AIG Women’s Open preview: Who to watch out for at final major of 2023

The AIG Women’s Open kicked off on Thursday at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England.  As the final women’s golf major of the year, it will have an increased purse of $9 million and will feature 10 of the world’s top golfers.

This year’s Women’s Open will feature a stacked field of 144 players including 10 former Open champions. The winner on Sunday will earn a $1.35 million paycheck from the total purse — a 23% increase from last year after AIG extended its title sponsorship through 2030.

Major championships so far this year have yielded new winners. Lilia Vu won the Chevron Championship in April and Ruoning Yin captured her first Women’s PGA Championship in June. Allisen Corpuz was a first-time winner at the US Women’s Open and Paris native Celine Boutier picked up her first major at the Amundi Evian Championship last month. Boutier, who is currently in red hot form, won the Scottish Open the following week on Aug 6.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda is attempting to bag a second major, while California native Rose Zhang is competing for her first having graduated from Stanford earlier this year. Other possible contenders include South Korea’s Jin Young Ko, China’s Ruoning Yin, and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko.

The 2022 Open champion, Ashleigh Buhai, won in a dramatic four-hole playoff in Muirfield last year. Buhai will return to defend her title after two wins on tour this year at the Shoprite Classic and the South African Women’s Open.

The Old Course at Walton Heath, known for its purple heather, promises to be a challenge for professionals and amateurs alike. The parkland course is littered with dense, unforgiving shrubs. Walton Heath hosted the 1981 Ryder Cup that saw the US beat Europe 8-4 with one of their strongest teams ever. The course also hosted the Senior Open in 2001.

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