Charley Hull and Lottie Woad will leave the Royal Lytham & St Annes course feeling they squandered a chance to capture their inaugural major title at the AIG Women’s Open, according to four‑time major champion Dame Laura Davies. Both players finished the tournament tied for sixth, four strokes shy of the champion, Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki, who posted a winning total of five under par. The gap left Hull and Woad unable to generate the late‑day surge that is often required on the final round of a major.
Woad began the final day perched at three under par, but her round quickly unraveled when she recorded her first over‑par score of the week. Hull, who had opened with a birdie, could not maintain momentum; two double‑bogeys on holes three and seven effectively derailed her challenge. "They’ll both view this as a missed opportunity because five under was enough to win," Davies told Sky Sports Golf. "Charley played a little bit in and out, while Lottie was very solid but simply didn’t convert enough putts." Hull’s week was impressive in terms of scoring opportunities.
She tallied 17 birdies across the four rounds, second only to world No. 1 Nelly Korda, who recorded 19 birdies and finished just one stroke ahead of Hull in a tie for fourth place. However, Hull also accumulated 12 bogeys, and the two double‑bogeys on the final day proved especially costly. Had those two holes been pars instead of double‑bogeys, Hull would have finished at five under and forced a playoff for the championship.
Davies added, "Charley made a few too many mistakes, and that’s just the way she plays – she attacks full‑throttle. She was disciplined this week, but she’ll probably think, ‘I was only four back; I should have been in there right at the death.’" Woad’s story was slightly different. She posted a flawless 69 in the opening round, a score free of any bogeys, and then followed with rounds of 71 and 70. Yet on Sunday she could not sustain her early momentum, slipping down the leaderboard as the pressure mounted.
Despite the disappointment, the 22‑year‑old still secured her fifth top‑10 finish on the Ladies European Tour, a performance that guarantees her a debut appearance for Team Europe in the upcoming Solheim Cup. Commentator Andrew Cotter observed, "Woad didn’t roll in enough putts, but she continues this remarkable run of three Women’s Open Championships played and a third top‑10. Again she shows her quality and a major will surely happen for her in the future – she’s only 22.
It’s another top‑10 but just not quite there on this occasion." Both Hull and Woad have demonstrated the talent and composure required to compete at the highest level, yet the fine margins of major‑championship golf were evident on the final day. Hull’s aggressive style produced a wealth of birdies but also a high number of bogeys, while Woad’s steadier approach was undermined by a lack of putt‑making at critical moments.
Their shared sentiment of a "missed opportunity" reflects the reality that a single stroke – or two – can be the difference between a major trophy and a respectable finish. Looking ahead, the Ladies European Tour will remain on English soil for the PIF London Championship, which kicks off Thursday at the Centurion Club. Meanwhile, the LPGA Tour will pause for a week before resuming with the Standard Portland Classic from August 13‑16.
Fans can continue to follow the action via Sky Sports or streaming platforms, ensuring that the drama of professional women’s golf stays front and centre. In summary, while Hull and Woad fell short of a historic first major win, their performances at the AIG Women’s Open underscore their potential. Hull’s 17 birdies highlight her scoring firepower, and Woad’s consistency across three consecutive Women’s Opens signals a rising star poised for future success.
Both will likely return to major contention next season, armed with the lessons learned from a tournament where five under par was enough to claim the crown, and where every putt, every double‑bogey, and every strategic decision can tip the scales toward victory or near‑miss.