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
Six Australians take on US Women’s Amateur Championship
Ella Scaysbrook – during last year’s road to the semi-finals at Bandon Dunes – image USGA
Australia will field six representatives in next week’s US Women’s Amateur Championship at the Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee, all seeking to become the first Australian since Gabi Ruffels’ win in 2019 and just the second Australian in the history of the event to win golf’s greatest female amateur championship.
Victoria’s Jazy Roberts heads the group in the world women’s amateur ranking, followed by Raegen Denton, Ella Scaysbrook, Rachel Lee, Amy Hodgkins, and the amazing Sue Wooster, now 64, who has been a four-time runner-up at the US Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.
The Pete Dye-designed Honors Course has previously held several USGA events, but this is the first time it will hold either a US Men’s or Women’s Amateur championship
Roberts and Denton earn their place in the field courtesy of their standing inside the top 50 of the world amateur rankings, Scaysbrook as a result of her fine semi final finish in last year’s championship, Rachel Lee due to her qualifying via the demanding qualifying process, Hodgkins for her win in the recent Colorado Women’s Amateur and Wooster for her runner-up finish in the US Senior Women’s in 2025.
Scaysbrook will be chasing atonement for her agonising semifinal loss against eventual championship winner Megha Ganne at Bandon Dunes last year, when, after being 4 up with seven holes to play, she lost at the first extra hole.
Cassie Porter best of Australasians as Thitikul leads AIG Open
Cassie Porter gets her opening round underway – image Richard Heathcote R&A via Getty Images
Women’s golf’s number two and three players, Jeeno Thitikul and Haeran Ryu are leading and tied for second, respectively, after the opening day of the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, Thitikul ahead by two over Ryu with Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki sharing second place with Ryu.
23 year old, Thitikul, who, despite spending some time in the number one position on the Rolex World Rankings has yet to win a major title and in eight previous starts in this event has recorded only one top ten, took advantage of the slightly easier afternoon conditions on day one to move ahead of Ryu who has won the last two major championships, the Women’s KPMG PGA and the Amundi Evian Championship.
Kuwaki has yet to win on the LPGA Tour, but she is a prolific winner on the Japan Ladies Tour and is playing in just her second AIG Women’s Open, having missed the cut on debut last year.
Thitikul has spent a total of 40 weeks as the world number one and now sits behind only Nelly Korda at the top of the women’s game.
Conditions on day one at Royal Lytham & St Annes were breezy all day, but the wind strength eased in the mid-afternoon as can often be the case on British seaside courses, but her round was nonetheless impressive.
Eleven Australasians teed it up on day one, and it would be Queensland’s Cassie Porter who was the only one to break par, her round of 1 under 70 having her in a share of 17th place after birdies at her opening two holes set up a solid start to the event, her second appearance at the AIG Open.
23-year-old Porter is now into her second season on the LPGA Tour and has recorded three top tens this season with a best of 5th (twice).
“It was good, she said after her round. “I think I had zero expectations at the start of the day, because last year’s British was a bit of a tough one for me especially,” said Porter.
“But, yeah, just went out and had fun. Just thought, you know, what’s the worst that can happen. Yeah, ended up having a good day which I’m stoked about.”
When asked to describe her journey in professional golf, Porter added: “Yeah, it’s been quite the journey actually. I feel like I learn something new every day, but more just I think I just learn something new about myself every week, which is nice, and you can carry that on over.
“It just honestly just shows all your true colors out here. Shows obviously the highs, lows. It really tests you. It’s fun, the challenge of that, too, and just finding a way to get through it.
“I think that’s my biggest thing I’ve done over the last year or so.”
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and Australians Hannah Green and Robyn Choi are at even par after their opening rounds of 71 and tied for 26th place.
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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
Percy shares second behind Kelly at Senior Open Championship
Jerry Kelly claims his 14th PGA Tour Champions title – image getty Images
Cameron Percy was unable to fully capitalise on his great week at the ISPSA Handa Senior Open Championship with a breakthrough PGA Tour Champions win, but, by sharing second place with Matt Gogel and Darren Fichardt behind the winner, Jerry Kelly, he has recorded his third runner-up finish and added another US$198,000 to his already substantial earnings in his career since turning 50.
