Blockbuster finish

Major season is set to reach a thrilling crescendo when Royal Porthcawl stages the AIG Women’s Open for the very first time later this month.

The last of five women’s majors to take place in the year - and the only one to be played in the UK - the Championship gets under way on Thursday 31 July, with the winner crowned on Sunday 3 August.

Lydia Ko is the reigning Champion after gliding through the field during an inspired final round at St Andrews last year – however, no golfer has successfully defended the title since Yani Tseng in 2011.

Lilia Vu (2023), Jin-Young Ko (2019) and Inbee Park (2015) are the most recent players to have won more than one major in the same year.

Mao Saigo, Maja Stark, Minjee Lee and Grace Kim will aim to follow suit having scooped the other four majors between them in 2025. Here’s a breakdown of how they did it:

Mao Saigo (Chevron Championship, 24-27 April)

Mao prevailed in a five-strong play-off – the largest in LPGA major championship history – to pick up the biggest prize of her fledgling career.

The 20-year-old led after 54 holes, but a scratchy two-over-par final round meant she slipped into the play-off alongside an elite quartet of Ariya Jutanugarn, Hyo Joo Kim, Ruoning Yin and Lindy Duncan.

It took just one extra hole for Mao to realise her dream, sinking a three-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th to clinch the title.

Maja Stark (US Women’s Open, 29 May – 1 June)

Another first-time major winner, Maja was also required to hold off some world-class competition on her way to glory at Erin Hills.

The 25-year-old began the final day with a one-stroke lead over Julia Lopez Ramirez and a two-stroke lead over world number one Nelly Korda and Japan star Rio Takeda.

And instead of feeling the pressure, Maja thrived under the spotlight, producing a controlled even-par round which allowed her to take her place among the game’s greats.

Minjee Lee (KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, 19-22 June)

By triumphing at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Minjee moved one step closer to achieving the feted career Grand Slam.

The Australian superstar had already won the Amundi Evian Championship (2021) and the US Women’s Open (2022) before storming to victory at Fields Ranch East in June.

So tough were conditions in Texas, Minjee (-4), Auston Kim and Chanette Wannasaen (both -1) were the only players to finish under-par in the highest-scoring major on average in over a decade.

A bogey-free three-under 69 on the Saturday put Minjee in the driving seat and her class, grit and determination allowed her to seal the deal just 24 hours later.

Grace Kim (Amundi Evian Championship, 10-13 July)

Grace produced one of the most incredible comebacks in major history when she overhauled world number two Jeeno Thitikul in France.

At one stage trailing by four shots, Grace eagled the 72nd hole to force a play-off, then chipped in for birdie at the first extra hole before sinking ANOTHER eagle to take the spoils in the most dramatic fashion.