The AIG Women's Open takes place over the next four days at the superb Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey. Ashleigh Buhai won the event in 2022 at Muirfield, a surprise at the time, and her odds say that it would be another surprise were she to win this year (60/1).
Favorites this year include Minjee Lee, Celine Boutier, Nelly Korda and Rose Zhang. While home hopes rest on Georgia Hall and Charley Hull.
Keep up with all the action and latest updates below.
AIG WOMEN'S OPEN LEADERBOARD
AIG WOMEN'S OPEN QUICK LINKS
THE SUN IS SHINING AS WE GET UNDERWAY
Morning all, another Major is with us, and the weather in England is even bright and sunny today for the first round of the AIG Women's Open.
Will it play long? Will it score low?
The short answer, of course, is that only time will tell. But of the 30 golfers out on the course only Yan Liu is under par. But several of the overseas golfers have remarked in pre-tournament press conferences how the course is playing long, However two Englishwomen in the field disagreed.
“I think there's definitely a score out there,” reckoned Georgia Hall. “I've heard that some players have said it's long, and I disagree. I don't think it's long; I think that it plays how a Major should play. They should be tougher than other events.
“It'll be interesting to see what they do with the pins because you can tuck them in quite good spots out there. The greens are running great, so I think if you hit the fairway, you've got a good chance, but we’ll see how the scoring is on Thursday and Friday and if they need to make it hard on the weekend, I am sure they will.”
Charley Hull also believed that “it's actually playing quite short out there, and I think it will be very scoreable.”
Hull of an attitude
Charley Hull needs to play the first hole well or badly, according to her. “If I don't start with a birdie or a bogey and I just make a lot of pars, I get quite frustrated and bored. If I start with a bogey, it's like, right, I've got to fight back now and it's really interesting. And if I start with birdie, it's like, let's see how many holes I can birdie.”
She lives only half an hour from the course and has played round here earlier in the year. “I've actually played it a few times but not off these tees. Like, I've played it with my friends and we've both been off the backs, so it's actually playing quite short out there, and I think it will be very scoreable.”
She is just about to tee off in a group with two two-time two-time Major champions in Lydia Ko and World No. 1, Nelly Korda.
... and Hull starts with a par
Is that going to annoy her? Would she have preferred a bogey? It was a simple tap-in par for Hull. Playing partner Nelly Korda also makes par; but it is a bogey on the 1st for the third of the group, Lydia Ko who wnet thrigh the green with her second shot and could only scramble to 15ft.
Celine Borge withdraws
Maddie Szeryk had just missed out on qualifying when she lost out to 17-year old Belgian amateur Savannah De Bock Savannah De Bock at the end of the Final Qualifying sudden death play-off which went to seven holes. Well, it turns out it didn’t ultimately matter who won that, as Celine Borge has withdrawn from the Open and so is replaced in the field by first reserve... who is Szeryk.
Breaking the link
The Open Championship is only ever played over links courses, In its 151 editions it has also only been played at 14 clubs. But the Women’s Open is not limited to links courses, and over the past 46 editions of the event, it has gone to 19 different clubs have hosted it. This year Walton Heath has become the 20th.
Walton Heath is, and the clue is in the name, a heathland golf course, and the first heathland host of the Women’s Open since Sunningdale hosted it three times between 2001 and 2008. Heathland golf courses are one of the great glories of British golf, noted for their beauty and abundance of heather and the counties of Berkshire and Surrey are rich in some of the world’s best heathland courses. Heathlands occur on barren infertile land, which is why they became used for golf courses as farmers had no use for the land, much as how golf had grown up on linksland as that also could not be cultivated.
The past three Women’s Opens have been played at Muirfield, Carnoustie and Royal Troon, all links courses, and this has left some overseas journalists as well as the competitors a tad disorientated coming to this event as to what to expect. Rose Zhang said: “I knew that Walton Heath wasn't really a links-style golf course. When I was out here, it definitely was different from the previous British Opens that I've played, Muirfield and Carnoustie. The heather is beautiful but it's terrible to be in. Not somewhere you want to be this week. I guess this is my first time seeing heather. It's definitely a new little obstacle for me looking at the golf course and I will say that I believe the course is beautiful.”
