AIG Women's Open 2025 Preview, Picks & Analysis

All eyes will be on the extraordinary 21-year-old Lottie Woad at this week’s AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl. The English golfer turned professional after winning the Irish Open and missing out on a playoff at the Evian by a single stroke, before claiming the Women's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links on her pro debut, and much is expected of her as the season’s final major takes place on Welsh soil for the first time.

In 2021, she won the Welsh Women’s Open Strokeplay Championship. In May 2022, she made her debut on the Ladies European Tour at the Madrid Open and in August of the same year she won the Girls Amateur Championship. 

Woad enrolled at Florida State University in 2022 and started playing with the Florida State Seminoles team. She was WGCA Freshman of the Year, and as a junior FSU Female Athlete of the Year and ACC Golfer of the Year.

In April 2024, she won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the next month she was runner-up in the individual competition at the NCAA Division One championship. In June 2024, she climbed to the top of the world amateur rankings and in August she was named as the winner of the Mark H McCormack Medal, making her the first Englishwoman to receive the honour. In the same month she was also awarded the Smyth Salver at the Women’s Open after finishing in a tie for 10th place.

In July 2025, she won the Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour while still an amateur. She coasted to victory by six strokes. It was the first win by an amateur on the tour since 2022.

Even more extraordinary was her performance at the Evian, where she missed out on a playoff for the major by a shot. It saw her climb to 64th place in the world rankings, which is the second-highest ranking for an amateur (after Lydia Ko) since the system was launched in 2006.

Woad immediately turned professional. Her finish at the Evian earned her enough points in the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP) to secure an LPGA Tour card for 2025 and 2026. Her win at the Irish Open also earned her a Ladies European Tour card. She made her professional debut at last week’s Scottish Open and duly won the title. Make no mistake, the Women’s Open may only be her second outing as a pro but there is no doubt whatsoever that she has the game to win. Watch this space.

By coincidence, Ko is the defending champion this week. Last August, Ko ended her eight-year major drought by coming through a star-studded leaderboard to claim a dramatic victory in the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews.

The former world No. 1 overturned a three-stroke deficit during the final round at the iconic Old Course, mixing four birdies with a lone bogey - in wet and breezy conditions - to close a stunning final-round 69 and set the clubhouse target.

Overnight leader Jiyai Shin, defending champion Lilia Vu and world No. 1 Nelly Korda all had chances to catch Ko over the closing stretch but were unsuccessful, as the Olympic gold medallist finished two shots clear and secured a first major win since the 2016 Chevron Championship.

Vu could have forced a playoff with a closing birdie but finished with a three-putt bogey to share second with Shin, Ruoning Yin and Korda, who squandered a two-shot advantage over the final five holes to miss out on a second major win of the year.

Ko said: "It's pretty surreal. Winning the gold medal in Paris a couple of weeks ago, it was almost too good to be true. I said to myself, 'how is it possible for me to win the AIG Women's Open?' I'd had the most Cinderella-like story the past few weeks.

"Of all the major championships, this one I've had the least amount of confidence, because I've had the least amount of experience on links and the results haven't followed either. So to be holding this trophy right now, I can't believe it."

No golfer has successfully defended the title since Yani Tseng in 2011.

Meanwhile, Lilia Vu (2023), Jin-Young Ko (2019) and Inbee Park (2015) are the most recent players to have won more than one major in the same year.

Mao Saigo, Maja Stark, Minjee Lee and Grace Kim will aim to follow suit having claimed the other four majors between them in 2025. 

I believe that Stark may have the best chance of joining them. She won the US Open in thrilling fashion. While claiming her first major title, Stark had to hold off some world-class competition on her way to glory at Erin Hills.

The 25-year-old began the final day with a one-stroke lead over Julia Lopez Ramirez and a two-stroke lead over world number one Nelly Korda and Japan star Rio Takeda.

But instead of feeling the pressure, Stark thrived under the spotlight, producing a controlled even-par round which allowed her to take her place among the game’s greats.

Tournament Winners:

It was won in 2015 by Inbee Park, in 2016 by Ariya Jutanugarn, in 2017 by In-Kyung Kim, in 2018 by Georgia Hall, in 2019 by Hinako Shibuno, in 2020 by Sophia Popov, in 2021 by Anna Nordqvist, in 2022 by Ashleigh Buhai and last year by Lilia Vu.

The Course:

Royal Porthcawl is a stunning links course, widely recognised as being the best in Wales. It features rolling fairways, punishing, well-placed bunkers and undulating putting surfaces. If the wind blows, expect to see some big numbers. It is a par 72 that can be stretched to 7,068 yards.

Form Guide:

Most people will expect to see Nelly Korda dominate proceedings but this is links golf. Expect to see a strong European challenge led by Lottie Woad, Linn Grant, Charley Hull and Leona Maguire.

Prize Money:

The total prize fund is $9.5m with the champion collecting  $1.425m.

How to Watch:

Thursday, July 1, Sky Sports Golf, midday; Friday, August 1, Sky Sports Golf, midday; Saturday, August 2, Sky Sports Golf, midday; Sunday, August 3, Sky Sports Golf, midday.

To Win:

Lottie Woad. No ordinary rookie!

Each Way:

Nelly Korda. Hard to ignore

Each Way:

Maja Stark. Has moved up in class

Five to Follow:

Lottie Woad. Stunning talent

Nelly Korda. Will hope for calm conditions

Maja Stark. Thrilling golfer

Leona Maguire. Knows how to play links golf

Lydia Ko. Looking to make a bit of history