Qualification routes

Elite players from across the globe have the opportunity to earn their place at the AIG Women’s Open through an array of different qualification pathways.

The Championship’s 50th edition will take place at Royal Lytham & St Annes from 29 July to 2 August 2026, with the world’s best golfers competing for glory in the final major of the year.

Past Champions, major winners and top amateurs are just some of the players to have already sealed a spot at this summer’s AIG Women’s Open, with an array of opportunities remaining for those yet to qualify.

A full list of qualification pathways, along with players who have already gained an exemption, can be found below.

Exempt players

A - F

Casandra Alexander; Pajaree Anannarukarn; Yuna Araki; Kajsa Arwefjall; Aditi Ashok; Pia Babnik; Jenny Bae; Kelsey Bennett; Justice Bosio; Celine Boutier; Vanessa Bouvet; Helen Briem; Nicole Broch Estrup; Ashleigh Buhai; Carolina Chacarra; Hye-Jin Choi; Robyn Choi; In Gee Chun; Carlota Ciganda; Allisen Corpuz; Lauren Coughlin; Lauren Crump (a); Diksha Dagar; Daniela Darquea; Karis Davidson; Perrine Delacour; Valentine Delon (a); Manon De Roey; Amanda Doherty; Lindy Duncan; Jodi Ewart Shadoff; Alexandra Forsterling; Anna Foster; Annabell Fuller; Ayaka Furue.

G - L

Cara Gainer; Amelia Garvey; Linn Grant; Hannah Green; Melanie Green; Nataliya Guseva; Georgia Hall; Esme Hamilton; Erika Hara; Leonie Harm; Darcey Harry; Nasa Hataoka; Brooke Henderson; Esther Henseleit; Alice Hewson; Jungmin Hong; Wei-ling Hsu; Anna Huang; Charley Hull; Youmin Hwang; Jin Hee Im; Akie Iwai; Chisato Iwai; Soo Bin Joo; Ariya Jutanugarn; Minji Kang; Minami Katsu; Megan Khang; A Lim Kim; Auston Kim; Gina Kim; Grace Kim; Hyo Joo Kim; I K Kim; Min-sol Kim; Min Sun7 Kim, Sei Young Kim; Jin Young Ko; Lydia Ko; Noora Komulainen; Nelly Korda; Sara Kouskova; Jennifer Kupcho; Shiho Kuwaki; Steph Kyriacou; Agathe Laisne; Alison Lee; Andrea Lee; Mi Hyang Lee; Minjee Lee; Somi Lee; Lucy Li; Yan Liu; Yu Liu; Gaby Lopez; Julia Lopez Ramirez.

M - Z

Polly Mack; Nanna Koerstz Madsen; Leona Maguire; Maria Jose Marin (a); Paula Martin Sampedro (a); Nastasia Nadaud; Kana Nagai; Charlotte Naughton (a); Yealimi Noh; Anna Nordqvist; Ryann O'Toole; Ana Pelaez Trivino; Sophia Popov; Cassie Porter; Mimi Rhodes; Kiara Romero (a); Pauline Roussin-Bouchard; Haeran Ryu; Mao Saigo; Shuri Sakuma; Yuka Saso; Hinako Shibuno; Jenny Shin; Jiyai Shin; Maja Stark; Fuka Suga; Sayaka Takahashi; Rio Takeda; Chiara Tamburlini; Shannon Tan; Smilla Tarning Soenderby; Patty Tavatanakit; Carla Tejedo Mulet; Jeeno Thitikul; Yani Tseng; Aunchisa Utama; Lilia Vu; Lauren Walsh; Chanettee Wannasaen; Bel Wardle; Dewi Weber; Chloe Williams; Yana Wilson; Lottie Woad; Miyu Yamashita; Jing Yan; Amy Yang; Yunseo Yang (a); Ruoning Yin; Ina Yoon; Arpichaya Yubol; Anna Zanusso; Rose Zhang; Weiwei Zhang.

Exemptions pre-2026

• Past Champions aged 60 or under on Sunday 2 August 2026 (for all Champions up until 2024).

• Past Champions aged 55 or under on Sunday 2 August 2026 (for all Champions from 2025).

• Major champions from 2022 to 2025 (winners of the Chevron Championship, US Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Amundi Evian Championship).

• Top 10 and ties in the 2025 AIG Women’s Open.

• Any player who did not compete in the 2025 AIG Women’s Open due to maternity.

• 2025 US Women’s Amateur Champion*

• 2025 Mark H McCormack Medal winner*

• Winner of the 2025 KLPGA Money List

• 2025 Women’s Amateur Latin America Champion*

• Top 15 LET players in the 2025 Final Order of Merit.

• Winner of the 2025 JLPGA Mercedes Ranking.

• Top 35 players in the 2025 LPGA Final CME Points List.

