This Week In Golf: Our regular look at the biggest stories in professional golf, tournament previews and other key details you need to know.

What a US Open we just witnessed. Wyndham Clark took on 156 of the world's best (plus a fair few hecklers outside the ropes) and won.

The American claimed his second national championship title by just one stroke, less than 24 hours after he was seven shots ahead.

But there's no rest in golf at this time of the year and no more time to celebrate for Clark, with the action resuming in earnest on three of the main tours.

One of those is another Major, while the DP World Tour returns with a strong field after a few weeks off.

Below are a handful of the biggest storylines set to occur this week in golf as well as a couple of notable events to have already happened.

PGA TOUR UNVEILS TWO-TIER CIRCUIT

There are huge changes coming to the PGA Tour from 2028 after Brian Rolapp and co. set out the initial structure in a press release on Tuesday.

The PGA Tour is set to operate a 'Championship Series' at the very top of its ecosystem and a 'Challenger Series' as the level above the Korn Ferry Tour moving forward, with other significant introductions being match play in the post season plus the removal of no-cut events and sponsor exemptions.

A minimum of 90 players will retain their status in the Championship Series from 2028 onwards, with 20 players earning promotion from the Challenger Series. Should a player win twice on the second tier, they will receive automatic promotion.

There will be approximately 23-24 Championship Series events, inclusive of The Players Championship, Major championships, season-ending events and international team events (Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup) with the season running "approximately February through August."

Rolapp addressed the media in a press conference from TPC River Highlands ahead of the Travelers Championship where he expanded on the announcement.

KPMG Women's PGA Championship

Another week, another Major in golf. This time, it's the KPMG Women's PGA Championship from Hazeltine National Golf Club.

But an announcement which arrived on Monday has quite literally upped the stakes.

The LPGA and headline sponsors KPMG confirmed the tournament purse would be an extraordinary $13 million, which is the highest total payout in the history of women's golf.

The champion will receive almost $2 million, which is more than Nelly Korda claimed at the US Women's Open a couple of weeks ago.

Away from the money side, KPMG has also promised newer and better technology for players and fans as well as comprehensive TV coverage.

Plus, all top 100 players in the current Race to CME Globe Rankings are set to compete at Hazeltine, making it one of the strongest Majors ever.

TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

As I said earlier, there's no downtime in pro golf these days with another Signature Event hot on the heels of the year's third Major.

The Travelers Championship is once again being staged at TPC River Highlands, the site of Keegan Bradley's epic comeback victory over Tommy Fleetwood and co. this time last year.

There's another $20 million payout on the line, but with no cut, everyone in the field is set to pick up a healthy reward for being one of the game's top players.

Rory McIlroy has once again chosen to avoid a Signature Event start, but US Open champion Clark is still in the field and planning to play despite the emotional toll a Major week takes on a player.

ITALIAN OPEN

Following a three-week break, the DP World Tour has returned and it's set to be a cracking Italian Open at Circolo Golf Torino in Turin.

The field is undoubtedly one of the best of the year so far on the DP World Tour, with the likes of Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed, Luke Donald, David Puig, Matt Wallace, Elvis Smylie, Jose Ballester, Danny Willett, Charley Hoffman and the Molinari brothers all teeing it up.

There's a $3 million purse on the line in Italy, and it comes at the start of a run which leads up to The Open Championship - the final men's Major of the year - so expect a high-quality tournament in a beautiful setting.

Women's Amateur Championship

A record 276 entries were received for The Women's Amateur this year, and arguably the strongest-ever line-up is battling it out across the iconic Muirfield in Scotland.

Farah O'Keefe, who became only the fourth player in Curtis Cup history to win all five matches in the USA’s recent win and was a beaten finalist last year, is among 11 of the top-20 in the WAGR who began the historic championship hoping to follow in Paula Martin Sampedro's footsteps.

In addition, seven of GB&I's Curtis Cup roster entered, with each hoping to land the title and a tee time at the season's remaining two Majors as well as the Chevron Championship and US Women's Open in 2027.

The Women's Amateur began on Monday with stroke play and is due to finish on Saturday with a 36-hole match play final.

SAM BURNS TO MISS THE OPEN

It takes a cold, cold heart not to feel something for Sam Burns after his second US Open near-miss in a row at the weekend.

The American played brilliantly all week and piled the pressure on Clark during the final round but was a matter of inches away from almost forcing a playoff.

As it turns out, that will be Burns' final chance to win a Major in 2026 after it was revealed by his mother Beth that the World No.15 will miss The Open next month in order to be with his wife Caroline as she gives birth to the couple's second child.

Burns' best finish at The Open arrived in 2024 when he ended the week T31st at Royal Troon. Hopefully he'll be back next year as The Open heads to St Andrews.

Open Championship Regional Qualifying

Regional Qualifying for The Open Championship took place on Monday, with a number of high-profile names making it through to Final Qualifying on Tuesday of next week.

George Bryan was co-medallist at his site and will head to one of the four sites next week with real belief he can reach Hoylake.

Meanwhile, other notable faces such as Peter Finch and Rick Shiels failed to make it through.

Unfortunately, Golf Monthly's Joe 'The Pro' Ferguson and Sam De'Ath narrowly missed out on progression as well. But it's OK, we still love them!

HENRIK STENSON TO MAKE SENIOR OPEN DEBUT

Henrik Stenson has been confirmed among those to make their Senior Open Championship debut at Gleneagles July 23-26.

The Swede won The Open at Royal Troon in 2016 and was a part of Team Europe in 2014 when they saw off the Americans at the site of July's Senior Open.

Stenson, who left the LIV Golf League after relegation last year, said: “I am really looking forward to making my ISPS HANDA Senior Open debut in July. I have special memories at Gleneagles from 2014, and it is a wonderful venue.

“We have a very strong field and I’m excited to have the opportunity to join an exclusive club of golfers to win both the ISPS HANDA Senior Open trophy and the Claret Jug.”

WHAT ELSE TO KNOW

• Amazon Prime Day takes place between June 23-26, 2026, with a whole host of deals available on all manner of golfing equipment and apparel
• Wyndham Clark is up to World No.8 and and 12th is the US Presidents Cup rankings following his US Open victory
• Lexi Thompson has withdrawn from the KPMG Women's PGA Championship due to an ongoing injury
• Srixon will debut a new range of drivers at the Travelers Championship called the ZXi RKT
• Three Premier League players have been confirmed for the DP World Tour's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth - John Terry, Robbie Fowler and Eden Hazard will tee it up in the famous pro-am on Wednesday, September 16

When it comes to my opinion about the World Handicap System (WHS) I feel a little like my voice has been swept under the carpet somewhat. The ‘not that same old argument again’ opposition. I feel like a right-wing politician whose opinion on the effect the WHS has had on destroying the great traditions of the game is so controversial, and against the majority vote, that I’m rarely allowed to voice it.

I’ve been told to ‘put up and shut up’ countless times over the last six years, but the truth is that nothing has changed. Everything that was wrong about the introduction of the WHS right from its global inception in 2020 is still wrong. Our golf clubs are even more full of over-handicapped bandits who win all the competitions.

Single-figure golfers, like me, are still only competing for one or two opportunities to win a year, usually in a scratch event. Opens are still being won with ridiculously good scores. Scores that before the WHS were inconceivable - they just didn’t exist. These crazy high scores have even filtered down into our county and club competitions now, the ‘major’ pieces of silverware are nearly always won by players who were formerly off a semi-decent low-to-mid handicap (like a 12) who are now playing off something as much as 10 digits higher in the twenties.

The result is they only need one or two good games a year, when they tap into all those former good player skills they still have in their armoury, to record a remarkable points score in the high forties and fifties. Just writing those numbers makes me angry. It’s a complete farce.

In effect, to have any hope of contending in the same competitions as these players, I’d have to shoot 10-under my handicap. I play off a handicap index of 1.3, so what you’re asking me to do is shoot sixty! It’s totally ludicrous. If I was that good I’d be out on tour!

Players who share the same sentiment as me have started to boycott the Opens this year by refusing to enter them. I heard from one of the most wonderful local clubs (where a full-price green fee would be over £100 a round) that they had to cancel their Open this year due to low entry take-up. How very sad.

Personally, I’ve still carried on taking part and putting my entry money in the pot, marking competition cards twice a week at the two courses I play, and yes I’ll play in Opens if I’m asked to join a team for a fun away day out. In the last nine months alone I’ve recorded 20 competition rounds. My handicap index has barely fluctuated because my scores have been steady, rather than spectacular, and I have won one piece of silverware.

I’m not a pot hunter, but I am competitive. The point of golf is that it’s a sport that we are taking part in to try to win. Yes, it’s fun and sociable, but if you’re a single-figure player then part of the fun of competition is trying to win. And the sad truth is that the game is now rewarding the mediocre players who don’t put in the work.

The ones who only mark the occasional scorecard because they mainly play social golf. Those who, on paper, are protecting their handicap (some deliberately but most accidentally.) The ones who aren’t really following the WHS rules of the system by marking enough cards. They hardly submit cards at all.

According to WHS guidance these “regular informal” rounds, such as roll-ups, should be classed as “organised competitions” with scores returned by players. I never, ever see this happening.

As a result the new WHS system rarely rewards the players who are actively trying their very hardest to improve. Those players who spend time on the range, work on their short game skills, take lessons and practice. We are now like the forgotten players at our clubs. The ones who formerly used to win multiple board competitions every year due to our consistency, back when a score of 37, 38, 39 points was enough. Even carding the odd 40 points, which was occasionally achievable.

But now the winning scores are seldom less than 40 points. And with a hundred players in the field on trophy days there’s almost no chance of winning, as quite a few of them will be playing off falsely high handicaps. Don’t even get me started on society handicaps - they are even more wildly wrong!

I had a long conversation with England Golf on this subject two years ago, after I wrote about the WHS for the second time. They were adamant that it was each golf club’s individual responsibility to ensure that the bandits had their handicaps cut on general play. Sure, there are probably a few examples of golfers who have been cut on general play by handicap committees if they still exist or club managers if they don’t, but most of the time the crazy good scores get ignored, or even worse, applauded. They are just seen as the new ‘norm’.

In fact, the majority of golfers I speak to don’t want a handicap cut - they want to go up! Where has the pride in a low handicap gone? I know of several women who I play golf with who have gone into the club office and asked for their handicaps to be put up! I'd love to hear your comments on WHS in the comments box below.

They’re the ones who’ve simply realised that they can no longer compete. Yet they are also the ones who can’t be bothered to mark countless scorecards, especially extra day cards that count for nothing, to help their handicap go up. I suppose you could call them lazy but these players really do exist and it makes a mockery of the game.

Naturally, many of you reading this will be thinking, well if she has such strong opinions of the WHS system why doesn’t she suggest a solution? Quite frankly, I’ve gone over this time and time again in my head and I just can’t find one, other than to go back to the way things were. The world simply doesn’t work like that - we never go back.

The trouble is that the WHS and handicaps are self-regulating. It requires us to be honest enough about our ability level and say if we think we are over-handicapped. To do something about it. Personally, I’d be totally embarrassed if I used to play off a half decent handicap and had gone wildly up, but was now winning club competitions and opens with outrageous scores. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to be the case. Because the problem is so widespread and has penetrated every ability level now that it’s virtually impossible to change, unless the governing bodies intervene.

As for me, I’m having to find new ways of making the game fun. The lure of winning the ‘one division’ competition has long gone. I accept that when I enter these tournaments I’m not going to stand a chance of winning. So instead, I’m competing for my own personal pride of shooting a good score.

Our wonderful Lady Captain, who writes a weekly e-newsletter to the section, has taken to adding in the ‘lowest gross score’ as a mention. Not because that player wins any prize money, a trophy or gets on a competition board for acclaim, but simply because she acknowledges that if we shoot a level par round of golf and get 36 points, then it should be applauded. That, along with my continued pursuit of getting down to a scratch handicap, for the time being is enough satisfaction for me until something might be done.

After Miyu Yamashita claimed a thrilling Meijer LPGA Classic playoff win over Lottie Woad on Sunday, the women's circuit moves to its third Major of 2026.

Taking place at Hazeltine National, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship possesses some star power, but one notable name won't be present due to injury.

Lexi Thompson, who was forced to withdraw from the Meijer LPGA Classic last week, had been a doubt going into the championship, with it confirmed by organizers she won't feature due to an ongoing injury.

Last week, the American wrote: "It’s hard to put into words how disappointed I am to have had to withdraw this week.

"The @meijerlpga has always held such a special place in my heart. It’s my favorite event every year, and I’ve made so many incredible memories here throughout my career. The volunteers, staff, sponsors, and everyone involved make this tournament so special, which makes this decision even more heartbreaking.

"Unfortunately, the pain in my hip reached a point where I knew I wasn’t able to compete. As difficult as it was, withdrawing before the tournament began was the only decision I could make.

"I’m heading home now to take the time I need to focus on healing and getting my body where it needs to be.

"Thank you to everyone at the tournament for your understanding, kindness, and all the work that goes into making this event so special each year. I’m truly grateful."

Replaced in the field by Carolina Chacarra, sister to DP World Tour winner Eugenio, it's unclear as to when Thompson will return to action as she fights the hip injury.

As of writing, the semi-retired player has made six starts in 2026, with her best result coming at the Chevron Championship, where she finished 12th.

Missing the US Women's Open for the first time since 2007, Thompson was T12th in last year's Women's PGA Championship and has registered a best result of T2nd in 2022.

Heading into this year's championship, Nelly Korda will be the favorite as she searches for a third straight Major win, following victories at the Chevron Championship and US Women's Open.

Lottie Woad is one of the upcoming stars in world golf, with the Englishwoman a multiple-time LPGA Tour winner.

Enjoying a fine amateur career, which included victory at the Augusta National Women's Amateur and a World No.1 ranking, Woad has been a Titleist staffer since turning professional, using a near full set-up of the brand's clubs.

At the top end of the bag, Woad uses the Titleist GTS3 driver with a 9° head and Fujikura Ventus Red TR 6 S shaft.

From there, the GT2 3-wood is in-play. Set at 15°, Woad pairs it with a Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Red 7 S shaft.

Interestingly, despite hybrids being less popular on the professional circuits, the Englishwoman uses two different models in her set-up.

Woad has experimented with a 7-wood, specifically the GTS2, but at her most recent start she was using Titleist TSR2 hybrids, specifically in an 18° and 21° configuration.

Shaft-wise, the 18° and 21° possess the same model, which is a HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 80HY 5.5.

Moving to the irons, where Woad uses the Titleist T150, one of the best irons money can buy.

Because of the heavy fairway wood and hybrid set-up at the top of the bag, Woad's irons are 5-iron to pitching wedge and have KBS Tour 120 S shafts.

Wedge-wise, Titleist Vokey SM11 is present in a 50° and 54°, while a 58° Vokey WedgeWorks completes the set.

In terms of shafts, Nippon N.S. Pro 950GH S are used throughout the wedges.

The final club in Woad's bag is an Odyssey White Hot Rossie putter, which has been the flat stick of choice for a number of years, being part of her amateur career also.

Like many professionals, Woad uses the Titleist Pro V1, one of the best golf balls on the market.

Lottie Woad WITB: Full Specs

While the men's game is busy with the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, the LPGA Tour remains full steam ahead with the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give.

It's only two weeks on from the US Women's Open at Riviera, but this week's tournament at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan also serves as a tune-up for the upcoming KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National.

There is an extremely tight leaderboard through three rounds with the likes of Lottie Woad, Cassie Porter and Rio Takeda all vying for the victory.

And a win here in 2026 will be even more lucrative than last year after the overall tournament purse was raised from $3 million to $3.25 million.

The victorious pro will be due close to $500,000 for their win, with the runner-up receiving more than $300,000 before various takeaways reduce how much pro golfers actually take home.

Finishing inside the top-six should see pros earn more than $100,000 for their week's work, though, with upwards of $7,500 for all 66 players who made the cut.

As usual, there are non-financial perks to play for as well - such as Rolex Ranking points and Race To CME Globe points - but it is the prize money most of these players are really after.

Below is the maximum prize money payout for each position at the 2026 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give based on 66 players making the cut and before ties are taken into account.

Meijer LPGA Classic Prize Money Breakdown

Although the main event this week is the US Open, the LPGA Tour continues ahead of a busy run of events, with the Meijer LPGA Classic taking place in Michigan.

Notable names, like Jeeno Thitikul and Minjee Lee are present for the tournament, but one name who isn't is Lexi Thompson, who withdrew prior to her first round.

Posting to Instagram, the Major winner wrote: "It’s hard to put into words how disappointed I am to have had to withdraw this week.

"The @meijerlpga has always held such a special place in my heart. It’s my favorite event every year, and I’ve made so many incredible memories here throughout my career. The volunteers, staff, sponsors, and everyone involved make this tournament so special, which makes this decision even more heartbreaking.

"Unfortunately, the pain in my hip reached a point where I knew I wasn’t able to compete. As difficult as it was, withdrawing before the tournament began was the only decision I could make.

"I’m heading home now to take the time I need to focus on healing and getting my body where it needs to be.

"Thank you to everyone at the tournament for your understanding, kindness, and all the work that goes into making this event so special each year. I’m truly grateful."

Replaced in the field by Anne Chen, Thompson is still listed for next week's KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National.

Having failed to qualify for the US Women's Open, the American teed it up in the Dow Championship alongside playing partner Megan Khang, with the duo missing the cut.

That was Thompson' fifth start of 2026 despite announcing her retirement from the professional game in May 2024, as the Solheim Cup star continues to compete in select tournaments.

Having won the Meijer Classic in 2015, she finished T4th and T2nd in the last two editions, with it remaining to be seen as to whether she'll be at next week's Major.

Without a shade of doubt, the number one error I see on the golf course every week are players coming up short of the pin. There are many reasons for this, from incorrect club selection to poor shot execution, but nearly every golfer I play with under clubs.

I believe the root cause is not knowing your numbers correctly. By that I mean your carry distance with every club, not counting the run out as this can vary from day-to-day depending on the course and weather conditions.

For instance, playing in a strong wind you’ll need to adjust and club up or down to allow for it. Equally, when the temperature is warm, the ball tends to travel further than on a cold day, but it’s something you should know quite precisely.

It’s a number that can be gleaned by using technology like a TrackMan radar on the driving range or indoor sim, or you can do a simple 10 ball test yourself, hitting 10 shots with the same club and eliminating the worst and best and taking your average carry distance for the remainder of the shots.

From experience, I tend to find that men, in particular, often let their ego get in the way when it comes to club selection. They hear a mate saying that they hit a par-3 with a 7-iron, so they try to better it by hitting an 8, when most of the time they actually need a 6-iron.

There’s also the golfer who refuses to believe that they’ve lost a few yards with age and are still holding onto the memory of how far they used to hit the ball, thinking that their 7-iron can still carry 160 yards because it did in 1992.

Whether it’s ignorance or stubborn inaccuracy, nearly every golfer I play with gets their yardages wrong. When it comes to accuracy, there’s also a lot to be said for looking at the pin position on the greens.

If the pin is at the front and all the trouble is short of the flag, but you’ve got plenty of green to play with behind the pin, then why risk ending in the trouble? Play to the heart of the green instead of going for the flag.

To be honest, most of us are choosing a club based on the probability of hitting a perfect shot. Golf is not a game of perfect! You need to play the percentages. The chances are you’ll only strike a perfect shot about one in every 10 attempts. The remainder will be a slight mishit and finish shorter than you expect.

Another common circumstance where I see poor club selection, especially in women, is for recovery shots out of the rough or tricky lies like out of the heather.

Many women immediately grab their hybrid, mistakenly thinking that it is as per its namesake a ‘rescue’ club. To a degree that is true, it can be used out of certain lies in the rough quite effectively, but there are definitely limits to the hybrid’s effectiveness when the ball is really nestled down in the rough.

From this type of buried lie you need a much steeper angle of attack with an iron to drive it out. Hybrids are designed with rounded soles to sweep shots away - not chop down on the ball in the rough. They also only tend to replace your long irons or woods.

So ask yourself this question, would you have picked a 5-iron from that lie? Albeit a hybrid is an easier-to-use alternative, a 5H simply lacks the loft to bail this escape shot.

Conversely, some men stubbornly refuse to replace their hard-to-hit long irons with a hybrid due to a macho belief that they ‘should’ be able to hit a long iron. Put your ego aside and replace them I say. You’ll save hundreds of shots a year.

Part of the reason I play off a low handicap is because I have learned to manage my way around the course. I always take my medicine, grab a wedge and get the ball back out into play, as opposed to wasting two or three shots attempting something high risk from the rough.

