World No. 1 Nelly Korda finds herself placed in a glittering early‑round grouping alongside back‑to‑back major champion Haeran Ryu for the opening two rounds of the AIG Women's Open at the historic Royal Lytham & St Annes. Both players have enjoyed a remarkable season, with Korda already adding the Chevron Championship and the U.S.
Women's Open to her résumé, while Ryu secured the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship. Their combined achievements mark the first occasion in golf history that two competitors have captured multiple majors within a single campaign. The stakes are high, as either Korda or Ryu could become the first golfer since Inbee Park in 2013 to claim three major titles in a calendar year. Ryu, who is chasing a third consecutive major victory, tees off at 8:42 a.m.
alongside Korda and the 2024 champion Lydia Ko, forming a trio that promises thrilling early action. Joining the early start is England's Lottie Woad, who hopes to become the first Englishwoman to win a major since Georgia Hall captured the same tournament in 2018, also at Royal Lytham. Ranked fifth in the world, Woad will be paired with Japan's Aki Iwai and American Andrea Lee, creating another high‑profile three‑ball that will be featured in the broadcast.
Both marquee groups will be highlighted in the new Featured Group coverage on Thursday, with Sky Sports Golf delivering live commentary from 9 a.m. Meanwhile, defending champion Miyu Yamashita occupies the opposite side of the draw, aiming to become the first back‑to‑back women's major winner since Yani Tseng.
Yamashita will start at 1:15 p.m. with world No.
2 Jeongeun Lee (Thitikul) and American Lauren Coughlin. Charley Hull, another English contender, is placed in the late‑early half of the field. Hull, who has finished runner‑up twice in the last three editions of the Open, will team up with Australian Hannah Green and Canadian Brooke Henderson, both of whom have multiple tour victories and are eager to add a major to their records.
The tournament employs a one‑tee start for all 144 competitors, with the first tee shot for England's Alice Hewson scheduled at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday. This format ensures a compact schedule and allows the event to serve as the final qualifying opportunity for European players seeking a spot on the upcoming Solheim Cup team. Team Europe’s Solheim Cup lineup will be determined by the top two players in the European points standings, supplemented by the next six highest‑ranked Europeans in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings who have not already qualified.
Captain Anna Nordqvist will then announce four captain’s picks live on Sky Sports News on Monday, completing the roster. The provisional European squad includes: - Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) and Cassie Porter (Australia) – both slated to play on the first day of the Open.
- South Korean stars Sei Young Kim and Hyojoo Kim, alongside Japanese competitors Rio Takeda, Yuna Araki, and Mao Saigo. - Rising talents such as Lottie Woad (England), Aki Iwai (Japan), and Andrea Lee (USA) will also be in contention. - The top‑seeded group features Lydia Ko (New Zealand), Nelly Korda (USA), and Haeran Ryu (South Korea).
The broadcast schedule on Sky Sports promises unprecedented coverage. Featured Group segments commence at 9 a.m.
on Thursday and Friday, followed by full tournament coverage beginning at 1 p.m. The final two rounds will be shown live from midday over the weekend, giving fans more than six additional hours of live golf compared with previous years. Spectators can follow the competition throughout the week on Sky Sports Golf, with options to stream without a contract. Golf enthusiasts are also encouraged to explore the 1,700‑course network across the UK and Ireland, where they can book tee times at discounted rates.
Overall, the AIG Women’s Open presents a compelling narrative: a field stacked with major winners, rising stars, and seasoned veterans, all vying for one of the most prestigious titles in women’s golf. Whether Korda, Ryu, Yamashita, Hull, or another contender lifts the Claret Jug will be decided over four days of high‑pressure golf at one of the sport’s most challenging links courses.
The blend of early‑morning action, historic milestones, and the looming Solheim Cup selection adds layers of intrigue that promise to keep fans glued to the broadcast from the first tee shot to the final putt.