The AIG Women’s Open became a part of the LPGA Tour schedule in 1994 and was elevated to major championship status in 2001. This year’s event takes place at Muirfield where 144 of the world’s best women golfers will play the course designed by Old Tom Morris (1891) and later renovated by Harry Colt (1925), Tom Simpson (1930s) and Martin Hawtree (2011). Scotland hosts this major for the ninth time following trips to Royal Troon Golf Club and Carnoustie Golf Links the last two years.
Georgia Hall won the AIG Women’s Open during her rookie year in 2018 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club. The major championship win came in her home country of England in her 14th major start, and 29th total start in an official LPGA Tour event. In the last five years, Hall has demonstrated an impressive record on links golf, recording the lowest combined score to par (-34) amongst all players. Her first-, second- and third-place finishes in three of the last five years are the best of any golfer.
Lizette Salas has recorded runner-up finishes in two of the last three years. Two-time major champion Minjee Lee has earned two consecutive top-five finishes in 2020 and 2021. Hall, Salas, Lee and Sei Young Kim have separated themselves on links golf courses by being at least eight strokes better than the other competitors.
| Lowest Combined Score to Par | |
|---|---|
| AIG Women's Open Since 2017 | |
| Georgia Hall | -34 |
| Lizette Salas | -30 |
| Sei Young Kim | -28 |
| Minjee Lee | -27 |
Inbee Park leads the field this week with the greatest number of top-10 finishes in a major championship since 2014. She has 20 top 10s during this time which is three better than Lexi Thompson. Park’s last major championship victory was at the 2015 AIG Women’s Open on the Ailsa Championship Golf Course at Trump Turnberry. That week, she was the only player to record three rounds in the 60s with a final-round score of 65.
Park has an opportunity this week to surpass the major record for the most rounds in the 60s at the AIG Women’s Open. Cristie Kerr has held the record since 2013 with 15 rounds in the 60s. Karrie Webb and Sophie Gustafson each have 14 rounds in their careers with Park and Catriona Matthew entering this week at 13 rounds in the 60s.
Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko and So Yeon Ryu each won their last major at The Chevron Championship in the years 2014, 2016 and 2017, respectively. The AIG Women’s Open presents a prime opportunity to end one of their major championship droughts with each performing well in their last majors played.
Hyo Joo Kim has recorded 10 top-10 finishes in majors since winning the Amundi Evian Championship in 2014. Kim enters this week with the best major championship record of 2022 having finished in the top 10 three times, including a tie for third two weeks ago at Evian Resort Golf Club.
| Most Top-10 Finishes in Majors Since 2014 | |
|---|---|
| Inbee Park | 20 |
| Lexi Thompson | 17 |
| Lydia Ko | 15 |
| So Yeon Ryu | 15 |
Defending champion Anna Nordqvist secured her third major title at the 2021 AIG Women’s Open. Nordqvist is one win away from the career grand slam, needing wins at either The Chevron Championship or U.S. Women’s Open presented by ProMedica.
One player who could achieve that feat this week is In Gee Chun. She has three of the four majors needed to join Louise Suggs, Mickey Wright, Pat Bradley, Juli Inkster, Karrie Webb, Annika Sorenstam and Inbee Park as having completed the career grand slam. Webb had the unique distinction of earning the super career grand slam at the 2002 AIG Women’s Open as that was her fifth different major title.
Chun should look to Nordqvist’s performance last year at Carnoustie. According to data compiled in the KPMG Performance Insights, Nordqvist ranked second in strokes gained total at the 2021 AIG Women’s Open, averaging 3.47 strokes per round on the field. She gained the most strokes on her approach shots and shots within 50 yards of the edge of the green.
| Anna Nordqvist Strokes Gained | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2021 AIG Women's Open | ||
| Average | Rank | |
| Strokes gained total | 3.47 | 2nd |
| Strokes gained tee to green | 2.66 | 6th |
| Strokes gained putting | 0.81 | 25th |
The historic links provides for a pure and true test of golf in a naturally beautiful setting set close to the sea. Muirfield will challenge the field with 148 pot bunkers on the course. And as the legendary greens welcome the golfers, spectators will be equally energized with the beauty, history and total atmosphere of a picturesque golfing experience at the world’s oldest golf club.
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