Women's British Open

The AIG Women's Open
Tournament information
LocationUnited Kingdom
Established1976 (1976)
Course(s)varies; Royal Porthcawl (2025)Porthcawl, Wales
Par72 (in 2025)
Length6,748 yards (6,170 m) (2024)
Organised byThe R&A
Tour(s)LPGA Tour (1984, 1994–)LET (1979–)
FormatStroke play
Prize fund$9,750,000[1]€8,464,937£7,356,759[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
JapanMiyū Yamashita
2026 Women's British Open

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 Miyū Yamashita, who won at the 2025 tournament.

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] The sponsorship by AIG has since been further extended through 2030.[5]

History

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.[6][7] Eventually total prize money was £500, with five professionals competing in the event.[8] An amateur, Jenny Lee Smith, won the event with Saunders the leading professional, tying for fourth place.[9] Saunders won the event in 1977 on "countback", having tied with Mary Everard but having the better final round, 76 to Everard's 79.[10]Janet Melville won in 1978, with Saunders again the leading professional and taking the first prize of £1,000.[11] Just four professionals competed.[12]

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 linkscourses 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 its owner, the current President of the United States, Donald Trump (who has hosted LIV Golf tournaments on his courses; the owner of that tour, the Saudi Public Investment Fund, organises the Ladies European Tour's Aramco Team Series tournaments).

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.[13]

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 Canadian Women's Open, which lost its title sponsor because of tobacco 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.[14] 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

