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Women's British Open

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The Women's Open (originally known as the Women's British Open, and still widely referred to by that name outside the UK) is a major championship in women's professional golf. It is recognised by both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour as a major. The reigning champion is Lydia Ko, who won at the 2024 tournament.

The AIG Women's Open
Tournament information
LocationUnited Kingdom
Established1976, 48 years ago
Course(s)varies; The Old Course (2024)
St. Andrews, Scotland
Par72 (in 2024)
Length6,881 yards (6,292 m) (2023)
Organised byThe R&A
Tour(s)LPGA Tour (1984, 1994–)
LET (1979–)
FormatStroke play
Prize fund$9,000,000[1]
€8,166,915
£7,053,622[2]
Month playedAugust
Tournament record score
Aggregate269 Karrie Webb (1997)
269 Karen Stupples (2004)
To par−19 Karrie Webb (1997)
−19 Karen Stupples (2004)
Current champion
New Zealand Lydia Ko
2024 Women's British Open

Since becoming an LPGA major in 2001 it has generally been played in late July or early August. The 2012 edition was scheduled for mid-September, due to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, while the 2014 event was played in mid-July, the week prior to the Open Championship.

In 2019 it was known as the AIG Women's British Open. From 2007 to 2018, it was called the Ricoh Women's British Open while the previous twenty editions (1987–2006) were sponsored by Weetabix, a breakfast cereal.[3] In July 2020, the sponsorship agreement with AIG was extended through to 2025; as part of the deal the championship was rebranded by The R&A (which has organised the event since 2017) by removing the "British" qualifier, in line with The R&A's men's and senior men's championships, as the AIG Women's Open.[4]

History

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The practice green at Sunningdale Golf Club in 2008.

The first Women's British Open was played in 1976 when the Ladies' British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship was extended to include professionals. The Amateur Stroke Play Championship had been organised by the Ladies' Golf Union since 1969. In early 1976 two professionals, Vivien Saunders and Gwen Brandom, and the LGU, agreed that the event would be opened up to professionals, with Saunders and Brandom providing £200 in prize money for the professionals.[5][6] Eventually total prize money was £500, with five professionals competing in the event.[7] An amateur, Jenny Lee Smith, won the event with Saunders the leading professional, tying for fourth place.[8] Saunders won the event in 1977 on "countback", having tied with Mary Everard but having the better final round, 76 to Everard's 79.[9] Janet Melville won in 1978, with Saunders again the leading professional and taking the first prize of £1,000.[10] Just four professionals competed.[11]

From 1979 the event was separated from the Stroke Play Championship, which returned to being an amateur-only event. Prize money of £10,000, and a first prize of £3,000, attracted a larger number of professionals. At first, it was difficult for the organisers to get the most prestigious courses to agree to host the event, with the exception of Royal Birkdale, which hosted it twice during its early days — in 1982 and 1986. After nearly folding in 1983, the tournament was held at the best of the "second-tier" courses, including Woburn Golf and Country Club for seven straight years, 1990 through 1996, as well as in 1984 and 1999.

As its prestige continued to increase, more of the links courses that are in the rotation for The Open Championship, such as Turnberry (2002) and Royal Lytham & St Annes (1998, 2003, 2006) hosted the tournament, in addition to Royal Birkdale (2000, 2005, 2010). In 2007, the tournament took place at the Old Course at St Andrews for the first time.

Since 2010, four additional Open Championship venues became first-time hosts for the women's event: Carnoustie (2011), Royal Liverpool (2012), Royal Troon (2020, year where only women had The Open), and Muirfield (2022). The tournament has yet to be played at two Open Championship courses: Royal St. George's in southeastern England, and Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Currently, Turnberry is unable to be on the Open rota because of political ramifications of former President of the United States Donald Trump.

Unlike its male counterpart, the Women's Open has not adopted a links-only policy. This greatly increases the number of potential venues, especially the number close to the major population centres of England. Following the 2017 merger of the Ladies Golf Union with The R&A, both the men's and women's Opens are operated by The R&A.