Lydia Ko admitted that “Before I came here people said, ‘Oh, this is a heathland-style golf course,’ and I said, ‘I have no idea what that means.’ She admitted she was at first “a little sceptical because we only play over on this side of the world like a couple times and I wasn't really sure what it was going to be like. But you know, the golf course is super nice. It's in really good condition, and it actually feels more linksy than you think, and the heather definitely comes into play.”
Nelly Korda, who joshed that she had nearly broken her wrist playing out of the heather, said after her practice rounds: “You have to hit shots you normally wouldn’t on other golf courses. Typically with golf courses in the US, you have to hit it high into the greens, and here you actually can chase it up. I mean, here you have to hit low bullets so the wind doesn't affect it.”
Nasa Hataoka goes birdie-birdie
Red scores have been few and far between so far this morning, but Nasa Hataoka has birdied the 2nd and 3rd holes. She now sits alone at the top of the leaderboard at 2 under.
Korda bogeys the 2nd
She went in the heather. You don't want to do that.
Good income for the pro shop from selling balls?
Ashleigh Buhai, talking to the press after her first practice round here, said: “I don't know what those little purple flowers are for but you don't want to be in those. I said to my coach ‘If you're a weekly member here and you don't hit it straight, I think you lose a lot of golf balls’.
“So it's going to be demanding. It played quite long. I hit some 7-woods in. Greens are a lot bigger than that I thought. We can have a lot of pin placements, and especially if they are at the back, you've got to just make sure that you are diligent and hit it into the right spots on the greens.”
She tees off at 12.49pm.
Talking of the pro shop…
The first pro here was James Braid. He was appointed in 1904 and kept the role for 45 years. He had won the Open in 1901 and went on to win it again in 1905, 1906, 1908 and 1910.
A second birdie on opening hole
Gemma Dryburgh has become only the second player to birdie the 1st and she moves into T2. The previous birdie here was by 17-year-old amateur Savannah De Bock who had briefly gone into the lead as a result. De Bock is now 2 over through 8 and lies T32.
Another birdie for the leader
That's three birdies in the first five holes for Nasa Hataoka.
How do you win the Women's Open then?
You play fewer shots over 72 holes of strokeplay than anyone else. (Do you believe I get paid for this level of insight?) But how do you do that? Well the story of the past three Women's Opens is that one of the key determinants has been hitting greens in regulation. Sophia Popov, when she won in 2020, was the best in the field at that (56 greens made in regulation) and the past two champions were T2 for this stat: Anna Nordqvist in 2021 with 57 and Ashleigh Buhai last year with 58.
Hull finds heather, drops a shot
All of her group are one over par heading off towards the first of the three par 3s on the layout. Hull is playing with Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko.
Liz Young mixing it up
She started with three consecutive bogeys, and added another bogey on the 6th. But she then made three consecutive birdies. A rare, for her, par on the 10th and she lies T15 on one over.
Carlota Ciganda makes a move
Pars on the first six holes, birdies on the next two and it's 2 under and second spot on the leaderboard for the 33-year-old Spaniard.
Double bogey for Hataoka
Yikes. It was on a par 5, too. That topples her off the top of the leaderboard. Ciganda now leads.
Ashleigh Buhai – a pattern being repeated... so far
Defending champion Ashleigh Buhai has not been high on the list of many tipsters' picks for this Open as she has not been in great form of late. (She followed up a T20 at the Evian by missing the cut in Scotland.) But these results almost mirror those before her triumphant Open last year, when she had also missed the cut in Scotland and had a T15 at the Evian. She is off at 12.49pm.
Hataoka saves par on the 7th
She visited a greenside bunker, but makes par nevertheless and stays in the red numbers. She is in a four-way tied for second.
Place to see the birdies
The first of the thrice daily nature walks conducted by the RSPB has just left the Spectator Village. These promise to let participants “discover the incredible wildlife that live in and around the course, and learn how golf and nature are working together. All ages welcome, walks will last approx. 30 minutes, children's nature discovery kits will be provided.”
This is an imaginative initiative. There are lot of activities going in concurrently and complementary to the golf during the tournament with various, talks discussions, Q&As and film screenings. Many of these are taking place on the sessions stage, where Ellie Goulding will be giving a concert on Saturday evening.
Mel Reid joins the group in second place
She hit the first shot. She made the first (and only so far) eagle of this Open, which was on the par-5 6th. Now she has back-to-back-birdies on 14 and 15. She looks set to complete a trio of firsts within the next hour - first clubhouse leader.
