Following the first two rounds, a cut will be enforced with the top 65 players and ties making it through to the weekend at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Check out the full first and second round tee times below...

AIG Women's Open Tee Times: Round One

All times BST; For Eastern Time -5hrs

• 6.30am: Alice Hewson, Amanda Doherty, Chloe Williams
• 6.41am: Amelia Garvey, Leonie Harm, Smilla Tarning Soenderby
• 6.52am: Wei Ling Hsu , Aditi Ashok, Darcey Harry
• 7.03am: Anna Nordqvist, Cassie Porter, Sayaka Takahashi
• 7.14am: Minami Katsu, Yealimi Noh, Steph Kyriacou
• 7.25am: Carlota Ciganda, Karis Davidson, Maria Jose Marin (a) 
• 7.36am: Ina Yoon, Alison Lee, Yunseo Yang (a) 
• 7.47am: Jiyai Shin, Auston Kim, In Gee Chun 
• 7.58am: Linn Grant, Jinyoung Ko, Kiara Romero (a)
• 8.09am: Sei Young Kim, Rio Takeda, Yuna Araki
• 8.20am: Hyojoo Kim, Minjee Lee, Mao Saigo 
• 8.31am: Lottie Woad, Akie Iwai, Andrea Lee
• 8.42am: Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, Haeran Ryu 
• 8.58am: Hye Jin Choi, Grace Kim, Mimi Rhodes
• 9.09am: Somi Lee, Esther Henseleit, Ayaka Furue
• 9.20am: Lindy Duncan, Amy Yang, Julia Lopez Ramirez
• 9.31am: Sophia Popov, Jenny Shin, Perrine Delacour
• 9.42am: Yan Liu, Shannon Tan, Yuka Saso
• 9.53am: Yani Tseng, Nastasia Nadaud, Alexandra Forsterling
• 10.04am: Arpichaya Yubol, Cara Gainer, Minji Kang
• 10.15am: I K Kim, Manon De Roey, Carolina Lopez-Chacarra 
• 10.26am: Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Anna Zanusso, Justice Bosio
• 10.37am: Sara Kouskova, Soo Bin Joo, Annabell Fuller
• 10.48am: Pia Babnik, Anna Foster, Bel Wardle
• 11.14am: Jing Yan, Agathe Laisne, Lauren Walsh
• 11.25am: Kelsey Bennett, Weiwei Zhang, Kajsa Arwefjall
• 11.36am: Erika Hara, Chiara Tamburlini, Melanie Green
• 11.47am: Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Kana Nagai, Esme Hamilton
• 11.58am: Shiho Kuwaki, Helen Briem, Lucy Li 
• 12.09pm: Anna Huang, Jenny Bae, Paula Martin Sampedro (a)
• 12.20pm: Lilia Vu, Shuri Sakuma, Rose Zhang
• 12.31pm: Ariya Jutanugarn, A Lim Kim, Casandra Alexander
• 12.42pm: Hinako Shibuno, Georgia Hall, Valentine Delon (a)
• 12.53pm: Gaby Lopez, Chisato Iwai, Celine Boutier
• 1.04pm: Ruoning Yin, Nasa Hataoka, Jennifer Kupcho
• 1.15pm: Miyu Yamashita, Jeeno Thitikul, Lauren Coughlin
• 1.26pm: Charley Hull, Hannah Green, Brooke Henderson
• 1.42pm: Maja Stark, Jinhee Im, Allisen Corpuz 
• 1.53pm: Min-sol Kim, Patty Tavatanakit, Megan Khang 
• 2.04pm: Pajaree Anannarukarn, Youmin Hwang, Leona Maguire
• 2.15pm: Ashleigh Buhai, Fuka Suga, Dewi Weber
• 2.26pm: Minsun7 Kim, Mi Hyang Lee, Nicole Broch Estrup
• 2.37pm: Chanettee Wannasaen, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Yu Liu 
• 2.48pm: Ryann O'Toole, Robyn Choi, Charlotte Naughton (a)
• 2.59pm: Nataliya Guseva, Noora Komulainen, Lauren Crump (a)
• 3.10pm: Carla Tejedo Mulet, Diksha Dagar, Yana Wilson
• 3.21pm: Daniela Darquea, Polly Mack, Gina Kim
• 3.32pm: Aunchisa Utama, Ana Pelaez Trivino, Vanessa Bouvet 