Through 1993, the tournament was an official stop only on the Ladies European Tour, with the exception of the 1984 edition, which was co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour. Starting in 1994, it became a permanent LPGA Tour event, which increased both the quality of the field and the event's prestige. It has been an official LPGA major since 2001, when it replaced the du Maurier Classic, which lost its title sponsor because of sponsorship regulations. In 2005, the starting field size was increased to 150, but only the low 65 (plus ties) survive the cut after the second round. In both 2007 and 2008 the prize fund was £1.05 million. Starting in 2009, the prize fund changed from being fixed in pounds to U.S. dollars.

Tied for most victories in the Women's British Open with three each are Karrie Webb of Australia and Sherri Steinhauer of the United States. Both won the tournament twice before it became an LPGA major and once after. Yani Tseng of Taiwan and Jiyai Shin of South Korea are the only multiple winners of the championship as a major.[12] The other multiple winner is Debbie Massey of the U.S., with consecutive wins (1980 and 1981) well before it was an LPGA co-sanctioned event.

Winners

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See also: List of Women's British Open champions
Year Dates Champion Venue Score To par Margin
of victory		 Runner(s)-up Purse
($)		 Winner's
share ($)		 Ref
AIG Women's Open
2024 22–25 Aug   Lydia Ko St Andrews 281 −7 2 strokes   Nelly Korda
  Jiyai Shin
  Lilia Vu
  Ruoning Yin		 9,000,000 1,350,000
2023 10–13 Aug   Lilia Vu Walton Heath 274 −14 6 strokes   Charley Hull 9,000,000 1,350,000
2022 4–7 Aug   Ashleigh Buhai Muirfield 274 −10 Playoff[a]   Chun In-gee 7,300,000 1,095,000
2021 19–22 Aug   Anna Nordqvist Carnoustie, Championship 276 −12 1 stroke   Georgia Hall
  Madelene Sagström
  Lizette Salas		 5,800,000 870,000
2020 20–23 Aug   Sophia Popov Royal Troon, Old Course 277 −7 2 strokes   Thidapa Suwannapura 4,500,000 675,000
AIG Women's British Open
2019 1–4 Aug   Hinako Shibuno Woburn, Marquess Course 270 −18 1 stroke   Lizette Salas 4,500,000 675,000
Ricoh Women's British Open
2018 2–5 Aug   Georgia Hall Royal Lytham & St Annes 271 −17 2 strokes   Pornanong Phatlum 3,250,000 490,000
2017 3–6 Aug   In-Kyung Kim Kingsbarns 270 −18 2 strokes   Jodi Ewart Shadoff 3,250,000 504,821
2016 28–31 Jul   Ariya Jutanugarn Woburn, Marquess Course 272 −16 3 strokes   Mirim Lee
  Mo Martin		 3,000,000 412,047
2015 30 Jul – 2 Aug   Inbee Park Turnberry 276 −12 3 strokes   Ko Jin-young 3,000,000 464,817
2014 10–13 Jul   Mo Martin Royal Birkdale 287 −1 1 stroke   Shanshan Feng
  Suzann Pettersen		 3,000,000 474,575
2013 1–4 Aug   Stacy Lewis St Andrews 280 −8 2 strokes   Na Yeon Choi
  Hee Young Park		 2,750,000 402,583
2012 13–16 Sep   Jiyai Shin Royal Liverpool 279 −9 9 strokes   Inbee Park 2,750,000 428,650
2011 28–31 Jul   Yani Tseng Carnoustie 272 −16 4 strokes   Brittany Lang 2,500,000 392,133
Women's British Open
2010 29 Jul – 1 Aug   Yani Tseng Royal Birkdale 277 −11 1 stroke   Katherine Hull 2,500,000 408,714
2009 30 Jul – 2 Aug   Catriona Matthew Royal Lytham & St Annes 285 −3 3 strokes   Karrie Webb 2,200,000 335,000
2008 31 Jul – 3 Aug   Jiyai Shin Sunningdale 270 −18 3 strokes   Yani Tseng 2,100,000 314,464
