The key takeaways from the AIG Women’s Open you may have missed…
Missed some of the action? No need to worry, here’s all the key things from this week’s AIG Women’s Open.
The final Major of the year is here, and what a stage we have set. The AIG Women’s Open is the curtain drawer on Major golf in 2024, but what are some of the takeaways from the event?
St Andrews plays host to the Women’s Open which promises to offer drama, brilliance and all-round fantastic golf. With coverage limited you may have missed a few things from this week’s action.
So, these are some key takeaways you may have missed over the course of the AIG Women’s Open.
AIG Women’s Open Takeaways: Day Three
- Two-time champion takes the lead
Two-time champion (2008, 2012) Jayai Shin shot a five-under-par 67 to claim the outright lead in the AIG Women’s Open on seven-under-par 209.
- Lottie takes the lead in the low amateur battle
England’s Lottie Woad didn’t make a single birdie on Saturday but her two bogeys were balanced out by a hole out eagle on 18 which saw her move five ahead in the race for the Smyth Salver.
- Defending champion is on the hunt
Lilia Vu isn’t giving back her trophy in a hurry, last year’s champion has shot the most consistent rounds this week and sits just one shot back of the lead.
- Nelly drops back
Nelly Korda made just two bogeys over the first 36-holes of play but Saturday was a different story. Five bogeys and a double bogey saw her lose the top spot on the leaderboard, leaving her three back on Sunday.
AIG Women’s Open Takeaways: Day Two
- Nelly Korda takes the lead
The World Number One looked back to her best form as she posted a bogey-free round of 68 to take the outright lead at St Andrews through 36 holes.
- Caddie gets player disqualified
Ana Pelaez Trivino’s challenge at St Andrews ended after her caddie use a DMD during two holes of her second round.
- Amateur Louise Rydqvist shot the low round of the day
A 5-under-par second round of 67 was the best round of the day on Friday at St Andrews. Surprisingly it came from amateur Louise Rydqvist who qualified for the championship by winning The AIG Women’s Open Amateur Series. She won the most World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) points across The St Rule Trophy, The Women’s Amateur Championship and the European Ladies’ Amateur Championship this summer to book her ticket to St Andrews. She is currently one shot ahead of England’s Lottie Woad in the Low Amateur battle.
- Korda, Vu and Hull played together and have the top spots on the leaderboard.
Has it ever happened before that the players taking the top 3 spots on the leaderboard have played every shot of the tournament together? Korda, Hull and Vu lead the way at the AIG and their combined scoring is very impressive.
RELATED: The best ball score from Charley Hull’s group is just insane!
- Catriona Matthew finishes her final Women’s Open
A birdie on the last wasn’t enough to make the cut for Catriona Matthews, but it did mean she exited the Women’s Open in style. The 2009 Champion announced this would be her last appearance at the AIG Women’s Open.
- For a change, the Road Hole wasn’t the hardest hole on the golf course
The Road Hole is famous for its difficulty, but for just the third time in Women’s Open and Open history, it wasn’t the hardest hole on the golf course. Instead it was the 11th causing havoc with an average score of 3.52 over the first two rounds. There have been 109 bogeys, 16 double bogeys and 6 triple bogeys on the par 3 so far this week.
- The wind continued to cause problems
Again the wind was gusting at over 40mph and was a serious hindrance out on the golf course. Balls were blowing on the green and off people’s tee pegs. Having said that the players dealt with this extremely well hitting loads of incredible shots straight down the middle of the fairway.
- Notable players to miss the cut
2013 Champion Stacy Lewis won’t be going back to back at St Andrews, she is one of the big names to miss the cut this weekend. Alongside her is last week’s Scottish Open Champion Lauren Coughlin. Brooke Henderson, Minjee Lee, Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh, Jennifer Kupcho and 2019 winner Hinako Shibuno are other big names to be dipping out early.
- Player’s need to make a score early at the weekend
The chasing pack need to come out with all guns blazing, not only do they have a lead to eat into, but they also need to do so early in the round. The front nine has been playing 0.78 shots easier than the back nine, so you want to get off to a quick start if possible.
AIG Women’s Open Takeaways: Day One
- Charley Hull leads The Women’s Open
Hopes of a home nation winner were well and truly alive after Thursday’s opening round play. England’s Charley Hull lead the AIG Women’s Open by one shot after a hugely impressive round of 67.
The 28-year-old battled magnificently against the strong wind at St. Andrews as she outperformed both her playing partners, which included the world number one, Nelly Korda, and the defending champion, Lilia Vu. Hull carded four birdies coming home despite windy conditions paired with the painfully slow pace of play.
She is aiming to one better than last year, where she finished runner up, and claim her maiden major championship.
- No-one escaped without a bogey
The Old Course wasn’t letting up for anybody. It was tough, very tough.
Not one golfer managed a bogey-free round. The strong winds supplied what was a true links golf test, one that proved to be too difficult for many of the top pros.