YearDatesChampionVenueScoreTo parMarginof victoryRunner(s)-upPurse($)Winner'sshare ($)Ref
AIG Women's Open
202531 Jul – 3 AugJapanMiyū YamashitaRoyal Porthcawl277–112 strokesEnglandCharley HullJapanMinami Katsu9,750,0001,462,500
202422–25 AugNew ZealandLydia KoSt Andrews281−72 strokesUnited StatesNelly KordaSouth KoreaJiyai ShinUnited StatesLilia VuChinaRuoning Yin9,000,0001,350,000
202310–13 AugUnited StatesLilia VuWalton Heath274−146 strokesEnglandCharley Hull9,000,0001,350,000
20224–7 AugSouth AfricaAshleigh BuhaiMuirfield274−10Playoff[a]South KoreaChun In-gee7,300,0001,095,000
202119–22 AugSwedenAnna NordqvistCarnoustie, Championship276−121 strokeEnglandGeorgia HallSwedenMadelene SagströmUnited StatesLizette Salas5,800,000870,000
202020–23 AugGermanySophia PopovRoyal Troon, Old Course277−72 strokesThailandThidapa Suwannapura4,500,000675,000
AIG Women's British Open
20191–4 AugJapanHinako ShibunoWoburn, Marquess Course270−181 strokeUnited StatesLizette Salas4,500,000675,000
Ricoh Women's British Open
20182–5 AugEnglandGeorgia HallRoyal Lytham & St Annes271−172 strokesThailandPornanong Phatlum3,250,000490,000
20173–6 AugSouth KoreaIn-Kyung KimKingsbarns270−182 strokesEnglandJodi Ewart Shadoff3,250,000504,821
201628–31 JulThailandAriya JutanugarnWoburn, Marquess Course272−163 strokesSouth KoreaMirim LeeUnited StatesMo Martin3,000,000412,047
201530 Jul – 2 AugSouth KoreaInbee ParkTurnberry276−123 strokesSouth KoreaKo Jin-young3,000,000464,817
201410–13 JulUnited StatesMo MartinRoyal Birkdale287−11 strokeChinaShanshan FengNorwaySuzann Pettersen3,000,000474,575
20131–4 AugUnited StatesStacy LewisSt Andrews280−82 strokesSouth KoreaNa Yeon ChoiSouth KoreaHee Young Park2,750,000402,583
201213–16 SepSouth KoreaJiyai ShinRoyal Liverpool279−99 strokesSouth KoreaInbee Park2,750,000428,650
201128–31 JulTaiwanYani TsengCarnoustie272−164 strokesUnited StatesBrittany Lang2,500,000392,133
Women's British Open
201029 Jul – 1 AugTaiwanYani TsengRoyal Birkdale277−111 strokeAustraliaKatherine Hull2,500,000408,714
200930 Jul – 2 AugScotlandCatriona MatthewRoyal Lytham & St Annes285−33 strokesAustraliaKarrie Webb2,200,000335,000
200831 Jul – 3 AugSouth KoreaJiyai ShinSunningdale270−183 strokesTaiwan Yani Tseng2,100,000314,464
20072–5 AugMexicoLorena Ochoa St Andrews287−54 strokesSwedenMaria HjorthSouth KoreaJee Young Lee2,000,000320,512
20063–6 AugUnited StatesSherri SteinhauerRoyal Lytham & St Annes281−73 strokesSwedenSophie GustafsonUnited StatesCristie Kerr1,800,000305,440
200528–31 JulySouth KoreaJeong JangRoyal Birkdale272−164 strokesSweden Sophie Gustafson1,800,000280,208
200429 July – 1 AugEnglandKaren StupplesSunningdale269−195 strokesAustraliaRachel Hetherington1,600,000290,880
200331 July – 3 AugSwedenAnnika SörenstamRoyal Lytham & St Annes278−101 strokeSouth KoreaSe Ri Pak1,600,000254,880
20028–11 AugAustraliaKarrie WebbTurnberry273−152 strokesAustraliaMichelle EllisSpainPaula Martí1,500,000236,383
20012–5 AugSouth KoreaSe Ri PakSunningdale277−112 strokesSouth KoreaMi Hyun Kim1,500,000221,650
200017–20 AugSwedenSophie GustafsonRoyal Birkdale282−102 strokesUnited StatesBecky IversonUnited StatesMeg MallonSwedenLiselotte NeumannEnglandKirsty Taylor1,250,000178,000
199912–15 AugUnited StatesSherri SteinhauerWoburn, Duke's Course283−91 strokeSweden Annika Sörenstam1,000,000160,000
199813–16 AugUnited StatesSherri SteinhauerRoyal Lytham & St Annes292+41 strokeUnited StatesBrandie BurtonSweden Sophie Gustafson1,000,000162,000
199714–17 AugAustraliaKarrie WebbSunningdale269−198 strokesUnited StatesRosie Jones900,000129,938
199615–18 AugUnited StatesEmilee KleinWoburn, Duke's Course277−117 strokesUnited StatesAmy AlcottUnited StatesPenny Hammel850,000124,000
199517–20 AugAustraliaKarrie WebbWoburn, Duke's Course278−106 strokesSweden Annika SörenstamUnited StatesJill McGill600,00092,400
199411–14 AugSwedenLiselotte NeumannWoburn, Duke's Course280−83 strokesSweden Annika Sörenstam500,00080,325
Weetabix Women's British Open
1993AustraliaKaren LunnWoburn, Duke's Course2758 strokesUnited StatesBrandie Burton£300,000£50,000
1992United StatesPatty SheehanWoburn, Duke's Course207[b]3 strokesAustraliaCorinne Dibnah£300,000£50,000
1991EnglandPenny Grice-WhittakerWoburn, Duke's Course2843 strokesSwedenHelen AlfredssonEnglandDiane Barnard£150,000£25,000
1990SwedenHelen AlfredssonWoburn, Duke's Course288Playoff[c]ZimbabweJane Hill£130,000£20,000
1989United StatesJane GeddesFerndown2742 strokesBelgiumFlorence Descampe£120,000£18,000[15]
1988AustraliaCorinne DibnahLindrick295Playoff[d]United StatesSally Little£100,000£15,000
1987EnglandAlison NicholasSt Mellion2961 strokeEnglandLaura DaviesUnited StatesMuffin Spencer-Devlin£100,000£15,000[16]
Women's British Open
1986EnglandLaura DaviesRoyal Birkdale2834 strokesUnited StatesPeggy ConleySpainMarta Figueras-Dotti£60,000£9,000[17]
Burberry Women's British Open
1985United StatesBetsy KingMoor Park3002 strokesSpainMarta Figueras-Dotti£60,000£9,000[18]
Hitachi Ladies British Open
1984JapanAyako OkamotoWoburn, Duke's Course289ｰ311 strokesUnited StatesBetsy KingScotlandDale Reid£160,000[e]£24,000[19]
1983Cancelled[20]
Pretty Polly Women's British Open
1982SpainMarta Figueras-Dotti (a)Royal Birkdale2961 strokeUnited StatesRosie JonesEnglandJenny Lee Smith£23,000(£6,000)[21]
1981United StatesDebbie MasseyNorthumberland2954 strokesScotlandBelle Robertson (a)£19,000£5,600[22]
1980United StatesDebbie MasseyWentworth2941 strokeSpainMarta Figueras-Dotti (a)ScotlandBelle Robertson (a)£15,000£4,500[23]
1979South AfricaAlison SheardSouthport & Ainsdale3013 strokesEnglandMickey Walker£10,000£3,000[24]
Women's British Open
1978EnglandJanet Melville (a)Foxhills3102 strokesScotlandWilma Aitken (a)(£1,000)[11]
1977EnglandVivien SaundersLindrick Golf Club306Countback[f]EnglandMary Everard (a)£500£210[10]
1976EnglandJenny Lee Smith (a)Fulford2992 strokesRepublic of IrelandMary McKenna (a)£500(£210)[9]