AIG Women's Open Tee Times: Round Two

• 6.30am: Jing Yan, Agathe Laisne, Lauren Walsh
• 6.41am: Kelsey Bennett, Weiwei Zhang, Kajsa Arwefjall
• 6.52am: Erika Hara, Chiara Tamburlini, Melanie Green
• 7.03am: Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Kana Nagai, Esme Hamilton
• 7.14am: Shiho Kuwaki, Helen Briem, Lucy Li 
• 7.25am: Anna Huang, Jenny Bae, Paula Martin Sampedro (a)
• 7.36am: Lilia Vu, Shuri Sakuma, Rose Zhang
• 7.47am: Ariya Jutanugarn, A Lim Kim, Casandra Alexander
• 7.58am: Hinako Shibuno, Georgia Hall, Valentine Delon (a)
• 8.09am: Gaby Lopez, Chisato Iwai, Celine Boutier
• 8.20am: Ruoning Yin, Nasa Hataoka, Jennifer Kupcho
• 8.31am: Miyu Yamashita, Jeeno Thitikul, Lauren Coughlin
• 8.42am: Charley Hull, Hannah Green, Brooke Henderson
• 8.58am: Maja Stark, Jinhee Im, Allisen Corpuz 
• 9.09am: Min-sol Kim, Patty Tavatanakit, Megan Khang 
• 9.20am: Pajaree Anannarukarn, Youmin Hwang, Leona Maguire
• 9.31am: Ashleigh Buhai, Fuka Suga, Dewi Weber
• 9.42am: Minsun7 Kim, Mi Hyang Lee, Nicole Broch Estrup
• 9.53am: Chanettee Wannasaen, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Yu Liu 
• 10.04am: Ryann O'Toole, Robyn Choi, Charlotte Naughton (a)
• 10.15am: Nataliya Guseva, Noora Komulainen, Lauren Crump (a)
• 10.26am: Carla Tejedo Mulet, Diksha Dagar, Yana Wilson
• 10.37am: Daniela Darquea, Polly Mack, Gina Kim
• 10.48am: Aunchisa Utama, Ana Pelaez Trivino, Vanessa Bouvet 
• 11.14am: Alice Hewson, Amanda Doherty, Chloe Williams
• 11.25am: Amelia Garvey, Leonie Harm, Smilla Tarning Soenderby
• 11.36am: Wei Ling Hsu , Aditi Ashok, Darcey Harry
• 11.47am: Anna Nordqvist, Cassie Porter, Sayaka Takahashi
• 11.58am: Minami Katsu, Yealimi Noh, Steph Kyriacou
• 12.09pm: Carlota Ciganda, Karis Davidson, Maria Jose Marin (a) 
• 12.20pm: Ina Yoon, Alison Lee, Yunseo Yang (a) 
• 12.31pm: Jiyai Shin, Auston Kim, In Gee Chun 
• 12.42pm: Linn Grant, Jinyoung Ko, Kiara Romero (a)
• 12.53pm: Sei Young Kim, Rio Takeda, Yuna Araki
• 1.04pm: Hyojoo Kim, Minjee Lee, Mao Saigo 
• 1.15pm: Lottie Woad, Akie Iwai, Andrea Lee
• 1.26pm: Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, Haeran Ryu 
• 1.42pm: Hye Jin Choi, Grace Kim, Mimi Rhodes
• 1.53pm: Somi Lee, Esther Henseleit, Ayaka Furue
• 2.04pm: Lindy Duncan, Amy Yang, Julia Lopez Ramirez
• 2.15pm: Sophia Popov, Jenny Shin, Perrine Delacour
• 2.26pm: Yan Liu, Shannon Tan, Yuka Saso
• 2.37pm: Yani Tseng, Nastasia Nadaud, Alexandra Forsterling
• 2.48pm: Arpichaya Yubol, Cara Gainer, Minji Kang
• 2.59pm: I K Kim, Manon De Roey, Carolina Lopez-Chacarra 
• 3.10pm: Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Anna Zanusso, Justice Bosio
• 3.21pm: Sara Kouskova, Soo Bin Joo, Annabell Fuller
• 3.32pm: Pia Babnik, Anna Foster, Bel Wardle

Taking place at Royal Lytham & St Annes, a star-studded field is heading to Lancashire, where some notable names have won around the historic links before.

Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros and Ernie Els are just some of the famous faces from the men's game to secure victory here, while Annika Sorenstam, Catriona Matthew and Georgia Hall also earned coveted wins.

Royal Lytham & St Annes last staged an AIG Women's Open in 2018, when Hall shot a five-under-par final round to earn a maiden Major by two strokes.

For 2026, Miyu Yamashita comes in as defending champion, having earned a two shot win over Charley Hull and Minami Katsu at Royal Porthcawl.

Looking to become the third player in AIG Women's Open history to defend the championship, Yamashita would join Sherri Steinhauer and Yani Tseng in becoming a back-to-back winner of the Major.

As expected, Nelly Korda and Haeran Ryu are the favorites, with both securing two Majors each throughout 2026.

Korda secured the Chevron Championship and the US Women's Open, while Ryu earned the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and Amundi Evian Championship.

Defending champion, Yamashita, is the third favorite at odds of +1200, while Jeeno Thitikul (+1400), Hyo Joo Kim (+1800) and Ruoning Yin (+1800) also rank among the favorites for the final Major of the year.

In terms of the home favorites, Charley Hull leads the contingency at +2500, while Lottie Woad is +3000.

Check out who the Golf Monthly team are backing below...

Pick One: Lottie Woad To Win @ BetMGM

The Englishwoman is enjoying a great season with one victory and five top 10s from 15 starts on the LPGA Tour.

Woad is already one of the best players yet to win a Major, despite only making her third AIG Women's Open start this week and second as a pro.

She was T10th and 8th in her first two, so her record is very impressive and I'm confident she can be in the hunt for the iconic trophy come Sunday afternoon.

Pick Two: Jiyai Shin To Win @ BetMGM

The Korean, with over 60 professional victories, is always a threat at the AIG Women's Open, having won the title twice back in 2008 and 2012.

Shin comes in good form this week, with a runner-up and five top 10s from 14 starts this year, largely in Japan, and her recent record here is fantastic with a 3rd in 2023 and a T2nd in 2024.

At 38, it may be a stretch to see her lift the title for a third time, but don't be surprised to see her inside the top 10 after 72 holes.

Pick One: A Lim Kim To Win @ BetMGM

Although Kim is yet to win, she is getting closer and closer to a victory, highlighted by numerous strong performances in 2026.