The opposite can often be said for tough greenside shots. I’ve lost count of the number of golfers I see using lofted wedges to chip when they simply don’t need to play this type of shot. My rule of thumb for greenside shots is to keep the ball as low to the ground as possible to eliminate the chances of a bad bounce.

Always putt when you can putt. Use a long iron like a putter if you’re a little further out and only go for the sand or lob wedge when you need to carry trouble like a bunker and get the ball to pop up and stop quickly on the greens with spin.

Overall, I’m certain that if an independent study or survey was conducted it would show that golfers’ inaccuracies are caused by poor decision-making leading to wrong club selection, especially on approach shots. As an experiment, next time you play, make a concerted effort to use one club more than you think you need going into every green. I genuinely think the results will be transformational.

When you think about caddies in golf, most club golfers assume they are just for tour professionals. But in fact, many of the competitive women I play with in club and county events choose to use a caddie when allowed.

Certainly for the big competitions like the club championships, which is often a 36-hole strokeplay tournament played in one day, an extra pair of hands is invaluable. Your caddie can help to speed up play by raking bunkers, repairing pitch marks, keeping your clubs clean, keeping you dry under an umbrella in the rain, or even just making sure you eat and drink enough to maintain good energy levels.

For single-figure handicappers like me, that’s often enough. Just having someone alongside you for moral support, a friendly face to chat to, distracting you from the pressure of the scorecard and a helping hand. We call these caddies ‘trolley pullers’ at our club, as they aren’t really there to offer advice - they’re just helpers.

For other players though, having a caddie on the bag who is allowed to offer advice (not a professional golfer - as an amateur this is against the Rules of Golf) can be a completely legal, allowable cheat. I witnessed this a lot growing up playing junior golf when dads on the bag would guide their daughters around the golf course, reading every putt, helping them to select the right club, the right shot to play, aim correctly and much more.

Part of me thought it was ridiculous that these young girls were clearly clueless without a ‘daddy caddie’ and often fell apart, shooting horrifyingly high scores when a parent wasn’t allowed on the bag. Yet another part of me realises now that at the elite level of the amateur ranks having a caddie is a natural progression from club to county to college then onwards as preparation for life on tour.

After all, every tour professional uses one. This is where having the right caddie is literally worth their weight in gold. Get the player/caddie combination correct and players often become unstoppable.

Take World No.1 Nelly Korda, for example. She and her caddie Jason McDede have been together since 2018, winning Major after Major. Likewise England’s Charley Hull has had Adam Woodward on the bag since 2015, a seriously successful decade for her.

For other tour players, it takes a few attempts to find the right fit. There are also many stories of dramatic fall-outs, players blaming their caddies for poor results and sacking them in controversial circumstances.

Remember the infamous ‘extra driver’ left in Ian Woosnam’s bag accidentally by his caddie Myles Byrne during the final round of 2001 Open Championship that caused him a two-shot penalty and ultimately the Claret Jug?

At club level, I see lots of funny situations where the caddie/player relationship goes wrong. Particularly husbands and wives who bicker and criticise each other for bad shots, doing more harm than good. Every club has that couple - the Mr & Mrs “argue-all-the-time’ Jones!

In some ways, finding the right caddie is like finding a real life partnership - and we don’t always get that right the first time either! You have to get on, know each others’ boundaries and what makes you tick. Ultimately, a caddie is there to be helpful, not hinder you.

I know women who refuse to use a caddie in an interclub match for this reason, because they feel that having an extra pair of eyes watching their shots adds too much pressure. Or because these glorified trolley pullers get ahead of their station and insist on being involved in decision-making, coming on the greens to read putts and have an opinion, which can interfere with your focus and cast doubt in your mind. After all, we all read putts differently.

This has happened to me several times when playing holiday golf in countries like Morocco and Thailand where caddies are compulsory. I love to support the locals and have no qualms paying for a caddie to carry my clubs, however they don’t know my game and their level of knowledge of my ability and skills is surprisingly somewhat lacking.

Even at world-renowned golf resorts, like the Old Course, St. Andrews, I have found the caddie gets offended when I tell them I don’t need help reading my putts or choosing my club. They want to tell me what to do on every shot and I just want to play the course ‘my way’ and enjoy it.

Ultimately, there’s no doubt that having a caddie can give you a huge competitive advantage on the golf course, but equally it can also cause your scores to spiral in the wrong direction, from over-analysis and confusing information. So if you’re going to use one, make sure that you set some ground rules before you tee off. Ask them to do what suits you, and choose them wisely.

It is always exciting to test a brand-new golf shoe, especially when a fresh name enters the market. Lately, we've seen traditional athletic labels like New Balance make a real impression on the course by effortlessly blending casual streetwear with technical design.

Now, Autry is executing that exact same playbook. The Texas brand, famous for its 1980s court roots, has modified its most famous vintage sneaker into a specialised golf model called the Autry Golf Low.

When you open the box of a brand-new shoe, you are always hoping for that immediate "wow" factor. Unboxing these, I definitely got a distinct sense of, "Well, this is different."

Even without knowing anything about the brand's court heritage, the silhouette heavily resembles a vintage tennis shoe. However, I quickly noticed the premium quality of the leather and the neat double-stitching detail. It feels extremely well-built, which should provide excellent durability on the course.

The inner lining is very soft, and I like the rubber tab that seals the foam-filled tongue, complete with a raised logo. This spikeless shoe comes in three colour options, and the white and black version is really smart.

It comes packaged with useful branded backpack and a separate pair of light beige laces that complement the shading around the heel collar. Personally, though, I think the black laces make them look unique, especially when paired with the ventilated toe box.

When I first slipped them on, I had that immediate, satisfying feeling you get when a shoe fits exactly right. As a regular UK size 6, they did not disappoint. The cushioned interior features a subtle heel lift that delivers a lovely spring in your step and keeps your feet feeling fresh.

This comfort is elevated by Alpha Skin technology, a micro-porous membrane that keeps water out but allows heat and sweat to escape so the shoe never feels like a sauna. The breathability of the ventilated toe box makes it even better, easily making this one of the most comfortable golf shoes for women.

They aren’t as lightweight as some other spikeless golf shoes on the market, like the Ecco Street Vibe, FootJoy Quantum, or Puma Avant 2, but the comfort more than makes up for it.

What really stands out is the bottom of the shoe. It features one of the sturdiest soles I have ever seen on a spikeless model, boasting a distinctive tread packed with pronounced geometric cleats. This outsole guarantees you won’t slide around and when testing them out, I felt completely in control from the ground up on all my shots.

If you want a luxuriously crafted shoe with modern styling that doesn’t skimp on comfort or performance, this is a top contender for the best women’s golf shoes of 2026.

New Balance continues to extend its golf offering, showing how a traditional athletic brand can make a real impression in the golf space.

Their lifestyle-infused golf shoes continue to grow in popularity, like the performance-led Fresh Foam Contend V3. The 327 in particular has become a firm favourite, so I was keen to see how this model in a striking new colourway for 2026 shaped up as one of the best women’s spikeless golf shoes.

Officially called Sea Salt with White, this colourway is highlighted with light purple accents. The laces and the lining are a vibrant purple, as is the outside edge of the oversized, synonymous ‘N’ logo on the outer side. On the inner side towards the back, ‘New Balance’ is spelled out in purple text.

Yes, it looks exactly like a lifestyle sneaker, and I love that. The detailing on the front is fantastic, featuring a mix of materials, including a premium suede-like fabric by the eyelets and heel.

The brown NDurance spikeless rubber outsole extends upward at the front to protect the toe and wraps up the back of the heel. The extended heel sole isn’t the most attractive look from behind, but as you can't see it when wearing them, it’s not an issue!

I also like that it’s a pretty low-profile shoe compared to chunkier alternatives on the market, such as FootJoy's Pulse and Under Armour's Halo Hybrid golf shoe.

On the foot, it has a very neat, compact look, and it feels incredibly secure. The back of the heel comes up quite high, which initially made me worry about blisters, but the material was soft enough to provide support without any rubbing. The plush softness of the tongue is another major plus.

Performance-wise, the waterproof microfibre leather upper offers excellent all-weather protection, and I found the Molded Cush+ insole coupled with the EVA midsole delivered ultra-soft, lightweight all-day comfort. One crucial tip, you definitely need to go up half a size, as they run small.

It’s an interesting looking rubber sole, with New Balance written in white across the middle of it, and to be honest, I was impressed at what a reliable job it does. I felt completely grounded over my shots when playing from a variety of lies. Overall, it is easy to see why the 327 has become so popular, as it combines golf performance and lifestyle beautifully as one of the most comfortable golf shoes for women that you can easily wear anywhere.

The LPGA Tour’s unique team event, the Dow Championship, has been won by the American duo of Gina Kim and Yana Wilson.

After alternating rounds of foursomes and fourball in the first three days, it was the latter format that ended the tournament at Midland Country Club in Michigan.

Hye-Jin Choi and Hyo Joo Kim led going into the final round, with a one-shot lead over Gina Kim and Wilson at 10 under.

Meanwhile, the defending champions, Jin Hee Im and Somi Lee, were not out of contention either, five back of the leaders in a tie for seventh.

At the start of play, the leaders appeared to have the edge, and not just in the score, with Choi having racked up 13 professional wins and Hyo Joo Kim having won nine LPGA Tour titles, including the 2014 Evian Championship.

As for their nearest challengers, Gina Kim’s four professional wins had all come on the Epson Tour, while LPGA Tour rookie Wilson had yet to win professionally.

However, it wasn’t long before the underdogs were at the top of the leaderboard, with Gina Kim producing a brilliant hole-out eagle at the fifth to seize the initiative for the team.

Choi and Hyo Joo Kim pegged the pair back as they co-led with their second consecutive birdie at the eighth, but soon, Gina Kim and Wilson led again, when the former made a birdie at the 10th.

It was also Wilson who doubled the team’s lead following a beautifully judged approach at the 14th before she converted the birdie chance.

The lead became three shots at the 17th with Wilson again making the birdie to leave the pair on the verge of securing victory.

Choi and Hyo Joo Kim narrowed the gap to two at 18, but all the leaders needed was to avoid disaster to win it, and they achieved it comfortably, with both making par to hand them their maiden LPGA Tour titles.

Thanks to the victory, the team earns $805,381, which is divided equally to hand the pair $402,691 each.

Following the win, Gina Kim said: “Oh, gosh, I mean, this is a life changer. I came off three missed cuts, three straight missed cuts, so this is definitely changing the trajectory, and excited to go to Meijer for next week.”

Wilson added: “Yeah, this is definitely building momentum, especially going into three Majors in like five weeks. So both Gina and I are - I can speak for her - I think we're both very excited.

Further back, the team of Alison Lee and Lilia Vu finished three behind in a tie for third with the 2025 champions, who were six under for the day after the turn before their charge for the title slowed down.

The Skechers Slip-ins Blade Tour is aimed at golfers who want tour-level grip and stability without sacrificing comfort or convenience during long days on the course. With so many spikeless options dominating the market, I was interested to see whether this spiked design had what it takes to compete with the best women's golf shoes of 2026.

I tested the white and silver version, and while it's a smart-looking shoe, it isn't one that screams for attention. The design is fairly plain, with subtle silver/grey detailing adding a bit of interest to an otherwise understated look. The synthetic Clarino upper has a leather-like appearance and feel, helping it look more premium than some synthetic golf shoes.

What it lacks in some of the flair that shoes like G/Fore's G.112 Kiltie or New Balance's Fresh Foam Contend V3 offer, it makes up for in practicality. The upper is fully waterproof and comes with a one-year waterproof warranty, making it a sensible option for golfers who play in all conditions.

Of course, the headline feature is the Slip-ins technology. Skechers has built a reputation around making shoes you can simply step into, and I was keen to see whether it actually worked. The answer is yes. I could slip them on and off with ease, and the Heel Pillow held my foot securely in place once inside. It genuinely removes the usual struggle of putting golf shoes on. If only there was someone around to tie the laces for me!

Comfort is one of the areas where Skechers traditionally performs well, and the Blade Tour continues that trend. I'm normally a size 6, and I found these came up quite roomy around my toes. Thankfully, half sizes are available, which should help women who prefer a more precise fit. Despite the extra room, my feet never felt like they were moving around inside the shoe too much, so I was still able to get a good sense of the overall comfort levels.

The Arch Fit insole system is one of the shoe's key technologies, designed to provide additional support through the arch and promote a more comfortable walking experience. I don't suffer from any foot issues and don't particularly need enhanced arch support, so it's difficult for me to judge just how beneficial that feature would be for golfers who do. What I can say is that the shoe felt comfortable throughout my round, with plenty of cushioning underfoot thanks to the ECO FLIGHT midsole and HYPER BURST PRO sock liner.

One area that really impressed me was the traction. I wear a lot of the best women's spikeless golf shoes, largely because of their versatility and comfort, so it was refreshing to put on a spiked model and feel properly locked into the ground during the swing. The replaceable Softspikes Tour Flex Pro outsole delivers excellent grip, particularly when swinging aggressively off the tee, or playing on softer surfaces. The shoe felt stable throughout, providing confidence when hitting shots from uneven lies or when conditions became a little damp underfoot. If grip is a priority, the Blade Tour certainly delivers.

The seventh edition of the unique team event, the Dow Championship, took place at Midland Country Club in Michigan.

The tournament began with 72 teams of two competing in a round of foursomes before fourball took precedence on Friday.

At the halfway stage, there was a cut, with only the top 33 teams and ties making it to the weekend, which began with another round of foursomes on Saturday.

Finally, another round of fourball was played to decide the titles, with Gina Kim and Yana Wilson ultimately beating Hye-Jin Choi and Hyo Joo Kim by two to claim their maiden LPGA Tour titles.

But how much money did they win? Like the 2025 edition, $3.3m was on the table at Michigan's Midland Country Club.

The winning team banked $805,381, with that figure divided equally between Kim and Wilson to give them around $402,691 each.

The team of Choi and Hyo-Kim still won an eye-catching prize of $399,338, with each player claiming $199,669.

Below is the full prize money breakdown for the teams that made the cut at the Dow Championship.

Dow Championship Full Prize Money Breakdown

I genuinely loved wearing this shoe. The Quantum delivers everything I want from a spikeless: foam cushioning that feels properly plush underfoot, a noticeably more spikey traction pattern than some of the other spikeless options I've tried, and a lightness that makes long walks feel comfortasble. They behaved like a proper performance spikeless rather than something that just looks like one.

Straight out of the box, no blisters and no break-in needed. I wore them for a full round and they performed perfectly from the first hole. The OrthoLite footbed inside felt cushioned and supportive, and FootJoy's SofFOAM midsole really is as soft as advertised. They also stayed surprisingly clean compared to lighter shoes I've worn, which is a bonus when you're paying this kind of money for footwear.

A small detail I genuinely loved: the cord-style laces. I know it sounds minor, but they tie down beautifully secure once I'd done them up, my foot felt locked in for the entire round in a way that flat laces just don't quite manage without a double knot. The baby-blue accents aren't a colour I'd usually go for either, but they grew on me quickly. I'd honestly build an outfit around these shoes.

A couple of fit points worth flagging. The collar at the back of the shoe sits high and felt fairly stiff when I was first putting them on. It wasn't a problem once I was walking and playing, fit and feel on-course were excellent, but the initial put-on takes a bit of effort.

The bigger thing is the width: although these are listed as medium, they're a little narrower than other FootJoys to me, and I'd hesitate to recommend them to anyone with wider feet. Best to opt for the wide fitting option in this model. For my feet, the snug fit worked beautifully, but width is something to test before buying.

Easily one of my new favourite golf shoes, comfortable from the first wear, brilliantly cushioned, light underfoot, with proper grip and a colourway that surprised me in the best way. The cord laces are a small but genuinely lovely detail.

Two caveats: the high, stiff back of the shoe takes a bit of getting used to when putting them on, and despite the medium width labelling, they run narrow, not the right shoe if you have wide feet. For everyone else, I'd buy them again in a heartbeat. A shoe I'll be wearing over and over again.

Records are meant to be broken and, at the Dow Championship, that's exactly what World Golf Hall of Famer Juli Inkster did...

Playing the team event, Inkster was paired alongside Angel Yin and, together, the American duo were able to make the weekend, with the former breaking the record for the oldest player to ever make a cut on the LPGA Tour.

Firing rounds of 69 and 68 on Thursday and Friday, the three-under-par total put the duo in a share of 25th, just one shot above the two-under-par cutline.

Making the weekend at the age of 65 years, 11 months, 19 days, Inkster was able to bypass JoAnne Carner, who previously held the record at 65 years and 26 days.

For Carner, her record stood since the 2004 Chick-fil-A Charity Championship.

"Well, I had a great partner. Yeah, it's great," stated Inkster, who nearly beat Carner's record at the 2025 Standard Portland Classic, where a costly bogey-bogey finish meant she missed the cut by one.

This time around, though, it was a much happier ending, with Inkster adding: "I mean, you know, I'm happy I played.

"Sometimes you've got to put yourself out there and I felt like I did that this week. I've enjoyed playing with Angel. We left a lot of them out there today, but you know what, hopefully we have two more days and we can see what we can do."

Going into the weekend, it's Celine Borge and Polly Mack who lead at 12-under, with the pair carding rounds of 68 and 60 to lead by one stroke from the Japanese duo of Ayaka Furue and Yuna Nishimura.

One shot behind them is the marquee group of Nelly Korda and Olivia Cowan, who are 10-under.

Korda already has two Major wins in 2026, as well as a further two LPGA Tour titles. Teamed alongside her good friend, both Korda and Cowan produced rounds of 70 and 60, one shot ahead of four groups at nine-under.

You walk off the 18th, scorecard in hand and there it is again – that familiar feeling of coming up short. A 93 today, a 92 last round and the goal of breaking 90 keeps slipping through your fingers.

You know the holes that cost you. If those putts had dropped, those drives had found the fairway and those doubles had been bogeys, you'd have done it.

When you keep coming close, it can start to feel like it might never happen. Like you've hit a wall in your scoring you just can't break through.

So you assess your game and decide the answer is to work on a bit of everything. But then you're left with the overwhelming feeling that brings and the question that follows: "Where do I even begin?"

That's the trap. Because when the answer isn’t clear, your practice quietly becomes what you already know. What you've always done. Rather than what will actually move your scores.

Here's the rule I've built my game around: find your biggest leak and plug it, then move onto the next.

Don't Fix Everything

When you're sitting with the disappointment of coming up short, it's easy to think you need to work on everything. But when you're honest with yourself and dig into the holes that cost you the most, patterns will emerge.

Those patterns point to your biggest leak – the part of your game costing you consistently. It might not shout out at you, like that drive that came out of nowhere or the chip that barely moved. But identifying it is the key to moving your game forward, rather than repeating the same results.

So after a round, I ask myself: if I could only work on one thing, what would have saved me the most shots?

Maybe it's those pesky three-putts, my drives that required a recovery shot to get back in play or those 50-yarders that didn't quite get close enough to capitalise.

When I've identified my biggest leak, I'll get specific. How long was the first putt that left me getting down in three? Was it the lag putt that cost me or the knee-knocker that skimmed the hole?

I've found "I need to get better at putting" is too broad, whereas "I need to make more five-footers" gives me a target to tailor my practice around.

When you know your biggest leak, you're no longer stuck on "where do I begin?" You've got your answer.

Dig Into The Big Numbers

When you reflect on the rounds where you just missed your score goal, I'm going to bet there were a few holes that tipped you over. Maybe it was a blow-up hole that unravelled quickly or a double too many. Either way, these are holes we can learn from to break the big-number pattern.

One thing that's helped my game and scores is letting go of the idea that I need to play perfect golf to hit my goal. Instead, the real quest is keeping the big numbers at bay.

That's why I'll pay particular attention to these "leaky holes" after my round. I'll look for two things: the root cause and the compound factor.

The root cause is the first shot in the double-bogey chain – the shot that left me on the back foot. The compound factor is the shot that turned the hole into a double rather than a bogey at worst.

The interesting thing is it's not always a strike issue. Just as often, it's a strategy issue, like taking on the hero shot you quickly regret.

The thing that wrecks your card and confidence isn't the bogeys – it's the blow-ups. That's why I'll look for the pattern behind them, so I can catch that chain in action and choose a different path next time.

Challenge Your Autopilot

When it comes to saving shots, course strategy is wildly underrated. And getting better in this area doesn't require any time on the range.

How often do you hit a good shot to the wrong target and find yourself short-sided? Or reach for driver off the tee because "that's what you always do" and then find yourself in the usual trouble?