(a) denotes amateur

Source for later tournaments:[25]
  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

The Women's Open has been played at the following courses, listed in order of number of times hosted (as of 2025):

Future venues

YearEditionCourseLocationDatesPreviously hosted
2026[26]50thRoyal Lytham & St AnnesLytham St Annes, Lancashire, England29 July – 2 August1998, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2018
2027[27]51stRoyal St George's Golf ClubSandwich, Kent, England28 July – 1 August

Smyth Salver

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.[28]

References

  1. ^Nichols, Beth Ann. "2025 Women's British Open prize money payouts include a record $1,462,500 to Miyu Yamashita". Golfweek. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  2. ^"Currency converter". xe.com. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
  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. ^"The R&A and AIG Extend AIG Women's Open Partnership Through 2030" (Press release). LPGA. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  6. ^"Women put up own prize money". The Glasgow Herald. 1 July 1976. p. 15.
  7. ^"Julia Greenhalgh". The Glasgow Herald. 1 September 1976. p. 15.
  8. ^"Sandra's challenge fades". The Glasgow Herald. 3 September 1976. p. 23.
  9. ^ ab"Sandra's hopes dashed". The Glasgow Herald. 4 September 1976. p. 14.
  10. ^ ab"Vivien's title on last 18". The Glasgow Herald. 3 September 1977. p. 16.
  11. ^ ab"Janet in youngest British champion". The Glasgow Herald. 29 July 1978. p. 15.
  12. ^"Cathy's 79 is fine as open scores rocket". The Glasgow Herald. 27 July 1978. p. 14.
  13. ^"The Merger That Changed the Future of Women's Golf in 2017". BTZillionNews. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  14. ^"She's Back in the Picture". www.golfdigest.com. Golf Digest. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  15. ^"Descampe charges but Geddes is champion". The Glasgow Herald. 7 August 1989. p. 18.
  16. ^"Nicholas breaks through at last". The Glasgow Herald. 3 August 1987. p. 10.
  17. ^"Laura outscores foreign invaders". The Glasgow Herald. 13 October 1986. p. 10.
  18. ^"Miss King begins a new reign". The Glasgow Herald. 7 October 1985. p. 8.
  19. ^"Dale deserves prize for her lone battle". The Glasgow Herald. 8 October 1984. p. 17.
  20. ^"Hitachi pull the plug". The Guardian. 12 March 1983. p. 13. Retrieved 29 September 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^"Professional win for a new Spanish graduate". The Glasgow Herald. 2 August 1982. p. 15.
  22. ^"Debbie pulls away from the field". The Glasgow Herald. 3 August 1981. p. 15.
  23. ^"Belle second with a 69". The Glasgow Herald. 28 July 1980. p. 13.
  24. ^"Birdie finish gives Alison British title". The Glasgow Herald. 30 July 1979. p. 15.
  25. ^"Ricoh Women's British Open Past Winners". LPGA. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  26. ^"Royal Lytham & St Annes AIG Women's Open 2026". Women's Open. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  27. ^"Royal St George's AIG Women's Open 2027". AIG Women's Open. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  28. ^https://issuu.com/lgucl/docs/lguyearbook2016Archived 30 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine LGU 2016 Yearbook
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