An In-Depth Preview To The AIG Women's Open, The Major Everyone Wants To Win....

The AIG Women’s Open is the fifth and final women’s Major of the season and out of all the Major championships, this is the one the world’s best female golfers most aspire to win. This week, the 48th edition of the event holds even greater significance as it returns to the home of golf and one of the most famous courses in the world - the Old Course at St Andrews.

The Women’s Open dates back to 1976 but was only recognised as a tour event by the LPGA in 1994 and as an official LPGA Major in 2001. From 1990 to 1996, the event was held exclusively at Woburn Golf Club, but in 1998, then-sponsor Weetabix decided to rotate the championship among the UK’s best and most famous links courses, such as Turnberry, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal Birkdale and St Andrews. Mirroring the rotation of the men’s Open Championship venues, this was a smart move that considerably helped raise the profile and prestige of the Women’s Open.

It became known as the AIG Women’s British Open in 2019, an alliance between the American multinational finance and insurance corporation and The R&A, organisers of this event since 2017. The tournament was then rebranded in 2022 by removing the ‘British’ to align with The R&A’s men's championships.

The partnership between The R&A and AIG has been highly successful, with both organisations dedicated to championing the evolving landscape of the women’s game. Last year, AIG extended the initial five-year partnership through 2030. Since the partnership began, prize money has more than doubled, with this year’s winner set to take home over a million dollars from a total prize fund of 9 million dollars. 

For The R&A, the AIG Women’s Open is its showcase event, demonstrating its commitment to elevating women’s golf by shining a light on the most international lineup of the year. Of course, there is no better place to do this than St Andrews.

While the Old Course has witnessed many memorable moments - such as Seve Ballesteros's famous fist pump in 1984, Tiger Woods winning the Claret Jug to achieve a career Grand Slam in 2000, and Jack Nicklaus standing on the Swilcan Bridge giving an emotional farewell to the Old Course in 2005  - this will only be the third time this women’s Major graces these hallowed links.

The Women’s Open first came to St Andrews in 2007, when current World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa led from start to finish, winning four strokes clear of Sweden’s Maria Hjorth and South Korea's Lee Jee-young to secure her first Major title. The last visit was in 2013 when Stacy Lewis claimed her second Major title after closing with back-to-back birdies to triumph by two shots over South Korea's Choi Na-yeon and Park Hee-young.

The next champion will have many options for celebrating in the magical town, which has a village feel, but she might just follow in the footsteps of Ochoa and Lewis, who celebrated their triumphs at the Dunvegan Hotel, renowned as one of golf’s finest 19th holes.

Georgia Hall, the 2018 AIG Women’s Open winner, last competed at the 2013 championship in St Andrews as a 16-year-old amateur, sharing the title of lowest amateur with Lydia Ko and winning the coveted Smyth Salver. Hall says, "I think the atmosphere will be incredible, and it’s not just about winning the Women’s Open but winning at St Andrews."

Reflecting On 2023

Unlike the men’s Open Championship, the AIG Women’s Open is not played exclusively on links courses. Last year, the championship was held for the first time at the esteemed Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, where players faced a stern test on a composite layout featuring holes from the Old and New courses stretching across vast heathland.

With firm fairways guarded by dense heather, gorse, and fescue grass, as well as the testing nature of the greens, the course thoroughly examined the players’ skill sets, demanding pinpoint accuracy. 

Lilia Vu rose to the challenge in magnificent fashion, stealing the spotlight and claiming her second Major title of the year following her breakthrough victory at the Chevron Championship. Not only did Vu lift the unique fluted trophy crafted by Edward Asprey and claim the winner’s cheque, but she also became the first American player to achieve this feat in a single season since Juli Inkster in 1999.

Vu entered the final round tied at the top at 9-under with British favourite Charley Hull. The home crowd was willing the Englishwoman to close out her first Major victory, but Vu had other ideas and she quickly took control. Birdieing the 2nd hole while Hull bogeyed the 3rd, she surged ahead by two strokes and never looked back, despite Hull producing the shot of the championship, holing out from the bunker for an eagle on the 11th. Vu shot an impressive 5-under 67 to secure a 14-under total and a six-shot victory over Hull, who finished as runner-up for the second time in Majors and her fourth LPGA Tour runner-up finish overall in 2023.

Reflecting on her incredible victory, Vu said, "It just comes down to not thinking about winning, just playing one shot at a time. This golf course forces you to do that. It really tests you. My only goal was to drive the ball well and give myself chances for birdie."

An emotional Vu added, "This has been the best crowd I've ever played in front of in my life. I will remember this moment forever. They've been so great. Even though they were rooting for Charley, they clapped for me too."

Old Course, St Andrews

In contrast to the heathland course at Walton Heath, the Old Course on Fife’s rugged coastline is a classic links layout. 

The strength of prevailing sea winds, an abundance of bunkers (112 in total), and numerous mounds and hollows are the defining features of the Old Course that will test the players skills to the max. The wide fairways and 12 double greens will offer various angles and pin placements, so a good score will demand strategic thinking.

