The most recent leaderboard from the 50th edition of the AIG Women’s Open— the final major of the season for women’s golf—has been posted, reflecting the action at Royal Lytham & St Annes. Defending champion Miyu Yamashira arrives at Royal Lytham & St Annes with the aim of retaining her title after she edged out England’s Charley Hull and fellow Japanese competitor Minami Katsu by two strokes at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club last year. Yamashira has been enjoying a breakout year on the LPGA Tour. In June she captured the Meijer LPGA Classic, beating Lottie Woad in a dramatic playoff, and she followed that triumph with a tied‑fifth finish at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open just a week ago.
The 24‑year‑old will now face a deep and talented field that includes world No. 1 Nelly Korda, who is in position to complete the career Grand Slam by winning her fourth distinct major at Royal Lytham & St Annes this week. Home‑grown players Lottie Woad and Charley Hull enter the tournament as fan favourites, each hoping to secure her first major victory. Hull, who was runner‑up at the U.S.
Women’s Open in June, has now recorded five second‑place finishes in majors and is eager to finally break through. Georgia Hall captured the AIG Women’s Open when the championship was last held at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2018, succeeding Catriona Matthew’s 2009 triumph at the same venue. Weather forecasts suggest a mix of rain and sunshine throughout the week.
The on‑site meteorologist predicts a slight chance of an isolated shower on Thursday with breezy conditions (12‑18 mph, gusts up to 28 mph) and a high of 21 °C (70 °F). Friday should be sunnier, though a brief shower remains possible; winds will ease to 10‑15 mph with gusts around 20 mph and a high of 20 °C (68 °F). Saturday and Sunday are expected to be partly cloudy, with light winds (9‑13 mph on Saturday, 5‑10 mph on Sunday) and temperatures hovering around 21 °C and 20 °C respectively.
The world’s elite women golfers will converge on Royal Lytham & St Annes for the season‑closing major of 2026. The field consists of 144 competitors, featuring world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul and world No. 3 Haeran Ryu, who is chasing a third major title of the year after victories at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June and the Evian Championship in July.
Detailed exemption criteria and a full roster of qualified players are available on the official AIG Women’s Open website. Play will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday and Friday, with the first‑round tee times posted online.
Weekend tee times will be adjusted based on the number of players who make the cut, while third‑round pairings will be released on Friday night. After 36 holes, the top 65 players and ties will advance to the final two rounds. Sky Sports Golf is expanding its coverage of the tournament, offering six additional hours of live broadcast compared with the previous year. Early coverage starts at 9 a.m.
on both Thursday and Friday, with full-round coverage kicking in at 1 p.m. on each day.
The third and fourth days will be televised from noon onward, and nightly highlights will air at 11 p.m. each tournament day. Golf fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, subscribe to the service, or stream the event without a contract via the NOW platform. With a strong defending champion, a world‑number‑one seeking a career Grand Slam, and several local hopefuls eager for their first major, the 2026 AIG Women’s Open promises a compelling mix of drama, skill, and unpredictable weather.
Whether you are watching from the clubhouse, a local bar, or streaming at home, the tournament offers a showcase of the very best women’s golf talent on the planet.