Magic moments (50-41)

Since 1976, the AIG Women’s Open has evolved into a highlight of the golfing calendar.

The Championship has firmly established its standing at the very top of the sport – and it will celebrate its 50th staging at Royal Lytham & St Annes at the end of July.

To mark the occasion, we will be taking a look back on 50 of the most magical moments in the rich history of this very special event.

50: The first Champion

Forty-two different players have won the AIG Women’s Open over the last half a century. But only one holds the honour of being the first-ever Champion.

Jenny Lee Smith’s place in golfing history is secure. She arrived at Fulford Golf Club in York in 1976 as an amateur struggling with illness. The Northumbrian trailblazer [above left, alongside Lilia Vu] summoned all her powers of recovery to cut through the field on the final day and cement her legacy.

49: Debbie’s defence

Such has been the depth of talent over the years, just five golfers have won the AIG Women’s Open more than once; Karrie Webb (3), Sherri Steinhauer (3), Yani Tseng (2), Jiyai Shin (2) and Debbie Massey (2).

This rare feat should rightly be lauded. Winning any golf tournament is difficult. Winning any tournament on multiple occasions is harder still.

Debbie was the fifth golfer to win the AIG Women’s Open – at Wentworth in 1980 – and the first American.

She then became the first player to successfully defend the title, when she triumphed in Northumberland 12 months later.

48: Ayako’s winning margin hard to match

So dominant was Ayako Okamoto [above] in 1984, her phenomenal record winning margin may never be equalled.

Ayako was the only golfer to finish under-par at Woburn – a huge 11 strokes clear of Dale Reid and LPGA legend Betsy King.

She also broke new ground by becoming the first Asian (and first Japanese) winner of the Championship.

47: Karrie puts world on notice

With 56 professional victories, including seven majors and 41 wins on the LPGA Tour, Karrie Webb [above] is among the very best golfers there has ever been.

And it all began at the AIG Women’s Open.

Then a 20-year-old rookie, Karrie arrived at Woburn for her Championship debut in 1995 and stormed to victory by six shots.

It was the first of three AIG Women’s Open titles for the Australian. No player has won it more often.

46: A major deal

The AIG Women’s Open has long been established as one of the marquee events on the women’s sporting calendar.

It was awarded major status in 2001, and has since been among the five most coveted Championships in golf.

45: Lorena wins at the home of golf

The AIG Women’s Open has been staged at St Andrews three times. Lydia Ko triumphed on the Old Course in 2024 and Stacy Lewis did the same in 2013.

But Lorena Ochoa [above] was the first female golfer to pose with the AIG Women’s Open trophy on the famous Swilcan Bridge after her watershed triumph in 2007.

It was the first of two majors for the Mexican – who spent a record three consecutive years at the top of the world rankings.

44: Maternal magic

Not only did Catriona Matthew [above] become the first, and so far only, Scottish winner of the Championship, incredibly she did so just 11 weeks after giving birth to her daughter, Sophie.

This remarkable victory took place at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2009 with Catriona being the only player in the field to finish under-par.

43: Sophia’s stunner

Sophia Popov’s triumph at Royal Troon in 2020 remains one of the most heartwarming stories in recent Championship history.

The German was ranked 304th in the world and she had only qualified for the AIG Women’s Open via the LPGA Tour’s Marathon Championship the previous week.

Sophia [above] won by two strokes from Thailand’s Thidapa Suwannapura, with one of her most memorable shots being a thumping driver off the deck at the par-5 4th, which set up an eagle on her way to a shock victory.

42: Charley’s bunker brilliance

Charley Hull making a charge over the weekend has become a common theme at recent Championships.

The Englishwoman sank five birdies on the Sunday at Royal Porthcawl last year to apply the maximum pressure to Miyu Yamashita, although ultimately fell two strokes shy of the winning tally.

Charley had previous, having produced another weekend burst at Walton Heath two years earlier.

Playing in the final group alongside eventual Champion Lilia Vu, Charley slipped back early.

She then bounced back brilliantly to produce one of the shots of the Championship.

After planting her second shot on the par-5 11th into a greenside bunker, Charley rescued matters – and raised the decibel levels around the course – with a stunning, improbable chip-in eagle.

41: Steph ends hole-in-one drought

By the time Steph Kyriacou walked onto the 8th tee on the Friday at Royal Porthcawl in 2025, there hadn’t been a hole-in-one at the AIG Women’s Open since Brooke Henderson’s effort in 2018.

Then the Australian did this …