World’s top golfers make final preparations for the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes
Royal Lytham & St Annes will be hosting the 50th Women’s Open this week.
Major championship golf makes its eagerly anticipated return to Royal Lytham & St Annes this week as a world-class field assembles for the AIG Women’s Open over four days from Thursday.
It’s a magical milestone year as this 50th Women’s Open takes place on the 100th anniversary of the first Open Championship at the Fylde links.
This sixth Women’s Open at RL&SA – and first since 2018 – paves the way for The Open to return to the course in 2028 after a 16-year wait.
The last Major of 2026 will see Japan’s Miyu Yamashita bid to become the first back-to-back winner of the Women’s Open since Yani Tseng of Taiwan in 2011.
American Nelly Korda is the favourite to win her third Major of the year and complete a career Grand Slam, though the form player is South Korean Haeran Ryu, seeking a third successive Major triumph after winning the KPMG Women’s PGA and the Amundi Evian Championship in France.
There will be no more popular player on the course than Bournemouth’s Georgia Hall as she bids to emulate the feat of Scot Catriona Matthew by triumphing at RL&SA shortly after childbirth.
Hall won last time the championship was staged here but can expect strong home competition from Charley Hull, runner-up for the second time at Royal Porthcawl last year, and rising star Lottie Woad.
As if the Europeans need any extra motivation, this is the final qualifying event for this year’s Solheim Cup team.
Women’s Open week on the Fylde began with final qualifying at St Annes Old Links on Monday, when 13 of the 111 players secured the last places in the field of 144 at RL&SA.
Bel Wardle from Macclesfield shared top spot with Belgium’s Manon De Roey after a four-under round of 68.
The five qualifiers on three-under included Shropshire amateur Lauren Crump.
Action on the 6,601-yard, par-71 RL&SA course begins at 6.30am this Thursday, with TV coverage throughout the four days on Sky Sports.
The first group out includes three-time European Tour winner Alice Hewson from Hertfordshire, with Korda another early starter at 8.42.
Hall heads out with 2019 champion Hinako Shibuno at 12.42, then Yamashita begins her defence at 1.15 and Hull starts at 1.26.