8 Players to Watch at The 2023 AIG Women's Open

By: Kieran Clark | Tue 08 Aug 2023

It's a bittersweet occasion when golf's major championship season draws to a close, but gratefully we have one highlight left to witness this year as the AIG Women's Open is staged at the superb Walton Heath Golf Club for the first time.

South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai survived a dramatic back-nine and resulting playoff to get her hands on the trophy 12 months ago at Muirfield and will be hoping to become the first repeat-winner of this championship since Sherri Steinhauer accomplished that back in the late 90s before the event was recognised as a major.

The Women's Open returns to England for the first time since 2019 - and with St Andrews and Royal Porthcawl on the schedule to come, this is a rare chance for English fans to follow the world's best on their doorstep.

But who will add their name to the list of champions? Here are just some names for you to follow.

Celine Boutier

The woman of the moment; Boutier secured her maiden major title on French soil at the Evian Championship a fortnight ago before following that up with a triumph at Dundonald Links in the Women's Scottish Open.

After winning in Ayrshire, the 29-year-old said: “It's completely crazy. I would have never imagined that I would be able to win not one, but two tournaments in a row, and yeah, I'm just incredibly in shock. Yeah, I don't think I know what to say or what to think. I think it's just completely out of control. I'm not sure what to think.”

How about a hat-trick of victories? That might seem unlikely, but clearly no one is playing better at this moment.

Linn Grant

The 24-year-old is just weeks removed from her first LPGA Tour win and will be looking forward to an imminent Solheim Cup debut next month. Before that, the immediate task will be contending in a major championship. There is no question that the Swede has the capabilities to be a significant factor in Surrey.

Rose Zhang

Much like Grant, American sensation Rose Zhang is viewed as a major champion in waiting. Following an amateur career that can legitimately be described as historic, in June, Zhang became the first player to win in her professional debut on the LPGA Tour since Beverly Hanson in 1951.

Since that success, the 20-year-old has posted a trio of top ten finishes in this summer's majors. It wouldn't be a surprise to see that record translated into a similar result on these shores.

Leona Maguire

The Irish star is now a proven winner on the LPGA Tour and ready for that next step of claiming a major. There was hope that moment would have come at Baltusrol during the recent Women's PGA Championship, but Maguire had a disappointing Sunday after holding the overnight lead following both the second and third rounds.

However, there is no doubt that experience will have only emboldened the 28-year-old ahead of this Women's Open.

Maja Stark

The talented Swede caused a stir during last week's Scottish Open when she made a hole-in-one on the sixth at Dundonald, where she ultimately finished in tied fourth place. Stark is second behind Linn Grant on the LET Solheim Cup Points and is a certainty to be part of the team at Finca Cortesin.

Don't be shocked if that status is declared emphatically with a strong showing at Walton Heath.

Ariya Jutanugarn

The winner of this championship at Woburn in 2016, Jutanugarn has somewhat fallen from those heights during the ensuing years, but we recently saw a welcome glimpse of her best form in finishing second behind Leona Maguire at the Meijer LPGA Classic in June.

Could the two-time major winner turn back the clock this week?

Hinako Shibuno

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

It's now four years since the Japanese player charmed and stunned the world of golf when she lifted this trophy at Woburn on her major debut and first appearance outside her homeland. Now 24, Shibuno hasn't been a prolific winner since that crowning glory, but she has been a factor in other championships, not least 12 months ago at Muirfield, and she displayed signs of life at the Scottish Open last week.

Jodi Ewart Shadoff

When it comes to home favourites, attention will be placed on Charley Hull and Georgia Hall, but English fans shouldn't overlook the chances of the ever-consistent Jodi Ewart Shadoff. Keen to boost her chances of a Solheim Cup return in September, the 35-year-old had to wait a long time (246 starts) for her first LPGA Tour win, so a belated major title wouldn't be entirely out of the question.