The inaugural round of the 50th AIG Women’s Open will launch at the historic Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, and the tournament organizers have released the full list of pairings and tee times for Thursday morning. The schedule details every grouping of the 144 competitors, ranging from seasoned major champions to rising amateurs, and it highlights the strategic placement of the world’s top players as they begin their quest for the coveted Claret Jug.
Defending champion Miyu Yamashita will tee off in the late‑early wave, sharing her group with world number two Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand and England’s own Lauren Coughlin. Yamashita is aiming to become the first back‑to‑back winner since Taiwan’s Yani Tseng, and her presence in this early slot underscores the confidence the committee has in her ability to set the tone for the tournament. Thitikul, who captured the 2023 U.S.
Women’s Open, brings a blend of power and precision, while Coughlin adds a strong local element for the home crowd. The two players who have already secured multiple major victories this season—world number one Nelly Korda of the United States and South Korea’s Haeran Ryu—have been paired together for the first two days. Their group also includes New Zealand legend Lydia Ko, a former world number one and multiple major winner.
This trio will start early on Thursday, providing fans with a high‑profile showdown that promises to showcase elite skill, strategic shot‑making, and the mental toughness required to win at Royal Lytham. British hopeful Lottie Woad, seeking her first major title, will begin her campaign alongside Japan’s Aki Iwai and American Andrea Lee.
On the opposite side of the draw, England’s Charley Hull will be paired with Australia’s Hannah Green and Canada’s Brooke Henderson, both of whom have already contended in major championships and will be looking to climb the leaderboard early. The day’s schedule is presented in British Summer Time (BST) unless otherwise noted, and amateur status is indicated with an (x) beside the player’s name. The first tee time is set for 06:30, featuring England’s Alice Hewson, Amanda Doherty and Wales’ Chloe Williams. Throughout the morning, groups will depart at roughly ten‑minute intervals, ensuring a steady flow of play across the challenging links layout.
Key pairings include: 06:41 – Amelia Garvey (New Zealand), Leonie Harm (Germany), Smilla Tarning Sonderby (Denmark) 06:52 – Wei Ling Hsu (Chinese Taipei), Aditi Ashok (India), Darcey Harry (Wales) 07:03 – Anna Nordqvist (Sweden), Cassie Porter (Australia), Sayaka Takahashi (Japan) 07:14 – Minami Katsu (Japan), Yealimi Noh (USA), Steph Kyriacou (Australia) 07:25 – Carlota Ciganda (Spain), Karis Davidson (Australia), Maria Marin (amateur, Colombia) 07:36 – Ina Yoon (South Korea), Alison Lee (USA), Yunseo Yang (amateur, South Korea) 07:47 – Jiyai Shin (South Korea), Auston Kim (USA), In Gee Chun (South Korea) 07:58 – Linn Grant (Sweden), Jin Young Ko (South Korea), Kiara Romero (amateur, USA) 08:09 – Sei Young Kim (South Korea), Rio Takeda (Japan), Yuna Araki (Japan) 08:20 – Hyojoo Kim (South Korea), Minjee Lee (Australia), Mao Saigo (Japan) 08:31 – Lottie Woad (England), Aki Iwai (Japan), Andrea Lee (USA) 08:42 – Lydia Ko (New Zealand), Nelly Korda (USA), Haeran Ryu (South Korea) 08:58 – Hye‑Jin Choi (South Korea), Grace Kim (Australia), Mimi Rhodes (England) 09:09 – Somi Lee (South Korea), Esther Henseleit (Germany), Ayaka Furue (Japan) 09:20 – Lindy Duncan (England), Amy Yang (South Korea), Julia Lopez Ramirez (Spain) 09:31 – Sophia Popov (Germany), Jenny Shin (South Korea), Perrine Delacour (France) 09:42 – Yan Liu (China), Shannon Tan (Singapore), Yuka Saso (Japan) 09:53 – Yani Tseng (Chinese Taipei), Nastasia Nadaud (France), Alexandra Forsterling (Germany) 10:04 – Arpichaya Yubol (Thailand), Cara Gainer (England), Minji Kang (South Korea) 10:15 – In Kyung Kim (South Korea), Manon De Roey (Belgium), Carolina Chacarra (Spain) 10:26 – Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England), Anna Zanusso (Italy), Justice Bosio (Australia) 10:37 – Sara Kouskova (Czech