Nelly Korda was one of the closet to achieve a bogey-free round, with her only blemish of the day coming at the par three eighth.
How’d you think you would have faired during Thursday’s conditions? Let us know!
- Defending champion in contention again
Last year’s AIG Women’s Open and world number two, Lilia Vu, is once again primed to take home the championship trophy.
A well fought three under, 69, saw Vu slide into the chasing group just two shots back from Charley Hull. Vu got off to the best possible start after a birdie at the first, only to give it straight back at the par four second.
Nevertheless, the American showed her major prowess as she recovered to go out in a scintillating 33. She birdied three of the last four holes as her charge to the top of the leaderboard started to mount.
That charged was damped slightly but an even par back nine, but leaves her in a fantastic position ahead of Friday. A great start in her attempts of going back-to-back.
- The favourites going strong
Both the world number ones, in this week’s field, got off to a flying start. Nelly Korda, the professional world number one, was as composed and brilliant as ever.
Korda’s 68 meant she was only one shot back at the start of play on Friday. Birds on 17 and 18 turned a good round into a great one.
England’s Lottie Woad is the top ranked women’s amateur in the world and showed everyone exactly why during Thursday’s opening round. The amateur is looking to become the first amateur since 1982 to win the Women’s Open Championship. Her opening round of level par, certainly didn’t do her any harm.
- ‘Some of the toughest conditions I’ve ever played’
Us Brits and talking about the weather, there isn’t many better combinations. But, with winds of up to 40mph, you’ll forgive us in bringing up the conditions once more.
It was havoc around St. Andrews. Hats were blowing off, balls were wobbling on tees and even the players were left shocked.
Former Open Champio Georgia Hall said: “[This was] definitely some of the toughest conditions I’ve ever played inm for sure,” when speaking to the media.
“Just thankful it wasn’t raining, I mean, you couldn’t even read the greens because you had to think about where the wind was actually going. It was probably the windiest I’ve ever played in, it was a struggle for sure, like mentally, such a battle.”
- Carnage at the Road Hole
A hole where a round can so often be thrown away. And, on Thursday it popped up with some problems yet again.
The tee shot over the hotel is enough to make any golfers knees shake just a little as they stand over their ball.
It was Maria Hernandez who found herself in a bit of trouble, as she found her ball up against the wall. You may have seen clips of golfers attempting to hit the ball of the wall and onto the green in attempt to save par.
Unfortunately, the Spaniard had no such luck and eventually made a triple. But, the crowds enjoyed it at least.
- Slow play hinders the opening day
Although, we were treated to some excellent golf, it was marred slightly by the slow pace of play.
There were pre-tournament fears that slow play could affect the last major of the year. Those fears were realised when the star studded group of charley Hull, Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu were clocked to have taken six hours and eight minutes to complete their round.
Even the two-tee start couldn’t prevent the painfully slow pace on Thursday. The set up at the Old Course doesn’t help, as at one time there were four groups on the drivable 11th hole.
- Georgia Hall looks to replicate Royal Lytham glory
The English golfer got off to a steady start with a one-under of 71. Hall said the only thing that would beat her heroics in 2018, would be an Open win around St Andrews.
An incredible eagle on the ninth, her last hole of the day, meant she finished the day under par and with plenty of momentum going into Friday.
“This is my favorite place, like ever,” Hall said. “I prefer here than home. I just really enjoy being here and trying to make the most of the opportunity.”
- Not many going low
Just being under par would see you finish in the top-12 for the day. Altogether, there was only 17 golfers under par.
There were still plenty of big names in amongst those in the red numbers, with what looked a pretty stacked leaderboard on Thursday’s close of play.
Let’s see if the scoring will improve as the week unfolds…
Max Mcvittie
A bit of a late bloomer to the game of golf, Max fell in love with the sport when he attended Saturday coaching sessions down at his local golf club after being inspired by friends and family members.
Max has remained a member of Eden Golf Club in Carlisle for a number of years now as he looks to get his handicap down into single figures. Most of his golfing career has been spent battling a permanent slice off the tee, which has led to some ugly rounds.
Having studied at the University of Sunderland, Max is starting out his dream career in sports journalism. During his time at university, he picked up valuable work experience at Reach PLC, BBC Radio Cumbria and GiveMeSport, whilst also getting work published in the Teesside Live. He also spent time working at a local weekly newspaper, Eskdale and Liddesdale Advertiser, as a general news reporter partially covering some local sport just north of the border in Langholm.
Max has just started his journey with the NCG working as the assistant equipment editor. He looks forwarded to reviewing the latest golf equipment, taking up an interest in reviews when buying his first golf club, a Cleveland RTX wedge.
With his bag not going under too many changes throughout the last few years, Max carries an M3 driver, M2 hybrid, a set of M2 irons, Callaway Jaws wedges and a TaylorMade Spider putter. And yes, Max is a bit of a self-proclaimed TaylorMade fan boy.