2007 2–5 Aug   Lorena Ochoa St Andrews 287 −5 4 strokes   Maria Hjorth
  Jee Young Lee		 2,000,000 320,512
2006 3–6 Aug   Sherri Steinhauer Royal Lytham & St Annes 281 −7 3 strokes   Sophie Gustafson
  Cristie Kerr		 1,800,000 305,440
2005 28–31 July   Jeong Jang Royal Birkdale 272 −16 4 strokes   Sophie Gustafson 1,800,000 280,208
2004 29 July – 1 Aug   Karen Stupples Sunningdale 269 −19 5 strokes   Rachel Hetherington 1,600,000 290,880
2003 31 July – 3 Aug   Annika Sörenstam Royal Lytham & St Annes 278 −10 1 stroke   Se Ri Pak 1,600,000 254,880
2002 8–11 Aug   Karrie Webb Turnberry 273 −15 2 strokes   Michelle Ellis
  Paula Martí		 1,500,000 236,383
2001 2–5 Aug   Se Ri Pak Sunningdale 277 −11 2 strokes   Mi Hyun Kim 1,500,000 221,650
2000 17–20 Aug   Sophie Gustafson Royal Birkdale 282 −10 2 strokes   Becky Iverson
  Meg Mallon
  Liselotte Neumann
  Kirsty Taylor		 1,250,000 178,000
1999 12–15 Aug   Sherri Steinhauer Woburn, Duke's Course 283 −9 1 stroke   Annika Sörenstam 1,000,000 160,000
1998 13–16 Aug   Sherri Steinhauer Royal Lytham & St Annes 292 +4 1 stroke   Brandie Burton
  Sophie Gustafson		 1,000,000 162,000
1997 14–17 Aug   Karrie Webb Sunningdale 269 −19 8 strokes   Rosie Jones 900,000 129,938
1996 15–18 Aug   Emilee Klein Woburn, Duke's Course 277 −11 7 strokes   Amy Alcott
  Penny Hammel		 850,000 124,000
1995 17–20 Aug   Karrie Webb Woburn, Duke's Course 278 −10 6 strokes   Annika Sörenstam
  Jill McGill		 600,000 92,400
1994 11–14 Aug   Liselotte Neumann Woburn, Duke's Course 280 −8 3 strokes   Annika Sörenstam 500,000 80,325
Weetabix Women's British Open
1993   Karen Lunn Woburn, Duke's Course 275 8 strokes   Brandie Burton £300,000 £50,000
1992   Patty Sheehan Woburn, Duke's Course 207[b] 3 strokes   Corinne Dibnah £300,000 £50,000
1991   Penny Grice-Whittaker Woburn, Duke's Course 284 3 strokes   Helen Alfredsson
  Diane Barnard		 £150,000 £25,000
1990   Helen Alfredsson Woburn, Duke's Course 288 Playoff[c]   Jane Hill £130,000 £20,000
1989   Jane Geddes Ferndown 274 2 strokes   Florence Descampe £120,000 £18,000 [13]
1988   Corinne Dibnah Lindrick 295 Playoff[d]   Sally Little £100,000 £15,000
1987   Alison Nicholas St Mellion 296 1 stroke   Laura Davies
  Muffin Spencer-Devlin		 £100,000 £15,000 [14]
Women's British Open
1986   Laura Davies Royal Birkdale 283 4 strokes   Peggy Conley
  Marta Figueras-Dotti		 £60,000 £9,000 [15]
Burberry Women's British Open
1985   Betsy King Moor Park 300 2 strokes   Marta Figueras-Dotti £60,000 £9,000 [16]
Hitachi Women's British Open
1984   Ayako Okamoto Woburn, Duke's Course 289 ｰ3 11 strokes   Betsy King
  Dale Reid		 £160,000[e] £24,000 [17]
1983 Cancelled [18]
Pretty Polly Women's British Open
1982   Marta Figueras-Dotti (a) Royal Birkdale 296 1 stroke   Rosie Jones
  Jenny Lee Smith		 £23,000 (£6,000) [19]
1981   Debbie Massey Northumberland 295 4 strokes   Belle Robertson (a) £19,000 £5,600 [20]
1980   Debbie Massey Wentworth 294 1 stroke   Marta Figueras-Dotti (a)
  Belle Robertson (a)		 £15,000 £4,500 [21]
1979   Alison Sheard Southport & Ainsdale 301 3 strokes   Mickey Walker £10,000 £3,000 [22]
Women's British Open
1978   Janet Melville (a) Foxhills 310 2 strokes   Wilma Aitken (a) (£1,000) [10]
1977   Vivien Saunders Lindrick Golf Club 306 Countback[f]   Mary Everard (a) £500 £210 [9]
1976   Jenny Lee Smith (a) Fulford 299 2 strokes   Mary McKenna (a) £500 (£210) [8]