Missing from the CV
Half of the world’s top 10 ranked golfers had morning tee times, and the last of this these off this morning was at 8.20am. The five with afternoon tee times are all out about lunchtime:
12.27pm: Celine Boutier, who is playing with Georgia Hall and Atthaya Thitul
12.38pm: Lilia Vu who is playing with Lexi Thompson and Linn Grant
12:49pm: Brooke Henderson, who is playing with Rose Zhang and defending champion Ashleigh Buhai
1pm: Allisen Corpuz and Hyo Joo Kim who are playing with Hannah Green
None of this top 10 have won the Women’s Open. Georgia Hall (15th) and defending champion Ashleigh Buhai (17th) are the highest ranked currently of the past winners.
Weird tee times? Or weird television schedule?
Sky Sports is beginning its live coverage at 11am. So why have half of the top 10 golfers in the world been sent out way before this? Is this the best way to promote women’s golf?
Sky are currently showing a magazine programme from Walton Heath and the AIG Women’s Open. Double weird – you can watch a recorded interview with someone previewing a tournament that is currently being played.
Third consecutive birdie to Mel Reid
She now leads on -2. jointly with Carlota Ciganda. Nasa Hataoka drops out of the co-lead with a bogey on the par-3 9th.
Mel Reid hitting the first shot of the tournament
Hey, there is a lot of golf to be played yet, but wouldn't it be cool, if she also ends up hitting the last shot of the tournament? Well, we Brits can have our dreams.
Today's pin sheets
Ciganda now alone at the top of leaderboard
Well I jinxed Mel Reid pretty quickly. She makes bogey on the par-3 17th and drops back to joint second. She has bogeyed two of the par 3s
The leading amateur
This is currently Savannah De Bock. The South African is at level par through 13, a shot ahead of England's Charlotte Heath who has just birdied the 14th.
What is the point of the Solheim points table?
One of the projected storylines of the week was how players performances at the AIG Women's Open are impacting the European Solheim Cup selection, as points are boosted in the event. But will they actually be much impact? The European team is to be made up the top two in the Solheim Cup points table, then the six highest-ranked players in the Rolex world rankings, with the team completed by four captain’s picks.
The top six Europeans in the world rankings are Celine Boutier (3rd), Leona Maguire (13th), Georgia Hall (15th), Charley Hull (16th), Linn Grant (19th) and Carlota Siganda (31st).
That Solheim points table seems a tad redundant if you are only to take the top two from it. What are the chances of someone playing so well that they qualify from this, yet these self same good performances not enabling them to have a satisfactory Rolex ranking?
For example, currently one and two in the Solheim Cup points table are Maja Stark and Celine Boutier. Boutier is a cert for automatic selection, as even if she slides out of the top two on the points table, she is currently the top-ranked European golfer. Stark is only the 7th best -placed European in the world rankings, but exclude Boutier, and she would be in the top six not-otherwise-qualified. Only two women have any chance of displacing either Stark or Boutier from the top two in the points table by the end of this tournament, and they are Linn Grant and Carlota Ciganda (and Ciganda would have to finish at least 2nd to do so - and she is currently first.) But all this would mean is that exactly the same people would be automatic qualifiers, just with some appearing in different qualification categories.
AIG Women’s Open live stream
The UK is about to start live television coverage. If you wish to catch the live action from wherever you are in the world, here are the details of how to watch a AIG Women’s Open live stream.
We have a clubhouse leader
And it isn't Mel Reid. Cor, I haven't half jinxed her. She will be lucky to make the cut tomorrow at this rate. Sorry. Reid made bogey on 17 and 18. So the clubhouse leader is Alison Lee, who has carded a 71 thanks to a strong finish with birdies on 16 and 18.
Handover
To explain the point of the points table (or perhaps not), and much else besides, I pass this blog over to Golf Monthly Women’s Editor, Alison Root.
JAPANESE PLAYERS IN CONTROL
Morning everyone, we're in for a great day's golf today with an ever changing leaderboard. Japan’s Kokona Sakurai and NasaHataok birdies on 5 and 6, while Carlota Ciganda drops back to -1 after a bogey on 13. World No 1 Nelly Korda has slipped to 1 over.
Dame Laura On The Tee
German amateur Chiara Horder will learn a thing or two from Laura Davies. Can you believe it was back in 1986 when a 22-year old Laura won the Women's Open at Royal Birkdale. As you'd expect huge applause.
