Women's British Open

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Women's Open Chamionship
Tournament information
LocationUnited Kingdom
Established1976, 46 years ago
Course(s)varies; Carnoustie Golf Links, Championship Course (in 2021)
Angus, Scotland
Par72 (in 2021)
Length6,840 yards (6,250 m) (in 2021)
Organized byThe R&A
Tour(s)LPGA Tour (1984, 1994–)
LET (1979–)
FormatStroke play
Prize fund$5,800,000
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
Sweden Anna Nordqvist
2021 Women's British Open

The Women's Open 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 Anna Nordqvist, who won by one stroke at Carnoustie Golf Links in 2021.

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.[1] 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 having its name in line with the men's and senior men's championships as the AIG Women's Open.[2]

History[]

The practice green at Sunningdale Golf Club in 2008.

The Women's British Open was established by the Ladies' Golf Union in 1976 and was intended to serve as the women's equivalent of The Open Championship. 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) and Royal Liverpool (2012), Royal Troon (2020, year where only women had The Open), and Muirfield is scheduled to host in 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 American owner.

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, the tournament is now organised by the same organisation as the men's tournament.

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 in Canada. 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 multiple winners as a major championship. 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[]

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

(a) denotes amateur

Source for later tournaments:[16]
  1. ^ In 1992 the second day was washed-out and the event reduced to 54 holes.
  2. ^ Alfredsson won with a par at the fourth extra hole.
  3. ^ Dibnah won with a birdie at the second extra hole.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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 2020):

Future venues[]

Year Edition Course Location Dates Previously hosted
2022[17] 46th Muirfield Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland TBD
2023[17] 47th Walton Heath Golf Club Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey, England TBD
2024[17] 48th St Andrews Links (Old Course) St Andrews, Fife, Scotland TBD 2007, 2013
2025[17] 49th Royal Porthcawl Golf Club[a] Porthcawl, Bridgend, Wales TBD
  1. ^ Originally scheduled to host in 2021.[18]

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.[19]

References[]

  1. ^ "Championship History". Archived from the original on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  2. ^ "Women's Open drops 'British' from title in sponsorship rebrand". BBC Sport. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Descampe charges but Geddes is champion". The Glasgow Herald. 7 August 1989. p. 18.
  4. ^ "Nicholas breaks through at last". The Glasgow Herald. 3 August 1987. p. 10.
  5. ^ "Laura outscores foreign invaders". The Glasgow Herald. 13 October 1986. p. 10.
  6. ^ "Miss King begins a new reign". The Glasgow Herald. 7 October 1985. p. 8.
  7. ^ "Dale deserves prize for her lone battle". The Glasgow Herald. 8 October 1984. p. 17.
  8. ^ "Hitachi pull the plug". The Guardian. 12 March 1983. p. 13. Retrieved 29 September 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Professional win for a new Spanish graduate". The Glasgow Herald. 2 August 1982. p. 15.
  10. ^ "Debbie pulls away from the field". The Glasgow Herald. 3 August 1981. p. 15.
  11. ^ "Belle second with a 69". The Glasgow Herald. 28 July 1980. p. 13.
  12. ^ "Birdie finish gives Alison British title". The Glasgow Herald. 30 July 1979. p. 15.
  13. ^ "Janet in youngest British champion". The Glasgow Herald. 29 July 1978. p. 15.
  14. ^ "Vivien's title on last 18". The Glasgow Herald. 3 September 1977. p. 16.
  15. ^ "Sandra's hopes dashed". The Glasgow Herald. 4 September 1976. p. 14.
  16. ^ "Ricoh Women's British Open Past Winners". LPGA. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  17. ^ a b c d Stafford, Ali (19 August 2020). "AIG Women's Open: Muirfield among three new venues for the major". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  18. ^ "Royal Porthcawl set for AIG Women's British Open debut in 2021". Today's Gofler. 31 July 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  19. ^ https://issuu.com/lgucl/docs/lguyearbook2016 LGU 2016 Yearbook

External links[]

Retrieved from ""