At your home course, it's easy to be on autopilot – choosing the same club, the same line and seeing the same miss, round after round. Or to make choices based on what you think you should do, rather than what you could do to set yourself up for a better score.

There are a couple of holes like this at my home course, West Surrey. The holes might leave me feeling like I should take driver to get as far down there as possible but the risk is too great.

On one hole, for example, my regular landing spot is in a grassy bunker with unpredictable lies – think ball below feet, bird’s nest or even a bare lie.

Sometimes I'll get away with a good enough lie that it's worth it. But the truth is, all I need to do is play a club less and I take that hit-or-miss risk out of play, giving myself a much better next shot into the green.

I've played that hole and seen the same result enough times now to know that driver isn't the 80% play. It's not the shot that I feel 80% (or more) confident will give me a solid next shot. So why am I taking it?

Hold The Goal Lightly

A score goal is brilliant for giving your game direction. It gives purpose to your practice and a benchmark to measure your performance against.

But holding that number – that goal – too tightly when you're on the course can end up working against you.

When your score is going well, you tense up, awaiting the slip-up, the moment that good run comes to an end. When it's not going well, it's easy to check out, to write this round off or start chasing those hero shots to get it back.

Either way, focusing on the number and how you're tracking towards it is a distraction. It takes your mind away from the present moment and the shot you have at hand.

That's why it's important to preserve that score goal for your planning and post-round review. But keep your focus during the round on one shot at a time, until the last putt drops.

One thing I'll do to help me stay focused is to set mini quests – round goals like committing to every shot or staying composed when I'm in trouble.

Keep Going Deep

When you break your score goal, the fear is that it's a fluke. A one-off that won't repeat itself. But this is where going deep dispels that myth – because depth is what makes progress stick and confidence grow.

As you identify your leaks, go deep on improving them one at a time. Make meaningful progress that you can trust on the course, rather than doubt when you're out there. It's the plugging of each leak that raises the floor of your performance.

It's not about playing perfect golf or getting out of bunkers like a pro golfer would. It's knowing that part of your game no longer costs you when you're on the course.

It's playing with the proof that you've put in the work – that you've seen those shots come to life in practice – and backing yourself to bring them out on the course.

That's not a fluke. That's a golfer who's done the work and the scores will follow.

Want to find your own biggest leak? Take Jess' free quiz to pinpoint it.

Follow Jess’ golf journey on Instagram & TikTok.

This week, the best amateurs from the USA and GB&I head to California as the iconic Bel-Air Country Club hosts the Curtis Cup. The Americans are hungry to win back the trophy after the GB&I team’s spectacular victory at Sunningdale in 2024, so we are in for a thrilling contest.

Bel-Air is an historic venue carved out of the canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains. At 6,284 yards, it isn't a course where sheer length will win the day. Instead, it’s a masterclass in strategy. For these world-class amateurs, and any mere golfing mortals, success here comes down to top-tier course management, cast-iron discipline, and refusing to get greedy.

When GB&I Captain Catriona Matthew took the team over to LA for some early prep, she noted that the real test will be the greens and distance control. Success here is all about being on the right side of the fairways to attack the pins, keeping your ball below the hole on the lightning-fast greens, and having a sharp wedge game from 120 to 130 yards out.

There is plenty of trouble waiting for anyone who loses focus. Now, given how exclusive Bel-Air is, most of us will likely never get to tee it up there ourselves. However, looking at how the Curtis Cup players should strategise these three key holes can teach us a lot. If your home course has a similar layout, you might just learn a thing or two to help you master your own strategies.

1st Hole – Par-5

Gold/Back: 495 yards, White: 460 yards, Red: 435 yards

Boasting sensational views of the Los Angeles skyline, this hole sweeps down from an elevated tee box. It looks incredibly inviting, and it’s easy to get greedy. Longer hitters will view this as a gettable green in two and a prime birdie opportunity. However, the undulations add a tricky dimension, and as the opening hole, pressure can easily get to players.

Because you are hitting from an elevated tee, choose a club you love, whether that's a driver or not. If you have a higher handicap, utilise your extra shots and break the hole into manageable sections. It’s a par-5, but you don’t have to replicate the Curtis Cup players who will be trying to reach the green in two during Friday's opening matches. An easy hybrid off the tee might be just the ticket, but don’t force it.

Routine is key on any first tee. Utilising the skyline during your pre-shot routine is imperative to stay focused during what can easily turn into an anxious ‘grip it and rip it’ moment. Looking beyond the hole reminds you to keep the swing smooth and finish it completely. Pick a building in line with your intended landing spot, slowly exhale as you walk into the shot, and let gravity do the work.

When you reach your ball, look for a safe place to send your next shot. Think ahead and plan your ideal third shot distance. If you love a full wedge, club down to leave yourself a longer shot into the green. If you have shots to play with, there's no pressure.

Aim to lay up just short and right of the fairway bunkers, leaving yourself approximately 100 yards into the green. With no greenside bunkers guarding the front, you can opt for a running approach. A handy trick here is to aim at the tree on the left of the green, as the natural slope will feed your ball right back towards the flag. It’s lightning-fast from the back, though, so whatever you do, don't go long!

As you walk up, read the slopes from afar. You'll notice everything leans toward the middle of the green. There is potential for a solid start here - just don’t get greedy.

10th Hole – Par-3

Gold/Back: 205 yards , White: 205 yards, Red: 95 yards

Bel-Air's signature par-3 is pure cinematic drama. You arrive at the tee in style via an elevator embedded deep inside the mountain beneath the clubhouse, looking like something straight out of a James Bond or Thunderbirds film!

From the forward tees you are relatively safe, playing a short 95-yard pitch from the kind side of the canyon. The Curtis Cup players, however, face a treacherous shot over the chasm.

Its essential that you only focus on where you DO want your ball to go. Don’t be tempted to stare into the abyss and imagine how you can rack up a high score. Focus on a target at the back of the green and keep your chin up.

Rehearse a positive swing that nips the turf and complete to a photo finish. Then repeat with the ball in the way. Commit to the finish and don’t falter, otherwise that deep hazard will gobble up your golf ball along with your confidence.

The swirling winds can really catch you out here, so it is crucial to club up and aim for the right side of the green. Once past the middle of the putting surface, the contours will naturally feed the ball toward the hole. Lose your tee shot to the left, and you’ll either catch deep greenside bunkers or tumble into serious trouble.

If you leave your tee shot short, expect it to roll all the way back down off the front, leaving a tough pitch back up. Just like so many holes out here, the smart play is to hit plenty of club, especially since the hole features a natural backboard. A friendly slope at the rear will catch a long shot and feed it safely back down towards the green.

17th Hole – Par-4

Gold/Back: 475 yards, White: 455 yards, Red: 425 yards

This is a blind dog-leg with a generous, 50-yard-wide fairway that slopes heavily toward a ravine. Aiming left off the tee is the safe option, but it leaves a long, uphill approach over a ridge. The tiger line is to lace your drive as close to the canyon edge as you dare - if you have enough distance, you can even nip the corner off completely.

Focusing on the middle bunker (which sits over 300 yards away on the left-hand side) will put you in prime position for a clean line into the green. Again, if you have handicap strokes to play with, use them to your advantage. If your woods aren't your most accurate clubs, a well-struck 7-iron off the tee to the middle of the fairway, another toward the middle bunker, and a wedge onto the green will safely seal a solid five.

Landing and staying on the putting surface isn’t as straightforward as it looks. You need enough club to clear the false front, as the green doesn't start immediately after the bunker. But hit too much club, and you'll lose it over the back into the hedges lining the cart path.

The green slopes off to the right side, and with the left heavily guarded, it’s a tricky target. The green itself is crowned, long, and narrow, resembling an upturned dish with lightning-fast pace. If you miss the surface, the left-middle is the best bailout area. In fact, putting from off the green is often the safest play, as keeping a chip shot on this surface is an immense challenge.

Always having a clear plan of action on each hole takes the pressure off. Relying on clubs you trust will always result in a better score. Know your strengths, and crucially, make sure you know your exact carry yardages. On a masterpiece like Bel-Air, or on a similar layout you might play regularly, those carry distances are everything.

The spectacular Bel-Air course set-up is something else. While it presents a ferocious challenge for the world's best amateurs, the strategic lessons it teaches apply to all of us. We can’t wait to see how the teams tackle the course, especially these three holes, when the matches get underway.

Three of the World Amateur Golf Ranking's top-10 arrived at the US Women's Open last week full of hope and undoubtedly confidence too but expecting an unflinching examination of their golf games.

And they certainly underwent a tough test at Riviera Country Club as Nelly Korda triumphed by a single stroke, but each of the trio passed with flying colors to rack up a top-25 finish of their own.

World Amateur No. 1 Romero in particular proved her class by ending the week T6th thanks to scores of 73-70-70-68, adding up to a three-under-par total. However, due to her amateur status the American was unable to collect a check for roughly $430,000.

Her consolation prize was standing next to US Women's Open champion Korda as the low amateur, though - adding to her incredible list of achievements so far.

Discussing her performance after being confirmed the 2026 US Women's Open low amateur, she said: "I feel like I'm just really proud of myself after the week that I just had. Definitely wasn't easy.

"This course played unbelievably hard and took a lot of brain power out there for sure. But I'm just really proud of how my game has grown these past few years."

The American's excellent week also resulted in a noticeable change to what is already an extraordinary handicap index.

Figures shared by the USGA showed the course rating at Riviera CC was 79.8 and the slope was 149, making Romero's first-round 73 (+2) worth -5.2 in terms of Score Differential (SD).

Her second and third round 70 (-1) worked out to -7.4 SD while the 20-year-old's closing 68 (-3) was -8.9.

Therefore, Romero arrived in California with a handicap index of +8.0 but left having knocked 0.5 shots off, taking her to a scarcely believable +8.5.

Meanwhile, World Amateur No.8 Asterisk Talley's handicap index followed an identical pattern to Romero in terms of dropping from +8.0 to +8.5, although her individual round scores varied.

The 17-year-old posted 71-75-66-74 as she finished T22nd, with that Saturday five-under round working out to -10.5 in terms of SD.

Lastly, Aphrodite Deng ultimately ended the US Women's Open in T17th at level par through four rounds thanks to scores of 70-73-68-73.

The World Amateur No.7's three-under 68 (SD -8.9) was her round of the week and helped Deng drop her handicap index from +6.8 to an even +7.0.

To put these scores into context, German pro Esther Henseleit finished her 2018 campaign as an amateur with a handicap of +7.1, which was believed to be the best ever recorded handicap in Europe.

Rory McIlroy's handicap before he turned pro was +6 and is now believed to be around +8.3, while Scottie Scheffler's theoretical handicap index was +10.5 at the peak of his powers this time last year.

The average handicap index for female amateur golfers in the United States and the British Isles is between 27-29.

Whatever handicap index the aforementioned amateur trio end on when they turn pro, you can almost guarantee they'll continue to post some incredible numbers in the paid ranks, too.

I recently had my best finish in the Dorset Women’s County Championships at Sherborne Golf Club for a few decades. I finished fourth in the 36-hole stroke-play qualifier and then narrowly defeated in the semi-finals of the matchplay stages by a very fine young US college player.

There were many competitors in the field who, on paper, should have performed better than me, but they all scored poorly. The difference, I believe, was in both the mental and physical preparation I’d done before the event this year.

At the start of 2026, I embarked upon a strength, conditioning and flexibility programme at my local gym, attending weight lifting, yoga, pilates and stretch classes. I also added in some swing speed work by doing HIIT training nearer the time to activate my fast-twitch muscles.

The difference to my strength, flexibility and overall fitness level was phenomenal and really noticeable because the two stroke-play rounds of golf were played in 30-degrees of heat and took over 10 hours to complete, which meant that we had no time to stop for a lunch break halfway. My body coped because I was really fit. The decent scores I carded reflected this. It was an endurance test, blended with the mental strength to execute shots skilfully under pressure.

In addition, the preparation I did the day before the event was more than I saw even the youngest, fittest competitors do. I was the only player chipping and putting at the host course the afternoon and evening before the tournament began. The only one there!

It meant that I arrived at 7am the following morning feeling like I already knew the greens. It paid off. My short game was exceptional. My motto was simple: ‘Fail to prepare and prepare to fail.’

But when it came to the matchplay stages, I was simply out-classed by an incredible young, talented, long-hitter. Honor Johnson is an 18-year old first year US college competitor at Grand Canyon University in Arizona.

She was out-driving me on some occasions by up to 100-yards, driving par-4s and easily onto par-5s in two shots. Everything about my opponent was finely-tuned from her athleticism (she is clearly following a college strength and conditioning programme) to her custom-built equipment, perfectly spec’d to her swing. It was like watching a budding tour professional in-the-making.

What was most impressive was how autonomous my opponent was and capable of a high level of performance at such a young age. It really is remarkable how different things are for youngsters who have come through county, regional, national and onto college coaching these days.

It truly is a simple springboard onto life on tour for those with the desire, work ethic and talent. Back in my day, three decades ago, I attended the occasional south-west regional England coaching session with very little feedback in between. I was left to practice swing changes alone.

There was never any fitness or nutritional advice given (we ate chocolate bars to fuel us as juniors!) and certainly no sight of a mind guru! Oh how I would have benefited from some basic mental coping techniques as a teenager. I lament the short putts that I missed, which lost me several county championship finals, because I hadn’t been taught how to handle the nerves and my shaking hands under pressure.

It’s no wonder that players like England’s Mimi Rhodes and Lottie Woad have made such incredible starts to their professional careers. They have already benefited from world-class coaching and performance advice as amateurs. It was easy for them to make a seamless transition from the amateur to professional ranks.

As for me, my goal continues to remain competitive as I approach the seniors, gaining as much length as I can over the next few years to try to catch these youngsters up! I’ve recently learned that a modern set of clubs can give me a massive helping hand (my PXG custom-fitting experience was an eye-opener, so I’m saving up for a new set) and I’m certainly trying to follow in the footsteps of one of the great legends of the game, my hero Gary Player, who has always kept his fitness level up.

As the old saying goes, age is only a number, and I’m out to prove to myself that in the run-up to my half century on this planet I can still achieve my life-long golfing goals. So watch this space!

New Balance’s golf presence is going from strength to strength and the Fresh Foam Contend V3 is adding to the strong line up of shoes already in its range.

Unlike some of the brand's earlier golf shoes, like the popular women's 327 golf shoe, which often felt like their popular trainers slightly adapted for the course, the Contend V3 has a much more dedicated golf shoe feel, offering the stability and support for golfers who like a sturdier feeling shoe.

The first thing I noticed was how comfortable they felt straight out of the box. There was no need for a breaking in period and I was happy to wear them for a full round from day one. While they do boast New Balance’s well loved Fresh Foam technology I didn’t feel they were as soft as their trainer counterparts, and that’s because they’ve clearly opted to create a shoe for swinging hard and walking the ups and downs of the fairways.

The best women's spikeless golf shoes have improved dramatically over the years, but some can still feel a little lacking when it comes to grip and stability. If I’d put this shoe on blindfolded, I would have absolutely thought it was a soft spike shoe. The heel and ankle area offer particularly good support, like the FootJoy Pro/SL, helping the foot feel locked in without being over restrictive.

The lightweight construction is another plus point, it felt good to walk in and at no point felt bulky or cumbersome. Combined with the waterproof upper, it becomes a very practical option for golfers who play regularly throughout the year. Whether you’re heading out on a dry summer evening or tackling a damp autumn morning, the Contend V3 feels up to the task.

The only real drawback I found l, which is likely more of a me problem rather than a New Balance problem, was the level of arch support. Golfers who prefer a more supportive insole or who suffer from foot fatigue may find themselves wanting a little more structure under the midfoot. It’s not a deal breaker, and some players may choose to swap in their own insoles, but it’s worth bearing in mind before you buy.

This shoe is a great example of how far New Balance’s golf footwear has come. So if you're looking for a spikeless shoe that feels secure from the first tee to the final green, the Contend V3 is well worth a place on your shortlist.

Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles is the venue for the 44th edition of the biennial Curtis Cup.

The Curtis Cup is the biggest team match in women’s amateur golf, where line-ups from the US and Great Britain & Ireland will compete for the trophy.

Two years ago, Sunningdale in England was the venue as the hosts shocked the US with a 10.5-9.5 win, handing the team the trophy for the first time since 2016.

However, it is sure to be a tough proposition for the holders this year, with Catriona Matthew’s team looking for its first win on US soil since 1994.

As a result, Meghan Stasi’s hosts will begin the match as favorites, although both line-ups are packed with plenty of ability.

With the stage set for a thrilling battle between the two teams, let’s take a closer look at exactly what to expect from the Curtis Cup, including the format, teams, venue and how you can watch it.

Curtis Cup Format

The match, which is jointly organized by the USGA and The R&A, features two teams of eight competing in three foursomes and three fourball matches on each of the first two days, with eight singles matches on the third and final day.

In total, there are 20 points to play for, with 10.5 points needed to win the match outright. In the event of a tie, the current holders retain the trophy.

Curtis Cup Teams

Team USA

Team USA features three of the players who competed in 2024: Anna Davis, Jasmine Koo and Asterisk Talley.

Davis’s career highlights include victory at the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Her maiden Curtis Cup appearance resulted in a 1-3-0 record.

University of Southern California junior Koo, who went 2-1-1 at Sunningdale, earned low amateur honors at the 2026 Chevron Championship, finishing T13.

Talley also had a 2-1-1 record at Sunningdale, while that year she also played in the Junior Solheim Cup and Junior Ryder Cup. She was also the 2024 US Women’s Open low amateur.

The five US newcomers are Kary Hollenbaugh, Farah O’Keefe, Kiara Romero, Avery Weed and Kelly Xu.

Ohio State University's Hollenbaugh is a a two-time All American who had four wins in 2025. O’Keefe, of the University of Texas, has four collegiate wins in 2026 so far.

University of Oregon senior Romero was the recipient of the 2025 Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s leading amateur, while Weed is a rising senior at Mississippi State University.

Finally, Stanford senior Xu counts helping her team win the 2024 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship among her collegiate highlights.

• Anna Davis
• Kary Hollenbaugh
• Jasmine Koo
• Farah O’Keefe
• Kiara Romero
• Asterisk Talley
• Avery Weed
• Kelly Xu

Team Great Britain & Ireland

Two Great Britain & Ireland players competed in the 2024 edition. One is Arizona State’s Beth Coulter, who had a 1-2-1 record at Sunningdale.

A teammate of Coulter’s at Arizona State, Patience Rhodes, makes her second Curtis Cup appearance after going 1-2-0 at Sunningdale.

The remaining six are Sophia Fullbrook, Lily Hurst, Isla McDonald-O’Brien, Charlotte Naughton, Nellie Ong and Davina Xanh.

Florida State’s Fullbrook has three collegiate wins in 2026, while Hurst was the 2024 English Women's Open Amateur Stroke Play Champion.

McDonald-O’Brien, of Arizona State, was a quarter-finalist at the 2025 Women's Amateur Championship.

A career highlight of Naughton's was a record win at the Junior Orange Bowl in January, while Ong has previous team success, having helped Great Britain & Ireland win the Vagliano Trophy over the Continent of Europe in 2025.

California State University Fullerton player Xanh claimed her maiden collegiate victory in March at the Ping ASU Invitational.

• Beth Coulter
• Sophia Fullbrook
• Lily Hirst
• Isla McDonald-O’Brien
• Charlotte Naughton
• Nellie Ong
• Patience Rhodes
• Davina Xanh

Where Is The 2026 Curtis Cup?

The 2026 Curtis Cup takes place at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. The private club was originally designed by George Thomas, but has since been renovated by Tom Doak and Renaissance Golf Design.

It is known for its suspension bridges, including one that spans a canyon at the par-3 10th.

Bel-Air Country Club also hosted the 2023 US Women’s Amateur Championship, and in 2030, it will be the venue for the US Mid-Amateur Championship.

How To Watch The Curtis Cup

US (all times ET)

• Friday June 12th: 12.30pm-4.30pm: Morning fourballs (GolfChannel.com), 6.00pm-9.00pm Afternoon foursomes (Golf Channel)
• Saturday June 13th: 1.30pm-4.30pm: Morning fourballs (GolfChannel.com), 7.00pm-9.00pm Afternoon foursomes (Golf Channel)
• Sunday June 14th 6.00pm-10.00pm Sunday singles (Golf Channel)

UK (all times BST)

• Friday 12th June: 5.30pm: Sky Sports Golf/Sky Sports Mix, 11.00pm: Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Golf
• Saturday 13th June: 6.30pm Sky Sports Mix
• Sunday 14th June: 11.00pm: Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Golf/Sky Sports Mix, 12.00am: Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Golf

This Week In Golf: Our regular look at the biggest stories in professional golf, tournament previews and other key details you need to know.

