Number crunching

Fans were treated to a feast of golfing excellence at Royal Porthcawl 12 months ago.

A new Champion, record crowds, crazy holes-in-one and some quite breathtaking action.

As the 50th edition of the AIG Women’s Open draws ever closer, here’s a look back on some of the key numbers from 2025:

47,000

An incredible 47,000 spectators lined the fairways, surrounded the greens and filled the Royal Porthcawl grandstands as the AIG Women’s Open became the largest women’s sporting event ever staged in Wales.

2,500

Of that 47,000, just over 2,500 were under-16s, meaning 5% of Royal Porthcawl’s total attendance made excellent use of our ‘Kids Go Free’ policy, which is in place for this year’s Championship, at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

145

Golfers from every corner of the globe travelled to Wales for the final major of the year. They included 11 previous winners, including Anna Nordqvist [below], the top 50 players in the world rankings and a host of major champions.

It was a truly elite field.

68

Spain’s Paula Martin Sampedro won the Smyth Salver – awarded to the top amateur at the AIG Women’s Open – helped in no small part by her magnificent performance in the final round.

After opening with back-to-back bogeys, Paula bounced back brilliantly, sinking five consecutive birdies from the 11th and then rounded her week off with a final birdie on the 72nd hole.

Paula completed the back nine in just 30 shots (the lowest of the week) and compiled the lowest final round of the entire field.

65

While Paula’s Sunday charge was terrific, it wasn’t the best round of the Championship.

That honour was shared by Japanese duo Minami Katsu and eventual Champion Miyu Yamashita who both carded seven-under 65s.

Miyu registered her 65 on Friday morning while Minami landed seven birdies and an eagle on the Saturday to ignite her title charge.

24

Miyu celebrated her 24th birthday on Saturday 2 August, to complete a weekend she will never forget.

21

The birthday girl would become a major champion just 24 hours later – and in doing so become the 21st different winner on the LPGA Tour that season. By the end of 2025, a record 29 different golfers would taste victory on the tour.

17

Sixteen-year-old Anna Huang [above] was the star of the show as 17 golfers came through Final Qualifying at Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club to book their places in the AIG Women’s Open field.

Amazingly, Anna opened her round with four straight birdies followed by an eagle to race to six-under-par and an ultimately unassailable lead.

Final Qualifying for Royal Lytham & St Annes will take place at St Annes Old Links on Monday 27 July.

14

A first major for Miyu, her victory represented the 14th consecutive year that a different golfer would have their name etched on the AIG Women's Open trophy.

Such is the depth of talent, no player has successfully defended the title since Jiyai Shin in 2012.

5

To win the AIG Women’s Open, every facet of your game must be on point.

Miyu got the memo.

The Japanese star excelled in nearly every metric.

She was fifth in Fairways Hit, third in Greens in Regulation and T15 for Average Putts Per Round.

It was a masterclass.

3

Eleven Asian golfers have won the AIG Women’s Open since the turn of the century – with Miyu being the second from Japan, after Hinako Shibuno [above] (2019).

And she is the third Japanese player to win the title in history, with Ayako Okamoto breaking new ground in 1984.

No golfer has won the AIG Women’s Open by a bigger margin than Ayako’s 11-shot victory at Woburn.

2

Like London buses, you wait seven years for a Championship hole-in-one … and then two come along at once!

No-one had registered an ace since Brooke Henderson at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2018 – until Steph Kyriacou stepped on Porthcawl’s 8th tee on the Friday and sank a magical tee shot.

And two days later she played her part in Mimi Rhodes’ simply astonishing hole-in-one.

Surely a once-in-a-lifetime moment for Mimi!