Women's British Open

Women's British Open
Tournament information
Location  United Kingdom
Established 1976, 40 years ago
Course(s) varies - in 2016:
Woburn Golf and Country Club,
Little Brickhill, England
Par 72 (in 2016)
Length 6,463 yards (5,910 m)
(in 2016)
Organized by Ladies' Golf Union
Tour(s) LPGA Tour (1984, 1994–)
LET (1979–)
Format Stroke play
Prize fund $3,000,000
2,200,000   (est.)
£1,750,000   (est.)
Month played July, August
Tournament record score
Aggregate 269 Karrie Webb (1997)
269 Karen Stupples (2004)
To par −19 Karrie Webb (1997)
−19 Karen Stupples (2004)
Current champion
Thailand Ariya Jutanugarn
2016 Women's British Open
Woburn Golf & CC
Location in 2016, in England

The Women's British Open is a major championship in women's professional golf. Prior to 2013, it was the only major recognized by both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour. The reigning champion is Ariya Jutanugarn, who won by three shots at Woburn Golf and Country Club in 2016 to earn her first major title.

Usually played in late July, the 2012 edition was scheduled for mid-September, due to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The 2013 event was played in early August and the 2014 event in mid-July, the week prior to the Open Championship.

Since 2007, it has been called the Ricoh Women's British Open, for sponsorship reasons. The previous twenty editions (1987–2006) were sponsored by Weetabix, a breakfast cereal.[1]

History

The practice green at Sunningdale Golf Club in 2008.

The Women's British Open was established by the Ladies' Golf Union in 1976 and was intended to serve as the women's equivalent of The Open Championship (often called the "British Open" outside the United Kingdom). At first, it was difficult for the organisers to get the most prestigious courses to agree to host the event, with the exception of Royal Birkdale, which hosted it twice during its early days — in 1982 and 1986. After nearly folding in 1983, the tournament was held at the best of the "second-tier" courses, including Woburn Golf and Country Club for ten straight years, 1987 through 1996, as well as in 1984 and 1999.

As its prestige continued to increase, more of the links courses that are in the rotation for The Open Championship, such as Turnberry (2002) and Royal Lytham & St Annes (1998, 2003, 2006) hosted the tournament, in addition to Royal Birkdale (2000, 2005, 2010). In 2007, the tournament took place at the Old Course at St Andrews for the first time. However unlike its male counterpart, the tournament has not adopted a links-only policy. This greatly increases the number of potential venues, especially the number close to the major population centres of England. Two additional Open Championship venues became first-time hosts for the women's event in the 2010s: Carnoustie (2011) and Royal Liverpool (2012). The tournament has yet to be played at four Open Championship courses: Muirfield and Royal Troon in Scotland, Royal St. George's in southeastern England, and Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

Through 1993, the tournament was an official stop only on the Ladies European Tour, with the exception of the 1984 edition, which was co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour. Starting in 1994, it became a permanent LPGA Tour event, which increased both the quality of the field and the event's prestige. It has been an official LPGA major since 2001, when it replaced the du Maurier Classic in Canada. In 2005, the starting field size was increased to 150, but only the low 65 (plus ties) survive the cut after the second round. In both 2007 and 2008 the prize fund was £1.05 million. Starting in 2009, the prize fund changed from being fixed in pounds to U.S. dollars, and is now $3.0 million.

Tied for most victories in the Women's British Open with three each are Karrie Webb of Australia and Sherri Steinhauer of the United States. Both won the tournament twice before it became an LPGA major and once after. Yani Tseng of Taiwan and Jiyai Shin of South Korea are the multiple winners as a major championship. The other multiple winner is Debbie Massey of the U.S., with consecutive wins (1980 & 1981) well before it was an LPGA co-sanctioned event.

Exemptions and qualifying events

The field for the tournament is 144, and golfers may gain a place in three ways. The overwhelming majority of the field is made up of leading players who are given exemptions. The rest of the field is made up of players who were successful in "Final Qualifying".

