Ellie Goulding To Headline Live Music Event At AIG Women's Open
Superstar Ellie Goulding will sing at the AIG Women's Open as part of a new fan festival experience being put on by the R&A
This year’s AIG Women’s Open is getting a makeover with a brand new and enhanced fan experience that will be headlined by a live music show from superstar Ellie Goulding.
Walton Heath will stage the AIG Women’s Open in August and it promises to be something special with the R&A aiming to attract a new audience to the game with several new initiatives – including a live concert on with Goulding on Saturday August 12.
Fans attending this year’s event will be entertained by live music shows and an enhanced festival fan village featuring a Golf It! fun golf zone, VR and interactive golf experiences and big screens showing not only the golf but also other top women’s sport such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“I’m honoured to be the first music artist to perform at the AIG Women’s Open,” said BRIT Award winner Goulding. “The elevation of women’s sport is something I’m a huge champion of, so I can’t wait to be surrounded by inspiring women in August. I’m looking forward to seeing you all there!"
Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, added: “We and our valued partners in AIG have been clear that our ambition is to elevate the AIG Women’s Open as a world-class sporting event.
“We have made important strides in recent years to enhance prize money, championship venues and facilities for the benefit of the world’s best women’s golfers, but we also see the spectator experience as crucial to increasing the appeal of the Championship and encouraging more fans to attend.
“We are excited by what we have to offer them and look forward to welcoming fans to Walton Heath this summer.”
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The R&A will also be continuing with their successful ‘Kids go Free’ programme on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, which provides children under-16-years-old free entry to the Championship when accompanied by a paying adult.
South African Ashleigh Buhai will be defending her title against a host of star names such as former champions Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and England’s Georgia Hall.
The AIG Women’s Open takes place at Walton Heath, Surrey from 9-13 August 2023 with other golfing superstars such as Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson all teeing it up.
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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