What a stretch of golf we all enjoyed last weekend. Nelly Korda won her fourth Major at the US Women's Open, JT Poston squeezed past Ryan Gerard at the Memorial Tournament, Eugenio Chacarra made a big jump towards a future on the PGA Tour with his victory at the KLM Open and Tyrrell Hatton triumphed at Valderrama to lift the LIV Golf Andalucia trophy.

While the wait for the US Open on the men's side goes on for a few more days yet, there are a handful of other key events around the world for us all to stay tuned for.

And away from the golf course, there have been a number of commitments to tournaments later in the season by big names as well as a withdrawal or two for the events coming up.

Below are some of the biggest storylines in the sport set to go down this week as well as a catch-up on those to have already taken place.

THE CURTIS CUP

One of the biggest weeks in women's amateur golf is here as the Curtis Cup takes place at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th.

Team USA will be be desperate to win back the Cup following Team GB&I's thrilling 10.5-9.5 success at Sunningdale in 2024, and they have the quality to do so with players like Kiara Romero, Farah O'Keefe and Asterisk Talley on the roster.

Tally, Jasmine Koo and Anna Davis were all a part of the losing effort last time out so have experience of the event, while only Patience Rhodes (younger sister of Mimi) and Beth Coulter have been here before for the visitors.

As usual, the format consists of three foursomes and three fourball matches on each of the first two days with eight singles matches on the final day. As Team GB&I are the champions, the only need 10 points to retain.

RBC CANADIAN OPEN

The PGA Tour's final event before the US Open is the RBC Canadian Open at TPC Toronto.

The Canadian Open is one of the oldest national open championships in the world having been established in 1904 and has been won by many of the greatest players ever known - including Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods.

This year, four of the current top-10 will have a go at adding their names to that list, with Matt Fitzpatrick starting as the betting favorite just ahead of many people's tip, Tommy Fleetwood.

Whoever wins will earn almost $1.8 million and bounce into the US Open full of confidence, while for the rest it will just be about tuning their game up to have a crack at following in the footsteps of JJ Spaun and his history-making monster putt at Oakmont.

LPGA DOW CHAMPIONSHIP

On the LPGA Tour this week is the circuit's only official pairs event - the Dow Championship. Somi Lee and Jin Hee Im triumphed in a playoff roughly this time last year, beating Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang to the title.

Fresh off her US Women's Open win, Nelly Korda is pairing up with friend Olivia Cowan and playing in this event for the first time since 2022.

Korda has won four times already this term and finished runner-up in three other starts. Oh, and she's only played eight times.

At the Dow Championship, the first and third rounds are foursomes while the second and final rounds are fourballs. There aren't any Rolex Ranking points available this week but there is a tidy $3.3 million tournament purse to fight for.

INTERNATIONAL SERIES MOROCCO

The Asian Tour is about to go on a long summer break, but before it does, the third International Series tournament of the year is ready to go at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

The International Series Morocco offers a $2 million purse, world-ranking points to everyone who makes the cut and features a very strong field - supplemented by more than 20 LIV golfers.

Sergio Garcia and Elvis Smylie are among the biggest names teeing it up in the elevated series event, with a handful of those LIV pros heading over to Shinnecock Hills immediately after for the US Open.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN PARTNERS WITH PGA TOUR

Golf Australia has confirmed a partnership with the PGA Tour for the first time ever while extending its long-standing relationship with the DP World Tour as it relates to the Australian Open.

A new agreement, which covers 2027-2029, will see the Australian Open co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia and is set to include a significantly raised prize fund for the championship as well as ensuring it takes place in "a distinct window" in the golfing calendar.

In a statement announcing the news, Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said: “The Australian Open has a proud history going back to 1904 and is recognized globally as one of the great national championships of world golf.

“Our ambition is clear. We want the men’s Capital.com Australian Open to be recognized among the top 10 most prestigious golf tournaments globally, and everything we are doing for the event flows from that ambition...

“This agreement with the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia strengthens the global relevance of the championship and gives us another important platform to keep growing the event year-on-year."

More details will be shared at the Australian Open later this year - which will see Rory McIlroy attend for the second year in a row - but the PGA Tour's continued relationship with the DP World Tour is expected to allow more names from the US to more easily compete Down Under over the coming seasons.

US OPEN QUALIFYING RESULTS

The US Open field for 2026 is almost complete after more than 40 places were earned through Final Qualifying on Monday.

Big-name pros like Billy Horschel and Neal Shipley punched their ticket to Shinnecock Hills, but players such as Tony Finau and Brandt Snedeker missed out.

There was drama in the form of Adam Svensson's rules blunder which cost him a good chance of teeing it up as a potential first alternate, and there was a playoff that went on for so long that it carried over into Tuesday.

Once all is said and done, though, there will be just a handful of spots left - filled by anyone inside the World's top-60 who isn't already exempt come Monday morning.

RYDER CUP CAMPSITE REVEALED

Ryder Cup Europe has announced details regarding an official campsite for fans at the 2027 competition in Ireland.

Located adjacent to the fifth fairway at Adare Manor, pre-erected accommodation is expected to house between 6,000-7,000 people per day during tournament week with a "festival atmosphere" greeting golf fans.

Organizers say the average price for a seven-night stay will be 151 euros per person while it's set to cost around 176 euros per person per night for a five-night stay.

In a statement, Ryder Cup Europe said: "A wide range of options are available to fans, both in terms of the duration of the stay and the actual camping facilities themselves.

"All accommodation is pre-erected and must be pre-booked. Full details are available via the official website: https://officialrydercupcampsite.com."

Bookings will be available on a first come, first served basis from 2pm BST this Thursday, June 11 - but only to fans who have already purchased tickets via official Ryder Cup platforms.

Ryder Cup Europe said "a further campsite allocation will be made available in due course to fans who are successful via the ticket ballot which opened on June 3 and which runs until June 29."

WHAT ELSE TO KNOW

• JT Poston has withdrawn from this week's RBC Canadian Open following his dramatic victory at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday
• Ryder Cup winners Luke Donald, Nicolai Hojgaard, Rasmus Hojgaard and Tyrrell Hatton have all been confirmed in the Irish Open field on the DP World Tour in mid-September
• Jon Rahm is back into the OWGR top-10 (8th) for the first time since the middle of 2024 after his latest top-10 finish in the LIV Golf League
• F1 World Champion Lando Norris and McLaren team principal Zak Brown will play in the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am on Wednesday, September 16 alongside a number of other sport stars
• Viktor Hovland and Ryan Fox have joined the field for the DP World India Championship during October, just ahead of the Race To Dubai playoffs
• Nelly Korda moved to 25 points in the LPGA Tour's Hall of Fame after her US Women's Open success. She needs two more points to cement her place, with two points for a Major win and one each per LPGA Tour title
• There is no DP World Tour event this week ahead of the US Open and LIV Golf is not scheduled to return until LIV Golf UK in July

Losing someone very close to you is a hugely traumatic yet inevitable event in all of our lives. It can throw us into an abyss of sadness that sometimes it’s hard to crawl out of. Distraction is essential.

I know that when I lost my son to cancer back in 2016 I was a little worried about playing golf because there was a lot of time on the golf course to think, but in fact getting back out there was one of the best things I ever did.

However, it wasn’t the game I used to play. Golf for me had changed. Not for any physical reasons, but I just needed something else from golf following Teddy‘s death.

I needed headspace, the chance to switch off, the chance to be distracted by every single shot. That’s why I went back to coaching six months after, I was distracted by everyone else’s golf and that’s the joy of the game.

I can focus wholeheartedly for one hour in a lesson on helping someone enjoy the game more, but it isn’t just about fixing faults. I found myself using golf as a tool to help with pupils' lives, a tool to switch off. Getting to the core of the person standing in front of me helped me help them quicker.

For a group of women I coach, losing their husbands has rocked their worlds, but they found golf to be an incredible tonic. It is a distraction, a form of forgetting while they are out on the course.

Jenny Duggal, a member of Salisbury in South Wilts, says she dreads long car journeys and walks, but couldn’t be without her beloved golf.

“On a long car journey I ruminate, there is just too much time to think.” Jenny lost her husband Kush a year ago and is still, and will be for a long time, in an extremely painful place emotionally.

Jenny came to me for a playing lesson two months after Kush died and those few holes we played were magical. She played an absolute blinder. It was almost as if her Kush was with us in the air and I’m a huge believer of that. It’s a massive comfort to think that someone that we love so much is dancing around the golf course above us.

“Golf is an enormous distraction. It’s time when I can forget and put all the pain aside. My golf and other people’s golf distracts me. The longer I’m out there the better. Each time you go out there’s a new challenge, a new lesson to be learnt. It has always been like that for me and it is even more so now of huge benefit. Give me singles matchplay, I’m entirely focused with this intense concentration for a long period of time. That’s what I need,” says Jenny.

Until you’ve been through grief, understanding it isn’t easy. You have to learn to be kind to yourself and accept there are days when your grief weighs you down so much that even golf is a struggle rather than an escape.

Kjersti Cannon is Lady Captain at The Caversham and her husband Peter passed away 2 years ago. She likes to keep busy and accepted the position of vice-captain thinking it would be the perfect distraction. It has been just that.

“I play golf now for the laughs, to make a difference and change the game for the better, but I had a game recently where I felt my grief just weighed me down. Golf was too much for the way I felt. It was one of those days.”

Accepting those days and letting grief wash over you is so important, simply allowing yourself to have a day where you don’t want to see anybody is essential.

Managing our expectations on the golf course on days like this is also extremely important. Use your time to focus on your playing partners and enjoy the walk, don’t stress about the score.

What happens when your partner is your companion on the course, at home and on holiday. Does golf become a painful memory? Cathy Jones lost her husband not to death but to dementia. She is his full-time carer and golf is her respite.

“Golf has always been an important part of our lives together, from both joining a golf club, taking part in club activities to wonderful holidays playing golf around the world,” says Cathy.

When Alzheimer's takes hold, all of that comes to an end. Slowly at first, but as time progresses, bit by bit, those pastimes are lost.

For the person suffering with Alzheimer’s, they forget what they used to do three times a week, but for the person caring, they sadly miss those times so much.

“As a carer I’m determined to continue with golf for as long as I possibly can. I now rely on the understanding of my golfing friends that tee times might need to be adjusted to allow me to settle him before golf.

“The overwhelming feeling of guilt every time I go out will not go away. However, I know for my own sanity and health I need to do this and am encouraged to do this by club members. They are my respite and I am very thankful that I have golf as a hobby,” says Cathy.

As a golf club member, not only do you already play a game that is for life, you make lifelong friends who support and will be there through thick and thin.

Brigitte Lockwood is a member at Strawberry Fields Golf Club. Her husband Peter died suddenly earlier this year. Golf is helping her fill the emptiness and as a distraction she’s organising a big charity day to raise money for the British Heart Foundation in his memory.

“Yes there is sadness but I can still follow a path to happiness,” she says. “The support I receive from my golfing friends and the Women’s Golf Lounge Facebook community is like a thousand pairs of arms wrapping around me. It keeps you wanting to carry on with everyday life despite the sadness encountered at home.”

However, grief often brings out the true colour of people and not always in a good way. I know numerous women who were shocked when those women they assumed would be a cement post, to prop them up through their loss, weren’t there for them.

When once they were included in plans, golf holidays and social gatherings, they were cut out and some even planned social events with others while sitting alongside the person in question.

Why anyone would give a heart a kick when it’s already broken into a thousand pieces is a mystery to me. Some use the theory that often people don’t know what to say, but it’s always better to say something than nothing, and definitely never assume that the person doesn’t want to be included. You might say the wrong thing, but that’s ok, just say something to be a support in some capacity.

Kjersti Cannon found that when her husband Peter died, it was the men at The Caversham who stepped up and offered support. Similarly, Brigitte and Jenny found the strongest support was from their husband’s golfing friends.

“Men seem to not think about saying the wrong things so much, knowing that person needs acknowledging and perhaps a hugely needed hug. I found hugs were a wonderful tonic, sometimes they produced tears but those were always better out than in,” says Jenny.

Perspective is a side gift that grief gives us. If I was to take something positive from losing my son it would be the same thing these women have taken from losing their partners.

We have had our eyes open to life, to what is truly important and to how we treat people. We have a zero tolerance to people who decide to do us injustices and to any petty matters that arise. Our outlooks have been changed and I’d say that life itself has been thrown into sharp focus. We know who the important people are and disregard anyone who isn’t worth our energy.

We swear more, we cry more, we empathise more, but my goodness do we live more than we ever did before. Soaking up that view from the top of the golf course and playing the kind of golf that gives you joy, not the kind you think you should be playing.

Being let down by friends that you thought would be there is a massive shock to the system. But I often wonder if it's a cycle that happens. We decide that actually we don’t want those people in our lives. We have no need to waste any extra time on those who can’t be bothered to step up and be there for us.

Those people you expected nothing from yet in fact give you their all. I believe those people that come out of nowhere like your fairy godmothers have often been through something similar on one level or another. They are your people, your tribe and it’s only these huge bumps in the road of our lives that mean they are suddenly thrust in front of you.

So if you’re reading this and think of a friend, or in fact anyone at your golf club who has lost someone recently, please reach out. Check in on them, ask if they need anything and offer them a game.

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's expert team to share its honest thoughts on the biggest subjects in the game. This week, we recap the 2026 US Women's Open.

The 2026 US Women's Open was one of the best in recent memory, as World No.1 Nelly Korda birdied the 71st hole to edge out Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez by two strokes.

Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles was making its hosting debut and it made for a fantastic tournament with a stacked and interesting leaderboard.

Korda's winning par putt somehow lipped in to give her a fourth Major title and first US Women's Open trophy. She has now won two consecutive Majors and four tournaments already in 2026.

So what were our key takeaways from the week? Our tour experts have their say - and be sure to let us know your view in the comments section below.

Brilliant galleries

Where are the crowds? A question that is often asked when watching women’s golf on TV, including the Majors. But that couldn’t be said about Riviera.

The crowds were pretty impressive, and no doubt this was greatly appreciated by the players and fans alike.

There was an electric atmosphere building all afternoon before Korda’s final putt lipped in to seal the title, bringing loud cheers.

Okay, maybe it wasn't quite as loud as a men’s Major, but what an improvement. If the LPGA can keep pairing iconic venues with Sunday drama like this, the audience will only continue to grow.

Big characters

Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez are very similar characters in that they both play aggressive golf and live for the Majors.

Lopez took a month off to prepare for the US Women’s Open, and finishing tied second alongside Hull, the gamble almost paid off.

You can see how much she craves a Major title. Her passion and the way she plays are entertaining and infectious, and I’m sure her bold-coloured skorts are a direct reflection of her personality!

I’m a big Korda fan, but more characters like Hull and Lopez, please.

Charley Hull reminds me of Tommy Fleetwood

They're popular, they play great golf and so many people are desperate for them to finally climb over the top and take hold of that first big win.

For Fleetwood, it was a PGA Tour title. For Hull, it's a Major.

Even though he'd won multiple times on the DP World Tour and had helped Team Europe lift the Ryder Cup, US fans and media couldn't quite crown him without a PGA Tour win after several near misses. Then he won the FedEx Cup.

A very similar narrative is building for Hull. She's won three LPGA Tour titles, but the next logical step to make her one of the world's absolute best (and maybe a rival to Nelly Korda) is to lift a Major.

Again, she's had chances but hasn't quite managed to cross the line in front. Last week wasn't a failure for Hull - far from it. She played the aggressive and entertaining golf that makes her a fan favorite but it just wasn't enough.

Hull didn't lose the US Women's Open, Korda won it.

Nevertheless, the frustration is probably building for Hull and the comparisons with Fleetwood's strife to land a PGA Tour title were only strengthened as a result.

What a crop of amateurs!

There were four amateurs in the top-25 of the US Women's Open this year, which is an insane stat.

Each of the four players - Kiara Romero, Maria Jose Marin, Aphrodite Deng and Asterisk Talley - shot 68 or better (Talley carded a 66) in one of their rounds, with Romero leading the group after finishing T6th.

It seems as though this era in particular has an unreal crop of amateur talent and that can only be a good thing as the women's game continues to grow.

How long will it be until an amateur wins a Major? I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it happened this year.

Women's game is strong!

The women's game is in a really strong place at the moment.

With Nelly Korda’s brilliance, Charley Hull’s character and the breadth of talent in the chasing pack, the US Women’s Open showcased the best the game has to offer.

The men’s game could learn plenty from the Major Championship that we just witnessed.

Let the women play more PGA Tour venues

I would also love to see more women’s events at iconic PGA Tour venues.

Riviera was majestic last week, but the way the field played it showed a different edge to famous course.

How cool would it be to see the top talent on the LPGA Tour take on Pebble Beach, TPC Sawgrass and Bay Hill?

Riviera was amazing - as always - but even better in the summer

We've previously called for the Genesis Invitational to move later in the year, and the US Women's Open was proof that the course is so much better when it's firmer. It was also lovely to see the sycamore trees out on the par 3 16th.

Riviera is undoubtedly one of the best courses we get to see in professional golf and the USGA should be applauded for taking the championship there.

It has also got me incredibly excited for the 2028 Olympics. The men's, women's and mixed team competitions are going to be some of the best golf we'll see that year.

Stop the clashes

Despite it being one of the best women's Majors in recent years, it was a shame that it clashed with one of the best events on the PGA Tour - the $20m Signature Memorial Tournament, hosted by Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village.

Thankfully the Memorial finished halfway through the back nine of the US Women's Open, but it still took plenty of the limelight, newspaper columns, website articles and social media coverage throughout the week.

If we really want to grow the women's game, the PGA Tour needs to stop scheduling huge events up against women's Majors. The same will happen later this month when the KPMG Women's PGA Championship will fight for coverage against the $20m Travelers Championship.

It's not good enough.

What do you think? Join the conversation in the comments section below.

Nelly Korda is now a four-time Major champion after the World No.1 defeated Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez by a single stroke at Riviera to win the 2026 US Women's Open.

Korda, who lifted her third Major at the Chevron Championship in April, battled from seven strokes back after 18 holes to finally lift her national open, accomplishing a dream she has had since she was a girl.

She admitted she only had her B or C game this week but her wedge and putter saved her many times, and a clutch birdie at the par 5 17th ultimately pulled her away from the pack before her short par putt to win on 18 managed to just about lip in.

"I really don't have any [words]," she told media after victory, which won her a huge $2.5m.

"I mean, that 14 year old girl that stepped on the range at Sebonack in 2013, I mean, her dream has just come true sitting next to this trophy right now.

"It's really hard to put into words. This week was definitely a grind. I don't even feel like I had my B game. I was just grinding out there. And that's what I guess Major Championships are all about, right? It doesn't matter if you have your B or C game, you have to be there mentally.

"And I have a great support system off the golf course, on the golf course, and I literally would not be standing here without millions of pep talks I just got on the golf course from Jay [her caddie]."

It has been a rollercoaster ride in the US Women's Open for the Floridian, who infamously made a 10 on the par 3 12th at Lancaster CC two years ago to miss the cut after once again entering the week as tournament favorite.

That was her third missed cut in five US Women's Opens, but she followed it up with a runner-up at Erin Hills last year, which she said was the catalyst to helping her finally lift the famous trophy.

"I always felt like I emphasize the Women's Open so much like that's where my dream started of playing on the LPGA," the 27-year-old said.

"Every year I like never played well. I was always over par or I made a mess of a hole at Lancaster, and I just felt like that dream was almost kind of like slipping away. But it was still keeping me very much so motivated.

"Being in the chase at Erin Hills, I kind of turned the corner of, okay, like can I be in the hunt, I can do this, I can play and I can contend at a US Women's Open. I can put the dream aside and focus on what's right in front of me. I really tried to focus on that today.

"When I entered the back nine all Jay and I were talking about was one shot at a time. Not getting too ahead of myself. Not looking at the leaderboard, seeing what other people were doing. It was just a shot at a time."

Korda is now a four-time Major champion, putting her as one of the most decorated active players on the LPGA Tour. She isn't thinking about that, though.

"I've never really thought about the legacy of my career, if I'm being completely honest. I just really love competing and I love being in this position of sometimes having a big lead going into Sunday and/or being tied for the lead and having to absolutely grind it out," she said.

