Charley Hull and Lottie Woad will likely look back on Sunday’s finale at the AIG Women’s Open as a lost chance to secure their first major championship, according to former champion Dame Laura Davies. Both English players finished tied for sixth, four strokes shy of the eventual winner, Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki, who closed at five under par.
The pair entered the final round with realistic hopes of breaking through. Woad began the day at three under, having posted a bogey‑free 69 in the opening round, but her momentum stalled when she recorded her first over‑par round of the tournament, slipping back into the pack. Hull, who enjoyed a birdie‑rich start to the week, was unable to sustain her early fire. After a promising first‑hole birdie, two disastrous double‑bogeys on holes three and seven derailed her charge and left her unable to climb the leaderboard.
"They’ll both see this as a missed opportunity because five under has won it," Davies said on Sky Sports Golf, reminding the audience that the winning score was only five under par. The former four‑time major winner noted that Hull’s round was a mixture of aggressive play and costly mistakes, while Woad’s game was solid but lacked the decisive putting needed to convert birdie chances. Hull’s week was impressive in many respects.
She compiled 17 birdies over four days, second only to world No. 1 Nelly Korda, who posted 19 birdies and finished just one stroke ahead of Hull in a tie for fourth place. However, Hull also tallied 12 bogeys across the tournament, and the two double‑bogeys on the final day alone added four strokes to her total.
Had she avoided those errors, Hull would have joined the playoff at five under and potentially forced a sudden‑death showdown for the title. Woad, the 22‑year‑old from England, entered the Open with a strong résumé for someone so early in her career. Her opening‑round 69 placed her near the top of the leaderboard, and she followed it with rounds of 71 and 70.
Despite these consistent scores, she was unable to make a decisive move on Sunday, finishing four strokes behind Kuwaki. Still, the top‑10 finish marks her fifth such result in a major championship and secures her a debut on the European Solheim Cup team next month.
Commentator Andrew Cotter highlighted Woad’s steady play, noting that while she did not roll in enough putts to challenge for the win, her continued presence in the top‑10 of Women’s Open events underscores her growing stature on the tour. "She’s only 22, and a major win is certainly on the horizon for her," Cotter said.
Davies also offered a candid assessment of Hull’s performance. "Charley made a few too many mistakes," she remarked. "That’s just the way she plays golf; she goes full‑out attack.
She was pretty disciplined this week, but I think she’ll think, ‘I was only four back and I should have been in there right at the death.’" The comment reflects Hull’s aggressive style, which can produce spectacular birdies but also expose her to high‑risk errors. The broader context of the tournament featured several storylines. Kuwaki’s victory was a narrow one, edging out German contender Franziska Henseleit by a single stroke. The win marked Kuwaki’s first major title and added another name to the growing list of international players succeeding on the historic links of Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Looking ahead, the Ladies European Tour will remain in England for the PIF London Championship, set to start 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 various streaming platforms, many of which offer contracts‑free access to live coverage. In summary, while Hull and Woad fell short of a maiden major victory, their performances offered plenty of positives.
Hull’s birdie count demonstrated her scoring power, and Woad’s consistency and youth suggest she will be a contender for years to come. Both players will likely use this experience as motivation, aiming to convert their potential into a championship in the near future.