Click here for the field at the 2018 Ricoh Women's British Open.
Ariya Jutanugarn Headlines the Field in England
The world’s top-ranked players made the trip across the pond for the season’s fourth major, the Ricoh Women’s British Open, where 19 of the top 20 players in the Rolex Rankings will compete. World No. 5 Lexi Thompson is the only player from the top-20 absent from the field this week at Royal Lytham & St Annes. The top-ranked American withdrew from the championship last week to rest and recharge after what Thompson described as a difficult year and a half, which has “taken a tremendous toll” both mentally and emotionally.
Ariya Jutanugarn headlines the field as the new top-ranked player in the Rolex Rankings following her victory at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open. Monday, Jutanugarn climbed from No. 3 to No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings, replacing Inbee Park, who moved to No. 2. Jutanugarn won the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Woburn in 2016, when she made history as the first player from Thailand to win one of golf’s major championships. She added a second major to her resume in May at the U.S. Women’s Open.
Also in the field this week is world No. 3 Sung Hyun Park, who won the season’s third major championship in Chicago at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She defeated world No. 4 So Yeon Ryu, who is also in the field in England. Rounding out the top-10 in the field are No. 6 Shanshan Feng, No. 7 In-Kyung Kim, No. 8 Minjee Lee, No. 9 Jessica Korda and No. 10 Hye Jin Choi.
Inbee Park Returns to the Tour
Inbee Park, who won her last major championship at the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Turnberry in 2015, returns to action this week. The world No. 2 hasn’t competed on Tour since missing the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June, but the Hall of Famer should feel confident in her return to action as she has consistently played well in the United Kingdom where she has four top 10s in addition to her victory in 2015.
In-Kyung Kim Defends
In-Kyung Kim recorded a career best season in 2017. The Korean was one of the hottest players during last year’s summer stretch, when she won three times in two months including her victory at the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns, where she captured her first major title. Kim held both the 36 and 54-hole leads and won by two-strokes ahead of Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who carded a 64 on Sunday.
This year, the defending champion doesn’t arrive as hot a player as she was last season, but she has recorded four top 10s to start the year, including a 7th place finish at last week’s event in Scotland. Kim tells LPGA.com that Royal Lytham & St Annes is her favorite course and she is excited to return to the venue where she last competed in 2009, when she finished T20.
Former Champions In The Field
This week, Lytham & St Annes hosts the Ricoh Women’s British Open for the fourth time since becoming a major on the LPGA Tour schedule in 2001.
In 2003, Annika Sorenstam won an epic battle with fellow Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak to complete the Career Grand Slam at Royal Lytham & St Annes. Sherri Steinhauer won in 2006 and European Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew won her first major in 2009.
This week, Matthew is joined in the field by fellow Ricoh Women’s British Open champions In-Kyung Kim, Ariya Jutanugarn, Inbee Park, Mo Martin, Yani Tseng and Karrie Webb.
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