"Like I didn't feel my best on the back nine. I had a lot of emotions kind of swirling in my stomach. I would say it's just a dream come true.

"I have dreamt about this moment since I was a little girl. I watched my sister compete in the Women's Open from a really young age. I mean, she started at the age of 15.

"So it's just been, it's honestly just a dream come true sitting next to this trophy."

US Women's Open 2026 leaderboard

• -8 Nelly Korda
• -7 Gaby Lopez
• -7 Charley Hull
• -6 In Gee Chun
• -5 Sei Young Kim
• -3 Nasa Hataoka
• -3 Kiara Romera (a)
• -2 Allisen Corpuz
• -2 Jennifer Kupcho
• -2 Pajaree Anannarukarn
• -2 Ruoning Yin
• -2 Maja Stark
• -2 Maria Jose Marin (a)
• -1 Lauren Coughlin
• -1 Alison Lee
• -1 Shiho Kuwaki

The US Women's Open has been taking place at one of golf's most iconic venues, Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

There, the biggest names in the women's game have been competing, hoping to match the achievement of defending champion Maja Stark by lifting the trophy and taking home the biggest share of record prize money.

Just five years ago, the prize money was $5.5m, with Yuka Saso winning $1m when she beat Nasa Hataoka by one.

Three years later, it had doubled to $11m as winner, Allisen Corpuz,picked up $2m.

In the last two editions, the purse was $12m, with Saso again winning in 2025 to hand her $2.4m with the same amount going to Stark a year ago.

However, in 2026, there is even more money to play for with $12.5m to be shared among those who made the cut.

Before the tournament, the USGA's chief championship John Bodenhamer put that figure into context in his press conference.

He said: "Just a few thoughts about the US Women's Open. It is the oldest women's Major, as most of you know, going back to 1946. 39 players teed it up at Spokane Country Club in Washington.

"They played that first year, the only year that was played as match play. As they played, the purse that year was $19,700, and all of that purse money was paid in war bonds the year after the war concluded.

"Legendary champion Patty Berg defeated Betty Jameson in the finals. Patty took home $5,600 in war bonds."

On the size of this year's purse, he said: "I must say that we're quite proud of that, in that going back to 2022 when we really stepped up our purse and increased to $10 million, and that journey continues.

"We're proud that it continues this year, and we're proud to lead on that front as we lift up the women's game."

With one round to play, Nelly Korda and Sei Young Kim led the way, with Stark four back on two under.

Whoever holes the winning putt on Sunday evening won't just take her place in the history books, she will also claim prize money of $2.5m.

As well as the biggest payout the tournament has ever had, the size of it also eclipses the money offered at the first Major of the year, the Chevron Championship, where winner Nelly Korda won $1.35m of the $9m purse.

Below is the maximum prize money payout at the US Women's Open before ties are taken into account.

US Women's Open Prize Money Payout 2026

Lottie Woad’s first US Women’s Open appearance as a professional took a turn for the worse on Saturday when she was assessed a two-stroke penalty.

The trouble started for the 2025 US Women’s Open low amateur when her approach at the par-4 ninth found a greenside bunker at Riviera Country Club, with the ball plugging in the face.

The biggest problem for Woad was her footing, with the Englishwoman unable to get a firm stance.

Woad tried a couple of methods to rectify the situation, one of which was using her right foot to push into the sand. Another saw her caddie place his foot behind her right foot, both to no avail.

After consulting with a rules official, Woad took her shot, but the ball barely moved, before she finally got it out of the bunker and went on to make a bogey.

Unfortunately for Woad, that wasn’t the end of it, with a review shortly afterwards determining that she had tried to improve her stance in the bunker, a violation of rule 8.1a of the Rules of Golf, and carrying a two-stroke penalty.

That turned her five into a triple bogey seven. Woad, who secured the Kroger Queen City Championship title in May, was informed of the decision two holes later.

The incident contributed to a mixed day for Woad, who began with a birdie before following that with a double bogey at the second.

Another bogey and a birdie followed before her rules violation at the ninth.

After the turn, she made three more birdies at 13, 15 and 17 along with bogeys at 14 and 16 as she completed a three-over round of 74.

As a result of Woad’s penalty, she begins the final round on seven over, 13 behind overnight leaders Nelly Korda and Sei Young Kim.

She is grouped with 2023 Amundi Evian Championship winner Celine Boutier, with the pair given a tee time of 7.15am PDT.

The US Women's Open is set for a fascinating conclusion, with two Major winners leading the way with a round to play at Riviera Country Club.

Nelly Korda is having a brilliant season, including victory at the Chevron Championship, and with 18 holes remaining, she's in an excellent position to make it two out of two Major titles.

Korda carded a round of 67 on Moving Day to get to six under and in a share of the lead with Sei Young Kim.

The South Korean, who won the Women's PGA Championship six years ago, shot a 68 on Saturday as she looks for her second Major title. The two get underway at 12.35 PDT.

While Korda and Kim have their noses in front, they have several players chasing them.

Two, In Gee Chun and Jennifer Kupcho, are just one shot behind. They tee it up at 12.25pm PDT in the final round.

Nasa Hataoka and Gaby Lopez are also well in contention at four under. They begin at 12.15pm PDT, with another player at four under, Ruoning Yin, paired with Charley Hull at three under. They have a tee time of 12.05pm PDT.

Check out all the tee times for the final round of the US Women's Open.

US Women's Open Tee Times: Final Round

All times PDT

• 6.45am: Gurleen Kaur, Nataliya Guseva
• 6.55am: Liqi Zeng, Ingrid Lindblad
• 7.05am: Yealimi Noh, Mao Saigo
• 7.15am: Celine Boutier, Lottie Woad
• 7.25am: Yue Zhang, Hye-Jin Choi
• 7.35am: Julia Lopez Ramirez, Ariya Jutanugarn
• 7.45am: Bianca Pagdanganan, Yuri Yoshida
• 8.00am: Minsol Kim, Sakura Koiwai
• 8.10am: Somi Lee, Hannah Green
• 8.20am: Lucy Li, Anna Nordqvist
• 8.30am: Rose Zhang, Kaleiya Romero
• 8.40am: Chia Yen Wu, Xiyu Janet Lin
• 8.50am: Aki Iwai, Grace Kim
• 9.00am: Esther Henseleit, Nanna Koerstz Madsen
• 9.15am: Rio Takeda, Jiyai Shin
• 9.25am: Brooke M. Henderson, Melanie Green
• 9.35am: Ayaka Furue, A Lim Kim
• 9.45am: Minjee Lee, Lauren Coughlin
• 9.55am: Casandra Alexander, Patty Tavatanakit
• 10.05am: Pajaree Anannarukarn, Shuri Sakuma
• 10.15am: Amy Yang, Farah O'Keefe (a)
• 10.30am: Da Yeon Lee, Jin Hee Im
• 10.40am: Jeeno Thitikul, Hinako Shibuno
• 10.50am: Sora Kamiya, Karis Davidson
• 11.00am: Kiara Romero (a), Ana Belac
• 11.10am: Shiho Kuwaki, Miyu Yamashita
• 11.20am: Asterisk Talley (a), Allisen Corpuz
• 11.30am: Aphrodite Deng (a), Minji Kang
• 11.45am: Maja Stark, Maria Jose Marin (a)
• 11.55am: Alison Lee, Hyunjo Yoo
• 12.05pm: Charley Hull, Ruoning Yin
• 12.15pm: Gaby Lopez, Nasa Hataoka
• 12.25pm: In Gee Chun, Jennifer Kupcho
• 12.35pm: Sei Young Kim, Nelly Korda

Michelle Wie West has likely played in her final US Women’s Open after missing the cut at Riviera Country Club.

The American earned a 10-year exemption following her US Women’s Open victory in 2014.

That afforded Wie West, who retired after the 2023 event at Pebble Beach, one more chance to tee it up at the Major this year. However, there was to be no fairytale swansong, with rounds of 75 and 74 ensuring she missed the cut by three.

Despite that, she revealed her early exit couldn’t cloud what had been a memorable week.

She said: “Obviously I would be lying to say I wasn't disappointed. I would have loved to have made the cut today, and I grinded all day.

“But I had a blast honestly, with playing here at Riv, such a special week to have played it, and to have family, friends, a lot of familiar faces coming out, it was a lot of fun. I hit some good shots, hit some good putts, and kind of felt that feeling again, which is awesome.”

While the event marked Wie West’s first Major appearance for three years, it is her second start of the year, having played in the tournament she hosts, the Mizuho Americas Open, in May.

However, she admitted that playing in the US Women’s Open again was a nerve-wracking proposition, adding: “Yeah, it definitely felt a little scarier coming back, just being gone for so long. You work so hard for just like really one week. It definitely was nerve-racking, but at the same time, it was a lot of fun to come play.

“Pebble just truly felt like the end. This was just a bonus, and a great bonus to be able to play at Riv, be able to play another US Open. It's a great honor.”

While Wie West hasn’t revealed any plans to resume her LPGA Tour career, it won’t be the last we see of her in competitive action, with the 36-year-old having committed to playing in the inauguaral season of the women's TGL in the winter.

Because of that, she admitted her US Women's Open appearance doesn't feel like a final goodbye.

She explained: "Pebble felt like the goodbye. This doesn't feel like the week that I'm ending it on. It was really fun to practice the way that I did, come back and grind. It was fun out there."

She was also satisfied with her performance, adding: "I made some good birdies today. It's fun to just hit shots under pressure. You don't feel pressure - I don't feel pressure in my normal life. There's really nothing I do that recreates this, so it was fun to feel it again."

Wie West was greeted by her daughter as she completed her round, and she admitted that was a special moment.

She said: "Yeah, it was great to see her. As soon as I hugged her, she was like, can I go to daycare? I'm glad I did all this for her.

"No, it's fun to see your kids grow up and really start to have their own passions and everything. The reason why she wanted to go up to daycare was because she wanted to go play with Brittany Lang's kid.

"That's also just so crazy to know that I've known Brittany Lang since I was 13, and now our kids are playing together and are best friends. It's awesome. It's fun to see the time go by, and I feel blessed."

We're in for a thrilling conclusion at the US Women's Open, with the iconic Riviera Country Club hosting the tournament for the first time.

Several big names have missed the cut, including Lydia Ko and Jin Young Ko, but there are plenty of Major winners in hot pursuit of joint 36-hole leaders Alison Lee and Ruoning Yon, including World No.1 Nelly Korda.

Opening-round leader Jennifer Kupcho, Sei Young Kim and Mexico's Gaby Lopez sit in a group of six at three-under, which is just a shot off the pace.

"To win in basically my backyard, where I grew up, would be super cool," said Los Angeles native Lee.

"I don't want to get ahead of myself but if you'd told me I would be in this spot at the beginning of the week, I probably would have started crying."

Elsewhere, England's Charley Hull dropped a shot on the 18th, which leaves her seven shots adrift.

We're on the West Coast this week, and the cut came at four over. Here's the full list of tee times for Saturday's third round.

US Women's Open Tee Times: Round Three

All times PDT

• 8.55am: Yue Zhang, Chia Yen Wu
• 9.05am: Ingrid Lindblad, Lottie Woad
• 9.15am: Sakura Koiwai, Asterisk Talley (a)
• 9.25am: Liqi Zeng, Rio Takeda
• 9.35am: Celine Boutier, Jinhee Im
• 9.45am: Mao Saigo, Yealimi Noh
• 9.55am: Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Minsol Kim
• 10.10am: DaYeon Lee, Nataliya Guseva
• 10.20am: Minjee Lee, Kaleiya Romero
• 10.30am: Farah O'Keefe (a), Gurleen Kaur
• 10.40am: Charley Hull, Rose Zhang
• 10.50am: A Lim Kim, Anna Nordqvist
• 11.00am: Yuri Yoshida, Esther Henseleit
• 11.10am: Grace Kim, Ayaka Furue
• 11.25am: Amy Yang, Lucy Li
• 11.35am: Bianca Pagdanganan, Ariya Jutanugarn
• 11.45am: Shiho Kuwaki, Ana Belac
• 11.55am: Shuri Sakuma, Maria Jose Marin (a)
• 12.05pm: Julia Lopez Ramirez, Hannah Green
• 12.15pm: Miyu Yamashita, Maja Stark
• 12.25pm: Melanie Green, Minji Kang
• 12.40pm: Hye-Jin Choi, Pajaree Anannarukarn
• 12.50pm: Aphrodite Deng (a), Aki Iwai
• 1.00pm: Kiara Romero (a), Xiyu Janet Lin
• 1.10pm: Karis Davidson, Somi Lee
• 1.20pm: Brooke Henderson, Jeeno Thitikul
• 1.30pm: Nasa Hataoka, Patty Tavatanakit
• 1.40pm: Allisen Corpuz, Jiyai Shin
• 1.55pm: Nelly Kora, Sora Kamiya
• 2.05pm: Casadra Alexander, Lauren Coughlin
• 2.15pm: Sei Young Kim, Gaby Lopez
• 2.25pm: Hyunjo Yoo, Hinako Shibuno
• 2.25pm: Jennifer Kupcho, In Gee Chun
• 2.45pm: Ruoning Yin, Alison Lee

Riviera Country Club is making its US Women's Open debut this week, but for a bunch of star names it's been a short stay at the iconic venue in California.

Los Angeles native Alison Lee and China's Ruoning Yin share the lead at the halfway stage at four under, a shot clear of six other players and two ahead of World No. 1 Nelly Korda.

So, who had to pack their bags early?

LYDIA KO: +5 (74-73)

Lydia Ko arrived in California with four top-10 finishes from nine LPGA Tour events this year, but her quest for a first US Women's Open title continues.

The three-time Major winner could have passed Annika Sorenstam’s career earnings record of US$22.58 million with a top-three finish.

However, the Kiwi was left to rue three costly bogeys on the bounce from the 12th, as she missed the cut by one stroke.

LILIA VU: +5 (75-72)

Lilia Vu's record in her national Open doesn't make for good reading.

This is missed cut number four in five showings for the two-time Major champion, with much of the damage being done in the opening round, when she could do no better than four over.

She was much improved on Friday, trading three bogeys with two birdies, but a 72 wasn't good enough to make it through to the weekend.

JEONGEUN LEE6: +6 (72-76)

Jeongeun Lee6, who won the title in 2019 at the Country Club of Charleston, carded a 76 on Friday, which saw her slip to six over.

Her struggles were largely down to her approach play, as she hit just six of 18 greens in regulation.

It was a hard day at the office for the 30-year-old, who dropped six shots and made just one birdie in the second round to miss the cut by two.

MICHELLE WIE WEST: +7 (75-74)

The American endured a tough return to the Major championship scene, missing the cut by three strokes.

This was Michelle Wie West's first Major appearance for three years, but her latest comeback attempt ended in disappointment.

Nevertheless, the 2014 champion, who announced in March that she was returning to golf after a break of more than three years, was in good spirits with her daughter present.

"As soon as I hugged her, she was like, 'Can I go to daycare?' I’m glad I did all this for her," Wie West said.

LEONA MAGUIRE: +9 (76-75)

Leona Maguire will crack this tournament at some point, but it's now three missed cuts in a row at the US Women's Open and her sixth in total.

Starting on the back nine, the Irish star posted an even-par 36, but followed this with a four-over 39.

It was an improvement on her opening-round of 76, but still resulted in an early exit.

JIN YOUNG KO: +12 (75-79)

After an opening round of 75, Jin Young Ko, who finished tied second at the US Women's Open in 2020, had a lot of catching up to do on Friday, but she was out of sorts from the start, posting 40 on the front nine.

With 15 LPGA wins to her name, Ko has been one of the most dominant players in the women's game in recent years, first rising to No. 1 in 2019.

However, this goes down as a week to forget.

OTHER NOTABLES TO MISS THE 2026 US WOMEN'S OPEN CUT:

• Megha Ganne +5
• Ina Yoon +5
• Yani Tseng +7
• Hyo Joo Kim +9
• Yuka Saso +9
• Madelene Sagstrom +11

Watch the US Women's Open as the world's best players compete in women's golf's second Major of 2026 at Riviera Country Club, with all the details here on TV coverage and live streaming.

Nelly Korda and Sei Young Kim share the lead going into the final day on 6 under. A shot off the lead are In Gee Chun and Jennifer Kupcho.

All four players are already Major winners. But were Korda to win, it would be back-to-back Major titles for her, having won this season’s first Major, the Chevron Championship.

She was runner up in the US Women’s Open last year, and reflecting on that after her third round here, she said: “Last year I really, really wanted it, and the more you want it sometimes, the more you stiffen up and you get a little bit more nervous. I play my best golf when I’m happy, free Nelly, and I’m kind of joking around out there. So that’s kind of the attitude that I’m going to have tomorrow.”

But it is a crowded leaderboard with 10 golfers within three shots of the lead. Among them is Charley Hull, who has four seconds in Majors but no win. She put herself in contention on Moving Day with a 65, the lowest score of the third round and her best round in a Major. Starting the day at T45 she is now tied in 8th, three shots off the lead. “I kind of like chasing,” Hull said. “I just find it more fun and I can then be free and then just play golf how I want to play golf.”

The competition for Leading Amateur is almost as tight. Maria José Marin and Canada’s Aphrodite Deng share the low-amateur lead at -2, tied in 11th. Seventeen-year- old Asterisk Talley shot a third-round 66, to break the record for lowest weekend score by an amateur in the US Women's Open, and lies a shot behind in T16, and Kiara Romero is only a shot further back.

Read on for Golf Monthly's guide on how to watch the US Women's Open online, on TV, from anywhere in the world.

Can I watch the US Women's Open for free?

The US Women's Open will feature select free live streaming on the competition's own website.

Each day, feeds for multiple featured groups will be available to stream live.

US Women's Open: How to watch from outside your country

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.

US Women's Open: US Broadcasting Schedule

Watch the US Women's Open in the US

The closing rounds on the final two days will air on NBC, which can also be live streamed on its online platform, Peacock. Peacock will also be showing the dedicated streams for Featured Groups. Peacock costs from $10.99 per month.

Those looking for the earlier action on Saturday can watch via USA Network.

To access both NBC and USA Network, your best option is a cord-cutter. YouTube TV (free trial), Hulu + Live TV (free trial), Fubo (free trial) and DirecTV Stream (free trial) all carry both channels.

Watch US Women's Open in the UK

Sky Sports is broadcasting all the rounds of the US Women's Open in the UK. The action will be shown on the dedicated golf channel, Sky Sports Golf, with some of the play also being shown on Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports Main Event.

Prices start at £22/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.

Watch US Women's Open in Australia

As ever in Australia, you can watch the US Women's Open on Kayo Sports, the streaming platform of Fox Sports. Daily main coverage is available as well as the extra streams for featured groups.

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

US Women's Open Leaders' Tee Times: Round 3

Times in EDT (BST). Scores to par after 54 holes in brackets. (a) denotes amateur.

• 1.40pm (6.40pm): Jeeno Thitikul (+1), Hinako Shibuno (Level)
• 1:50pm (6.50pm): Sora Kamiya (Level), Karis Davidson (Level)
• 2pm (7pm): Kiara Romero (a) (Level), Ana Belac (Level)
• 2.10pm (7.10pm): Shiho Kuwaki (Level), Miyu Yamashita (-1)
• 2.20pm (7.20pm): Asterisk Talley (a) (-1), Allisen Corpuz (-2)
• 2.30pm (7.30pm): Aphrodite Deng (a) (-2), Minji Kang (-2)
• 2.45pm (7.45pm): Maja Stark (-2), Maria José Marin (a) (-2)
• 2.55pm (7.55pm): Alison Lee (-3), Hyunjo Yoo (-3)
• 3.05pm (8.05pm): Charley Hull (-3), Ruoning Yin (-4)
• 3.15pm (8.15pm): Gaby Lopez (-4), Nasa Hataoka (-4)
• 3.25pm (8.25pm): In Gee Chun (-5), Jennifer Kupcho (-5
• 3.35pm (8.35pm): Sei Young Kim (-6), Nelly Korda (-6)

Women's Open 2026 TV Schedule

Sunday 7th May - Round Four:
US (ET): 3pm-5pm (NBC Sports Network) 5pm-8pm (NBC)
UK (BST): 8pm-1am (Sky Sports Mix/Sky Sports Main Event) & 11pm-1am (Sky Sports Golf)
Australia (AEDT): Monday 5am-10am (Fox Sports 506/ Kayo)
Canada (ET): 5pm-8pm (TSN3)

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The US Women's Open is the most prestigious and historic Major tournament in the women's game, and this year's edition is a special one as Riviera Country Club is making its hosting debut.

