The 50th edition of the AIG Women’s Open, the season‑ending major on the women’s professional golf calendar, concluded at the historic Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club with a dramatic finish that will be remembered for years to come. After four days of fierce competition, the final leaderboard was posted, showcasing a blend of seasoned veterans and emerging talent battling for the coveted title.
In a stunning turn of events, Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki secured her first major championship by triumphing in a sudden‑death playoff. The victory was especially noteworthy because the tournament featured an unusually deep field; at least a dozen players were in contention on the final day, making Kuwaki’s win all the more impressive. She entered the playoff tied at five strokes under par with Germany’s Esther Henseleit, who had delivered a spectacular 45‑foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to force extra holes.
The first extra hole saw both competitors make par. Henseleit missed a relatively short 10‑foot putt that would have handed her the win, while Kuwaki managed to scramble a four after finding herself in thick rough and having to pitch out.
The tension escalated on the second playoff hole when Henseleit’s tee shot struck a marshal and ricocheted into a nearby bush, forcing her to execute a recovery pitch that ultimately resulted in a bogey. In contrast, Kuwaki steadied her nerves, found the green in regulation and calmly two‑putted for the decisive birdie that clinched the championship. The playoff drama was a fitting climax to a tournament where the overnight leader, Yealimi Noh, fell just one stroke short of the top spot, finishing third after a final‑round 74. World No.
1 Nelly Korda and rising star Jeongeun "Jeeno" Thitikul, who occupy the top two positions in the global rankings, shared fourth place, each a stroke behind Noh. Their performances underscored the depth of talent on display, even though they were unable to convert their strong starts into a win. Home‑grown hope Charley Hull, who had been dreaming of a victory on familiar turf, and Lottie Woad, both hoping to become the first British champion at Royal Lytham in three consecutive years, ultimately settled for a tie for sixth place, four strokes behind the leaders.
Their finish, while respectable, highlighted the difficulty of securing a major on home soil. South Korean contender Ha‑Ran Ryu, who entered the tournament with the ambition of adding a third consecutive major title to her résumé, also finished one stroke under par, matching the overall winning score but falling short in the playoff. Only 11 of the 68 players who made the cut survived the weekend under par, illustrating how demanding the links conditions were at Royal Lytham. Kuwaki’s triumph marked the second consecutive major victory for a Japanese golfer, reinforcing Japan’s growing influence in women’s golf.
Her win also came with a substantial prize purse, including a $1.5 million first‑place check. The AIG Women’s Open represents the final leg of the five‑major series in the women’s game. Earlier in the year, Nelly Korda captured the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open, while Ha‑Ran Ryu added the Amundi Evian Championship to her KPMG Women’s PGA Championship triumph, completing a remarkable set of major victories across the season.
Broadcast coverage of the event was provided exclusively by Sky Sports, which continues to be the primary home for live golf across the majors, the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, the LPGA Tour, and the Ladies European Tour. Fans were encouraged to stream the coverage via the NOW platform, which offers contract‑free access to live golf and other sports content.
Beyond the tournament itself, golf enthusiasts were reminded of the broader opportunities to engage with the sport across the United Kingdom and Ireland. With over 1,700 courses available for booking, players can search for tee times by entering a course name, city, or postal code, though the search tool noted that no results were found for the specific query entered.
In summary, the 2025 AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes delivered a thrilling conclusion to the major season, highlighted by Shiho Kuwaki’s maiden major win, a nail‑biting playoff, and a field that showcased the global reach and competitive spirit of women’s golf today.