There were fourteen "exemption" categories as of 2011. Among the more significant are:

"Final Qualifying" is the traditional way for non-exempt players to win a place at the Women's British Open, although it has become much less meaningful since the tournament became an official LPGA event in 1994. In 2011, an 18-hole pre-qualifying competition was held two weeks before the Open, followed by an 18-hole final qualifying competition the Monday before the Open.

In addition, to permit overseas qualifying, five spots have been awarded to the top five entrants not otherwise qualified who won the highest places at the LPGA's Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in the Toledo suburb of Sylvania, Ohio. However, this qualifying method is subject to change in 2011, as that tournament will go on a one-year hiatus. Three spots are also awarded to the three LET members who finish highest in the Finnair Masters and not otherwise qualified.

The Women's World Golf Rankings have only recently begun to play a significant role in qualifying. See full list of exempt categories and qualifying rules for the 2011 tournament.

Winners

LPGA major championship

Winners of the championship as an LPGA major (2001–present):[2]

YearDatesVenueChampionCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory
Runner(s)-up Purse
($)
Winner's
share ($)
2016 Jul 28–31 England Woburn Golf and Country Club Ariya Jutanugarn Thailand Thailand 272 −16 3 strokes South Korea Mirim Lee
United States Mo Martin
3,000,000412,047
2015 Jul 30 – Aug 2 Scotland Trump Turnberry - Ailsa Course Inbee Park South Korea South Korea 276 −12 3 strokes South Korea Ko Jin-young 3,000,000464,817
2014 Jul 10–13 England Royal Birkdale Golf Club Mo Martin United States United States 287 −1 1 stroke China Shanshan Feng
Norway Suzann Pettersen
3,000,000474,575
2013 Aug 1–4 Scotland Old Course at St Andrews Stacy Lewis United States United States 280 −8 2 strokes South Korea Na Yeon Choi
South Korea Hee Young Park
2,750,000402,583
2012 Sep 13–16 England Royal Liverpool Golf Club Jiyai Shin South Korea South Korea 279 −9 9 strokes South Korea Inbee Park 2,750,000428,650
2011 Jul 28–31 Scotland Carnoustie Golf Links Yani Tseng  Taiwan 272 −16 4 strokes United States Brittany Lang 2,500,000392,133
2010 Jul 29 – Aug 1 England Royal Birkdale Golf Club Yani Tseng  Taiwan 277−11 1 stroke Australia Katherine Hull2,500,000 408,714
2009 Jul 30 – Aug 2 England Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Catriona Matthew  Scotland 285 −3 3 strokes Australia Karrie Webb2,200,000 335,000
2008 Jul 31 – Aug 3 England Sunningdale Golf Club Jiyai Shin  South Korea 270 −18 3 strokesTaiwan Yani Tseng 2,100,000 314,464
2007 Aug 2–5 Scotland Old Course at St Andrews Lorena Ochoa  Mexico 287 −5 4 strokesSweden Maria Hjorth
South Korea Jee Young Lee
2,000,000 320,512
2006 Aug 3–6 England Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Sherri Steinhauer  United States 281 −7 3 strokesSweden Sophie Gustafson
United States Cristie Kerr
1,800,000 305,440
2005 July 28–31 England Royal Birkdale Golf Club Jeong Jang  South Korea 272−16 4 strokesSweden Sophie Gustafson 1,800,000280,208
2004 July 29 – Aug 1 England Sunningdale Golf Club Karen Stupples  England 269 −19 5 strokes Australia Rachel Hetherington 1,600,000290,880
2003 July 31 – Aug 3 England Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Annika Sörenstam  Sweden 278 −10 1 stroke South Korea Se Ri Pak 1,600,000254,880
2002 Aug 8–11 Scotland Turnberry - Ailsa CourseKarrie Webb  Australia 273 −15 2 strokes Australia Michelle Ellis
Spain Paula Martí
1,500,000236,383
2001 Aug 2–5 England Sunningdale Golf Club Se Ri Pak  South Korea 277 −11 2 strokes South Korea Mi Hyun Kim 1,500,000221,650

