As the 50th anniversary of the AIG Women’s Open approaches, the tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and all eyes are on the field of contenders, especially Nelly Korda and Charley Hull, who are both eager to claim a major title at the historic Royal Lytham & St Annes course. The women’s major calendar this year has been dominated by two standout performers. Nelly Korda, fresh off victories at the Chevron Championship and the U.S.
Women’s Open, and South Korean star Ha‑Rin Ryu, who captured the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Evian Championship, are both on the brink of matching the record for the most major wins in a single season. Their achievements mark the first occasion in LPGA history that two players have each secured multiple majors within the same year.
Only a handful of golfers—six in total across both the men’s and women’s tours—have ever won three majors in a single calendar year. If either Korda or Ryu adds the AIG Women’s Open to their résumé, they will join an elite club that includes legends such as Ben Hogan (1953) and Tiger Woods (2000) on the men’s side, and Inbee Park (who swept the first three majors in 2013) alongside historic figures like Babe Zaharias (1950), Mickey Wright (1961) and Pat Bradley (1986) on the women’s side. Both Korda and Ryu are also in contention for the prestigious Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, which honors the player with the strongest major‑season performance.
A third major win would likely tip the scales in favor of the eventual recipient, making the AIG Women’s Open a decisive battleground for that accolade. One of the biggest surprises of the season came at the Evian Championship, where Korda missed the cut despite entering the event as the heavy favorite after already securing three major titles. That early exit ended a remarkable streak of 34 consecutive tournaments in which she made the cut, and it added an extra layer of intrigue to her pursuit of the career Grand Slam.
By winning the U.S. Women’s Open earlier in the year, Korda already held three of the five current majors, and the AIG Women’s Open now represents the final piece needed to complete the modern Grand Slam. Historically, players who have won four of the five recognized women’s majors are considered to have achieved a career Grand Slam, even though the roster of major tournaments has evolved over time. For Korda, the opportunity to become the first woman since Inbee Park to join that exclusive group adds significant pressure and motivation.
Korda’s recent form has been strong. She finished tied for second behind Lydia Ko at the 2024 Open at St Andrews and posted a respectable T‑16 at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open. A victory at Royal Lytham & St Annes would not only give her a 20th LPGA Tour win and a fifth major title, but it would also secure the two additional points she needs to gain entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame. The last player to win back‑to‑back women’s majors was Yani Tseng, who captured the 2010 Royal Birkdale title and then defended at Carnoustie in 2011.
That 15‑year gap leaves the door wide open for a new champion to break the streak, and Japanese rising star Miyu Yamashita is poised to make a strong run. Yamashita, a former 13‑time winner on the LPGA of Japan Tour, announced herself to the broader world last year when she edged Charley Hull by two strokes at Royal Porthcawl. Since then, she has added a Maybank Championship win on the LPGA Tour and triumphed in a dramatic playoff at the Meijer LPGA Classic, demonstrating a game that is steadily improving.
Yamashita’s recent résumé includes four top‑five finishes in her last six worldwide starts, a shared fourth place at the Evian Championship and a joint fifth at the Scottish Open. Her consistent performance makes her a legitimate threat to defend her title and add another major to her collection.
British golf history also looms large over the event. It has been three decades since Dame Laura Davies secured her fourth major at this venue, and the course has produced several home‑grown champions in recent years.
Alison Nicholas won the U.S. Women’s Open in 1997, Karen Stupples captured the AIG Women’s Open in 2004, and Catriona Matthew became Scotland’s first female major winner at Royal Lytham in 2009, just weeks after giving birth to her second child. More recently, Georgia Hall claimed a two‑stroke victory in 2018, and Charley Hull is hunting her first major after five runner‑up finishes, including two at this tournament. The event is expected to draw over 50,000 spectators throughout the week, many hoping to witness another British champion.
At the same time, the tournament serves as a final qualifier for Team Europe’s Solheim Cup roster. Players such as Lottie Woad, Maja Stark, Celine Boutier, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant and Esther Henseleit are already in strong positions via the world rankings, while emerging talents like Chiara Tamburlini, Helen Briem, Agathe Laisne and Cara Gainer are vying for the remaining LET points slots. Swedish captain Anna Nordqvist, who will not be a playing captain this year, is set to announce her final eight automatic qualifiers this weekend, followed by four captain’s picks. The selection process promises to be intense, with several players hoping to secure a place on the European side after strong showings at Royal Lytham.
Sky Sports remains the exclusive broadcaster of the AIG Women’s Open in the UK and Ireland, offering expanded coverage that includes a new "Featured Groups" segment starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday and Friday, followed by full live coverage from 1 p.m.
The final two rounds will be shown live from midday on the weekend, giving fans ample opportunity to follow the drama as it unfolds. Whether it will be Korda completing the modern Grand Slam, Yamashita defending her breakthrough, or Hull finally breaking her major drought, the AIG Women’s Open promises a week of high‑stakes golf, historic narratives, and unforgettable moments.
Tune in to Sky Sports Golf for live action throughout the tournament and witness who ultimately lifts the coveted Claret Jug.