February 2026

• Winner of Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions (winner Nelly Korda already exempt).

• Winner of PIF Saudi Ladies Invitational (winner Charley Hull already exempt).

• Winner of Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific* (Yunseo Yang won to gain exemption).

• Winner of Honda LPGA Thailand (winner Jeeno Thitikul already exempt).

March 2026

• Winner of HSBC Women’s World Championship (Hannah Green won to gain exemption).

• Winner of Ford Women’s NSW Open (Agathe Laisne won to gain exemption).

• Winner of Blue Bay Invitational (Mi Hyang Lee won to gain exemption).

• Winner of Australia Women’s Classic (Kelsey Bennett won to gain exemption).

• Winner of Women’s Australian Open (winner Hannah Green already exempt).

• Winner of Fortinet Founders Cup (winner Hyojoo Kim already exempt).

• Winner of Australian WPGA Championship (winner Hannah Green already exempt).

• Winner of Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass (winner Hyojoo Kim already exempt).

April 2026

• Augusta National Women’s Amateur Champion* (María José Marín already exempt as winner of Women's Amateur Latin America).

• Winner of Aramco Championship (winner Lauren Coughlin already exempt).

• Winner of JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro (winner Hannah Green already exempt).

• Winner of Joburg Ladies Open (winner Agathe Laisne already exempt).

• Chevron Championship Champion (winner Nelly Korda already exempt).

• Investec SA Women’s Open winner (Esme Hamilton won to gain exemption).

May 2026

• Winner of MCB Ladies Classic – Mauritius (Smilla Tarning Soenderby won to gain exemption).

• Winner of Mexico Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba (winner Nelly Korda already exempt).

• Winner of Mizuho Americas Open (winner Jeeno Thitikul already exempt).

• Winner of Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G (winner Lottie Woad already exempt).

• Winner of Amundi German Masters (Leonie Harm won to gain exemption).

• Winner of Lalla Meryem Cup (winner Anna Huang already exempt).

• Winner of Jabra Ladies Open de France (winner Helen Briem already exempt).

• Winner of Shoprite LPGA powered by Wakefern (winner Celine Boutier already exempt).

June 2026

• US Women’s Open Champion presented by Ally (winner Nelly Korda already exempt).

• Leading two golfers (not already exempt) who make the cut in the 2026 Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open (Shiho Kuwaki and Kana Nagai).

• Top 3 (not already exempt) from the 2026 JLPGA Mercedes Ranking on completion of the JLPGA 2026 Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open (Yui Kawamoto, Fuka Suga and Sayaka Takahashi).

• The leading golfer (not already exempt) who makes the cut at the Mercedes-Benz Korea Women’s Open (Min-sol Kim).

• Winner of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give (winner Miyu Yamashita already exempt).

• Winner of the Dutch Ladies Open (Aunchisa Utama).

• Women’s Amateur Champion* (Valentine Delon).

• Winner of Tipsport Czech Ladies Open (Noora Komulainen).

• KPMG Women’s PGA Champion (winner Haeran Ryu already exempt).

• Top 50 players on the Rolex Rankings.

July 2026

• Winner of Hulencourt Women’s Open (Carolina Chacarra).

• Top 5 (not already exempt) from the 2026 LET Order of Merit (Alexandra Forsterling, Pia Babnik, Diksha Dagar, Anna Zanusso, Kajsa Arwefjall).

• Top 25 (not already exempt) from the 2026 LPGA Race to CME Globe Season (Arpichaya Yubol, Yana Wilson, Cassie Porter, Yu Liu, Jenny Bae, Gina Kim, Leona Maguire, Weiwei Zhang, Dewi Weber, Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Karis Davidson, Minji Kang, Erika Hara, Jing Yan, Aditi Ashok, Pajaree Anannarukarn, Robyn Choi, Soo Bin Joo, Rose Zhang, Jenny Shin, Lucy Li, Melanie Green, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Ryann O'Toole, Julia Lopez Ramirez).

• Top two (not already exempt) from the 2026 KLPGA Money List (Min Sun7 Kim & Shinsil Bang (not playing)).

• Amundi Evian Championship Champion (Haeran Ryu already exempt).

• Pre-Qualifying – Delamere Forest (13 July). Places at Final Qualifying available.

• Winner of ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open (Jenny Shin already exempt)

• Leading three golfers (not already exempt) who make the cut in the 2026 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open (Chanettee Wannasaen, Daniela Darquea & Nataliya Guseva).

• European Ladies’ Amateur Champion* (Charlotte Naughton).

• Women’s Amateur Series Winner* (Charlotte Naughton already exempt as European Ladies' Amateur Champion).

• Final Qualifying, number of places (13 players qualified on 27 July).

*The winner must maintain their amateur status to take up the exemption.