In her last four starts, she has three top 10s, including a runner-up result at last week's Women's Scottish Open.

Along with the recent form, the South Korean finished T4th at the AIG Women's Open last year and has claimed a Major before, showcasing she knows what it takes to compete.

Pick Two: Esther Henseleit To Win @ BetMGM

Like Kim, Henseleit enjoyed a great tournament at last week's Women's Scottish Open, producing a solo fourth result, her best finish of the year.

Although she missed the cut at the Amundi Evian Championship, a T15th at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship shows the German is still in form.

Finishing T37th in 2024 and T23rd in 2025, Henseleit is improving every year and, off the back of her great finish on a links course, I expect her to continue this week at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Pick One: Charley Hull To Win @ BetMGM

I was torn between Hull and Ruoning Yin but, while the Chinese pro is arguably a little more consistent, I believe Hull has a better chance of winning.

What Hull produced at the Scottish Open was far from her best, but she still managed to make the cut and I think she'll have learned a lot from the experience.

Finishing runner-up twice in the past three years at the AIG Women's Open, she is regularly inside the top 20, so links golf doesn't faze her. In a wide-open field, I'm hopeful she can finally take her opportunity and clinch a first Major.

Pick Two: Maja Stark To Win @ BetMGM

Stark has been consistently producing top 20 results all year and was T8th at the US Open, so there's enough confidence from my side to pick her.

While the Swede hasn't fared all that well at the AIG Women's Open previously, she's made three of four cuts.

Stark is also now a Major champion, so I'm hoping she can take this new-found confidence and produce a solid top 10 at Royal Lytham & St Annes

AIG Women's Open Betting Odds

• Nelly Korda (+800)
• Haeran Ryu (+1000)
• Miyu Yamashita (+1200)
• Jeeno Thitikul (+1400)
• Hyo Joo Kim (+1800)
• Ruoning Yin (+1800)
• Charley Hull (+2500)
• Sei Young Kim (+2800)
• Lydia Ko (+2800)
• Lottie Woad (+3000)
• Akie Iwai (+3000)
• A Lim Kim (+3300)
• Brooke Henderson (+4000)
• Ina Yoon (+4000)
• Gaby Lopez (+4000)
• Nasa Hataoka (+4500)
• Hye Jin Choi (+4500)

The iconic links course hosts for the first time since Georgia Hall won in 2018, and this week it's Miyu Yamashita defending the trophy after sealing her maiden Major title at Royal Porthcawl last year.

World No.1 Nelly Korda is tournament favorite after winning both the Chevron Championship and US Women's Open this season, with fellow 2026 two-time Major winner Hae Ran Ryu also tipped to contend.

Then there's a strong cast of challengers including home favorites Lottie Woad and Charley Hull along with Jeeno Thitikul, Hannah Green, Hyo Joo Kim and many others.

But what about the notable players not in the 2026 AIG Women's Open field? Here's a look at some of the big names who failed to qualify or are simply not teeing it up:

Lexi Thompson

Just a month after her incredible US Women's Open streak ended, Lexi Thompson misses her second consecutive AIG Women's Open.

The 2014 ANA Inspiration (now Chevron Championship) winner only played in one Major this year, the Chevron, after announcing her semi-retirement from pro golf in 2024.

From 12 AIG Women's Open appearances, the popular American had a solid-if-unspectacular record with six top-20s and one top-10 finish.

Madelene Sagstrom

Madelene Sagstrom played in the US Women's Open last month while seven-months pregnant, and then played again the following week at the Dow Championship where she and Maja Stark finished an impressive T9th.

The Swede is now taking time away from the professional game as she becomes a mother, missing this event for the first time since 2016.

She came close to winning in 2021 at Carnoustie, where she ended one stroke back of compatriot Anna Nordqvist in T2nd. She was also T4th in 2022.

Ingrid Lindblad

Sagstrom's fellow Swede Ingrid Lindblad misses her first Major in two years, and first since turning professional.

The former World No.1 amateur, who played this event for the first time at the age of 19 in 2019, has struggled on Tour this year with a best finish of T21st from 13 starts.

She is on a run of three missed cuts and has dropped to 91st in world, having been 40th this time last year.

She still may get a tee time, though, as she is currently first reserve for the field after missing out in a playoff at Final Qualifying.

Emily Pedersen

European Solheim Cup star Emily Pedersen broke a bone in her left wrist earlier this year so has had a tricky season.

The Dane returned to action at the Mizuho Americas Open in May but has managed a 54th-place and four missed cuts in her five starts since.

She has fallen to 240th in the world and looks set to miss out on a potential fifth appearance for Team Europe, having not played in any of the Majors this year.

Pedersen ended one-stroke shy of a playoff at Final Qualifying to miss out.

Moriya Jutanugarn

Moriya Jutanugarn misses her first AIG Women's Open since 2014.

The Thai star, and older sister of Ariya, has only played in two of the five Majors this year; the Chevron and KPMG Women's PGA Championships.

She has one top-10 from her 12 AIG Women's Open starts.

Stacey Lewis

Stacey Lewis bid farewell to the professional game last year, meaning she is not competing this week despite being eligible for the field.

The former World No.1 and 2024 winning Solheim Cup captain won this event at St Andrews in 2013, which was her second Major title after the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship (now Chevron Championship).

Lewis played in 16 AIG Women's Opens, with one win and three other top-eight finishes. She was T50th last year at Porthcawl in her final Major start.