The iconic Los Angeles venue, which will hold the 2028 Olympics, is the regular host of the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational each February.

As well as a special venue, we've also seen a bump in prize money this year, with the total fund raised from $12m up to $12.5m - the largest in the women's game.

Even though players who miss the cut are still guaranteed a $10,000 payout, making it to the weekend is where the big money will be made, so how many will get beyond the 36-hole stage at the Major?

US Women's Open cut rule

Of the 156 players who started the tournament, the low 60 scorers and ties will be around for the weekend, maintaining their dreams of lifting the Harton S. Semple Trophy on Sunday.

The US Women's Open is known as one of the sternest tests in golf, and, in 2025, that was highlighted at Erin Hills when just 13 players finished under-par as Maja Stark won her first Major title.

The opening two days were low-scoring in US Women's Open terms, though, with the 145 total (one-over-par) required to make the weekend actually the third-lowest of all time.

The highest cut score will likely never be matched, with a total of 179 (35-over-par) making it through to the weekend at Salem CC back in 1954.

Most US Women's Open cuts made

• 29: Marlene Hagge
• 26: Marilynn Smith
• 25: JoAnne Gunderson Carner
• 25: Kathy Whitworth
• 24: Louise Suggs
• 23: Patty Berg
• 23: Beth Daniel
• 23: Juli Inkster
• 23: Rosie Jones
• 23: Jo Ann Prentice
• 23: Betsy Rawls

Putt for the dough? I’d have gone broke recently! I was on the lookout for a solution. It sounds simple enough, get a putting mat, roll a few putts at home, build confidence, take it to the course and show the results there.. But as with most things in golf, the reality is a little more complicated.

Like many golfers, my relationship with putting has gone through phases. When I first started, it was predictably erratic. Then, over time, it became one of the stronger parts of my game, particularly when my long game was struggling, I leaned on my putting. I became the kind of player who was often putting for a single point and walking away satisfied. I was at one stage, what you might call a clutch putter.

Then things changed. A (long) dip in form led me to switch from a blade to a mallet putter. I went through a proper fitting at PXG, found something that suited my stroke, and for a while, it felt like the late summer, my partner and I took a joint putting lesson. His struggles? Fixed. Mine? Not so much.

That’s when I turned to a putting mat. The idea was simple .Practise every day, build consistency, sharpen up. In reality, practising daily proved harder than expected. Life gets in the way, and motivation isn’t always there, especially when you’re rolling putts across the same strip of carpet night after night.

But when I did practise, there were clear benefits. A putting mat gives you consistency. The same line, the same pace, the same environment. And that repetition does start to ingrain certain habits, particularly around strike and distance control.

On that front, I saw real improvement. My ability to judge pace over short distances became noticeably better. But there’s an obvious catch. A putting mat is controlled, a golf course isn’t.

Out on the course, you’re dealing with slopes, grain, subtle breaks, changing green speeds, pressure, and context. A perfectly flat mat can’t recreate that. And that’s where the limitation lies. If you rely solely on a mat, you risk becoming good at one very specific type of putt and not much else.

But, all was not a waste of time! Because I did see some progress and the biggest change was inside six feet. Those are the putts that used to cause me problems, the ones you feel you should make, but don’t always. The frustrating misses from four or five feet. Even the occasional wobble from two, which had become more than occasional.

After consistent practice on the mat, those putts started to feel far more comfortable. The repetition builds confidence, and confidence is everything at that range. Six feet and in, I’m now noticeably more reliable. And that matters. Because those are the putts where you can leak shots.

Over the past year, I haven’t been a member at a single club. Instead, I’ve played across a variety of courses. While that’s been great for the overall game, forcing me to think more, adapt more, and rely less on familiarity, it’s also made putting more challenging. When you’re not seeing the same surfaces week in, week out, it’s harder to build that intuitive feel. And no amount of time on a flat mat at home can replace that experience.

It might seem like I think the putting mat isn’t worth it, I love the training aid so I do, but with a caveat. If your issue is confidence from short range, a putting mat is a brilliant tool. It builds repetition, sharpens your stroke, and helps eliminate those costly short misses.

But it won’t fix everything like reading a green, changing conditions and it won’t replicate the pressure of standing over a putt that matters. For that, you still need time on real greens.

The real test came recently. After several putts stopped short by 2 inches, an important putt hovered on the edge of the hole, one of those moments that seemed to last forever, before finally dropping after 5 seconds. A small win, maybe. But an important one.

Because not long ago, that same putt would have sailed past the hole by four inches. And that’s the thing with putting. Improvement isn’t always dramatic, it’s incremental and subtle. Sometimes almost invisible. Until they start dropping.

After starting out in her customized LeBron James golf shoes, Nelly Korda had to make a change of footwear after just six holes of her first round at the US Women's Open.

Korda was gifted the Nike shoes by NBA legend James just before the second women's Major of the year at Riviera County Club - but they didn't last too long.

Starting on the back nine, Korda wore them for just six holes before changing into her regular Nike golf shoes on the 16th tee box.

The reasoning? Apparently the new LeBrons, a pair of Nike Victory Pro 4 golf shoes featuring Nelly insoles, were just a touch too big for her.

"I felt like I had a little too much room," Korda said after a disappointing opening round of 73 at Riviera. "It's honestly kind of, I've run into this issue. I had that with the Jordans, too.

"Sometimes when I wear a different color, they just are made a little different, just the spacing is a little different. It's the exact same shoe. I just wanted to wear these."

Korda told her trainer on the 14th hole that she needed to change shoes, and by the time she made the switch she'd played her first six holes of the day in one over.

She then played the rest of her round in her usual shoes in one over, so when asked if the change in footwear had any effect on her game, she laughed: "No, apparently not.

"I just felt more comfortable in these."

Korda came into the US Women's Open as favourite after winning the opening Major of the season at the Chevron Championship.

But she ended round one a full seven shots behind early leader Jennifer Kupcho, who shot 66, with Korda admitting her game just wasn't quite right.

"It wasn't a great day," said Korda. "I hit it really good Monday through Wednesday, so I have honestly no idea where this came from.

"I've just been feeling really stuck in my swing and not being able to release it. I was sending it out right in Cincinnati too. I put in a lot of hours on the range, and I can't seem to really figure it out."

My first test of any new pair of golf shoes is straightforward: can I wear them straight out of the box without ending up with blisters?

The FootJoy Pulse passed that test without hesitation as one of the most comfortable golf shoes for women. From the very first round, my feet felt snug, well-supported and genuinely comfortable, with no sore spots or rubbing - exactly what you want from a shoe you're going to walk eighteen holes in. Sizing-wise, the US 8 / UK 6 fit true on me, and the medium width felt accommodating without being loose.

The cushioning is a real strong point. You can find the same comfort in FootJoy's Quantum golf shoe. The brand's SofFOAM midsole gives that plush underfoot feel that takes the edge off long walks, and the moulded 3D collar locks the heel in place without ever feeling intrusive.

I tend to gravitate towards navy on the course because all-black can look a bit harsh against most outfits, and the white-and-navy colourway with that little pop of orange hit exactly the right note for me. It's a clean, classic look that pairs easily with anything in my wardrobe, similar to the FootJoy Fuel.

Stability through the swing was solid. I do like to give the ball a bit of a whack, and the multi-dimensional traction pattern held up well. I felt solid and never had any sense of slipping. That said, I'd personally prefer a touch more bite than the spikeless outsole offers. The grip is good rather than great, and if you're someone who really wants that proper spike-style hold, you might want to look elsewhere.

The other slight catch was that the white upper picked up dirt more readily than I'd hoped. With this kind of synthetic fabric I'd usually expect it to stay cleaner unless conditions are really wet or grassy, but mine got a little mucky quicker than I'd have liked. Worth being aware of if you play a lot in damp conditions or wet mornings.

A genuinely comfortable, good-looking shoe that's perfect for fair-weather golfers wanting an all-rounder, similar to The cushioning is excellent, the styling is clean, and it's a shoe I happily wore for a full round straight out of the box. Just be aware the white fabric does mark up in damp or muddy conditions, and the spikeless grip is moderate rather than aggressive. It is 100% waterproof, but best suited to summer rounds, dry courses and dewy early mornings, less ideal as a deep-winter option.

The women's game moves to the second Major of the year, with the US Women's Open taking place at Riviera Country Club for the very first time.

Several big names will be present in Los Angeles and, going into the championship, it's Nelly Korda who is the favorite, following three victories in 2026, including the Chevron Championship.

Looking to claim back-to-back Majors, the Nike staffer is in superb form and also has the support of one of the most recognizable sportsmen in the world...

Prior to the start of the second Major, Korda posted to her Instagram story a gift from a recognizable figure... none other than the NBA's all-time leading scorer, LeBron James.

The gift in question was a custom pair of Nike Victory Pro 4 golf shoes, which feature Nelly in the insoles and appear to be inspired by the 'Old Glory' Nike LeBron 23 shoes.

Like the LeBron 23, there's a red trim running around the golf shoes sent to Korda, as well as a red flag with a white crown, an aspect synonymous with the basketball star's nickname of King James.

A recently turned golf fanatic, appearing in a YouTube video alongside golf group Bob Does Sports, James has thrown support behind Korda previously and regularly posts reaction to the golf via his X page.

When Korda claimed the Chevron Championship, the 41-year-old tweeted "3 holes left to play. Bring it on home Nelly!" James was also watching The Masters in April, as he wrote "Wow! What a chip Rory on 17!!"

What's more, at the beginning of 2026, James even featured in an advert alongside PGA Tour player Tom Kim, with the commercial promoting the Nike Powerbeats Pro 2.

It wouldn't be the first customized Nike golf shoe Korda has worn, with the World No.1 creating her own footwear in November 2025.

At The Annika, she debuted the Nike Free Golf 'Nelly Korda,' Golf Shoes which featured a white colorway with lashes of red and yellow.

It was inspired by the Zodiac sign Leo, which is predominantly associated with lions and fire, hence the red and yellow colors.

Another design detail was the gold chain on the side which has several charms. Once again, these are aspects that are close to Korda, as the golden charms feature a smiley face, tennis racket and Nike swooshes.

In terms of the US Women's Open this week, the individual golf shoes haven't stopped there, as Michelle Wie West, who is playing in the championship for the first time since 2023, has also had a pair of customized Nike golf shoes created.

Revealed the week of the US Women's Open, the Nike shoes feature a variety of different aspects. For example, there are both US and South Korean flags to reflect Wie's bicultural identity, while a number of charms are present that symbolize her family, heritage and legacy.

If you were to list famous golf courses, chances are Riviera would be high on the board.

Not only does it stage the annual Genesis Invitational, which is hosted by Tiger Woods, but it has held Major championships and, in 2028, will be the golf course for the Olympic Games.

Among those Major championships is the US Women's Open, which takes place this week, and with the world's best heading to Los Angeles, that got us thinking, what would mere mortals, like myself, shoot around Riviera Country Club?

Being a private members' club, it can be difficult to get the necessary information, but thanks to the USGA, which governs the World Handicap System alongside The R&A, we have come up with the answer.

Before jumping into the numbers, it's worth noting that the course record at Riviera Country Club belongs to Ted Tryba, who carded a 10-under 61 during the third round of the 1999 Nissan Open (now Genesis Invitational).

During the 2022 tournament, Joaquin Niemann set the 36-hole scoring record, producing back-to-back 63s to sit 16-under.

Although he set the 36-hole scoring record at the Genesis Invitational, the Chilean would come up one short of setting the tournament record, as his 19-under score was a stroke shy of Lanny Wadkins' 20-under in 1985.

These are the best players in the world, though, so how about us amateurs? Well, digging into its archives, the USGA was able to give us a breakdown (multiples of five) for those who hold a handicap index from 0.0 to 40.0.

To begin with, the tees used are the same as the ones for the US Women's Open, with the 6,699-yard layout playing as a par 71.

In terms of the Course Handicap, that is worked out by the formula: Handicap Index x (Slope Rating / 113) + (Course Rating - par).

Along with the course handicap, players can determine their "Target Score" (the score they’d achieve if they play to their handicap) by adding together the Course Handicap + par of the tees being played.

A breakdown for each Course Handicap from the US Women's Open tees are noted below.

Do you agree with the figures? Let us know in the comments...

So, what would an average golfer shoot from the US Women's Open tees?

Well, according to the USGA, a player typically plays to their Handicap 20-25% of the time and scores anywhere between two-to-five strokes higher, on average, in most rounds.

Using this principle, it is believed that a male golfer with a 20.0 Handicap Index will have a target score of 98, while a female golfer with the same Index will shoot 106.

A male scratch golfer will have a target score of 73, while a female's target score will be 80.

Obviously, this doesn't account for the condition of the course and, ahead of the Major in 2026, the set-up will be tougher than what we usually see.

Paige Mackenzie’s life has always been defined by a deep connection to the game of golf. From a standout amateur career at the University of Washington to a gruelling but rewarding decade competing as a touring professional on the LPGA Tour, she has faced the ultimate highs and lows of elite sport.

Today, Paige Mackenzie is widely recognised as one of broadcasting's sharpest mind-analysts on Golf Channel and NBC, seamlessly breaking down complex swing mechanics and analytical trends for fans worldwide.

We sat down with the proud Washingtonian to discuss her transition to the studio, the dynamic of having her brother on the bag at the US Women's Open, and her insightful views on how to better market, broadcast, and grow the women’s game

You’ve had quite a journey from a top-ranked amateur to a pro career, and now a successful broadcaster. When you reflect on that transition, what comes to mind?

The brief answer is that I’m really happy to have gone through everything required in professional golf to end up exactly where I am today. Professional golf is not always awesome; it is incredibly hard. I went through back surgery, suffered multiple injuries, and dealt with the mental frustration of banging my head against the wall trying to get better without seeing the results on the leaderboard.

But I landed in a place I absolutely love. I thrive on being part of a team, and every television show I do is a massive team effort. I vividly remember watching an old Feherty episode where someone asked David a similar question. He said he felt like he played professional golf just to get to his broadcasting career. In a lot of respects, I feel the exact same way. I learned a lot of tough lessons along the way, and I’m just glad I can use that accumulated knowledge in my post-playing career.

Do you still play recreationally?

I do. My husband, Jonathan Boyd, and I play quite a bit of couples' golf at our home club, Silverleaf in Scottsdale. The only problem is we can’t officially win any of the club events because I don’t currently hold an active handicap!

Is your husband a good player? Did you have a hand in teaching him?

For someone who didn’t grow up playing golf, he’s excellent. He is incredibly athletic, which makes him a great student to work with. He’s down to about a 12 handicap now.

He actually has a strong baseball background, so I am very proud of the fact that I successfully taught him how to hit a draw. That can be notoriously difficult for former baseball players because of the way they hold off their hands through impact. I've been learning more about baseball mechanics lately because my two boys play and my husband coaches their team. Because baseball players are used to an impact position that feels more like hitting a block in golf terms, they really struggle to turn the clubface over.

Your brother Brock caddied for you at a few pivotal moments, including the 2005 US Women's Open. What was that dynamic like?

With caddies in general, until you build a deep level of trust, you tend to tiptoe around each other. A caddie might be afraid of saying the wrong thing, or they haven't quite earned your implicit trust to tell you exactly what they think without getting in your head.

With my brother, there was an immediate baseline of trust because I knew exactly how good he was. In 2005, Brock was the number-one ranked men's collegiate player in the country. I always looked up to him.

I remember a specific shot during that US Open at Cherry Hills. I was just off the side of the green and felt completely stuck. I looked at him and asked, "How do I hit this?" Right there, in the middle of a major championship, he took my club, stood over the ball, and physically demonstrated the exact technique I needed to execute the shot. That is a level of immediate, absolute trust you simply cannot replicate with a caddie who just steps into your life.

How did you transition into broadcasting?

My very first week on television was during the 2012 Tour Championship. I had played a full season on tour but didn't qualify for the finale, so Golf Channel asked me to guest appear on Golf Central. Honestly, I thought I was horrible!

But, much like playing a bad round of golf, you look back and analyse what you could have done better. About six months later, I missed out on qualifying for the 2013 US Women's Open at Sebonack. The producers at Morning Drive called and asked if I would cover the event for a week.

That was a totally different, transformative experience because it was an ensemble cast. I felt incredibly comfortable being part of a team. I vividly remember telling a story on air about playing a brutal Saturday round at Black Wolf Run when Na-yeon Choi won. I was trying to describe just how punishing a US Open layout is and what it does to you mentally. I told the audience that after my round, I stopped at a gas station on the way to the hotel, bought a six-pack of beer, cracked one open right in the parking lot, and drank it before I even walked through the lobby doors.

During the commercial break, the entire crew was dying laughing. They said, "That was amazing!" and I realised that was the most authentic version of myself I had ever put on television. That honesty is what the audience connected with.

You've been in television for over a decade now. How do you keep your perspective fresh on a sport that has dominated your entire life?

Remarkably, that part doesn't feel overly challenging. For the first several years, my job on Morning Drive was figuring out what I knew instinctively as a professional and translating it to the amateur viewer, explaining things like how a specific lie dictates a specific shot.

Now, my role on shows like Live From and Golf Central is much more analytical, which completely suits my personality. I love digging into the data, finding trends, and figuring out the puzzle of what a winner typically does at a specific major venue.

I have a highly systematic approach now. I keep detailed Excel spreadsheets for every single tournament I cover. Year after year, I can refer back to my own data breakdowns and notes. Having that decade-long baseline of data keeps the job fresh every single week.

You are widely praised for your ability to simplify complex swing mechanics for the viewer. Where does that philosophy come from?

My very first golf instructor, Jim Gilbert at Yakima Country Club, taught a beautifully simple method. He always told me: "You only have one really good position at the top of the backswing, and one good position in the follow-through. Everything else in between should be reactionary." I still believe that entirely. If your sequencing is correct, golf is a reactionary sport, just like throwing a football or hitting a baseball, power is generated from the ground up.

Later in my career, I chased more technical instruction, which unfortunately led to bilateral laminate stress fractures in my back, a bulging disc, and severe nerve issues. I recovered through extensive fascia tissue work, which naturally altered my swing.

My guiding principle now is that your body always moves along the path of least resistance. If you are trying to force your club into a specific geometric position that your body lacks the physical range of motion to achieve, you will cause injury.

I spent a medical redshirt year in college learning that lesson. Once I did the proper body work to create mobility in my hips and thoracic spine, the pressure left my lumbar, and all the swing changes I had been fighting for simply fell into place naturally. We all have physical restrictions. If you are forcing a club into a specific position, it’s probably a bad fit for your natural anatomy.

The LPGA Tour has seen immense parity, with very few dominant, repeat winners in recent seasons. Does the tour need a singular, dominant figure to thrive?

It’s interesting. At the beginning of the season, I was looking closely at the data surrounding Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda. Looking at the World Ranking point differentials, Jeeno was actually a dominant number one by every statistical measure, even if the trophies were spread around.

In sports, you absolutely need household names, and the biggest challenge the LPGA Tour has faced recently is that its top-ranked stars haven't consistently contended on Sunday afternoons at major championships.

If you look at the men's game, a major leaderboard will frequently feature five or six of the top ten players in the world fighting down the stretch. That solidifies the narrative. When top players don't make the weekend or contend in the biggest events, it hurts the storyline. You can't manufacture a leaderboard, but the LPGA needs its marquee names dominant in the women's Majors.

Is there anything that can be done differently in terms of how women's golf is portrayed on television?

I have a few distinct theories on this. The most common feedback I get from golf fans is that they love watching the LPGA because it is incredibly relatable. When an LPGA player has 150 yards to the pin, she is often hitting a 7-iron. A single-digit amateur golfer looks at that and thinks, "That's exactly what I hit."

But the magic is showing the hidden depth of their skill. While the distance is relatable, the pro is hitting the green in regulation 75% of the time, whereas the amateur is hitting it 40% of the time.

Unlike other major sports leagues, almost the entire television audience for golf actually plays the game. The PGA Tour cannot truly service a playing audience because nobody at home can hit a golf ball like Rory McIlroy.

Therefore, the LPGA has a strategic advantage to cater directly to the golfer who watches, not just the passive fan. I would love to see the broadcasts integrate more instructional learning opportunities over standard human-interest profiles.

Let's see the on-screen graphics detail why a player carries three specific wedges. Let's explain the putting aids they use on the practice green, or share swing tips on social channels. People didn't start tuning in to watch Caitlin Clark because of her childhood backstory; they watched her because she is unbelievably elite at basketball. We need to sell the audience on pure skill.