CHARLEY IN THE RED
Easy birdie for Charley Hull on the par 5 11th to go 1 under, and birdies all round in this group as Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko are back to level par.
THAT BLASTED HEATHER
I like the way Lydia Ko made a joke about the heather, which I'm sure we'll be mentioning a LOT. She said ... "If every player went in the heather, like in similar spots, then maybe by Sunday there will be less of it because we would have really hacked out a lot."
CHARLEY HULL JOINS THE LEADERS
Back-to-back birdies for Charley Hull she's now on -2 after 12 holes, sharing the lead with Nasa Hataoka Nasa and Kokona Sakurai.
Loving Charley's green and white combo. In case you're wondering, this is from luxury Korean brand Anew.
EYE ON THE SMYTH SALVER
Impressive performance by England’s Charlotte Heath, she's the leading amateur in the clubhouse on +1.
ALL CHANGE
Nightmare for Charley Hull on the par-4 13th, heather was the culprit, she had to hack out and the result was a double bogey so she's back to level par.
Better news for Carlota Ciganda, after a birdie on the par 5 16th she's back on top at -2.
HATAOKA DROPS BACK
Expensive error for today's early leader, Nasa Hataoka, one of those sighing moments, when you miss a fairly short par putt on the par 4 15th to drop back from the leading pack to -1.
LEADER IN THE CLUBHOUSE
Great up and down par save from Carlota Ciganda on 18 after finding trouble off the tee to take the clubhouse lead at -2.
WHAT A THREEBALL
Atthaya Thitikul looking very relaxed on the 1st tee, smiley character. She's with Celine Boutier and another home favourite Georgia Hall. Can Celine Boutier make it three titles in a row, even she admits the odds are against her! Looks like green is the in colour. All three have gone left - hmm.
NELLY KORDA BACK TO LEVEL
Bit of an up and down round for Nelly Korda, like so many of the leading players, but she's back to level after a birdie on the par-4 15th.
KANG JOINS LEADERS
Danielle Kang almost took the outright lead on 17, but her birdie putt fell short. There's now five players sharing the lead on -2. Only 14 players in the red.
STEADY MAGUIRE
2nd birdie of the day for Leona Maguire on 16 to take her back to level par. Leona's so happy to have all her family at Walton Heath supporting her, especially her sister Lisa who she acknowledges as helping her tremendously behind the scenes. She's training to be a dentist, but she's off for the summer so can cheer her on.
B
EAGLE FOR HULL
Amazing eagle for Charley Hull on the par-5 16th to take her back into the red on -1.
BIRDIES AND BOGEYS
Just when you're flying, it's a double bogey for Danielle Kang on the par-4 18 which takes her out of the leading pack and back to level par.
ZHANG, HENDERSON AND BUHAI ARE OFF
Rose Zhang and Brooke Henderson hit fantastic approach shots to the 1st. They're joined by defending champion Ashleigh Buhai, who also has an outside birdie chance.
Rose was really looking forward to playing with Ashleigh. "I actually remember playing with Ashley in my first ever U.S. Open, and that's back in 2018, I believe. So I just remember her being the nicest person ever, and she would always say "hi."
BOGEY, BOGEY
Come on Georgia Hall. Two dropped shots on the two opening holes. Problems hitting it left off the tee, which means heather trouble.
A GOOD START
Rose Zhang and Brooke Henderson take advantage of their approach shots on the 1st and walk off with a birdie.
FROM AMATEUR TO PRO
Rose Zhang is the one we're all watching, the player who won had a dream start to her pro career, winning her first event earlier this year. Is she going to be the next Tiger Woods. Last year at Muirfield she won the Smyth Salver - that would be amazing if she followed that title up with a win in the main event.
TESTING PUTT
A wide of the mark putt for Nelly Korda on 18, tricky one to save par to stay on +1 and a 1 over par 73.
Phew, it's in the hole!
CHARLEY HULL IN THE MIX
What a time to strike with an eagle on the 16th, Charley Hull follows that up with par, par to finish on -1, just one shot back of the current leaders.
FAST START FOR HEDWALL
Back-to-back birdies for Caroline Hedwall on the par-4 4th and par-3 5th, so -2 through 5 holes.
PRETTY PURPLE
I'm sure some of these players aren't finding the course pretty perfect, but Walton Heath does look absolutely stunning in the sunshine and it's so good to see crowds out in force.