The 52-year-old Victorian began the final day in a share of the lead with the eventual winner Kelly, but despite the significantly better conditions on day four, he dropped two shots early and fell four behind the lead by the turn.
The margin was reduced to three when Percy birdied the 10th, but Kelly would play mistake-free golf on the way home, and when he added a birdie at the last he had won by two.
Percy played the back nine in 34 to gain a share of second with Gogel and Fichardt, who had both produced impressive final rounds of 63 and 66 respectively.
Percy’s runner-up finish follows his last start 5th place at the Kaulig Championship, and surely that first win is now just a matter ot time.
Percy improves 6 places to 15th in the Charles Schwab Cup standings behind Steve Alker in 8th place and Scott Hend 11th with earnings in 2026 of US$728,000.
Alker was the next best of the Australasians in 14th place this week.
For 59-year-old Kelly, it was his 14th victory on the PGA Tour Champions, and he now boasts career earnings there of close to US$16 million.
Results
Percy keeps Senior Open hopes alive with powerful finish at Gleneagles
Cameron Percy (right) and Jerry Kelly shake hands as they look ahead to another battle tomorrow – image Getty Images
52-year-old Victorian, Cameron Percy, kept his hopes of a first PGA Tour Champions victory alive with a powerful finish to round three of the ISPS Handa Senior Open at the King’s Course at the Gleneagles Resort in the highlands of Perthshire in Scotland.
Like so many others, Percy was struggling on a brutal windy day after having had the 36-hole lead and was 4 over for the day through 14 holes of today’s round and had fallen two behind American Jerry Kelly, but staged a remarkable recovery to regain at least a share of the lead with American Jerry Kelly heading into tomorrow’s final round.
A birdie at the 16th was followed by an eagle at the last and the pair were tied at 8 under and three clear of the field.
Three shots ahead as the day began, Percy battled the blustery winds and made the turn at 2 over but was still three ahead of Kelly heading into the closing nine.
Kelly would, however, birdie three of his first four holes on the way home and took the lead as Percy dropped another shot to be two behind with four to play. Then came the birdie at the 16th, and although Kelly would birdie the last, Percy’s eagle would mean the pair would tee it up together once again in tomorrow’s final round.
Kelly owns 13 PGA Tour Champions titles while, for Percy, his first win has yet to come. Perhaps tomorrow could be the day.
Steve Allan at 1 under is in a share of 8th place while Steve Alker is the next best of the Australasians at 1 over and in a share of 18th.
“Very happy with the end,” said Percy. “Struggled all day. I couldn’t hit it. I couldn’t chip it. I couldn’t putt it. Misjudging wind and pretty much did everything wrong. So to finish birdie, par, eagles, was very nice. So I’m not out of it anymore. So that’s good.
“I was trying – normally into the wind, I could pinch it to get it to go through the wind, and I can’t do it this week. I had to take three extra clubs instead of two, and at least I got them on the green, which was nice. Took me a while to work that out, and then I misjudged the wind on the back nine, 12 and 13. 12th, I thought I hit a good drive and had to chip it out, basically.
“Winning the British Open, normal British Open would be incredible. But at my age and with these guys I’m playing with, to win a Senior British Open here would be pretty cool.”
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Cooper Moore out of US Junior but not without a fight
New Zealand’s Cooper Moore added to what has been a stunning week for New Zealand golf, making it to the semi-finals of the US Junior Championship in Pennsylvania before being beaten in a very tight encounter against American Noah Maclauhlan.
Earlier in the day, Moore had defeated his fellow New Zealander Ryan Xie in the quarter-final, leading all the way after a birdie at the first hole before holding off a determined Xie to win 2&1.
In the afternoon semi-final, Moore was always behind in his match against Virginian Maclauhlan, who, with five birdies in his first eight holes, led 3 up at the turn. Then came the fightback by the Christchurch golfer.