Miranda Wang

Miranda Wang misses her first Major of the year and first since 2024 this week.

The 27-year-old Chinese star has fallen from 42nd to 67th in the world rankings after a run of six consecutive missed cuts.

Wang, who beat Jeeno Thitkul to win her maiden LPGA Tour title at the FM Championship in 2025, has missed her last six Major cuts after finishing T19th at the KPMG Women's PGA last year.

Other notables missing the 2026 AIG Women's Open

(World ranking)

• Hyunjo Yoo (45th)
• Kyo Rim Seo (51st)
• Yui Kawamoto (52nd)
• Shinsil Bang (58th)
• Jiwon Ko (60th)
• Ai Suzuki (62nd)
• Seung Hui Ro (64th)
• Hyunkyung Park (66th)
• Dayeon Lee (68th)
• Ye Won Lee (72nd)
• Jungmin Hong (73rd)
• Sora Kamiya (80th)
• Yujin Sung (81st)
• Chia Yen Wu (93rd)
• Miyuu Abe (97th)
• Shihyun Kim (98th)
• Sarah Schmelzel (111th)
• Alexa Pano (169th)
• Olivia Cowan (191st)
• Gabriella Ruffels (192nd)
• Nuria Iturrioz (197th)
• Gemma Dryburgh (215th)
• Emma Spitz (228th)
• Andrea Revuelta (a)

Over 140 players will compete for one of the most prestigious titles in the women's game. But how did they qualify?

There are many ways to qualify for the tournament, with some players eligible via several categories and others making their way to the event thanks to just one.

The result is one of the best fields in golf, featuring recent Major winners, the highest-ranked players in the world, top amateurs and veterans.

Arguably the biggest name is Nelly Korda, who won the first two Majors in 2026, the Chevron Championship and the US Women's Open. Can she make it three and claim the AIG Women's Open title for the first time?

Hae Ran Ryu then emulated Korda with victories at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship fo his first two Majors.

The AIG Women's Open is the only one where she is yet to finish in the top 10, but given her stunning recent form, few would bet against that changing at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Another big name is Jeeno Thitikul, whose one glaring omission from a trophy-laden CV remains a Major title. Meanwhile, a player with a string of close calls at Majors is Charley Hull, who will be a crowd favorite playing in her homeland.

With other huge stars in the field including defending champion Miyu Yamashita, Lydia Ko, who won the title two years ago, and three-time Major winner Minjee Lee, the stage is set for a top-quality four days of action.

The venue is also set to be a star of the show. Royal Lytham & St Annes is more accustomed to hosting The Open, with the men's Major having been held there 11 times, with its next visit scheduled for 2028.

However, it is no stranger to the AIG Women's Open, either, having hosted five times, most recently in 2018, when Georgia Hall claimed the title.

Below, we've listed the full field as it stands for the 2026 AIG Women's Open as well as how each player qualified, based on the highest relevant exemption criteria according to the R&A (players may have qualified via multiple categories).

1. AIG Women's Open Past Winners

• Ashleigh Buhai
• Georgia Hall
• Ariya Jutanugarn 
• IK Kim
• Lydia Ko 
• Anna Nordqvist
• Sophia Popov
• Hinako Shibuno
• Jiyai Shin
• Yani Tseng
• Lilia Vu 
• Miyū Yamashita 

2. AIG Women's Open 2025 Top-10

• Weiling Hsu
• Charley Hull 
• Minami Katsu
• Megan Khang
• A Lim Kim
• Stephanie Kyriacou
• Paula Martín Sampedro 
• Rio Takeda 
• Lottie Woad 

3. Top-15 LET players in Final 2025 Order of Merit

• Casandra Alexander 
• Helen Briem 
• Nicole Broch Estrup
• Perrine Delacour
• Cara Gainer
• Amelia Garvey
• Darcey Harry
• Alice Hewson
• Anna Huang 
• Nuria Iturrioz
• Sára Kousková
• Nastasia Nadaud
• Mimi Rhodes
• Chiara Tamburlini
• Shannon Tan

4. Top-5 Non-Exempt Players In 2026 LET Order Of Merit (July 5)

• Kajsa Arwefjäll
• Pia Babnik
• Diksha Dagar
• Alexandra Försterling

5. Top 35 players in 2025 LPGA Tour Race To CME Globe

• Céline Boutier 
• Hyejin Choi 
• Carlota Ciganda 
• Lauren Coughlin 
• Lindy Duncan
• Ayaka Furue 
• Linn Grant 
• Nasa Hataoka 
• Brooke Henderson 
• Jinhee Im 
• Akie Iwai 
• Chisato Iwai 
• Auston Kim 
• Sei Young Kim
• Hyo Joo Kim
• Grace Kim 
• Nelly Korda 
• Jennifer Kupcho 
• Somi Lee
• Andrea Lee 
• Minjee Lee 
• Gaby López 
• Yealimi Noh
• Haeran Ryu  
• Mao Saigo
• Jeeno Thitikul 
• Ruoning Yin
• Angel Yin 

6. Top-25 Non-Exempt Players In 2026 LPGA Tour Race To CME Globe (July 5)

• Pajaree Anannarukarn
• Aditi Ashok
• Jenny Bae
• Robyn Choi
• Karis Davidson
• Melanie Green
• Erika Hara
• Youmin Hwang
• Soobin Joo
• Minji Kang
• Alison Lee
• Lucy Li
• Yu Liu
• Nanna Koerstz Madsen
• Leona Maguire
• Ryann O'Toole
• Cassie Porter
• Pauline Roussin
• Jenny Shin
• Patty Tavatanakit
• Lauren Walsh
• Dewi Weber
• Jing Yan
• Ina Yoon
• Arpichaya Yubol
• Rose Zhang
• Weiwei Zhang

