The AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes will feature a notable grouping for its opening two rounds, with Nelly Korda and Haeran Ryu set to play together. Both players have achieved multiple major victories this season, marking a historical first for two players in a single season. Korda secured the Chevron Championship and the US Women’s Open, while Ryu won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship.
Either Korda or Ryu could become the first player since Inbee Park in 2013 to win three majors in a calendar year. Ryu, who is pursuing a third consecutive major, will tee off at 8:42 am alongside Korda and 2024 champion Lydia Ko. These prominent three-ball groups will be part of the Featured Group coverage on Thursday, with live broadcasts beginning at 9 am.
Featured Groups and Defending Champion
Lottie Woad is also scheduled for early play as she aims to be the first Englishwoman to win a major since Georgia Hall in 2018, who also won at this venue. Woad is grouped with Aki Iwai and Andrea Lee. Defending champion Miyu Yamashita is in the opposite half of the draw, starting her round at 1:15 pm with Jeeno Thitikul and Lauren Coughlin. Yamashita is attempting to become the first back-to-back winner of a women’s major since Yani Tseng.
Charley Hull is also in the late-early half of the draw. She will be playing with Hannah Green and Brooke Henderson, looking to improve on her two runner-up finishes in the last three years at this event. England’s Alice Hewson will hit the opening tee shot at 6:30 am on Thursday, commencing the tournament for the 144-woman field.
Solheim Cup Implications and Player Form
The AIG Women’s Open also serves as the final qualifying event for European players seeking to participate in the Solheim Cup. The Team Europe roster will include the top two players from the European Solheim Cup Team points standings and the next six eligible players from the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Anna Nordqvist will then announce four captain’s picks live on Monday.
Korda’s recent form has seen a shift since her US Women’s Open victory. After a strong start to the season, she did not catch Ryu at the KPMG Women’s PGA, missed the cut at the Evian, and finished T16 at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open. This period of play follows a pattern observed in golf, where even top players experience fluctuations in performance.
Scottie Scheffler, a men’s world No. 1, recently discussed the mental demands of constant contention, likening it to the exhaustion an NFL team might experience after deep playoff runs. He emphasized the importance of resetting the mind and body. Korda has also spoken about managing pressure, stating that she prefers to limit distractions to focus on her game, acknowledging the inherent difficulty of golf.
Following her missed cut at the Evian, Korda took a week off in Prague to reset. She described this time as an opportunity to recharge and experience a more normal life, while also allowing her to practice and reconnect with her fundamentals. Her T16 finish at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, which included a final-round 69, provided preparation for the links golf conditions expected at the AIG Women’s Open.
The tournament’s opening round will be broadcast live from 9 am on Thursday.
Source: skysports.com
As Latest News UK's Sports Reporter, Hannah Whitfield reports on tennis, cricket and athletics for readers across the country. She built her name covering the county circuit and Team GB at two Commonwealth Games. She holds a degree in Sport and Media from Loughborough University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Hannah lives in Bristol, where she plays club tennis and coaches a junior side. “Sport is at its best when you let the athletes tell the story.”