Thanks to her victory at the 1986 AIG Women’s Open, Dame Laura Davies has been assured of her place in the tournament for decades.
Now aged 60, the 2024 edition at the Old Course, St Andrews marks the final year of her exemption, although she has opted not to take her place in the field for Major.
Davies explained to Sky Sports why she has decided against a final appearance at the event, beginning by offering an honest assessment of the state of her game at present.
"I'm just not playing enough golf now to warrant a spot in the field," she said. “As it gets closer, I'm getting sadder and sadder with the fact I'm not going to be playing there.”
Davies then admitted that the decision to concentrate on her broadcasting duties for Sky Sports rather than compete had not been an easy one. She said: "It has been a week that I've always looked forward to. It was a really tough decision, but I think it's the right decision. I wouldn't be looking forward to it because my game is not good enough."
Davies revealed that her increasing involvement in the studio had impacted her ability to remain competitive. "Since I've been commentating, I've played less and less golf," she explained. "I'll still play some seniors golf, but when I turn up to play against younger players, the game is just not good enough.
"Initially, when I was just doing five or six events commentating a year, it was fine because I was playing enough golf. I had a spell where I didn't play for eight months and by the time I came back and tried to play, the game was just gone and the mindset was gone."
Even the prospect of finishing her Major career by crossing the iconic Swilcan Bridge at the Home of Golf was not enough to persuade her to make one final appearance this week.
She said: "If you're just turning up because you just want to cross the bridge at 18, it's for the wrong reason. I like to be the centre of attention for playing great golf, not just for the sake of being there.”
Davies’ decision to call time on her AIG Women’s Open career is not entirely surprising after she hinted at last year’s Walton Heath event that it could be her final appearance.
Before the tournament, she said: "This week might be my last one," and then only completed six holes before a wrist injury forced her withdrawal.
Following that disappointment, she admitted to Sky Sports she was still hopeful of an appearance this year, saying: “If I feel my game is good enough, I will have a go at St Andrews. It's my favorite golf course in the world so couldn't be better, but I'm not going to go there if I'm playing really horrible golf.”
Given her form, she has been true to her word, meaning that for the first time since the 1979 edition, the tournament will not have Davies in the field.