Speaking of the ‘Caitlin Clark effect,’ does the LPGA need to actively chase outside celebrities and crossover pop-culture appeal to grow?

I’m actually not a big believer in forcing that. I don't think the LPGA needs to exhaust resources trying to capture a non-golfing audience. If the tour focuses on growing its footprint cleanly within the existing golf space, that is more than enough. I don't think we are going to organically pull in millions of fans from the WNBA, but we can absolutely capture the millions of traditional PGA Tour fans who don’t currently watch women's golf.

If you could change one single thing to make the game more enjoyable for the average female amateur, what would it be?

I would mandate that the forward tees at golf courses be set safely under 5,000 yards. Right now, the average everyday woman is hitting significantly longer approach clubs into greens than the average man relative to their clubhead speeds. That is the fundamental reason why the average woman's handicap is statistically higher. We drastically need better on-ramps for women in this industry, and a massive part of that comes down to proper, accessible course architecture.

It's set to be a thrilling, and historic, week as the US Women's Open takes place at Riviera Country Club.

Providing the largest tournament purse in women's golf, a star-studded field will assemble in Los Angeles, with Maja Stark looking to become the eighth player in history to defend the Major.

Claiming victory at Erin Hills in 2025, the Swede will get her campaign underway at 7.07am (PDT) on Thursday from the 10th tee, where Stark is paired alongside Megha Ganne and AIG Women's Open champion Miyu Yamashita.

In terms of the marquee groupings, tournament favorite and Chevron Championship winner, Nelly Korda, is alongside Hyo Joo Kim and Hannah Green, with the trio already claiming multiple LPGA Tour titles throughout 2026.

The Major winning trio also start from the 10th and get underway at 7.29am, with Korda, Kim and Green following Minjee Lee, Lottie Woad and Nasa Hataoka at 7.18am.

Another notable name in the field is Michelle Wie West, who teed it up at the Mizuho Americas Open after three years away from the game.

Claiming the US Women's Open in 2014, Wie is alongside Major winners Hinako Shibuno and Yani Tseng, with the trio getting underway at 1.36pm from the first tee.

Following on from the big names in the morning wave, the afternoon wave also possesses some notable stars, with Major winners and Solheim Cup players aplenty.

Charley Hull, Jeeno Thitikul and Patty Tavatanakit tee off at 1.03pm from the first, with Lydia Ko, Mao Saigo and Lauren Coughlin the following group at 1.14pm.

The run of big names continues, as two-time Major winner Brooke Henderson gets her campaign underway alongside Rio Takeda and last week's ShopRite LPGA Classic winner Celine Boutier.

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

US Women's Open Tee Times: Round One

All times PDT

1st Tee

• 6.45am: Brianna Do, Muni He, Sarah Hammett (a)
• 6.56am: Karis Davidson, Meja Ortengren (a), Mi Hyang Lee
• 7.07am: Chanettee Wannasaen, Youmin Hwang, Sakura Koiwai
• 7.18am: Lindy Duncan, Sayaka Takahashi, Hyunjo Yoo
• 7.29am: Madelene Sagstrom, Yan Liu, Jiwon Ko
• 7.40am: Ina Yoon, Leona Maguire, Steph Kyriacou
• 7.51am: Amy Yang, Ingrid Lindblad, Julia Lopez Ramirez
• 8.02am: Maria Jose Marin (a), Carla Bernat Escuder, Miyuu Goto
• 8.13am: Hailee Cooper, Siuue Wu, Dewi Weber
• 8.24am: Ally Ewing, Ana Belac, Xiyu Janet Lin
• 8.35am: Becky Morgan, Olivia Mehaffey, Ina Kim-Schaad (a)
• 8.46am: Chloe Kovelesky (a), Chiara Tamburlini, Chia Yen Wu
• 8.57am: Lois Lau, Yue Zhang, Amy Seung Hyun Lee (a)
• 12.30pm: A Lim Kim, Yui Kawamoto, Megan Khang
• 12.41pm: Ariya Jutanugarn, Allisen Corpuz, In Gee Chun
• 12.52pm: Carlota Ciganda, Aki Iwai, Jennifer Kupcho
• 1.03pm: Charley Hull, Jeeno Thitikul, Patty Tavatanakit
• 1.14pm: Lydia Ko, Mao Saigo, Lauren Coughlin
• 1.25pm: Brooke Henderson, Celine Boutier, Rio Takeda
• 1.36pm: Michelle Wie West, Hinako Shibuno, Yani Tseng
• 1.47pm: Chizzy Iwai, Hye-Jin Choi, Auston Kim
• 1.58pm: Jungmin Hong, Lauren Kim (a), Sora Kamiya
• 2.09pm: Melanie Green, Gurleen Kaur, Soomin Oh (a)
• 2.20pm: Bronte Law, Johanna Sjursen, Bianca Pagdanganan
• 2.31pm: Thanana Kotchasanmanee (a), Weiwei Zhang, Farah O'Keefe (a)
• 2.42pm: Katherine Muzi, Laney Frye, Anita Lumpongpoung (a)

10th Tee

• 6.45am: Catherine Park, Lucy Li, Asterisk Talley (a)
• 6.56am: Alison Lee, Paula Martin Sampedro (a), Jasmine Suwannapura
• 7.07am: Maja Stark, Megha Ganne, Miyu Yamashita
• 7.18am: Minjee Lee, Lottie Woad, Nasa Hataoka
• 7.29am: Nelly Korda, Hyo Joo Kim, Hannah Green
• 7.40am: Angel Yin, Gaby Lopez, Ruoning Yin
• 7.51am: Sei Young Kim, Linn Grant, Andrea Lee
• 8.02am: Jin Young Ko, Ayaka Furue, Grace Kim
• 8.13am: Miranda Wang, Esther Henseleit, Shuri Sakuma
• 8.24am: Brittany Lang, Danielle Kang, Sung Hyun Park
• 8.35am: Yuri Yoshida, Paula Francisco (a), Nataliya Guseva
• 8.46am: Nellie Ong (a), DaYeon Lee, Shiho Kuwaki
• 8.57am: Pauline del Rosario, Napat Lertsadwattana, Athena Singh (a)
• 12.30pm: Anna Nordqvist, Ashleigh Buhai, Jiyai Shin
• 12.41pm: Minsol Kim, Lilia Vu, Nanna Koerstz Madsen
• 12.52pm: Yuka Saso, Jeongeun Lee6, Kiara Romero (a)
• 1.03pm: Aphrodite Deng (a), Rose Zhang, Yealimi Noh
• 1.14pm: Jenny Bae, Pajaree Anannarukarn, Yuna Araki
• 1.25pm: Jinhee Im, Casandra Alexander, Ai Suzuki
• 1.36pm: Somi Lee, Mimi Rhodes, Fuka Suga
• 1.47pm: Minami Katsu, Anna Huang, Peiyun Chien
• 1.58pm: Paula Reto, Veronika Kedronova (a), Gina Kim
• 2.09pm: Minji Kang, Liqi Zeng, Zoe Cusack (a)
• 2.20pm: Katelyn Kong (a), Amiyu Ozeki, Jaravee Boonchant
• 2.31pm: Addie Dobson (a), Natsumi Hayakawa, Sofia Rivera (a)
• 2.42pm: Kaleiya Romero, Jie-En Lin (a), Kaylyn Noh

US Women's Open Tee Times: Round Two

1st Tee

• 6.45am: Anna Nordqvist, Ashleigh Buhai, Jiyai Shin
• 6.56am: Minsol Kim, Lilia Vu, Nanna Koerstz Madsen
• 7.07am: Yuka Saso, Jeongeun Lee6, Kiara Romero (a)
• 7.18am: Aphrodite Deng (a), Rose Zhang, Yealimi Noh
• 7.29am: Jenny Bae, Pajaree Anannarukarn, Yuna Araki
• 7.40am: Jinhee Im, Casandra Alexander, Ai Suzuki
• 7.51am: Somi Lee, Mimi Rhodes, Fuka Suga
• 8.02am: Minami Katsu, Anna Huang, Peiyun Chien
• 8.13am: Paula Reto, Veronika Kedronova (a), Gina Kim
• 8.24am: Minji Kang, Liqi Zeng, Zoe Cusack (a)
• 8.35am: Katelyn Kong (a), Amiyu Ozeki, Jaravee Boonchant
• 8.46am: Addie Dobson (a), Natsumi Hayakawa, Sofia Rivera (a)
• 8.57am: Kaleiya Romero, Jie-En Lin (a), Kaylyn Noh
• 12.30pm: Catherine Park, Lucy Li, Asterisk Talley (a)
• 12.41pm: Alison Lee, Paula Martin Sampedro (a), Jasmine Suwannapura
• 12.52pm: Maja Stark, Megha Ganne, Miyu Yamashita
• 1.03pm: Minjee Lee, Lottie Woad, Nasa Hataoka
• 1.14pm: Nelly Korda, Hyo Joo Kim, Hannah Green
• 1.25pm: Angel Yin, Gaby Lopez, Ruoning Yin
• 1.36pm: Sei Young Kim, Linn Grant, Andrea Lee
• 1.47pm: Jin Young Ko, Ayaka Furue, Grace Kim
• 1.58pm: Miranda Wang, Esther Henseleit, Shuri Sakuma
• 2.09pm: Brittany Lang, Danielle Kang, Sung Hyun Park
• 2.20pm: Yuri Yoshida, Paula Francisco (a), Nataliya Guseva
• 2.31pm: Nellie Ong (a), DaYeon Lee, Shiho Kuwaki
• 2.42pm: Pauline del Rosario, Napat Lertsadwattana, Athena Singh (a)

10th Tee

• 6.45am: A Lim Kim, Yui Kawamoto, Megan Khang
• 6.56am: Ariya Jutanugarn, Allisen Corpuz, In Gee Chun
• 7.07am: Carlota Ciganda, Aki Iwai, Jennifer Kupcho
• 7.18am: Charley Hull, Jeeno Thitikul, Patty Tavatanakit
• 7.29am: Lydia Ko, Mao Saigo, Lauren Coughlin
• 7.40am: Brooke Henderson, Celine Boutier, Rio Takeda
• 7.51am: Michelle Wie West, Hinako Shibuno, Yani Tseng
• 8.02am: Chizzy Iwai, Hye-Jin Choi, Auston Kim
• 8.13am: Jungmin Hong, Lauren Kim (a), Sora Kamiya
• 8.24am: Melanie Green, Gurleen Kaur, Soomin Oh (a)
• 8.35am: Bronte Law, Johanna Sjursen, Bianca Pagdanganan
• 8.46am: Thanana Kotchasanmanee (a), Weiwei Zhang, Farah O'Keefe (a)
• 8.57am: Katherine Muzi, Laney Frye, Anita Lumpongpoung (a)
• 12.30pm: Brianna Do, Muni He, Sarah Hammett (a)
• 12.41pm: Karis Davidson, Meja Ortengren (a), Mi Hyang Lee
• 12.52pm: Chanettee Wannasaen, Youmin Hwang, Sakura Koiwai
• 1.03pm: Lindy Duncan, Sayaka Takahashi, Hyunjo Yoo
• 1.14pm: Madelene Sagstrom, Yan Liu, Jiwon Ko
• 1.25pm: Ina Yoon, Leona Maguire, Steph Kyriacou
• 1.36pm: Amy Yang, Ingrid Lindblad, Julia Lopez Ramirez
• 1.47pm: Maria Jose Marin (a), Carla Bernat Escuder, Miyuu Goto
• 1.58pm: Hailee Cooper, Siuue Wu, Dewi Weber
• 2.09pm: Ally Ewing, Ana Belac, Xiyu Janet Lin
• 2.20pm: Becky Morgan, Olivia Mehaffey, Ina Kim-Schaad (a)
• 2.31pm: Chloe Kovelesky (a), Chiara Tamburlini, Chia Yen Wu
• 2.42pm: Lois Lau, Yue Zhang, Amy Seung Hyun Lee (a)

It's a huge weekend ahead, as we highlighted in our latest This Week In Golf article, with big tournaments everywhere you look.

But is there too much going on this week? And is it yet another example of golf shooting itself in the foot? I think so.

Let's start in America, where arguably the biggest tournament in the women's game is taking place. The iconic Riviera Country Club hosts its first ever US Women's Open for what is set to be a memorable and important week.

World No.1 Nelly Korda is favorite to finally lift the famous trophy, but it is set to be a highly competitive event with many of the world's best players in good form ahead of the LA showdown.

England's Lottie Woad and Charley Hull both have great chances to win their maiden Major titles, while Hannah Green and Hyojoo Kim have each tasted victory multiple times already this year. World No.2 Jeeno Thitikul also won recently, while the likes of Lydia Ko, Minjee Lee, Ruoning Yin and many more big names could also contend.

However, golf's frustrating scheduling - as I wrote about in last week's pro golf irritations Inside The Ropes article - once again rears its head.

That's because the US Women's Open is essentially competing for eyeballs against a PGA Tour Signature Event.

This week's Memorial Tournament is easily one of the circuit's top events, carrying a $20m purse and a stacked field featuring nine of the world's top 10.

It's a special week for Jack Nicklaus' tournament at Muirfield Village as it is its 50th playing, and World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is seeking to match Tiger Woods to win it for a third consecutive year.

Sure, this week's two big US events are on slightly different timezones with a three-hour difference but two huge tournaments taking place concurrently on different sides of the country ultimately mean media is spread between the two, while those covering the events remotely have to cover both as best as they can instead of going all-in on one single tournament.

Instead, the US Women's Open should have a week to itself like many of the men's Majors, so it can be the golf tournament of the week and garner the biggest attention.

This exact clash happened last year, while the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship took place up against the $20m Travelers Championship, which featured a dramatic final round where Tommy Fleetwood looked set to win his first PGA Tour title before Keegan Bradley pipped him on the final hole.

It was the second most-watched final round of the Travelers Championship in 22 years, with CBS averaging over 3.5 million viewers and peaking at over 5.4 million. Those numbers were up 35% year-on-year.

That means two of the five women's Majors directly clashed with two of the biggest tournaments in the men's game last year. It's really not ideal.

There's a similar clash in Europe this week, with the DP World Tour's KLM Open going up against LIV Golf Andalucia.

The historic Dutch Open is weaker with LIV Golf taking place in the same continent, as the team circuit's event featuring multiple DPWT members, as well as the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and co., on an incredible course that had previously been on the old world circuit for years - before LIV poached it in 2023.

The two tournaments take place on the exact same time zone, and fans sitting in front of their TVs on Sunday afternoon will either have to get two screens out or choose one of the other.

Golf is not the biggest sport in the world and it only has a finite number of fans. The US Women's Open and Memorial Tournament are worthy of their own solo spots on the calendar, while European golf viewership is not big enough for LIV Golf Andalucia and the KLM Open to be taking place concurrently.

Clashes like this - and I stress that they happen constantly - mean that all tournaments lose, with one usually losing more than the other.

A particularly bad clash last year saw the Nedbank Golf Challenge, Hero World Challenge and Australian Open all take place in the same week. Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland were all headlining different tournaments on different sides of the world.

The PGA Tour is trying to streamline its circuit and cut out the fat, and I think it is time for the entire game to do the same. There are far too many 72-hole, four-day tournaments taking place from Thursday-Sunday.

What about Monday-Wednesday? Golf fans have nothing to watch on those days and a final round on any of these afternoons or evenings could do very well. Can tournaments feature a 36-hole day to try and avoid Sunday final round clashes? Something surely needs to be done with scheduling in the sport.

There is a huge amount of sponsorship money and work going into these events to make them so great, but they need to reach their potential and the biggest audiences possible. Constantly clashing with other events does not allow for that.

Do you agree or think I'm being a bit dramatic? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

The world of women's golf heads to Los Angeles this week and the stunning Riviera Country Club for the U.S. Women's Open. No doubt the course and the setting will be the star of the show but another storyline is Nelly Korda who has won three times in 2026, including The Chevron Championship.

As a result TaylorMade has unveiled a stunning new collection to celebrate this event and its history, as well as look to utilize the inevitable eye balls Korda and her gear will get come Sunday! Featuring a beautiful staff bag and some headcovers, it is great to see this collection go on sale to the public because in previous events it has been very tricky to get the unique gear TaylorMade makes for women's Major Championships.

All looks pretty cool right? Well there are callouts and easter eggs everywhere in this collection, in particular on the bag itself. To start, the overall collection seeks to give off glamor and harken back to a time when Los Angeles was aspirational for not just the rest of the United States but the world.

The collection features the Martinique banana-leaf pattern which was created by CW Stockwell in 1942 and synonymous with old Hollywood interiors ever since. The colors used include a soft pink with forest green elements which really looks outstanding in my opinion. There is also sublime green stitching and brass details which give off that ultra-premium finish.

Of course Hollywood and it's golden era plays a key role here which speaks to me as a film buff! As you can above there is a ticket stub is on one valuables pockets and then there is a martini glass, and a pair of sunglasses elsewhere as well. Additionally one of my favorite elements is the pool-inspired lining too.

There are also headcovers in the collection which feature the same banana leaf pattern, and they feature much of the same colors as well. It truly is stunning and I need to find a way to own it myself...

It’s an issue that many women happily accept as the norm, yet so many golf courses are still so challenging and simply too long.

Women come off the 18th tee feeling utterly exhausted, not because they’re unfit, but because they’ve hit so many more shots than their male counterparts. They’ve found themselves in hazards from great shots by all standards and feel somewhat beaten up after their rounds.

Women assume that the forward tees are designed for them to suit their needs and the way female golfers play, but this is not the case at the vast majority of courses worldwide.

Golf is a sport that should be a game for life, enjoyed with all the family and makes you live longer (on average 5 years), but in reality it isn’t being made available to everyone. Women and indeed any shorter hitters are being excluded and the industry, as much as it tries to include them, is failing these golfers.

I’ve recently played courses that are undoubtedly stunning and award winning on many levels. I played off the forward tees (admittedly in tough conditions) and honestly found it a slog.

Off the tee, I hit the ball over 240 yards on average, so I’m no short hitter, but I found a few carries a struggle into wind and hit some great long hybrids into many of the greens for them not to stick. I came off the course thinking, wow if I found that tough, how does somebody who hits it shorter than me fair out there?

It’s not just off the tee, when faced with shots into greens, these require fairway woods. Greens designed to be hit with high spinning short irons due to the long tee shots hit by men. The assumption this has been considered and courses are set up for short hitters is a poor one. Simply moving tees forward to vaguely flat areas isn’t the fix.

During a round recently I noticed my playing partner needing to use a 5-wood on her second and sometimes third shots to clear fairway bunkers. As a result, on numerous occasions, she found her ball rolling out into the greenside bunkers from well struck shots. So having hit some great golf shots with a driver and then fairway woods, she was then punished.

Bunkers that are literally traps for the shorter hitter are often the end to a good scorecard. Yet those who hit it beyond them are avoiding the trouble and often being rewarded with a rebound off a steep bank or a clear run out.

Bunkers are tough for any golfer with a slower swing speed. I know many women who dread playing courses guarded with greenside bunkers. If they do carry them, they can’t get the ball to stop. The same applies to rough. If the carry is over rough, women who have over 50% less wrist strength than men are penalised further as they can’t escape what they can’t carry.

The golfer playing from forward tees isn’t getting the full experience the golf architect intended when they designed each hole. Gary Player knows this and in his later years he now tees his ball up where he deems would make a fair and fun hole. It could be anywhere down the hole which is brilliant. If Player is doing this, there’s a big problem, so what can be done? Do clubs care enough to invest in change? It’s not that simple…

Fiona Womack and Sharon Eales are forging ahead with an incredible proven system that shows golf courses simply aren’t set up for shorter hitters. The formidable duo won the Trailblazer award at the Women in Golf Awards in 2024 for good reason. They’re powering through tradition and exposing the barriers that are stopping courses from seeing women, seniors and juniors enjoy their games.

The pair’s work with this year’s Open venue, Royal Birkdale, and architect Tom Mackenzie, serve as a great case study to promote this further, so here’s hoping this is the start of change in golf course design.

Not only did Mackenzie go about an entire re-design of the tee boxes using the duos' numbers, he also took out penal bunkers which weren’t an issue to high swing speed players but overly penalising to the mere mortal golfer. He created run-off areas where the ball can be rolled up onto the green so in all making a fairer golf course that is truly an enjoyable test for everyone.

Birkdale really nailed this. But it’s not been easy, 13 years of development and convincing golfers this change is a good one. We all know how people feel about change.

“Royal Birkdale is one of the few Open Championship venues and historic clubs that have a family culture and they have always been quite forward thinking. Conservative yes, but not reluctant. This was critical to the success of the campaign.