LPGA event

Winners as a co-sanctioned LPGA tournament, but not an LPGA major (1994–2000):[2]

YearDateVenueChampionCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory
Runner(s)-up Purse
($)
Winner's
share ($)
2000 Aug 17–20England Royal Birkdale Golf Club Sophie Gustafson  Sweden 282−6 2 strokes United States Becky Iverson
United States Meg Mallon
Sweden Liselotte Neumann
England Kirsty Taylor
1,250,000178,000
1999 Aug 12–15 England Woburn Golf and Country ClubSherri Steinhauer United States 283 −5 1 stroke Sweden Annika Sörenstam 1,000,000160,000
1998 Aug 13–16 England Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf ClubSherri Steinhauer  United States 292+41 stroke United States Brandie Burton
Sweden Sophie Gustafson
1,000,000 162,000
1997 Aug 14–17 England Sunningdale Golf Club Karrie Webb  Australia 269 −19 8 strokes United States Rosie Jones 900,000129,938
1996 Aug 15–18 England Woburn Golf and Country ClubEmilee Klein  United States 277 −11 7 strokes United States Amy Alcott
United States Penny Hammel
850,000124,000
1995 Aug 17–20 England Woburn Golf and Country Club Karrie Webb  Australia 278 −10 6 strokes Sweden Annika Sörenstam
United States Jill McGill
600,00092,400
1994 Aug 11–14 England Woburn Golf and Country Club Liselotte Neumann  Sweden 280−83 strokes Sweden Annika Sörenstam 500,00080,325

LET major

Winners before the tournament became an LPGA tournament (1976–93):
(The 1984 tournament was co-sanctioned by the LET and LPGA Tour)

YearVenueChampionCountryScore
1993Woburn Golf and Country ClubKaren Lunn Australia275
1992Woburn Golf and Country ClubPatty Sheehan United States207*
1991Woburn Golf and Country ClubPenny Grice-Whittaker England284
1990Woburn Golf and Country ClubHelen Alfredsson Sweden288
1989 Ferndown Golf ClubJane Geddes United States274
1988 Lindrick Golf ClubCorinne Dibnah Australia295
1987 St Mellion Golf and Country ClubAlison Nicholas England296
1986 Royal Birkdale Golf ClubLaura Davies England283
1985 Moor Park Golf ClubBetsy King United States300
1984 Woburn Golf and Country ClubAyako Okamoto Japan289
1983 No tournament
1982Royal Birkdale Golf ClubMarta Figueras-Dotti (a) Spain296
1981Northumberland Golf ClubDebbie Massey United States295
1980Wentworth ClubDebbie Massey United States294
1979 Southport and Ainsdale Golf ClubAlison Sheard South Africa301
1978Foxhills Golf & Country ClubJanet Melville (a) England310
1977Lindrick Golf ClubVivien Saunders England306
1976Fulford Golf ClubJenny Lee Smith (a) England299

(a) denotes amateur

Major champions by nationality

This table lists the total number of titles won by golfers of each nationality as an LPGA major (2001–present).

Nationality Number
of wins
 South Korea 5
 United States 3
 Taiwan 2
 Australia 1
 England 1
 Mexico 1
 Scotland 1
 Sweden 1
 Thailand 1

Future sites

YearEditionCourseLocationDatesPreviously hosted
2017 41st Kingsbarns Golf Links Fife, Scotland 3–6 August Never
2018 42nd Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Lancashire, England August TBA 1998, 2003, 2006, 2009

References

  1. "Championship History". Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Ricoh Women's British Open Past Winners". LPGA. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
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