MAGAZINE 2026-27
This year also marks a special milestone - the Lytham Championship will be its 50th edition, and promises to deliver a memorable week of world class golf in a venue steeped in history. The course has hosted numerous prestigious tournaments, including 11 Opens and two Ryder Cups, and is noted for its unique combination of seaside elements and inland challenges. Featuring 206 bunkers, Royal Lytham can test the skills and strategies of any player.
Royal Lytham has staged the Championship five times. Across the years the game’s finest female players have brought their best stuff to the beautiful Lancashire links, and 2026 should provide the usual mix of high quality and high drama.
The AIG Women’s Open is one of the five major championships in women’s golf, and often conjures up thrilling competition showcasing exceptional talent and grit. As a major Championship, it holds significant weight, influencing rankings and providing a platform for emerging talent.
One of the highlights of the Championship is the Smyth Salver, awarded to the best-performing amateur. This prestigious accolade has served as a springboard for many future stars, including Lydia Ko and Georgia Hall.
At time of writing, Jeeno Thitikul is the world’s top-ranked player. The young Thai woman who says she became a pro golfer to take care of her family, made a lasting impression as a 15-year-old amateur at the 2018 AIG Women’s Open. She not only made the cut but also took home the Smyth Salver. The following year Jeeno qualified for her third consecutive Women’s Open as an amateur and won her second Smyth Salver at Woburn Golf Club, matching Lydia Ko who’d won the prize back-to-back in 2012 and ‘13 (she was joint winner with Georgia Hall). Since then, Jeeno has solidified her position as one of golf's brightest and most grounded young talents on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour.
World class golf in a venue steeped in history
Now a seasoned professional, South Korean Amy Yang will be another notable competitor at Royal Lytham where she won the Smyth Salver back in 2006 at just 17 years old.
Georgia Hall’s victory in 2018 aged 22 remains particularly significant, marking the last time an English player lifted the trophy. This year she’s aiming to return to Royal Lytham with the new perspective of being a mum. Her first child, a boy, came into the world earlier this year, and of motherhood she said while pregnant, “It will bring a different purpose and view on my golf as a whole. I'm looking at coming back around June time, maybe late June. And obviously for me to come back and play where I won in 2018 is very special and I don’t want to miss it for a number of reasons. That's been my main focus and why I'm coming back so soon.”
Catriona Matthew is no stranger to this mind set. Her Women’s Open victory at Royal Lytham in 2009 was chalked up just 11 weeks after she gave birth to her second child. It was an extraordinary achievement, and a reminder of the challenges faced by female athletes who desire both a family and sporting success. Catriona’s journey has been remarkable - from an amateur debut in 1993, to becoming a major champion and two-time Solheim Cup-winning captain. On the subject of her Lytham victory - by three shots - she is very modest.
"If we’re being brutally honest, it was zero preparation really, wasn’t it," she recalls. "I think going into that week at Lytham I was probably more relaxed than I had been in ones previously where I’d obviously been playing well, and you always want to do well and perform in your home Open.
"I probably put too much pressure on myself, so that one I actually came in with so little preparation I wasn’t expecting too much. I probably came in with less pressure on myself, which obviously helped. You just wish you could have played every week with less expectation on yourself.
"Obviously as a British person the AIG Women’s Open is the one you’d want to win. I think being on courses like Troon, Lytham, Birkdale, where the men’s Open is played, just elevates the event as well.
“They're courses the public know and they’ve seen Seve playing out the car park at Lytham, for example, so they can kind of relate to the golf courses."
The AIG Women’s Open has evolved significantly since its inception in 1976, showcasing the growth of women’s golf. The Championship has become a cornerstone of the sport’s calendar, and Georgia Hall notes the positive changes, emphasizing the importance of inspiring young talent to pursue their dreams.
It's great to see how much it's grown over the years
“It's great to see how much it's grown over the years,” she says. “More media coverage, more fans and fan interaction, and triple the prize money. It’s so nice to come here and be part of it, it’s very special. I’m not sure how it can get much better really. I think it’s great for the younger generation, the boys and girls, to come and watch and see that if they want to do it, one day, they can.”
Participation in golf by girls and women has increased considerably since 2020 and the pandemic bounce, with female golfers now making up 20% of on-course adult players in Britain and Ireland, up from 15% in 2019. Off-course offers like simulators and driving ranges are also serving to introduce girls and women to the game - though female members of golf clubs account for around only 14% of the total, with a noticeable lack of representation in the 20-50 age range. Efforts to encourage more female participation include the work of the Golf Foundation, which introduced over 106,000 girls to the sport through schools and community groups in 2024/25.
At Royal Lytham you’ll have the opportunity to watch reigning champion Miyu Yamashita defend her title. The Japanese player lifted the trophy last year at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.
And if you or a friend or family member are interested in taking up the game, there’ll be various fun activities and tasters designed to make introductions for both children and adults.
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club is easily accessible from major transport hubs, and the club is located near the town centre. In Lytham you can stroll along the promenade, explore sandy beaches, and visit the iconic Lytham Windmill and its museum. If, like Donald Trump, you believe windmills kill whales, you can skip this attraction and instead enjoy a leisurely walk in Lytham Hall’s beautiful gardens, or do a little shopping in local boutiques. The area boasts a range of excellent cafes and restaurants and, for nature lovers, the nearby Fairhaven Lake provides lovely walking paths, birdwatching and boating opportunities, along with an adventure golf course for the kids.
