The AIG Women’s Open is the much-awaited highlight on the UK calendar, standing as the pinnacle of the sport. As one of the five major championships, this year it takes place at the esteemed Walton Heath Golf Club from 10-13 August and the Surrey venue is set to provide a grand stage for the world’s best female golfers to exhibit their exceptional skills. Furthermore, this championship serves as an incredible source of inspiration for young girls and aspiring female golfers. Seeing successful female golfers in action is a powerful motivator that ultimately helps encourage participation and create a pipeline of future talent for the UK golf industry.
The Women’s Open has a rich history dating back to 1976, yet it was not recognised as a major championship by the LPGA until 1994. Formerly sponsored by Weetabix and Ricoh, the championship became the AIG Women’s Open in 2019 through a sponsorship deal that extends until 2025. AIG, in alliance with The R&A, is dedicated in helping to elevate and advance women’s golf by shining a spotlight on gender equity, especially gender pay equity. This commitment is evident in the significant increase in prize money which has more than doubled for the championship since partnering with The R&A, and this year’s winner will take home over a million dollars.
Ashleigh Buhai, 2022 AIG Women’s Open champion
(Image credit: Getty Images)
In fading light at Muirfield last year, South African Ashleigh Buhai won the hearts of the nation with an enthralling victory. After a triple-bogey on the 15th hole, she triumphed in a thrilling manner, defeating three-time major champion In Gee Chun in a four-hole, sudden-death playoff, which came 32 years on from the championship’s last play-off.
Reflecting on her remarkable achievement, Buhai recently shared, “Winning gave me the extra self-belief I needed to know that I could win in the biggest pressure situation and get the job done. I had won on the Ladies European Tour multiple times, but had not crossed the line on the LPGA. Winning in such a fashion sparked something in me and gave me the confidence to go on and win the Australian Open, South African Open, and ShopRite LPGA Classic.”
The players competing at this year’s championship will definitely face a stern test of golf on Walton Heath’s composite layout featuring holes from the Old and New Course that stretch across vast heathland. By August, firm fairways meticulously guarded by dense heather, gorse, and fescue grass, will…
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