AIG Women’s Open: Lottie Woad’s major spotlight, Charley Hull’s home hopes, Nelly Korda’s fight for No 1 and all you need to know from Royal Porthcawl

The world’s best female golfers are in Wales this week for the AIG Women’s Open, where Nelly Korda battles to keep her world No 1 spot and Lottie Woad chases more history.

Korda holds a narrow advantage at the top of the world rankings heading into the final women’s major of the year, live on Sky Sports, although Jeeno Thitikul can end her 16-month stint as world No 1.

Woad arrives as one of the hottest players in the women’s game and makes her first major appearance as a professional, with Charley Hull among the other English players looking to impress.

Royal Porthcawl hosts the first women’s major ever to be held in Wales, having previously been the venue for Walker Cup, Curtis Cup, the Amateur Championship, the British Masters and The Senior Open.

The first four major champions of the year are all set to be part of a strong field, including KPMG Women’s PGA Champion Minjee, with Lydia Ko back as defending champion after last year’s impressive win at St Andrews.

Can Woad win again? Will Korda finally add to her victory tally? What else could happen this week? We look at some of the potential storylines to follow…

It’s almost unheard of for a player to be the bookies’ favourite for an event so early in their professional career, but Woad finds herself in that position after an extraordinary run of results.

Woad stormed to a six-shot victory at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour, the first amateur winner on the LET since 2022, then produced a final-round charge to challenge for a maiden major title at the Amundi Evian Championship.

The 21-year-old turned professional after ending tied-third in France, then made history in her next start by claiming a three-shot victory at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open – just the third player in history to win their first professional start on the LPGA Tour.

Woad’s rapid rise over the past few weeks – following a glittering amateur career – sees her inside the world’s top 25. She won the Smyth Salver last year as the lowest amateur at St Andrews, but will she be lifting a different trophy on Sunday?

Hull ‘under the radar’ for a breakthrough major?

English hopes are typically pinned on Hull, the 2023 runner-up who regular contends in majors, although the sudden emergence of Woad has given her slightly less attention heading into this year’s contest.

Hull finished tied-12th at both the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the US Women’s Open but was forced to withdraw mid-round at the Evian Championship, where she was “battling a virus” when she collapsed early in her opening round.

The 29-year-old was still not back to full fitness heading into last week’s event in Scotland, where she felt “80 per cent” ahead of finishing tied-21st, but now has another opportunity to earn an elusive major title.

Hull’s career return of two LPGA Tour and four Ladies European Tour titles may seem low for a player who has been among the stars of the sport over the past decade. Could this be the week she finally lands the major many – included Hull herself, perhaps – expected her to have won by now?

Can Korda end birthday week with major win?

Korda is looking to go one better than her runner-up finish at last year’s AIG Women’s Open, with the world No 1 still searching for her maiden win of the year.

The American – who turned 27 on Monday – heads into the event as world No 1 for the second successive year, although has yet to match the dominant form that saw her win six times in a seven-event stretch last season.

Korda has not missed a cut in over 13 months and has two runner-up finishes this season, including at the US Women’s Open in June, but has failed to contend in the last two majors and produced her worst finish of the year at the Evian Championship.

The two-time major champion was unable to build on a fast start to the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open last week, fading to fifth despite being two shots off the halfway lead, but showed enough to suggest a return to the winner’s circle isn’t far away.

Will major trends continue in Porthcawl?

Each of the last 13 women’s majors have all produced different winners, while five of the last seven also being maiden major champions, with no player able to claim multiple majors in a year since Lilia Vu won this event in 2023.

Thitikul – who can move above Korda to world No 1 this week – is still looking for her maiden major title, having narrowly missed out in a play-off at the Evian Championship, while world No 6 Angel Yin is the next highest-ranked player without a major.

Ko can become the first player since Yani Tseng to win back-to-back editions of the AIG Women’s Open, with Tseng also the most recent to win the event multiple times, although she has finished no higher than 12th in his first four majors of the year.

The weather will play its part in finding this week’s major champion, with strong gusts expected through every tournament round and only adding to the challenge facing the players on the links in South Wales.

Sky Sports will once again have extended live coverage from the women’s major finale, with seven hours of live action for each tournament day and a special preview show looking ahead to the event.

Coverage will begin from midday for all four rounds, starting from Thursday, while there will be a daily one-hour highlights show to look back at the best of the previous round’s action on Sky Sports Golf – now channel 406 for Sky customers.

Who will win the AIG Women’s Open? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports Golf. Live coverage of the opening round begins on Thursday from midday. For Sky customers, Sky Sports Golf is now found on channel 406. Not got Sky? Stream the women’s majors and more with no contract.