Can Korda Add Another Major to Her Resume at the AIG Women’s Open?

The upcoming AIG Women’s Open, marking its 50th anniversary, promises a host of compelling narratives as the tournament heads to the storied links of Royal Lytham & St Annes. Among the field, Nelly Korda and Charley Hull are prominently featured, both eager to claim a major title and, for Korda, to cement her place in history. This season’s women’s major championship schedule has been largely defined by two standout performers: Nelly Korda of the United States and South Korea’s Ha‑Roman Ryu. Each has already secured two major victories, putting them on a collision course to equal the record for the most majors won in a single calendar year.

Korda captured the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open, while Ryu triumphed at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Evian Championship.

This marks the first occasion in LPGA history that two players have logged multiple majors within the same season. Only a select group of six golfers—across both the men’s and women’s tours—have ever claimed three majors in a single year.

If Korda or Ryu can add the AIG Women’s Open to their résumés, they will join that exclusive club. The men who have accomplished the feat are Ben Hogan (1953) and Tiger Woods (2000).

On the women’s side, Inbee Park achieved three straight majors in 2013, a performance that ties the achievements of legends Babe Zaharias (1955), Mickey Wright (1961) and Pat Bradley (1986). Both Korda and Ryu are also contenders for the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, which honors the player with the strongest major‑season record. A third major would likely decide the award, underscoring the significance of the AIG Women’s Open as a potential tie‑breaker. One of the season’s biggest surprises came at the Evian Championship, where Korda missed the cut despite entering the event as a pre‑tournament favorite.

The miss ended a 34‑tournament streak of always making the cut and highlighted the pressure of maintaining a career Grand Slam. Korda already holds three different majors, and a victory at Royal Lytham would give her a fourth, bringing her within striking distance of the career Grand Slam—an achievement defined by winning four of the five current majors, a benchmark that has shifted over the years as the LPGA’s roster of majors has evolved.

Korda’s recent form includes a tied‑second finish behind Lydia Ko at the 2024 Open at St Andrews, and a tied‑16th at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open. A win at the AIG Women’s Open would represent her 20th LPGA Tour victory, her fifth major, and would also secure the two additional points she needs to gain automatic entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame. Such a milestone would place her among an elite cohort of players who have combined major success with Hall of Fame eligibility.

The tournament also offers a chance for a new name to break a 15‑year stretch without a back‑to‑back women’s major winner. The last to achieve consecutive majors was Yani Tseng, who won the 2010 Women’s Open at Royal Birkdale and followed it a year later with a dominant performance at Carnoustie.

Japanese rising star Miyu Yamashita, a former LPGA of Japan Tour powerhouse with 13 wins, could become the next to accomplish that feat. After a breakthrough win at the 2023 Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl—where she edged out Charley Hull—Yamashita has added a Maybank Championship title on the LPGA Tour and a dramatic playoff victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Her recent top‑five finishes, including a shared fourth at the Evian and a shared fifth in Scotland, suggest she arrives at Lytham in excellent form and ready to defend her major title. British history also looms large over the event.

It has been three decades since Dame Laura Davies secured her final major, and in that time only a handful of home‑grown players have triumphed at Lytham. Alison Nicholas won the U.S. Women’s Open in 1997, and Karen Stupples captured the AIG Women’s Open in 2004.

More recently, Catriona Matthew became Scotland’s first female major champion by winning the 2009 Open just eleven weeks after giving birth to her second child. Georgia Hall followed in 2018 with a two‑stroke victory. This week’s field includes Charley Hull, who is hunting her first major after five runner‑up finishes, and Lottie Woad, who hopes to improve on her recent top‑10 finishes at the event.

Crowd expectations are high, with over 50,000 spectators projected to attend throughout the week, many hoping to see a British champion emerge. The tournament also serves as a crucial qualifier for Team Europe’s Solheim Cup roster. Players such as Anna Nordqvist, who will serve as a non‑playing captain, are finalizing their selections.

The automatic qualifiers are already set, and Nordqvist will add four captain’s picks after a series of “hard phone calls.” Prospects like Chiara Tamburlini, Helen Briem, Agathe Laisne, Cara Gainer, Lottie Woad, Maja Stark, Celine Boutier, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant and Esther Henseleit are all in contention based on LET points, world rankings, or recent form, including a notable performance by Leona Maguire in Scotland. For European players ranked in the top 100—such as Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Dewi Weber and Mimi Rhodes—a strong showing could boost their Solheim Cup prospects.

The composition of the European team this year is expected to differ from the side that fell short on American soil in 2024, adding another layer of intrigue to the competition. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Sky Sports retains exclusive broadcasting rights for the AIG Women’s Open. This year’s coverage introduces a new “Featured Groups” segment, which will air from 9 a.m.

on Thursday and Friday on Sky Sports Golf, followed by full coverage beginning at 1 p.m. The weekend rounds will be broadcast live from midday, providing a total of six additional hours of live golf compared with previous years. As the tournament kicks off, the central question remains: who will lift the Claret Jug at Royal Lytham & St Annes?

Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports Golf, or opt for a contract‑free streaming option to watch the drama unfold week‑long. The stage is set for history, rivalry, and the pursuit of a career‑defining achievement.