Dame Laura Davies, who played in the AIG Women’s Open a record 43 consecutive times, leads the celebrations as the championship marks its 50th edition at Royal Lytham & St Annes this summer
The AIG Women’s Open has come a long way since 1976, when a handful of players competed for a prize fund of £500 — partly funded by the players themselves. Fifty years on, the championship carries a purse of $10 million and returns to Royal Lytham & St Annes from 29 July to 2 August as one of the five majors in women’s golf.
To mark 50 days until the start of the 50th edition, The R&A has released a celebratory film featuring Dame Laura Davies — four-time major champion, 1986 AIG Women’s Open champion and the player who appeared in the event a record 43 consecutive times.
“When I think about the AIG Women’s Open, I think about the women who helped build it,” Davies said. “They competed because they loved the game and believed women’s golf deserved a bigger stage. What they achieved created opportunities for every generation that followed.”
From £500 to $10 million
The numbers tell their own story. The championship has produced 42 champions from 15 countries across 22 UK venues. Since AIG became title partner in 2019, the prize fund has more than trebled — this year marking the sixth consecutive annual increase.
Royal Lytham & St Annes has been the stage for some of the championship’s most memorable chapters. Annika Sörenstam, Catriona Matthew and Georgia Hall have all lifted the trophy there. This summer it hosts the 50th edition, with expanded global broadcast coverage and a player experience that the LPGA has ranked as the best on tour for the past two years.
What it means to win
Davies, who won the championship aged 22, says the essence of the event has never changed despite the transformation in scale and profile.
“The crowds are bigger, the coverage is bigger and the opportunities for players are greater than ever before,” she said. “But what has never changed is what it means to win this Championship.”
The 50th AIG Women’s Open is a chance to celebrate how far the game has come, recognise the people who helped get it there and inspire the next generation to dream even bigger.”
The championship takes place at Royal Lytham & St Annes from 29 July to 2 August. Under The R&A’s Kids Go Free initiative, under-16s can attend at no charge with a paying adult; tickets for those aged 16–24 are half price. Full ticket and hospitality information is at aigwomensopen.com.
Photo Credit: David Cannon Collection/Getty Images
