Can Korda Add Another Major to Her Resume at the AIG Women's Open?

As the 50th edition of the AIG Women’s Open approaches, anticipation is building for a showdown at the historic links of Royal Lytham & St Annes. The tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, and two of the sport’s brightest stars—Nelly Korda and Charley Hull—are among the favorites to claim the coveted trophy. The current women’s major season has been dominated by a duopoly of talent.

Nelly Korda, the American sensation, and South Korea’s Haeran Ryu have each already secured two major titles this year, putting them on the brink of matching the record for the most major victories in a single calendar year. Korda captured the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open, while Ryu triumphed at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Evian Championship. This unprecedented situation marks the first time in LPGA history that two players have amassed multiple majors in the same season.

Only a handful of golfers—six in total across the men’s and women’s games—have ever won three majors in a single year. If either Korda or Ryu can add 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 (1955), Mickey Wright (1961) and Pat Bradley (1986) on the women’s side. Both Korda and Ryu are also in contention for the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, which honors the LPGA player who posts the best major record over a season.

A third major victory would likely tip the scales decisively in favor of one of them, cementing that player’s claim to the award. One of the season’s biggest surprises came at the Evian Championship, where Korda missed the cut despite entering the event as a four‑time winner that year and a clear favorite. That early exit broke a streak of 34 consecutive tournaments where she had made the cut and added a new layer of intrigue to her pursuit of a career Grand Slam.

Korda already holds three different major titles, and a win at Royal Lytham would give her the fourth, completing the modern career Grand Slam—a feat recognized because the roster of women’s majors has evolved over time. Korda’s recent form has been strong. She finished tied for second behind Lydia Ko at St Andrews in 2024 and was tied 16th at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open. A victory at the AIG Women’s Open would not only be her 20th LPGA Tour win but also her fifth major, securing the two points she needs to gain full membership in 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 followed it with a four‑stroke win at Carnoustie in 2011. That streak has remained unbroken for 15 years, but Japanese rising star Miyu Yamashita could be poised to end it. Yamashita, a dominant force on the LPGA of Japan Tour with 13 victories, announced herself to the global audience with a two‑shot triumph over Charley Hull at Royal Porthcawl last year.

Since then she has added a Maybank Championship win on the LPGA Tour and claimed the Meijer LPGA Classic in a dramatic playoff against Lottie Woad. Her recent run includes four top‑five finishes in six worldwide events, a shared fourth place at the Evian Championship, and a shared fifth place in Scotland, all of which suggest she is in prime condition to challenge for the title.

British golf history also looms large over this week’s contest. It has been three decades since Dame Laura Davies secured her fourth major, and the venue 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 made history in 2009 as Scotland’s first female major champion, triumphing just 11 weeks after giving birth to her second daughter. More recently, Georgia Hall won the 2018 edition by two strokes. Charley Hull, a five‑time major runner‑up—including twice at Royal Lytham—will be eager to finally break through, while fellow Brit Lottie Woad hopes to improve on her previous top‑10 finishes at the tournament. Attendance is expected to exceed 50,000 spectators throughout the week, with many hoping to see another British player lift the trophy.

The event also serves as a crucial part of the qualification process for Team Europe’s Solheim Cup squad. Players on the cusp of selection will be looking to impress captain Anna Nordqvist, who has confirmed she will serve as a non‑playing captain this year.

Nordqvist will finalize eight automatic qualifiers this weekend and then make four captain’s picks next week, meaning performances at Royal Lytham could be decisive for several hopefuls. Among the contenders for those Solheim Cup spots are LET rising star Chiara Tamburlini, who sits second on the points list, as well as veteran Europeans such as Lottie Woad, Maja Stark, Céline Boutier, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant and Esther Henseleit, who currently hold the six world‑ranking places allocated to the event. Leona Maguire, fresh from a strong showing in Scotland, also remains in contention for a European berth. Other European players in the top 100, including Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Dewi Weber and England’s Mimi Rhodes, will be hoping a standout performance can push them into Solheim Cup consideration.

Sky Sports continues to be the exclusive broadcaster of the AIG Women’s Open in the United Kingdom and Ireland. This year the network is offering an expanded package, featuring a new "Featured Groups" segment that begins at 9 a.m.

on Thursday and Friday on Sky Sports Golf, followed by full coverage from 1 p.m. The weekend rounds will be shown live from midday, delivering six additional hours of broadcast compared with previous editions. In summary, the 2026 AIG Women’s Open promises a compelling mix of historic narratives, personal milestones, and high‑stakes competition. Whether Nelly Korda can secure her fourth major and cement her place in the Grand Slam club, whether Haeran Ryu will claim the final piece of a potential triple‑major season, or whether a dark horse like Miyu Yamashita or a determined Charley Hull will upset the odds, the tournament is set to deliver drama and excitement for fans worldwide.

Tune in to Sky Sports Golf throughout the week to witness the action unfold and find out who will etch their name into the storied annals of women’s golf.