LINN GRANT SETS HER ROUND ALIGHT
Linn Grant birdies the par-4 3rd to kickstart her round. No birdies yet for the others in this trio. The Chevron Major Lilia Vu is level, while Lexi Thompson bogeyed the 3rd for a one over par.
DAME LAURA DAVIES RETIRES
What a shame that Laura Davies has had to pull out halfway through her round due to a wrist injury.
SIGH OF RELIEF
What a fantastic par save for Georgia Hall on the par-4 4th, you could see the relief on her face after she made the lengthy putt to stay at +2. It's definitely a grind for her at the moment.
OPENING HOLES A STRUGGLE
Looks like the first few holes are creating a lot of problems. The player of the moment, Celine Boutier is +2 after bogeying the 2nd and 4th.
Not the start that Atthaya Thitikul wanted. After 5 holes she's 5 over, but that does include a horrible 8 on the 1st hole. But she's still smiling and hopefully she'll bounce back.
HANDING OVER TO A PRO
I'm now handing over to Jo Taylor, PGA Professional at Walton Heath, she's got expert knowledge on the course, so I'm sure she'll give you a wonderful insight into the challenges these players are facing
WALTON HEATH LOOKING STUNNING IN THE SUNSHINE
Afternoon everyone! The golf course is looking stunning and proving to be a stern test. As our members will be well aware, the greens are tricky to read which is catching a few players out including world number one Nelly Korda.
PEDERSEN BREAKS OUT OF THE PACK
Emily Kristine Pedersen makes a great birdie on 16 to move to -3, moving ahead of the 5 players tied on -2
LEE6 POSTS THE FIRST SUB 70 ROUND
Jeongeun Lee6 posts the first sub 70 round, coming home in 34 to post a 69. Making great use of the 2 par 5's on the back 9 recording birdies on both holes.
FANTASTIC CROWDS SUPPORTING THE PLAYERS
Walking round the course this morning it was fabulous to see so many spectators out supporting the players. Even at 6.30am there was a crowd in the grandstand on the 1st tee watching Mel Reid get the Championship underway! The heather is glorious but penalising and the course is drying out nicely following the rain earlier in the week. The firm, fast fairways will hopefully be making an appearance by the weekend!
ZHANG SPLITS THE FAIRWAY ON 6
Perfect drive on the 6th from Rose Zhang
There's accurate, and then there's Rose Zhang.The target graphic never stood a chance! pic.twitter.com/QQMjp7EKwXAugust 10, 2023
PERFECT POSITION ON 7 FOR HENDERSON
Coming off a bogey on the par 5 6th, Brooke Henderson is in the perfect position on the 7th fairway for the right to left par 4. The right half of the fairway is the best line into this green.
FIGHT BACK FROM THITIKUL AFTER HORROR START
Atthaya Thitikul makes back to back birdies on 7 & 8 to get back to +3 after a horror start. Her 8 on the 1st and bogey on the 5th left her 5 over par. Could she mount a Jon Rahm style fightback?
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MORNING ROUNDS
Highlights from this morning's play at Walton Heath.https://t.co/97iBtRD6QG pic.twitter.com/gqJ78GXEEsAugust 10, 2023
TOUGH FRONT 9 FOR CELINE BOUTIER
Celine Boutier came into the AIG fresh off back to back wins at the Evian and at the Women's Scottish Open. Her opening 9 holes have been tough, as she posts +3 for the front 9. Coming in to the back 9 there are more scorable holes to take advantage of, including the short 10th and 2 par 5's.
LIP OUT ON 8 FOR BROOKE HENDERSON
The greens have been tough so far for the players today with many commenting on how tricky they are to ready. Brooke Henderson misses a short par putt on 8 to fall back to +2 with the ball almost doing a complete 360 round the hole.
RISK & REWARD 10TH HOLE IS A GREAT BIRDIE OPPORTUNITY
The short 10th is a great birdie opportunity this week and if the tee moves up we may even see players driving the green. Read more about the course in my Hole by Hole Guide in Golf Monthly
BUNKER SAVE FROM BOUTIER ON 10
Celine Boutier thought she had holed out from the bunker.The flag stick had other ideas. pic.twitter.com/siprsexCc4August 10, 2023
BACK TO BACK BIRDIES FOR GRANT
Linn Grant makes birdies on 9 and 10 to get back to level par. Could she catch the leaders as she moves into the more scorable back 9?
