The AIG Women’s Open began half a century ago as a modest tournament, its field largely composed of amateur players and a total purse of just £500. In those early days, even the professionals who entered – such as Vivien Saunders and Gwen Brandom – had to contribute their own money to the prize fund.
Fast‑forward fifty years and the event is unrecognisable compared with the modest competition that Jenny Lee Smith won at Fulford Golf Club in 1976. Today it stands as one of the premier fixtures on the global golf calendar, boasting a $10 million (£7.5 million) total purse and a record winner’s share of $1.5 million (£1.25 million).
The tournament’s 50th anniversary is being celebrated at the historic Royal Lytham & St Annes, where a star‑studded lineup will tee off this week. Live coverage begins on Thursday on Sky Sports, and the world’s elite women golfers will vie for the coveted major title and the unprecedented prize money that would have seemed unimaginable to the pioneers of the 1970s. Dame Laura Davies – who holds the record for 43 consecutive appearances at the Open – told Sky Sports, "I don’t recognise it from when I used to play it.
It’s not an add‑on any more, it’s a stand‑alone major championship and a superb event." Her remarks capture the dramatic transformation the tournament has undergone, both in stature and in the experience it offers players and fans alike. Attendance figures reflect that growth. Organisers expect more than 50,000 spectators over the week at Royal Lytham, a number that has eclipsed the records set in each of the previous three editions.
Since AIG became the title sponsor, the prize fund has more than tripled, underscoring the commercial confidence now placed in women’s golf. The early history of the event was far from smooth.
It ran without a sponsor until 1979 and struggled to secure venues. In 1983 the tournament was actually cancelled because of insufficient funding, putting its future in jeopardy.
It re‑emerged on the LPGA schedule in 1984, but would not become a regular fixture again until a decade later. During that interim, sponsors such as Burberry (1985) and Weetabix (1987‑1993) helped keep the tournament afloat, allowing it to gradually build its reputation. Davies recalled the humble beginnings: "My very first Open was in 1980 at Wentworth on the East Course, then we went up to Newcastle in 1981 and there was nobody there.
Then we moved to Woburn for many years and the galleries were really good. I won my Women’s Open at Royal Birkdale in 1986 and there were only a couple of hundred people walking around on the final round – you can’t compare that to today, it has grown massively." Those anecdotes illustrate how the tournament has evolved from sparse crowds to a major sporting spectacle.
In 2001 the AIG Women’s Open was elevated to major‑championship status, replacing the former Canadian Women’s Open in the LPGA’s roster of majors. The governance of the event also shifted: while the Ladies’ Golf Union originally ran the tournament, the R&A took over direct organization in 2017, bringing the same level of expertise and infrastructure that underpins The Open Championship. Recent editions have been staged on some of the most revered links courses in the world – the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Royal Troon have all hosted the Open, and their inclusion has helped raise the event’s profile.
Extensive television coverage and award‑winning player facilities have further cemented its place as a flagship event for women’s golf. Davies summed up the key factors behind the tournament’s success: "The biggest thing is that we go to all these great links courses.
Obviously prize money is a big thing and it goes up every year, which the players love, but it’s also the facilities. When you see the infrastructure, the player lounge and the services for the players, it makes you feel comfortable and special. Everyone is looked after and they do a great job.
Women’s sport being more on TV now helps too – people want to come and see the characters they see on TV, and you can see that in the galleries. I can’t say anything bad about this event!" The week’s coverage will include three hours of Featured Group action over the first two rounds, giving viewers extra insight into the early stages of the competition. British hopefuls such as Nelly Korda, who is chasing a career Grand Slam, and Ha‑Rin Ryu, aiming for a third consecutive major, will be under the spotlight. British players have enjoyed recent success at Royal Lytham.
Georgia Hall’s 2018 victory followed Catriona Matthew’s 2009 win, and the hopes of home‑grown talent like Charley Hull and rising star Lottie Woad add further intrigue. Davies noted, "I spoke to a couple of the caddies who were at Royal Birkdale for The Open and have been at Royal Lytham – they say the course is really fiery. The bunkers are harsher than at Birkdale, so they’ll be a nightmare.
Hull never really got into contention at the Evian Championship, but she’s too good not to win a major. Lottie is very solid, not flashy, with great temperament – that’s huge." All eyes will be on who can navigate the demanding links, the deep bunkers and the ever‑increasing pressure of a £1.25 million top prize.
Fans can follow the live action throughout the week on Sky Sports, with the opening round starting on Thursday at 9 a.m. (Featured Groups) and full coverage from 1 p.m. on Sky Sports Golf.
The AIG Women’s Open has come a long way from its £500 beginnings, and its 50th anniversary promises to showcase the pinnacle of women’s golf in all its modern glory.