As the AIG Women’s Open celebrates its 50th anniversary, the spotlight turns to Royal Lytham & St Annes where the tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Two of the sport’s brightest stars, Nelly Korda and Charley Hull, are among the contenders hoping to claim the coveted title and cement their place in major‑champion history. The current women’s major season has been dominated by a duopoly: Nelly Korda and Ha‑Rin Ryu. Both players have already secured two majors this year, positioning themselves to equal the record for most major victories in a single calendar year.
Korda captured the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open, while Ryu added the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Evian Championship to her résumé. This marks the first occasion in LPGA history that two golfers have each won multiple majors in the same season.
Only six individuals—across both the men’s and women’s games—have ever won three majors in a single year. If Korda or Ryu can add the AIG Women’s Open to their collection, 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 (2013), Babe Zaharias (1955), Mickey Wright (1961) and Pat Bradley (1986) on the women’s side. Achieving this feat would also put the winner in strong contention for the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, which honors the player with the best major record over a season. Korda’s recent form has been a study in contrast.
After a surprising missed cut at the Evian Championship—an event where she entered as a favorite and a four‑time winner for the season—she rebounded by winning the U.S. Women’s Open, her third distinct major title. That victory extended her streak of made cuts to 34 tournaments before a brief interruption in France.
The win also kept her on track for the career Grand Slam, a milestone that requires triumphs in four of the five current majors. Because the list of recognized majors has shifted over the decades, players who have captured four of the five events are now credited with a career Grand Slam. Korda, therefore, has a fresh chance to complete the set at Royal Lytham.
Her recent performances underscore the significance of this opportunity. In 2024, Korda finished tied for second at St.
Andrews, just behind Lydia Ko, and she placed tied‑16th at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open. A victory at this week’s Open would not only give her a fifth major but also secure her 20th LPGA Tour win—enough to lock in the two points required for LPGA Hall of Fame induction. While Korda pursues history, other storylines add depth to the tournament.
Miyu Yamashita, a dominant force on the LPGA of Japan Tour with 13 victories, is still relatively unknown to British fans. She burst onto the global stage last year by edging Charley Hull at Royal Porthcawl for her first major win. Since then, Yamashita has added a Maybank Championship title on the LPGA Tour and captured the Meijer LPGA Classic in a dramatic playoff over Lottie Woad.
Her recent form—four top‑five finishes in six worldwide starts, including a shared fourth at the Evian and a shared fifth in Scotland—makes her a legitimate contender to defend her title. British golf history also looms large over the venue.
It has been 30 years since Dame Laura Davies secured her final major at Royal Lytham, and the course has produced several home‑grown champions. 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 champion at this very venue in 2009, just 11 weeks after giving birth to her second daughter. More recently, Georgia Hall claimed a two‑stroke victory in 2018.
This legacy fuels expectations that another British player could triumph. Charley Hull, a five‑time major runner‑up, is eager to break her streak of near‑misses. She has finished second twice in the last three years at this tournament and hopes to finally secure her first major title. Lottie Woad, another rising Briton, is looking to build on consecutive top‑10 finishes in her previous AIG Women’s Open appearances.
The tournament also serves as a crucial checkpoint for European players eyeing the Solheim Cup team. Team Europe’s captain, Anna Nordqvist, will finalize her roster after the Open concludes.
While Nordqvist will not serve as a playing captain, she has already confirmed eight automatic qualifiers and will soon announce her four captain’s picks. Players such as Chiara Tamburlini, Helen Briem, Agathe Laisne, and Cara Gainer are battling for the final LET‑based spots, while Lottie Woad, Maja Stark, Céline Boutier, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant and Esther Henseleit are positioned for world‑ranking qualifications. Additional European hopefuls—including Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Dewi Weber and Mimi Rhodes—are also in the top 100 and could see their Solheim Cup prospects improve with a strong major performance.
Fans are expected to turn out in force, with more than 50,000 spectators projected over the week. The atmosphere should be electric, especially as the crowd hopes for another British champion to join the list of past winners. Sky Sports continues as the exclusive broadcaster for the AIG Women’s Open in the UK and Ireland.
This year, the network introduces "Featured Groups" coverage, starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday and Friday on Sky Sports Golf, followed by full coverage from 1 p.m.
The final two rounds will be shown live from midday on the weekend, providing up to six additional hours of live action compared with previous years. In summary, the AIG Women’s Open offers a convergence of historic ambition, personal milestones, and national pride. Whether Korda can match the major achievements of past legends, whether Yamashita can defend her title, or whether a British player will finally break through, the tournament promises drama, skill, and unforgettable moments for fans worldwide.
Tune in to Sky Sports Golf throughout the week to witness the unfolding story and see who ultimately lifts the Claret Jug at Royal Lytham & St Annes.