(a) denotes amateur

Source for later tournaments:[23]
  1. ^ Buhai won with a par at the fourth extra hole.
  2. ^ In 1992 the second day was washed-out and the event reduced to 54 holes.
  3. ^ Alfredsson won with a par at the fourth extra hole.
  4. ^ Dibnah won with a birdie at the second extra hole.
  5. ^ Tournament was co-sanctioned by the LET and LPGA Tour. Prize money for this event was in US dollars; £ values here are based on an exchange rate of $1.25–£1.
  6. ^ Saunders won the title because she had a better last round; 76 to Everard's 79.

Host courses

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The Women's Open has been played at the following courses, listed in order of number of times hosted (as of 2023):

Future venues

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Year Edition Course Location Dates Previously hosted
2025[24] 49th Royal Porthcawl Golf Club[a] Porthcawl, Bridgend, Wales 31 July – 3 August
  1. ^ Originally scheduled to host in 2021.[25]

Smyth Salver

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The Smyth Salver is awarded to the leading amateur, provided that the player completes all 72 holes, for one year. The winner also receives a silver medal. The salver was donated by Moira Smyth, a past president of the Ladies' Golf Union.[26]

References

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  1. ^ Hall, Mike (9 August 2023). "AIG Women's Open Purse And Prize Money 2023". Golf Monthly. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Currency converter". xe.com. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Championship History". Archived from the original on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  4. ^ "Women's Open drops 'British' from title in sponsorship rebrand". BBC Sport. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Women put up own prize money". The Glasgow Herald. 1 July 1976. p. 15.
  6. ^ "Julia Greenhalgh". The Glasgow Herald. 1 September 1976. p. 15.
  7. ^ "Sandra's challenge fades". The Glasgow Herald. 3 September 1976. p. 23.
  8. ^ a b "Sandra's hopes dashed". The Glasgow Herald. 4 September 1976. p. 14.
  9. ^ a b "Vivien's title on last 18". The Glasgow Herald. 3 September 1977. p. 16.
  10. ^ a b "Janet in youngest British champion". The Glasgow Herald. 29 July 1978. p. 15.
  11. ^ "Cathy's 79 is fine as open scores rocket". The Glasgow Herald. 27 July 1978. p. 14.
  12. ^ "She's Back in the Picture". www.golfdigest.com. Golf Digest. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Descampe charges but Geddes is champion". The Glasgow Herald. 7 August 1989. p. 18.
  14. ^ "Nicholas breaks through at last". The Glasgow Herald. 3 August 1987. p. 10.
  15. ^ "Laura outscores foreign invaders". The Glasgow Herald. 13 October 1986. p. 10.
  16. ^ "Miss King begins a new reign". The Glasgow Herald. 7 October 1985. p. 8.
  17. ^ "Dale deserves prize for her lone battle". The Glasgow Herald. 8 October 1984. p. 17.
  18. ^ "Hitachi pull the plug". The Guardian. 12 March 1983. p. 13. Retrieved 29 September 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Professional win for a new Spanish graduate". The Glasgow Herald. 2 August 1982. p. 15.
  20. ^ "Debbie pulls away from the field". The Glasgow Herald. 3 August 1981. p. 15.
  21. ^ "Belle second with a 69". The Glasgow Herald. 28 July 1980. p. 13.
  22. ^ "Birdie finish gives Alison British title". The Glasgow Herald. 30 July 1979. p. 15.
  23. ^ "Ricoh Women's British Open Past Winners". LPGA. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  24. ^ Stafford, Ali (19 August 2020). "AIG Women's Open: Muirfield among three new venues for the major". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  25. ^ "Royal Porthcawl set for AIG Women's British Open debut in 2021". Today's Gofler. 31 July 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  26. ^ https://issuu.com/lgucl/docs/lguyearbook2016 LGU 2016 Yearbook
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