Moore birdied the 10th and 11th holes to trail by just one through 11 holes, but a birdie at the par 3 14th by Maclauhlan would prove pivotal as it left him 2 up with four to play. Although Moore reduced the margin to just one with two to play when Maclauchlan found the hazard at the 16th, he arrived at the 18th after both had birdied the 17th, needing to win the hole to take things to extra time.
Neither player gave themselves great birdie opportunities at the last and when Maclauchlan holed out from 4 feet for par, his one-up advantage had been maintained, and a place in the finals was his.
It had, however, been a close call for the winner and he knew it.
“Cooper gave a heck of a fight,” said Maclauchlan, who made nine birdies, four pars, four bogeys and a double bogey against Moore. “Gave me a lot of stress on the back nine. He kept on pouring [in] birdies, so we weren’t going to win holes unless the other one wasn’t making birdies.
“I’m just so proud of myself on the way I handled it and got out of there alive.”
Moore was understandably disappointed not to have made the final but pleased with the manner in which he played. “When I’ve come over this side (US) before, I’ve struggled with my game and never really competed, so to compete over here is cool, said the 18-year-old. “Yeah, it’s quite nice.”
Moore will play in the International Junior Presidents Cup side later this year.
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Grace Kim best of Australasians in Scotland
Grace Kim – in action today – image Ladies European Tour
It has not been a good week thus far for the numerically strong (11) Australasian contingent at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, Grace Kim in a share of 11th place doing best at the halfway stage, but 11 shots from the leader Jenny Shin of Korea.
Shin, though, leads by five after brilliant rounds of 66 and 67 in blustery conditions over the Dundonald Links Course at Gailes on the west coast of Scotland, Germany’s Esther Henseleit her nearest chaser at this stage.
After an opening round of 74, Kim was out in a remarkable 32, and although the strong winds slowed her progress on the closing nine, she put together an extremely good round in the conditions.
New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey and Queensland’s Robyn Choi are at 5 over and tied for 49th while Hannah Green was the only other of the Australasians to make the weekend when she finished on the cut line at 6 over par.
The surprise of the event so far has been Minjee Lee, who withdrew after an opening round of 85. It continues a horror run for the 30-year-old, who has not finished better than 28th in her last eight starts. No reason at this stage for the withdrawal.
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Cameron Percy extends lead in Senior Open Championship
Cameron Percy – in action this week – image Getty Images
Victorian Cameron Percy extended his one-shot day one lead in the ISPS Senior Open Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland, following up his opening round of 63 with a round of 68 on day two in windy conditions to now lead by three over American Jerry Kelly, with another two shots back to major champions Ernie Els and Henrik Stenson and Austria’s Markus Brier.
Percy, now into his third season on the PGA Tour Champions, has yet to win but recorded three runner-up finishes last year and in 2026 has been 3rd and 5th in recent starts and now opens up this opportunity not only to win for the first time but to win a senior major.
First prize in the US2.85 million event is US$447,000.
The 52-year-old, who played the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours earlier in his career, has won close to US$3 million in his time on the PGA Tour Champions, his long hitting (averaging 296 yards) proving to be valuable at this level.
Percy recovered from a slow start to his second round, bouncing back from dropped shots at his 5th and 8th holes to record four birdies to finish with a 2-under 68 and take the significant lead into the weekend at the King’s Course at the inland Gleneagles in Perthshire.
“I mean, yesterday I hit it everywhere I was looking, so it was pretty easy,” said Percy, referring to the difference between days one and two. ”Today it was way harder trying to judge how much the wind would hit stuff. I got it around okay. That was the difference, I think.
“Obviously I’m very happy. It’s such a hard golf course. You’ve got to concentrate on every single shot. There’s no easy holes or anything. You can lose your ball on every shot. That’s what I like. It keeps me tuned in, if that makes sense.”
Queensland’s Michael Wright is the next best of the Australasians in a share of 7th place after rounds of 66 and 72 while Steve Allan is in a share of 14th and Mark Hensby 16th.
