The final major championship of the season gets underway Thursday with the AIG Women’s Open. This year, the championship returns to Royal Lytham & St Annes for a sixth time. The best players from across the globe will compete not only for the prestige of becoming a major winner but also a $10 mil purse. Here's a look at some of the notable groups to keep an eye on at the AIG Women’s Open. All tee times are local.

Thursday, 8:42 a.m., 1st tee; Friday, 1:26 p.m., 1st tee - Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda, Haeran Ryu

Ko made magic with her win at the AIG Women’s Open in St. Andrews in 2024 on the heels of her gold medal performance at the Olympic Games. Ko will look to rediscover that form as she returns to Royal Lytham & St Annes where she produced a solid showing in a tie for 11th in 2018. Ko, who was the last to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame, will play alongside Korda, who has a chance to join her in the Hall. With a win this week, Korda would secure the final two points she needs to gain entry into the elite group. Korda captured the first two majors of the season but missed the cut in her last major start at the Amundi Evian Championship. Ryu rounds out this group and is in pursuit of her third consecutive major victory, Ryu picked up where Korda left off by winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and Amundi Evian Championship in back-to-back starts. Ryu has not cracked the top 20 at the AIG Women’s Open in her two prior appearances.

Thursday, 12:42 p.m., 1st tee; Friday, 7:48 a.m., 1st tee - Hinako Shibuno, Georgia Hall, Valentine Delon (a)

Shibuno famously won her AIG Women’s Open victory in her first tournament appearance at Woburn Club in what she thought would be a links-style test of golf. Shibuno won on the woodland layout but will face the links she anticipated when she makes her first trip to Royal Lytham & St Annes. Hall was victorious the last time the AIG Women’s Open was held at the famed layout in 2018 and became the first British winner of the championship since Catriona Matthew in 2009. Hall recently returned to competition after giving birth to her first child in February. Delon earned her spot in the field with her victory at the Women’s Amateur Championship at Muirfield, where she became the first Frenchwoman to capture the title since Celine Boutier.

Thursday, 1:15 p.m., 1st tee; Friday, 8:31 a.m., 1st tee - Miyu Yamashita, Jeeno Thitikul, Lauren Coughlin

Yamashita cruised to a two-stroke victory in 2025 at Royal Porthcawl for her maiden major title at the AIG Women’s Open. This week, she's making just her fourth appearance in the championship where she was 13th at Muirfield in 2022 and tied for 21st at Walton Heath in 2023. Thitikul is the only woman to have finished as the low amateur in back-to-back years at the AIG Women’s Open in 2018 and 2019. Her best finish in the major championship is a tie for seventh in 2022 at Muirfield. Thitikul was tied for 64th when the championship was last held at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 2018. Coughlin didn't play in 2018, during her rookie season, but has had some success on the links. Coughlin won the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open in 2024 and was tied for 13th at the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl.

Thursday, 1:26 p.m., 1st tee; Friday, 8:42 a.m., 1st tee - Charley Hull, Hannah Green, Brooke Henderson

Hull has twice finished runner-up at the AIG Women’s Open, including last year when she was two-strokes behind Yamashita. Hull missed the cut at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2018. Green has struggled to find much success at the AIG Women’s Open where her best finish was a tie for 16th in 2019 at Woburn. She was tied for 55th in 2018. Henderson, a two-time major winner, contended in the previous two majors of the year. The newly engaged Canadian will have a shot at securing the third leg of the career grand slam with a win this week at Royal Lytham & St Annes where she was tied for 11th in 2018.

For a complete list of tee times for the opening round of the AIG Women’s Open, click here. (https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/aigwomensopen/pairings)

How to watch (all times ET)

Television:

Thursday, July 30: 4:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. on Golf Channel and 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on USA Network

Friday, July 31: 4:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. on Golf Channel and 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on USA Network

Saturday, August 1: 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on USA Network and 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. on NBC

Sunday, August 2: 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on USA Network and 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. on NBC

Featured Groups: 2026 AIG Women’s Open

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