7. Top 50 In 2025 Rolex Rankings (5 July)

• Yuna Araki
• In Gee Chun
• Esther Henseleit
• Minsol Kim
• Yan Liu

8. Non-Exempt Players From 2026 JLPGA Tour Money List

• Fuka Suga
• Sayaka Takahashi

9. Non-Exempt Players From 2025 KLPGA Tour Money List (July 5)

• Minsun Kim

10. Winners of any 2026 LET or LPGA Tour Event

• Kelsey Bennett
• Carolina Chacarra
• Hannah Green
• Esme Hamilton
• Leonie Harm
• Gina Kim
• Noora Komulainen
• Agathe Laisne
• Mihyang Lee
• Julia López Ramirez
• Smilla Tarning Sønderby
• Aunchisa Utama
• Yana Wilson
• Anna Zanusso

11. Winner of the 2025 JLPGA Money List

• Shuri Sakuma

14. KPMG Women's PGA Championship winners (2022-2026)

• Amy Yang

15. US Women's Open winners (2022-2026)

• Allisen Corpuz
• Yuka Saso
• Maja Stark

17. Two leading non-exempt players at 2026 Suntory Ladies Open

• Shiho Kuwaki
• Kana Nagai

18. Three leading non-exempt players at 2026 ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open

• Chanettee Wannasaen
• Daniela Darquea
• Nataliya Guseva

20. The 2025 winner of the Mark H. McCormack Medal

• Kiara Romero (a)

21. 2026 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Champion

• Yunseo Yang (a)

22. 2025 Women's Amateur Latin America Champion

• María José Marín (a)

23. 2026 Women's Amateur Champion

• Valentine Delon (a)

25. 2026 European Ladies Amateur Champion

• Charlotte Naughton

28. Final Qualifying

• Bel Wardle
• Manon De Roey
• Justice Bosio
• Lauren Crump (a)
• Annabell Fuller
• Vanessa Bouvet
• Carla Tejedo MuletAnna Foster
• Chloe Williams
• Polly Mack
• Ana Peláez Trivino
• Amanda Doherty
• Jodi Ewart Shadoff

The governing body officially took over hosting duty in 2017 after merging with the Ladies' Golf Union, and the Major has since changed names from the Women's British Open simply to the Women's Open.

A huge part of the event's success and stature is down to its courses, and that is seen with Royal Lytham and St Annes hosting in 2026, Royal St George's in 2027 and Sunningdale in 2028.

The Women's Open does not have a specific rota like the men's Open, although it does use courses the men go to and has a strong, repeatable cast of venues.

It's unofficial rota is slightly different, though, with the AIG Women's Open mixing links and inland golf, compared to the exclusive use of links courses in the men's Open.

That's why we see the women visit places like Woburn, Sunningdale and Walton Heath, which all rank inside Golf Monthly's UK&I Top 100 Courses list.

These inland layouts near London showcase some of the country's best courses and allow for big crowds thanks to the large population and accessible transport links.

So, with a mix of the best links courses and some inland gems, the Women's Open boasts some of the UK's finest venues. But what about some of the forgotten ones?

Here's a look at some of the courses we have not seen host a Women's Open for many years...

Lindrick - 1977 and 1988

Lindrick, near Worksop, Yorkshire, twice held the Women's Open in 1977 (the tournament's second staging) and 1988.

The venue is famous for hosting the 1957 Ryder Cup, which saw Great Britain win for the first time in 24 years. The club has also welcomed the British Masters twice, the Curtis Cup and multiple elite English amateur tournaments.

Fulford - 1976

Fulford Golf Club, in York, Yorkshire, staged the first ever Women's Open in 1976.

The course is famous for Bernhard Langer's shot out of a tree during the 1981 Benson and Hedges International Open, having hosted the tournament from 1971-1989. It had many other tour events in the 20th century and has since held elite amateur tournaments. The Women's Open has never been back, though.

Foxhills - 1978

Foxhills Golf Club in Surrey hosted the third Women's Open in 1978, and it's another course to have only held the event once.

20-year-old amateur Janet Melville prevailed over the Chertsey Course, now known as the Bernhard Hunt Course. The country club has two 18-hole courses as well as a nine-hole par 3 course and was the venue for the Asian Tour's International Series England in 2024 over its Longcross Course.

Paul Casey was a junior member at the club while 2026 Open champion Ryan Fox was affiliated there in his early DP World Tour days.

Southport and Ainsdale - 1979

Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club was the venue for the fourth Women's Open in 1979.

The heathland-links course, located just across the railway from Hillside Golf Club and the neighbouring Royal Birkdale, ranks 65th in Golf Monthly's UK&I top 100.

As well as the Women's Open, it has also staged the 1933 and 1937 Ryder Cups and the 2005 Amateur Championship.

Wentworth - 1980

The USA's Debbie Massey became the first American to win the championship at Wentworth in 1980.

The iconic country club is home to the DP World Tour and has staged the BMW PGA Championship over its West Course from 1972-1974 and 1984 until the present day. It has also hosted the Ryder Cup in 1953 and the World Match Play from 1964-2007 as well as other prestigious events.

