Royal Lytham & St Annes hosts AIG Women’s Open with Hull and Woad among favourites
Home hopes at Royal Lytham & St Annes
The AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes features English golfers Charley Hull and Lottie Woad among the leading contenders. This event marks the final major of the year, with both players aiming for a significant victory on home soil.
Hull, aged 30, has previously achieved five major runner-up finishes in her career. She recently secured a share of second place at the US Open, where she holed crucial putts on the closing holes. Her season has been described as a mixed bag, though she did win the Saudi Ladies International earlier in the year.
The Kettering professional also finished in a share of second place at Royal Porthcawl a year ago, two shots behind Miyu Yamashita. Hull acknowledges the mental challenge of the tournament, particularly with home support creating expectations.
Lottie Woad, ranked fifth in the world, is participating in the event for the third time and has previously achieved top-10 finishes, including one as an amateur. The 22-year-old professional demonstrated her proficiency on links courses with a victory at last year’s Scottish Open in her professional debut. She feels better prepared for the Lytham challenge after playing in challenging conditions at Dundonald Links last week.
Woad has two professional wins, with her most recent coming in May at the LPGA’s Kroger Queen City Championship in Cincinnati. She won by two shots over Haeran Ryu, who has claimed the last two majors. Woad also lost a play-off to Yamashita at the Meijer LPGA Classic, missing a short putt for victory.
Key groupings and defending champions
The tournament features several notable groupings for the opening rounds. World number one Nelly Korda is paired with Haeran Ryu and 2024 champion Lydia Ko. Korda has won the Chevron Championship and US Women’s Open this season, while Ryu secured the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship. Both players are aiming for a third major win of the season.
Lottie Woad is grouped with Aki Iwai and American Andrea Lee. Charley Hull will play alongside Hannah Green and Brooke Henderson. Defending champion Miyu Yamashita, who is seeking to become the first back-to-back winner of a women’s major since Yani Tseng, will start her round with world number two Jeeno Thitikul and Lauren Coughlin.
England’s Alice Hewson is scheduled to hit the opening tee shot on Thursday at 6:30 am. The tournament also serves as the final qualifying event for European players hoping to participate in the Solheim Cup.
Preparations and mental approach
Hull recounted a light-hearted start to the week, where she pranked her caddie, Adam Woodward, into believing he had won a significant lottery prize. Despite the humorous beginning, Hull is focused on the competition ahead, particularly given her previous major performances.
Woad has reflected on lessons learned, especially after losing a play-off and holding her first lead in a major. She emphasizes the importance of not being overly critical of oneself in a sport where wins are less frequent than losses. Woad noted the similarities between her career stage and that of Georgia Hall, who won this title at the age of 22.
The championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes is known for its demanding seaside golf course, characterized by numerous bunkers. Woad’s recent experience at Dundonald Links, which featured challenging weather conditions, has helped her prepare for the links golf test.
Nelly Korda, despite her strong start to the season, has experienced a recent dip in form, including missing the cut at the Evian and finishing tied for 16th at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open. She took a week off in Prague to reset before the final major of the year, aiming to manage the pressures of being a top player.
The AIG Women’s Open will determine the final European qualifiers for the Solheim Cup, with Anna Nordqvist set to announce four captain’s picks on Monday.
Source: bbc.com
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