Republic), Soobin Joo (South Korea), Annabell Fuller (England) 10:48 – Pia Babnik (Slovenia), Anna Foster (Ireland), Bel Wardle (England) 11:14 – Jing Yan (China), Agathe Laisne (France), Lauren Walsh (Ireland) 11:25 – Kelsey Bennett (Australia), Weiwei Zhang (China), Kajsa Arwefjall (Sweden) 11:36 – Erika Hara (Japan), Chiara Tamburlini (Switzerland), Melanie Green (England) 11:47 – Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Denmark), Kana Nagai (Japan), Esme Hamilton (England) 11:58 – Shiho Kuwaki (Japan), Helen Briem (Germany), Lucy Li (USA) 12:09 – Anna Huang (Canada), Jenny Bae (South Korea), Paula Martin Sampedro (amateur, Spain) 12:20 – Lilia Vu (USA), Shuri Sakuma (Japan), Rose Zhang (USA) 12:31 – Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand), A Lim Kim (South Korea), Casandra Alexander (South Africa) 12:42 – Hinako Shibuno (Japan), Georgia Hall (England), Valentine Delon (amateur, France) 12:53 – Gaby Lopez (Mexico), Chizzy Iwai (Japan), Celine Boutier (France) 13:04 – Ruoning Yin (China), Nasa Hataoka (Japan), Jennifer Kupcho (USA) 13:15 – Miyu Yamashita (Japan), Jeeno Thitikul (Thailand), Lauren Coughlin (England) 13:26 – Charley Hull (England), Hannah Green (Australia), Brooke Henderson (Canada) 13:42 – Maja Stark (Sweden), Jinhee Im (South Korea), Allisen Corpuz (Philippines) 13:53 – Minsol Kim (South Korea), Patty Tavatanakit (Thailand), Megan Khang (USA) 14:04 – Pajaree Anannarukarn (Thailand), Youmin Hwang (South Korea), Leona Maguire (Ireland) 14:15 – Ashleigh Buhai (South Africa), Fuka Suga (Japan), Dewi Weber (Netherlands) 14:26 – Kim Minsun (South Korea), Mi Hyang Lee (South Korea), Nicole Broch Estrup (Denmark) 14:37 – Chanettee Wannasaen (Thailand), Pauline Roussin‑Bouchard (France), Yu Liu (China) 14:48 – Ryann O’Toole (Ireland), Robyn Choi (Australia), Charlotte Naughton (amateur, England) 14:59 – Nataliya Guseva (Russia), Noora Komulainen (Finland), Lauren Crump (amateur, England) 15:10 – Carla Tejedo Mulet (Spain), Diksha Dagar (India), Yana Wilson (USA) 15:21 – Daniela Darquea (Ecuador), Polly Mack (Germany), Gina Kim (USA) 15:32 – Aunchisa Utama (Thailand), Ana Pelaez Trivino (Spain), Vanessa Bouvet (France) Sky Sports will serve as the exclusive broadcaster for the event across the UK and Ireland, offering a new "Featured Groups" segment that provides in‑depth coverage of each pairing from 9:00 am on Thursday and Friday. This addition adds roughly six extra hours of live golf compared with previous years, giving fans a more granular look at player strategy, shot selection, and the ever‑changing conditions on the links.
Full coverage of the first round begins at 1:00 pm, and the tournament will continue with live broadcasts of the third and fourth rounds on the weekend, starting at midday each day. The AIG Women’s Open is the final major of the 2026 season, and the field includes a blend of seasoned veterans, emerging talent, and a handful of promising amateurs who have earned their spots through qualifying events.
The tournament’s schedule also notes that viewers should use the Chrome browser for the most accessible video player experience, ensuring smooth streaming for the global audience. Beyond the on‑course action, the Open serves as a platform for broader engagement. Golf enthusiasts can explore discounted rates and book tee times at over 1,700 courses throughout the UK and Ireland via the tournament’s partner portal. The site invites users to enter a course name, city, or postal code to find the best deals, though the current search returned no results for the example query.
In summary, the first‑day pairings at Royal Lytham set the stage for a dramatic showdown among the world’s elite women golfers. With defending champion Miyu Yamashita, world number one Nelly Korda, and a host of other top‑ranked players teeing off in tightly scheduled groups, fans can expect a blend of high‑stakes competition, strategic brilliance, and the unpredictable weather that makes links golf so compelling. The comprehensive schedule, expanded broadcast coverage, and additional fan experiences all combine to make the 2026 AIG Women’s Open a landmark event in women’s golf.