Wentworth is home to the West, East and Edinburgh Courses as well as a nine-hole par 3.

Northumberland - 1981

Massey successfully defended her crown in 1981 at Northumberland Golf Club, a historic club founded back in 1898.

The course was later redesigned by Harry Colt and James Braid, and is known for many of its holes playing inside Newcastle Racecourse, just north of the city centre.

Moor Park - 1985

Moor Park staged the 1985 Women's Open, won by USA's Betsy King. King won 34 LPGA Tour titles including six Majors, although her 1985 victory is not part of that tally as it did not have Major status back then.

Moor Park in Hertfordshire is home to the High and West Courses, which were each designed by Harry Colt. The club has hosted numerous European Tour events and other elite tournaments through the years.

It is known for its grand mansion clubhouse, and its first head professional was 1902 Open champion Sandy Herd.

St Mellion - 1987

Allison Nicholas defeated Laura Davies and Muffin Spencer-Devlin by a single stroke to win her one and only Women's Open at St Mellion in 1987, which came a decade before her US Women's Open victory at Pumpkin Ridge.

St Mellion, in Cornwall, England, is home to two layouts - the Kernow Course (formerly the Old), and the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, which opened in 1988.

It hosted the Benson and Hedges International Open seven times as well, which was won by the likes of Jose Maria Olazabal, Bernhard Langer and Seve Ballesteros, as well as other professional and elite amateur events.

Ferndown - 1989

Ferndown Golf Club in Dorset, England, hosted the Women's Open in 1989 when the USA's Jane Geddes prevailed.

The club ranks 93rd in Golf Monthly's UK&I Top 100 list and was founded by the magazine's first editor and World Golf Hall of Famer, Harold Hilton, who won two Opens, four Amateur Championships and a US Amateur.

It's a beatiful heathland course and was also where Peter Alliss learned the game, as his father, Percy, was head professional.

Heading into Saturday’s round, Hull was 11 shots behind Yamashita. By the end of the day, she’d charged up the leaderboard to sit just 3 shots back going into Sunday. That kind of leap takes serious golf but what inspired me the most wasn’t just her game, it was her mindset.

In her post-round interview, Hull shared that she never once looked at the leaderboard. She focused entirely on one shot at a time, enjoying every moment rather than rushing through the bad ones. Even after a bogey, she stayed positive because she was happy with the shots and putts she’d hit, even if the result didn’t go her way.

It reminded me that the biggest breakthroughs don’t only come from how we swing but how we think and respond when we’re on the course too.

Here are 4 things I’m going to be taking into my game after watching Charley Hull.

One Shot At A Time

When I’ve focused on one shot at a time, I’ve shot some of my best scores but it’s easy to fall out of this habit and start to dwell on that wonky shot or think ahead to the final score.

That’s why it was inspiring to hear Hull talk about enjoying every shot, focusing fully on the shot at hand, not dwelling on the one that had been or forcing the outcome of the one to come.

Hull was locked in on her process, knowing that if she picked the right club and the right target, the rest would take care of itself. It never looked like it was about forcing a shot or a score but instead, creating chances, one shot at a time.

Take The Positive, No Matter The Outcome

When Hull was asked about the closing bogeys in her post-round interview, she didn’t dwell, she drew out the positive. She focused on the fact that she hit good shots and hit good putts, they just didn’t have the outcome she might have hoped for.

That perspective was refreshing to hear. How often do we finish a round and fixate on the shots or holes that went wrong, rather than the ones that went right?

And don’t get me wrong, I’m a big believer in identifying the leaky parts of our game, so that we can focus our practice there to improve. But it’s not about dwelling on that data, it’s about using it as the fuel for what’s next.

A phrase from Hull's post-round interview captures this perfectly. She talked about building from here. Not taking time to pick apart her performance or think about what might have been after another second place finish in a major. Building from here. Taking the positives and moving forward.

Enjoyment Over Expectation

As your handicap comes down, the expectation goes up. There’s a pressure, even if it’s self-imposed, to perform to it.

And as someone who cut my handicap quickly, going from 34 to 9 in a year, I’ve fallen into this trap. Piling on the pressure to shoot low scores, to not make mistakes, to never 3 putt again…I wish.

That’s why, Hull's perspective of having fun and enjoying the hunt really resonated with me. What if we focused on enjoyment over expectation when it comes to our golf? On adrenaline over anxiety when it comes to competition? On stepping into the situations that make us nervous rather than shying away from them?

That’s what I’m going to do more of – enjoy the challenge and let go of expectation.

Trust Your Game Under Pressure

This was something that stood out to me from both Charley Hull and Miyu Yamashita, whether it was Hull on the chase or Yamashita staying composed, they both trusted their game.

Of course, as world-class players, I’m not sure there’s many shots that would throw them off, whether that’s a must-make par putt or a tricky shot from a pot bunker. And the skill on show was inspiring, but what I found more so was how they played their game. You didn’t see Hull playing it safe or Yamashita trying to force birdies to lengthen her lead.

That’s where trusting our game, especially under pressure is critical. Maybe it’s not driver off the tee, if you know you can reach those fairway bunkers. Or maybe it’s playing away from the pin out of that tricky, short-sided bunker because you would rather make a bogey at worst than anything bigger.

Trust your game under pressure, playing to your strengths and working on your leaks in your practice.

