Australasian chances under question for AIG Women’s Open
Justice Bosio – one of two AIG Open debutantes amongst the 11 Australasians in the field – image LET
The final major of the year for world golf, the AIG Women’s Open, is played this week at Royal Lytham & St Annes in the northwest of England, where eleven Australasians take on one of Great Britain’s finest links courses.
In World Ranking order, Hannah Green, Lydia Ko, Minjee Lee, Grace Kim, Karis Davidson, Cassie Porter, Stephanie Kyriacou, Robyn Choi, Kelsey Bennett, Amelia Garvey and Justice Bosio all get their chance at claiming a piece of the US$10 million prize fund.
Australasians have won this event on five occasions, Karrie Webb successful in three of those wins while Corine Dibnah and Karen Lunn won in the early 1990s long before the event became an LPGA Tour or major championship.
New Zealander Lydia Ko won at the Home of Golf (St Andrews) in 2024 and is playing her 15th AIG Women’s Open, although her win two years ago was one of only two top tens in those 14 previous starts.
Queensland Bosio was the last of the group into the field, having gained her right to play in her first major championship via the Final Qualifying on Monday, where she finished third of the 13 who played their way into the field at the nearby St Annes Links
“I came out yesterday and played a practice round, and it was very windy, so I think that helped today,” said Bosio. “It’s my first links golf since The Women’s Amateur at Prince’s in 2023. Where I struggle sometimes on links courses is in creativity, but I visualised all my shots pretty well today.
“It’s really exciting to qualify for my first major. It’s my rookie season on the Ladies’ European Tour and I’ve just come back from three weeks off at home. Previously, I had some good form with a tied-second at the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open and tied-fifth at the Dutch Ladies Open. I had confidence in my game.”
Hannah Green is the leading world-ranked Australasian in the field, but in nine previous attempts in AIG Opens and, in the main on traditional links courses, she has a best of 16th and has actually missed her last three cuts in the event. The West Australian has also lost the great form she was in earlier in the year.
Lydia Ko did not play in Scotland last week, but her most recent form has been encouraging, having recorded two top tens in her last four starts this season.
Minjee Lee, on the other hand, appears to have lost her way in recent starts. In her last nine starts this season, she has not recorded a better finish than 28th, and in her last three starts she has missed two cuts and withdrew from last week’s ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open.
Karis Davidson has been the interesting story amongst the Australians this year, having made the cut in all four of her major championship starts, and although she missed the cut last week, her performance will be of interest.
The AIG Women’s Open debutantes amongst the 11 Australasians are Queensland’s Bosio and Robyn Choi, all others having played at least one AIG Open.
Royal Lytham & St Annes – image R&A