The force of Mother Nature, with its unpredictable weather and prevailing sea winds, is likely to play a role as well. When the Championship last visited St Andrews in 2013, high winds caused play to be suspended on day three. Consequently, a number of players, including eventual winner Stacy Lewis, were forced to play two rounds on Sunday.

Golf fans recognise the 1st and 18th as two of the most famous holes in golf, sharing a fairway and the iconic Swilcan Bridge, one of the most photographed bridges in the world. Both holes are overlooked by the historic R&A clubhouse, and the AIG Women’s Open will mark its first major event since an £11 million renovation.

The Contenders

An international field of 144 players will compete for the title including 12 players that made it through final qualifying at Fife's Crail Golfing Society.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda aims for her second Major title this year, adding to the Chevron Championship she won while triumphing six times in seven starts. “To do it at St Andrews, the home of golf, with all that history, would be so, so special,” says the 25-year-old American. Korda stayed in St Andrews during her rookie year when the championship was played at Kingsbarns in 2017, but she has yet to play the Old Course.

Earlier this year, defending champion Lilia Vu was uncertain if she would be able to compete again at the highest level following a back injury. However, after a two-month hiatus from the LPGA Tour, Vu returned to the winner’s circle in her first start and now has her sights set on a history-making back-to-back Major victory.

Until last week's ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open, Ally Ewing had not missed a cut this season until last week's ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open, and her results include four top-five finishes, including a tie for 3rd at the US Women’s Open and 5th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Notably, the 31-year-old American took a five-shot lead into the weekend at the 2023 AIG Women’s Open, the joint-biggest lead after 36 holes at the championship since 1995.

A host of Korean players will be gunning for glory, including the country’s highest world-ranked player, Jin Young Ko, former Major winner Hyo-joo Kim, and the 2024 US Women’s Open winner, Amy Yang. 

The crowd would be thrilled to see a home player, such as England’s Charley Hull go one better this year or for Georgia Hall to emulate her scintillating 2018 victory. Hall began the final round trailing the leader by three strokes, but a back nine surge secured the title to become the first British player to win the championship since Catriona Matthew in 2019. 

Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and 2023 Solheim Cup player was still an amateur when the championship was last played at St Andrews in 2013. Not knowing when the opportunity will come around again, she cannot wait to fulfil her childhood dream of competing at the historic venue.

Other top contenders include in-form American Lauren Coughlin, former Major winners such as Australian Minjee Lee, France’s Celine Boutier, China’s Ruoning Yin, Japan’s Yuka Saso, while Ireland’s Leona Maguire and Australian Hannah Green have the ability to make a strong impact on the leaderboard.

Picking a likely winner from such a vast group of talented athletes is challenging, as history shows that this prestigious Major is often full of surprises. In 2019, Hinako Shibuno burst onto the scene at Woburn, sinking a birdie putt on the 18th to claim the title by one shot over Lizette Salas, despite never having ventured beyond Japan's borders or competed in a Major before.

The following year, Germany’s Sophia Popov, ranked 304th in the world at the time and having only qualified the week before, produced the best golfing week of her life at Royal Troon to edge out Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura by two strokes. Then, in 2022, an epic four-hole playoff ensued in fading light at Muirfield, before South Africa’s Asheigh Buhai claimed her first Major title.

Fan Experience

Last year at Walton Heath, The R&A executed its plan to shift from a traditional spectator village to a modern festival-style experience, combining sport and entertainment to attract new audiences. The plan paid off, creating an inclusive atmosphere that appeals to those less familiar with the sport, and this approach will be recreated at St Andrews.

A highlight of Walton Heath was a music concert by global superstar Ellie Goulding, which likely contributed to the impressive attendance of 51,000 fans, up from 33,303 the previous year - a 53% increase. At St Andrews, the Saturday evening headline act will be BRIT and Ivor Novello-nominated singer-songwriter Tom Grennan, a passionate golfer who admits to spending too much time on the golf course.

At the heart of the festival village, fans and family will be able to enjoy lawn games, mini golf, shopping and there will be a Sessions Stage with a variety of prominent figures from women’s sport, business and entertainment discussing all the latest hot topics. In keeping with the festival atmosphere, there will be food trucks and bars, and naturally there’s no better place than St Andrews to try your hand at golf. Whether you’re a regular player or picking up a golf club for the very first time, a team of up to 12 PGA professionals will be on hand for a free 15-minute lesson.

To encourage children and young people to attend, The R&A will continue the successful ‘Kids go Free’ programme on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, which provides children under 16 free entry to the championship when accompanied by a paying adult. A number of ticket offers are available including a £5 discount for Mastercard holders.

Played on the world’s most famous course with thrilling golf guaranteed and an off-course fun and inclusive atmosphere, this year’s AIG Women’s Open has all the ingredients to showcase and elevate women’s golf.