Follow Jess on Instagram, where she shares how she’s working on her game. And if you want to start identifying the leaks in your game, get Jess’ Shots Lost Scorecard – a simple tool that helps you track where you’ve lost shots, so you can bring a sense of focus to your practice.

The English star trailed leader Miyu Yamashita by just three with 18 holes to play at Royal Porthcawl, a remarkable position given she was 11 behind her coming into the weekend.

For a spell on Sunday, she appeared to be building up the necessary head of steam to put serious pressure on the Japanese star, who was also seeking her first win at a Major.

Unfortunately for Hull, her first bogey in 20 holes came at the 16^th and it would have been worse but for a brilliantly judged putt to limit the damage.

Realistically, that left her needing successive birdies to stand a chance, only for another bogey at the 17^th to all but end her dream.

After finishing with a par for a 69, Hull was left to rely on Yamashita further back to wobble as she closed in on the title.

Instead, a bogey on the 17^th aside, she held her nerve to get home by two. That left Hull runner-up at a Major for the fourth time, on this occasion alongside Minami Katsu.

Despite the disappointment, afterwards, she was determined to take the positives from another near miss.

She began by reflecting on her round, saying: “Yeah, towards the end I didn't even hit a bad shot on 16. I hit a perfect tee shot, and just the wind didn't even move it like an inch, like I hit it so pure.

“It was a bit unfortunate on then 17 missing that putt. I hit a good putt round the line. And then shame about 18 because I had a pretty high chip over the bunker, and I'd done pretty well just to get it there.

“Yeah, it was a bit unfortunate, but I felt like I was very much in control of my game today. I don't feel like I mis-hit any shots out there. I hit it pretty pure today.”

What was even more impressive about Hull’s performance was that it came just weeks after a health scare saw her end her participation in the Amundi Evian Championship early.

Because of that, ahead of the AIG Women’s Open, she was convinced she wouldn’t be competitive.

“Listen, coming into this week I didn't think I was going to make the cut,” she said. “That's the truthful of it. I wasn't hitting it very well. I couldn't prepare as well as I wanted to because I was poorly.”

“I was obviously collapsed three times in the round in Evian, and then still wasn't feeling well until Sunday last week. So I think I done pretty well, and considering my mindset coming into it, I'm pretty proud of myself.”

Even then, she couldn’t deny her narrow defeat would hurt, adding: “A hundred percent, definitely. But at the end of the day, it's just a game. That's what I think about, and I enjoyed it out there, and I just love that adrenaline feeling. It's so good. It's like a massive hit.”

Hull’s ability to bounce back from her health issue was undeniably impressive, but almost as remarkable was that she revealed she doesn’t like links courses.

“I don't. It doesn't suit me,” she said. “I generally find it so hard to visualize shots. So for me to actually be, like swung it as an ease as I did today, I was actually really proud of myself.”

Next for Hull is an appearance at the PIF London Championship, which begins on Friday, where she intends to build on a strong performance this week.

She said: “Yeah, I am looking forward to playing the Aramco in London. It's at home. Just looking forward building on that from here.”

The Thai player, who was previously World No.1 back in 2022, becoming the second-youngest golfer to reach this milestone in the process, will overtake Korda after another strong showing at the AIG Women's Open.

Carding a one-over championship total, Thitikul finished two shots clear of two-time Major winner, Korda, who had to finish ahead of Thitikul at Royal Porthcawl to remain at the top of the rankings.

Producing rounds of 70, 72, 74 and 75 to finish T36, it means that Korda's reign as the World No.1 player comes to an end after 72 consecutive weeks, the fifth longest streak in the history of the women's game.

Korda first topped the rankings in June 2021, holding that position for 17 weeks. She then regained the World No.1 spot in November of that year, lasting 12 weeks before she was overtaken in January 2022.

Two and four week stretches at the top of the rankings came in November 2022 and April 2023, before a win at the LPGA Drive On Championship in March 2024 led to her 72 week run, ending at the 2025 AIG Women's Open in August. Back on the 6th June, she celebrated 100 weeks as World No.1.

Now though, Thitikul will find herself top of the rankings, with the Thai player previously holding the World No.1 spot for just two weeks.

Carding rounds of 70, 73, 72 and 74 in Wales, the 22-year-old managed to finish T30 at the AIG Women's Open, continuing her strong form in the season.

So far, in 2025, Thitikul tops the Race to CME Globe Rankings, registering 10 top 15 finishes, including a win at the Mizuho Americas Open.

On top of that finish, there has been a runner-up result in a thrilling Amundi Evian Championship, as well as at the HSBC Women's World Championship.

Thitikul also won the Saudi Ladies International on the Ladies European Tour in December 2024, along with the LPGA Tour's season finale last year, the CME Group Tour Championship.

The five Majors have all seen significant increases in the size of the purses in recent years, with two of this year’s events, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the US Women’s Open, each reaching $12m.

The last of the year’s Majors, the AIG Women’s Open, didn't offer quite that amount, but there was still a record payout for the tournament of $9.75m.

For context, that’s over double the $4.5m that players competed for a share of just five years ago.

Back then, Sophia Popov claimed $675,000 for her surprise win at Royal Troon, but this year, the player who lifted the trophy, Miyu Yamashita, pocketed a record $1.425m.

Not all of that money will find its way into the Japanese star's bank account, though, with her caddie, John Bennett, being paid a sizeable chunk of the sum.

Winning caddies typically receive 10% of the prize money so, last year, that meant Lydia Ko's caddie Paul Cormack would have won $135,000 for his work in helping the New Zealander claim her first AIG Women's Open title. At Royal Porthcawl, Bennett will bank over $10,000 more at $145,250.

