AIG Women's British Open

The girls are coming back to Woburn. The best in the world. They are coming to play the $3.25 million AIG Women’s British Open over the Marquess Course, August 1-4.

Georgia Hall headlines a marquee field as she defends the title she won at Royal Lytham last year. She will feel she has an advantage since Woburn is her home from home. She spends a lot of time at the club under the watchful eye of Woburn Head Professional, Dan Grieve. She and Grieve got together in June 2015. Hall’s game took off. She did not just win her first major, but made her Solheim Cup debut in 2017 and topped the Ladies European Tour order of merit in 2017 and 2018.

“Woburn has three great courses and the Tavistock Short Game Area has really helped my short game,” Hall said. “I’m looking forward to defending my title over the Marquess Course.”

Ariya Jutanugarn returns as Woburn’s first major winner. She won the Women’s British Open in 2016 when Ricoh was title sponsor. Jutanugarn returned a 16-under-par 274, one shot better than Matthew Fitzpatrick’s 15-under tally while winning the 2015 British Masters supported by Sky Sports and hosted by Ian Poulter, Woburn’s Tournament Professional.

Woburn attracted 51,950 spectators for the 2016 Ricoh Women’s British Open. Tournament organisers expect the same crowds this year. Local girl, Charley Hull will draw much of that support, having had an association with Woburn since she was eleven years old.

It is perhaps fitting Woburn is staging its second women’s major in three years considering the current focus on getting women and girls into golf. Woburn has been promoting the women’s game since 1984 when Japan’s, Ayako Okamoto won the first Women’s British Open staged over the Duke’s Course. Woburn is the spiritual home of the Women’s British Open. No club has hosted the event more. This year marks the 11th staging of British golf’s premier women’s event.

Helen Alfredsson, Liselotte Neumann, Patty Sheehan, Sheri Steinhauer and Karrie Webb are the “names” to follow in Okamoto’s footsteps. Meanwhile, the Ford Ladies Classic was a permanent fixture at Woburn between 1982- 1994 over the Duke’s and Duchess’ courses. Notable winners include Dame Laura Davies,

Marie-Laure De Lorenzi, Katrina Douglas, Catrin Nilsmark, Dale Reid and Gillian Stewart.

It’s not just the top women who have experienced Woburn’s excellent courses. Seventeen British Masters have been staged at Woburn, with Fitzpatrick joining Greg Norman, Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros, Sandy Lyle, Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Justin Rose. Poulter finished second to Rose in 2002, but began his association with the club as tournament professional. The Staysure Tour Travis Perkins Masters was a regular fixture on the Duke’s course between 2001 and 2018, with Colin Montgomerie winning three consecutive years from 2013.

No wonder Woburn remains high on the list of must play venues for so many. With excellent facilities and three British top 100 courses in fantastic mature woodland just a few miles from the M1, it is an easy destination to reach. The Marquess might not be so easy when the girls are back in August, but it will be challenging.