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New Zealanders Xie and Moore to face off in US Junior Quarter Finals
Ryan Xie – during his round of 16 match today – image USGA Ishika Samant
New Zealanders Ryan Xie and Cooper Moore have advanced to the quarter-finals of the US Junior Championship being played at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Auckland’s Xie comfortably won his round of 64 match against China’s Jin Jan on Wednesday, then led all the way in his Thursday morning round of 32 match against Korea’s Minhyeok Yu before a birdie at the 17th saw him win 2&1, and has made it to the quarters with a 4&3 victory over Singaporean Troy Storm.
The journey has not been quite as smooth for Christchurch’s Moore, however. The former New Zealand amateur and Australian Junior Champion, needed 22 holes in his opening match against Canadian Landon Ashcroft before a birdie saw him home, then had an easier time against Korean Geon Kang where he won 4&3, but, in his round of 16 match against Canadian Lawson Dew, he needed to birdie the last to win 1 up.
That’s the good news for both, but unfortunately for one, the journey will end at the quarter-final stage as the pair face each other on Friday morning US time in a bid to reach the semi-finals.
“Yeah, it’ll be good fun,” said Moore referring to the matchup with Xie tomorrow. “Had good battles over the last few years, so, yeah, be nice to have sort of one more before he goes to college. I think he’s won two and I’ve won one, so…”
Xie finished runner-up at the 2026 Australian Junior Amateur while Moore, who won that event in 2025, finished 3rd.
Bracket
Cooper Moore in action today – image USGA
Can the down under success continue at the Senior Open Championship
Scott Hend has played well in senior majors this year. Can he break through for a major at this level? Image: PGA of America
Senior golf takes centre stage this week when the Senior Open Championship is played at the King’s Course at Gleneagles in Auchterarder in Scotland.
Following on from the magnificent victory by Ryan Fox at Royal Birkdale last week, Australasian golfers will be keen to keep the down under success going, and to potentially do so, 14 will face the starter on Thursday.
In alphabetical order, Steve Alker, Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, Mark Brown, Michael Campbell, Greg Chalmers, Matthew Goggin, Richard Green, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, Michael Long, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy and Michael Wright all get their chance at the US$2.85 million purse and US$447,000 first prize.
Steve Alker has been well below his best in recent starts but plays an event in which he has recorded three top-tens in four starts, including a best of 3rd on debut at this venue in 2022, and so should be considered one of the best chances amongst the Australasians.
“Yeah, I love this place,” said Alker on Tuesday. “Just the countryside and the golf course itself, the shape. It’s in great shape. And you know, I was here four years ago, and it was my first Senior Open and I played well.
“I love the golf course, so it’s great to be back. My boy goes to school up in Stirling, just up the road, so it feels like home a little bit.
“It would be fantastic (to win). My wife is English. I’m kind of going after this one. This is one I’d really like to win. It’s just a matter of playing my game and trying to get in the zone, and as I said, I like the golf course, and it would be very special to win.”
Scott Hend has been one of the stars on the PGA Tour Champions and Europe’s Legends Tour in 2026 and did finish 4th in this event last year, albeit at a different venue. Hend has finished 2nd and 3rd in two of the three senior majors he has played in this season.
“Yeah, hopefully go a couple spots better than last year and play solid, said the Queenslander. “It’s always exciting to come play an R&A Championship, and we’ll see what happens.
“I’ve been playing nice. I had some issues where I had a driver break and then I had a driver stolen from my bag on my way over here from the States. Let’s see if we can still get around with hopefully the one driver I have doesn’t break because my back up was stolen in the back. Hard to get a golf club you can trust. Finally got a golf club I can trust with PING, and I was driving it good. So hopefully can keep that up.
“Yeah, obviously my next goal is to try and achieve a senior major at some point in time. To get any trophy would be great, and to get on this one would be good because then it will be at St Andrews (in the Open Championship) next year. That’s a nice little bonus that would be.”
Greg Chalmers, Richard Green, Steve Allan and Michael Wright also shape as possible contenders.
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