The caddies of the two players finishing runner-up, Charley Hull and Minami Katsu, will also be well paid for their efforts.

That’s thanks to the 7% of prize money typically awarded to caddies of players finishing in the top 10, with 5% going to the rest.

Hull and Katsu will each claim $829,741 in prize money, with the caddies taking home around $55,000 apiece.

While that’s less than half the money handed to the winning caddie, it’s still likely a decent enough sum to at least partially offset the disappointment of not quite doing enough to help their player win the trophy.

Japan's Miyu Yamashita won the 2025 AIG Women's Open by two strokes after holding off the challenge of England's Charley Hull in Sunday's final round.

Yamashita was almost perfect as she navigated her way towards the finish line, staying bogey-free until the 17th hole, but still signed for a one-under 70 to claim her maiden Major championship and the $1.462 million winner's check.

The 24-year-old was subjected to severe pressure from Hull throughout Sunday's action, with the Solheim Cup closing to within one stroke midway down the back nine, but a couple of late mistakes from Hull - combined with several examples of clutch putting from the leader - meant there would be no late drama.

In the end, Hull finished T2nd alongside Minami Katsu on nine-under while Yamashita parred the last to reign supreme on 11-under-par.

Speaking immediately after her crowning moment, the player who turned 24 on Saturday said: "To win such a historic tournament in front of all these amazing fans is such an incredible feeling, and to have my family around me to have so much support from everyone here is just amazing. To be part of such a moment in history is something very, very special.

"The course is set up very difficult but also set up in brilliant conditions. The amount of people that were supporting, the amount of fans that I had around me today just really pushed me towards the victory, and this is for them as well."

Yamashita was imperious at Royal Porthcawl for much of the week, but particularly on Sunday after a third-round 74 (+2) undid much of her good work from the first two days (68 and 65).

A wonderful chip from the first cut at the first helped create a successful up-and-down which steadied her nerves and allowed the 14-time pro winner to continue on her path to victory.

The Japanese star's first birdie of the day arrived at the par-4 fourth, with two further gains prior to the turn suggesting it would be something of a stroll to the trophy.

However, Hull had other ideas and began picking up shots of her own on the front side, restricting Yamashita's lead thanks to three birdies in four holes around the same time.

Backed by an increasingly-vociferous home crowd and apparently in the mood to end her streak of near misses at Majors, Hull once again pulled to within a single stroke midway through the back nine via a couple of outside birdie looks.

Yamashita remained steadfast, though, and made a series of clutch pars to hold Hull at bay. Knowing time was running out, Hull eventually stumbled in the closing stages while Yamashita failed to blink, leading to the English star's fourth runner-up finish at a Major.

Behind Hull and Minami Katsu were South Korea's A Lim Kim, who endured a tough final round via a one-over 73, and Japan's Rio Takeda on seven-under (71).

USA's Megan Khang and Chinese Taipei's Wei Ling Tsu shared sixth on six-under while Australia's Steph Kyriacou, England's Lottie Woad and Spain's Paula Martin Sampedro completed the top-10 in a tie for eighth on four-under.

For Sampedro, there was a double celebration as not only has she earned the right to return next year courtesy of her finishing position, but she also claimed the Smyth Salver as the championship's low amateur - following on from Woad.

AIG WOMEN'S OPEN QUICK LINKS

• AIG Women's Open Prize Money
• Perks Of Winning AIG Women's Open
• How Much The Winning Caddie Makes At The AIG Women's Open

AIG Women's Open Leaderboard

• -11 Miyu Yamashita (70)
• -9 Charley Hull (69)
• -9 Minami Katsu (69)
• -7 Rio Takeda (71)
• -7 A Lim Kim (73)
• -6 Wei Ling Tsu (70)
• -6 Megan Khang (72)
• -4 Paula Martin Sampedro (a) (68)
• -4 Lottie Woad (71)
• -4 Stephanie Kyriacou (71)
• -3 Andrea Lee (76)
• -3 Mao Saigo (72)

Updates from...

That follows on from 2024 when the same was also true. Lydia Ko captured her third Major title just a few weeks before landing Olympic gold as well.

When the New Zealander triumphed at St Andrews' Old Course, though, she banked just over $1.4 million from a $9.5 million purse overall. That was $100,000 more than American Lilia Vu took home at Walton Heath 12 months prior.

However, this year, not only have all those at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club been fighting for the right to lift the 49-year-old trophy, but they have also been competing for the top financial reward which stands at just under $1.5 million.

Heading into the final round, Japan's Miyu Yamashita stands in the best position to claim the money thanks to her nine-under total through 54 holes. Yet, it is far from a done deal with South Korea's A Lim Kim a stroke behind and six others within three of Yamashita.

The overall prize purse is $9.75 million and continues the almost-annual increase since AIG joined the championship as its headline partner in 2019. Back then, just six years ago, the overall figure stood at $4.5 million.

The runner-up in 2025 will scoop just less than $1 million while everyone inside the top-24 is in line for a six-figure pay day. Every professional who finishes within the top-10 is looking at a prize of over $200,000.

Anyone who makes the cut should secure at least $11,300 while even those who miss out on the weekend will collect $4,250 as a consolation for reaching the championship in the first place.

Below is the complete prize money breakdown for the 2025 AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in South Wales.

AIG Women's Open Prize Money Breakdown 2025