“I was able to move away from talking about women and talk about all golfers - juniors, senior men and women, those coming back from injury etc. What I found is when I tried to make this a female-only issue the result was the usual rolling of the eyes by both men and women and resistance from the women’s section who are so content to keep the status quo,” said Eales.

Speaking to Womack, she reminded me of the story that Paul Eales, ex European Tour pro and Sharon’s husband recollected from the Paris Olympics at Le Golf National…

“Laura Davies was incensed with the tee position on the first hole at the Olympics. Eales explained that when he had challenged the tee placement he was told that the tees were designed to give the women "the first tee experience", even though they were hitting a hybrid which either went in the water or off the back of the green. Davies said, "Coming off the 1st with an 8, how's that an experience for you?".

Putting this into another perspective, Womack says, “Would we put female cyclists on men's bikes at the Olympics just because it was better for their view of the crowd? How did we allow something as ridiculous as that to skew the competition results? Why do female golfers accept this? Why aren't we complaining, demanding more? “

I wholeheartedly echo all of Eales’ and Womack’s findings. For me, why would I introduce women to the game that eventually punishes them for hitting great shots. Who would do that? Change is needed and the time is now. Thus the reason I push a shorter par-3 version of golf at Iford Golf Centre. The women I coach at the Iford Women’s Academy have fun as it’s accessible and they excel at this.

If you’re a golf course who wants to encourage more females and multi-generational participation, then please take a good look at Royal Birkdale’s set up. Even better, contact Fiona Womack and Sharon Eales via LinkedIn and find out how they can help you. They’ve helped the course hosting the biggest test in golf. Everyone deserves to enjoy this game to the fullest. Let’s make it happen.

The US Women's Open is, arguably, the biggest tournament on the women's calendar, with it bringing the world's best players to some of the world's best courses.

For 2026, though, one of the game's most recognizable faces, Lexi Thompson, won't be present, ending a streak that stretches back nearly two decades.

Playing a limited schedule since announcing her retirement, the Major winner had entered US Women's Open Final Qualifying, but withdrawing prior to the event meant her 19-year streak was in jeopardy.

Now, the week of the Major, Thompson won't be present at Riviera Country Club, with the 31-year-old releasing a statement to her social media.

"It’s hard to believe that in 2007, as a 12-year-old girl with big dreams, I qualified for my first US Women’s Open," wrote Thompson, who made her debut at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club.

"At the time, I was just excited to be there. I remember practicing my autograph in the backseat of my parents car on the drive up to @pineneedlesresort!

"I never could have imagined that week would be the beginning of a career that would take me around the world, allow me to compete against the best players in the game, and help me live out my dream of playing professional golf.

"For the first time since that week, I won’t be competing in the US Women’s Open. Definitely not a great feeling, I’d be lying if I said otherwise. But I have to remind myself that I’ve played in 19 in a row at the age of 30, and I’m very proud of that.

"It’s also made me reflect on how much this championship has meant to me. Some of my most special memories, biggest challenges, and greatest lessons have come from this event. It helped shape me not only as a golfer, but as a person.

"I’m incredibly grateful for every year I had the opportunity to be part of it, and for all of the fans, family, friends, volunteers, and supporters who have been with me along the way.

"Even though I’m still playing limited schedule, I realize there are different dreams to focus on in my life, and I’m excited for those phases in my life.

"Thank you, US Women’s Open, for being where the dream began and who knows maybe I’ll be at another one in the future. Good luck to all the ladies this week."

Firing rounds of 76 and 82 to miss the cut at her maiden US Women's Open, Thompson then qualified for the Major again the year after, claiming the US Girls' Junior.

Although she missed the cut for a second time, she managed to make the weekend in 2009 after qualifying for a third time.

In fact, turning professional in 2010, at the age of just 15, she qualified for the US Women's Open for a fourth straight time where, at the championship, she produced her first top 10.

Returning ever since, the best finish Thompson produced at her home Major came in 2019, but it was in 2021 where her nearest victory at the US Women's Open came.

Leading going into the final round at The Olympic Club, Thompson extended her advantage to five strokes as she went into the back nine.

It seemed the trophy was going her way, but a five-over-par back nine of 41 halted any chance of a win, with her round of 75 meaning she finished at three-under, one back of the leaders Yuka Saso and Nasa Hataoka.

In the playoff, Saso produced a birdie at the third playoff hole to claim her first US Women's Open title.

Celine Boutier won her seventh LPGA Tour title at the LPGA ShopRite, where she finished one stroke clear of Arpichaya Yubol in New Jersey.

Boutier closed with a five-under-par 66 for a score of nine-under-par, with Yubol likely ruing a slow play penalty on Saturday that ultimately cost her the chance of making it into a playoff for her first LPGA Tour title.

The Thai player was given a one-stroke penalty for 'exceeding her maximum time allowed for her total strokes timed' on the 13th hole of Saturday's second day.

According to LPGA Tour policy, a group that is deemed to be out of position is warned and then timed, with penalties handed out for breaches.

Taking 1-5 seconds over time results in a fine, with 6-15 seconds punished with a one-stroke penalty. Players who take more than 15 seconds over their allotted time are given two-stroke penalties.

Yubol's par on the par 4 13th was increased to a bogey five, which meant she signed for a three-over-par 74.

She is the second player to lose out by a single stroke after receiving a slow play penalty this season, following Jin Hee Im's playoff loss at the JM Eagle LA Championship. Hannah Green defeated Im and Sei-young Kim in a playoff.

Gregorio de Leo received a one-stroke penalty for slow play on the DP World Tour recently while in contention at the Turkish Airlines Open, while Hunter Wolcott was docked a stroke while leading on the PGA Tour Americas last year.

Yubol wasn't specifically asked about the penalty but she did say she was happy following her second runner-up finish of the season.

"I do my best on my way as I can. And it's golf. Everything happen is happen. But I'm really happy, yeah," she said.

"So I see myself on the first year until now, my fourth year, everything kind of close, too close, really close like to get the first win.

"So for me just keep believe in myself, in process, and then just keep practice, keep playing, and enjoy what I am now. And then you know, golf like this week, next week, even like next year, even thing like can happen. It's change all the time.

"The one thing, maybe two thing for me, so one like I have to trust myself and have to enjoy on my game."

The 24-year-old joined the LPGA Tour in 2024. She currently ranks 146th in the world and has a best Major finish of 5th at the 2024 US Women's Open.

The final event before the US Women's Open is almost over and there is a maximum of 18 holes remaining to tune up before heading to Riviera Country Club for the year's second Major.

While many chose to head over to California as early as possible in order to acclimatize, the likes of Jennifer Kupcho, Charley Hull and Hye-Jin Choi returned to New Jersey two weeks after the Mizuho Americas Open to build up those competitive reps.

They shouldn't be as worn out as a typical week, however, with today's final round being the third and final of a shortened tournament which began as planned on Friday.

The payout for the ShopRite LPGA is the joint-second lowest of the year at $2 million overall. But given there is one fewer round than normal, the player shouldn't feel short-changed for their efforts.'

With 18 holes to play, Soo Bin Joo led sisters Chizzy and Aki Iwai, Somi Lee, Celine Boutier and Laetitia Beck by four.

There won't be a repeat of last year's success for Kupcho, though. She finished the final round T125 on nine over.

Whoever follows Kupcho into the winner's circle at Seaview Hotel & Golf Club's Bay Course will pick up a check for $300,000 (before various factors reduce how much they really earn).

Meanwhile, second, third and fourth place has the potential to claim a six-figure pay day as long as the top end of the leaderboard isn't too busy.

And as usual, there is still 500 Race To CME Globe points on offer for the champion and a whole heap of Rolex Rankings points, too.

Below is the maximum prize money payout for each position at the 2026 ShopRite LPGA based on 65 players making the cut and before ties are taken into account.

ShopRite LPGA Prize Money Breakdown

The 2026 US Women's Open is set to be a historic one, as the famed Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles plays host for the first time.

As well as the iconic venue, there are plenty of big storylines to follow in LA, as World No.1 Nelly Korda arrives as tournament favorite following three wins already in 2026.

Her rivals like Jeeno Thitikul, Hyojoo Kim, Hannah Green, Lydia Ko, Charley Hull and Lottie Woad are all highly fancied to contend for the title in what should be a very competitive four days.

There's also the return of Michelle Wie West, who is making her first Major appearance since the 2023 US Women's Open at Pebble Beach.

So there are plenty of big names in action as always, including defending champion Maja Stark, but which notables are missing? Let's take a look...

Lexi Thompson

Lexi Thompson retired from full-time professional golf at the end of 2024 and has been playing fairly regularly since, including at last year's US Women's Open.

That appearance continued her remarkable streak of playing in every single one since she was 12 years old in 2007. That run is now over.

The 2014 Kraft Nabisco [now the Chevron Championship] winner has slipped outside of the world's top 75 and was scheduled to attempt 36-hole qualifying but withdrew.

Haeran Ryu

World No.12 Haeran Ryu is the highest-ranked golfer in the world not in the field for Riviera.

Ryu finished 2nd in her last start at the Kroger Queen City Championship but has withdrawn from the tournament due to personal reasons.

The Korean star was the 2023 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year and now has three wins on the circuit. She is not a Major champion yet but does have five top-10s including a best US Women's Open placing of 8th.

Georgia Hall

Georgia Hall makes her professional golf return this week on the Ladies European Tour after having her first child.

The 2018 Ricoh Women's British Open champion misses her second consecutive US Women's Open after playing every year from 2017-2014.

Hall is set to make her Major comeback at the AIG Women's Open in late July at Royal Lytham and St Annes, site of her triumph eight years ago.

Sarah Schmelzel

Sarah Schmelzel misses her second consecutive Major after playing 13 in a row.

She is currently taking a break from the game, having being diagnosed with stage IV endometriosis. She recently revealed on social media that she had underwent surgery around 5 months ago.

The 2024 Solheim Cup winner has not played since November's CME Group Tour Championship. We wish her a speedy recovery.

Gemma Dryburgh

Gemma Dryburgh misses her first Major in over four years after falling to 180th in the world rankings.

The Scot, who made her Solheim Cup debut in 2023 at Finca Cortesin, has played in four US Opens with a best finish of T31.

She won her maiden LPGA Tour title at the 2022 Toto Japan Classic, and has a best finish of T27 this year at the Founders Cup.

Emily Pedersen

Another European Solheim Cupper missing Riviera is Emily Pedersen, who earlier this year revealed she had broken a bone in her left wrist.

The Danish star, who has five LET wins and won the Order of Merit and Player of the Year titles in 2020, recently made her comeback at the Kroger Queen City Championship.

"Very rusty, but very happy to be back," she wrote on social media. Pedersen has made four US Women's Open appearances, with a best finish of T23 in 2021.

Ryann O'Toole

O'Toole has played in 12 US Women's Opens throughout her impressive career but this will be the second in a row she misses.

That is despite a T7 finish in last month's Chevron Championship, which was her second-best Major finish.

The Californian, who won the 2021 Women's Scottish Open, currently ranks 106th in the world and has made 6/6 cuts on the LPGA Tour this campaign.

Sophia Popov

Popov's US Open exemption has now expired after winning the 2020 AIG Women's Open at Royal Troon, where she spectacularly triumphed by two strokes while ranking outside of the world's top 300.

She missed the entire 2023 season with injury so she may be due one more US Women's Open. It won't be this year, though, as she has just had her second child.

The German's best finish in this event was a T26 in 2024 at Lancaster Country Club.

Other notables missing the 2026 US Women's Open:

(World ranking)

• Shinsil Bang (47th)
• Ye Won Lee (60th)
• Seung Hui Ro (68th)
• Hyungkyung Park (77th)
• Kyo Rim Seo (78th)
• Cassie Porter (80th)
• Karis Davidson (82nd)
• Hibiki Iriya (84th)
• Jenny Shin (85th)
• Manon de Roey (93rd)
• Shannon Tan (95th)
• Pauline Roussin (99th)
• Helen Briem (103rd)
• Wei-Ling Hsu (111th)
• Perrine Delacour (116th)
• Aditi Ashok (134th)
• Leonie Harm (137th)
• Gabriela Ruffels (145th)
• Olivia Cowen (178th)
• Pia Babnik (199th)
• Albane Valenzuela (254th)
• Bailey Tardy (279th)

At the end of 2025 I faced a very difficult decision, should I renew my golf club membership or not? With an annual price hike adding to my already stretched budget, I knew that affording to belong to my beloved home club was a luxury and one that as a single parent on a relatively modest income, I had to seriously weigh up.

So I started to consider what golfing life would be like if I was a nomad who no longer belonged to a club, if I only paid and played when I could afford to. It was an extremely difficult decision to make after 30 plus years of club membership.

In the end, I decided to cut back on other luxuries to streamline my outgoings because for me, getting to play golf with my friends every week is the most important luxury in my life. Plus, with my 12-year-old son Hogan now also a member of the club, playing golf together means making memories.

Nevertheless a little part of me was fascinated to know what life as a golfing nomad would be like, because so many of us choose this route as opposed to paying expensive club membership subs.

For starters, does it actually save you money? A typical nomad probably plays golf once a week. Let’s say an average green fee is £50 a round (that’s taking the medium of cheaper pay and plays right up to peak high season summer rates well over £100) that’s 52 weeks times £50, you’d be paying £2,600 a year in green fees. That’s substantially more than most annual golf club membership subscriptions and that’s before the added cost of driving to different courses that aren’t right on your doorstep.

However, if you’re smart, being a golfing nomad could save you a considerable amount of money compared to a golf club membership. You can play courses offering deals, you can lean on friends to sign you in on guest rates. There is also the attraction of getting to play a variety of courses, not just one.

There are pros and cons to this, the obvious con being that you don’t learn the nuances of the course in detail that allow you to score better. There’s no doubt that after 30 years of club membership, having a local knowledge of the course saves me an awful lot of shots. I know every subtle break on every green. Although there’s a certain joy and excitement of playing a new course for the very first time. I sometimes shoot a surprisingly good score because I’m oblivious to the trouble, play freely and because it’s for fun.

As a test, the Golf Monthly team asked me to become a golfing nomad for a few weeks. As a pay and play golfer my first outing was with my good friend who is a member of Broadstone Golf Club. We organised a friendly fourball and as his guest it only cost me £40 to be signed in - a considerable saving on the full green fee rate.

I’m fortunate to have friends at most local clubs so I imagine that I’d easily get signed in 6-10 times a year employing this method. Of course, one of the perks of being a club member is that we get to play matches against other clubs and there are monthly reciprocal draws where you can play a nominated local club for free, which gives you the same ‘away’ round benefit.

The downside is that you have to work around someone else’s diary and games like these don’t get organised without some considerable effort. You could also join a golf society to have more fun, sociable games and enter club Opens, which often include a meal and are exceptional value for money.

For my second nomadic game I chose to pay and play one of the two fantastic local municipal courses on my doorstep in Dorset - Queens Park and Meyrick Park Golf Course. My round was on the latter, a fabulous council-run facility in Bournemouth. In fact, it’s arguably one of the best municipal layouts in the country.

Yes, you have dog walkers that don’t understand golf to contend with and un-raked bunkers, more pitch marks on greens, divots left upturned by players that simply don’t know and understand the etiquette of the course, but on the whole this was an ok experience. All for the bargain price of £33. In fact, if I had played in a fourball, it would have only cost £25 per player and even in peak slots as little as £40 each.

For my final nomadic golf round I headed a little further afield to Brighton. It was a two-hour drive from home for me, which is probably right on the threshold of the time limit that most golfers would be prepared to drive for a day out playing golf.

I booked a tee time at The Dyke Golf Club, a James Braid-designed layout that enjoys an elevated position over Brighton & Hove with sweeping coastal views of the English Channel. As it was my first visit to the area I found it incredibly fun both to play the course and visit the seaside town.

This is definitely one of the perks of games played out of your local area. Considering the club’s proximity to the town I thought the green fee was excellent value and the condition of the course really good. The fairways were firm and fast and the true quick greens really caught me out. Due to its lofty rural location the wind plays a big factor in the club selection here with shot direction decisions adding to the fun.

I spoke to several members who were friendly, welcoming and intrigued to know my thoughts on the course, which I felt as its strength, would suit all standards of players due to the generous width of the fairways allowing you to find wayward shots.

Overall, my time as a nomadic golfer was great fun and I can see why golfers choose this lifestyle. It’s affordable, convenient and allows you to play a wide variety of courses. But would I give up my golf club membership to go down this route? Absolutely 100% not.

I love belonging to a club and competing in club competitions every week. Plus there’s no substitute for the joy of playing a golf course right on your doorstep and being able to play as much or as little as you choose, even if it’s just five holes after work on a summer’s evening. As a pay and player, you always want to play a full 18 to get your money’s worth.

It’s not the pomp and ceremony or prestige of golf club membership that I enjoy, it’s the friendships I’ve formed by being part of the club community. My golf club is like my second home. It’s a special place and I would never want to lose that.

Georgia Hall is making her return to professional golf this week in her first start since giving birth earlier this year.

Hall is returning to Ladies European Tour (LET) action at the newly-named Jabra Ladies Open de France this week having been out of the game since last August.

The now 30-year-old announced her pregnancy with fiance, Irish golfer Paul Dunne, last year as she stepped away from the game.

With a new baby boy having arrived early this year, Hall has been back working on her golf game the last few weeks, and will tee it up for the first time as a mother at Evian Resort.

It's the first step along the comeback trail for Hall which she hopes will lead to a challenge at what will be a special AIG Women’s Open this summer.

As the tournament is returning to Royal Lytham & St Annes, where Hall won her one Major trophy back in 2018.

It's also the 50th running of the AIG Women's Open this year, with Hall appearing in every one since making her debut at St Andrew's back in 2013.

The timing of her pregnancy means Hall is able to keep that run going, and she always had an early return to golf in mind so she could play in the Women's Open.

Hall said back in December that having the tournament returning to Lytham was a driving force for her to get back to golf so quickly.

"Obviously for me to come back and play where I won in 2018 is very special and I don’t want to miss it for a number of reasons," Hall told the LET website.

"That's been my main focus and why I'm coming back so soon.”

Hall is also keen to show that having a child doesn't mean she has to give up her career as one of the world's elite women golfers.

"I think it's really important for anyone in their career, when they become a mother to carry on, if they want to," Hall added. “I'm not really one to sit around not doing much."

And for a lucky omen Hall can look to the great Catriona Matthew, who incredibly won the 2009 Women's Open just 11 weeks after giving birth.

And that victory also just so happens to have come at Royal Lytham.

"Obviously I've heard a lot about Catriona Matthew winning, and at Lytham as well which is quite funny,” said Georgia.

“It's just incredible what she achieved. It's nice that she did that because I can think similar, like it can be done.

“It is fairly similar and maybe I should reach out to her and ask if she's got any tips for me. That would be handy.”

As a sufferer of Plantar Fasciitis I often struggle to find golf shoes that give me enough arch support. The Skechers Pure Si golf shoes were an absolute delight to wear. As far as straight out of box comfort goes you simply can’t beat them.

As soon as I slipped my feet inside I instantly knew that these shoes would cause me no pain. They have a generous fit, ideal for my wide feet, and padding just about everywhere that comes into contact with the foot. There is particularly good heel support also (Skechers call it a heel pillow) so no discomfort there.

One of the most impressive features of these shoes is the Arch Fit inner soles. They really do support golfers with problem feet like me. A high arch needs extra support and these shoes give exactly that.

They are also fully waterproof so you don’t have to worry about getting caught out in a heavy downpour, which means you’ll get great value and wear from these shoes all-year round if you wish.

In terms of styling, the Pure Si aren’t the most exciting golf shoes I have ever seen. In fact, I’d describe them as relatively plain in looks, perhaps a little boring compared to other shoes such as the New Balance 327 or Duca del Cosma Olivera 2 golf shoe. It seems to be a theme across all nine golf shoe styles from Skechers this season. But on the plus-side the neutral look does compliment just about any outfit.

On the course I was really impressed with the grip I got from the high traction spikeless sole. The raised rectangular patterned spikes really do help the shoe cling to the turf as you swing. The Pure Si definitely gave me confidence to swing athletically without any discomfort.

Skechers point to the addition of an S-Wing for stability. This actually looks a bit plasticky to me, but it’s good to know the side panel was added like the wings of a plane for a purpose, rather than just for cosmetics!

Skechers has always been a golf shoe brand synonymous with comfort, and the addition of a few fancy performance features in the Pure Si really do make them an unbeatable choice as one of the best women's spikeless golf shoes.