Latest news with #Porthcawl
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Lottie Woad rides wave of momentum into AIG Women's Open
PORTHCAWL: As the world of women's golf prepares for the final major of the year, an English prodigy has seized the limelight. Lottie Woad is the hottest player in the game and will be among the favorites to land her first major championship when the AIG Women's Open tees off at Royal Porthcawl on Thursday in Porthcawl, Wales. Woad's litany of accomplishments dates back to last year, when she won the Augusta National Women's Amateur, rose to No. 1 in the world amateur rankings and tied for 10th at the Women's Open at St. Andrews for low-am honors. But July has seen the 21-year-old truly dominate the sport. Woad had a six- shot win at the Women's Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour, then tied for third at the most recent major, the Evian Championship, all before officially turning pro. Then came the Women's Scottish Open last week, where Woad matched Rose Zhang's feat in 2023 by winning her first start as a professional, three strokes clear of the field. 'I've really been just enjoying myself,' Woad said this week. 'Enjoyed being in these events and competing and being in contention, just try to have fun with it and not add too much stress, really.' Woad is the odds-on favorite to win this week at BetMGM and FanDuel Sportsbook. And she's certainly caught the eye of her peers. 'Absolutely amazing,' said Nelly Korda, who played with her at the Scottish Open. 'I was very impressed with her composure, her process. 'I think, when it comes to her shot routine, especially under pressure and in the heat of the moment, sometimes people seem to fidget and kind of doubt themselves. But she stuck to it, she stuck to her process every single time, and I think that's one of the main things that I noticed is how mature she is for her age and how comfortable she was in the heat of the moment.' Korda remains atop the world rankings, but her winless season has come as a surprise after she won seven times in 2024. 'I feel like I don't really have anything more to prove to people ever,' Korda said. 'For me it's just I'm passionate about the game. I love the game. I love playing in these kind of conditions, testing my game, and getting to play against the best players in the world.' Royal Porthcawl has hosted three Senior Open Championships since 2014, but this marks its first time hosting the women's major. It is a par-72 course that will play 6,580 yards this week. Lydia Ko of New Zealand is the defending champion thanks to her two-shot win at St. Andrews last year, shortly after she won the Olympic gold medal and clinched her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame. 'I think it was just fun for me, and I was just trying to have more of an open mindset and just trying to be free rather than hit perfect shots,' Ko said. 'I think that's really important on these links-style golf courses. You could hit a really solid shot and be so far away from the pin, and that could be vice versa. It's just more about creativity, and I hope that will be kind of the strategy that I'll take toward this week.' Three of the first four major winners this season were first-timers: Japan's Mao Saigo at the Chevron Championship; Sweden's Maja Stark at the US Women's Open; and Australia's Grace Kim at the Evian, where she had a comeback for the ages. Kim finished her final round birdie-birdie-par-eagle to force a playoff, where she beat Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand. 'I think just knowing that my game is there and good enough,' Kim said of this week's test. 'Just mentally preparing whatever could happen.'
Canada News.Net
2 days ago
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
Canadian teen, American Brianna Do among AIG Women's Open qualifiers
(Photo credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images) American Brianna Do and Canadian Anna Huang were among the 17 players to earn spots in this week's AIG Women's Open via Monday's 18-hole qualifier. The AIG Women's Open begins Thursday at Wales' Royal Porthcawl. Huang, the youngest player on the Ladies European Tour at 16, posted the low round Monday with her 4-under par 67 at Pyle and Kenfig Golf Club. She was followed by Ireland's Anna Foster and Thailand's Arpichaya Yubol at 3 under. 'I'm delighted with my score,' said Huang, who is No. 521 in the Rolex Women's Rankings. 'I don't play links golf, so it took a couple of practice rounds to get used to it, but I think I handled it pretty well. I played in the U.S. Open this year so this will be my second major championship. I learned a lot from that week and bringing more patience into this week will be really helpful.' Do, 35, tied for eighth at 1 under. The 2011 Women's Amateur Public Links champion will play in her first Women's Open since 2016. Ranked 351st, she is coming off a T23 in June at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and a T59 three weeks ago at the Evian Championship. 'A few years ago, I was first alternate for the Evian, and I didn't get in, so I came over to Scotland and played quite a bit of golf,' Do said. 'I played the Old Course, Prestwick, Elie, so I played quite a bit for fun, and it was amazing. I learned quite a bit there but not in a tournament sense.' Among the five Americans who fell short in qualifying was 2017 major champion and four-time United States Solheim Cup player Danielle Kang, who shot a 73. Despite failing to qualify for her 13th Women's Open, Kang said she is not disappointed. 'Not even a little bit,' she said. 'I met unbelievably great people here. I got to play with a bunch of members at Porthcawl, and I got to know everybody at Pyle and Kenfig. It's been great.' Australia's Hira Naveed (69) and New Zealand's Momoko Kobori (70), teammates at Pepperdine from 2017-19, both qualified. All 17 qualifiers for this week's 144-golfer field finished under par.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hall eyes more success in Wales at Women's Open
Former champion Georgia Hall is hoping Wales will prove to be a happy hunting ground once more as she prepares for the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl. England's Hall is the most recent British winner of the Women's Open having triumphed at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2018. The tournament comes to Wales for the first time this year as Royal Porthcawl plays host to the final golf major of 2025 starting on Thursday. And for Hall, that means a return to the scene of past successes. The 29-year-old won the Girls' Amateur Championship in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, in 2012 before going on to collect the Women's Amateur Championship at Machynys Golf Club in Carmarthenshire 12 months later. "Really I'm a big fan [of Wales]," Hall said. "I haven't played golf in Wales since those wins, so I think it will be a great test in Porthcawl." Porthcawl to host Women's Open in 2025 Open to be Wales' 'largest women's sporting event' The Women's Open is the biggest female sporting event ever staged in Wales, but Royal Porthcawl is no stranger to prestigious competitions. The south Wales links has staged the Walker Cup, the Curtis Cup and, on three occasions, the men's Senior Open. "I've played a couple of holes out here and it's a very tough course, I think it's definitely underrated," said Bournemouth-born Hall. "It's learning to know where to hit it. Especially on this golf course there's a lot of blind tee shots, so that will be key." Hall has won seven professional titles and is a five-time Solheim Cup player. Currently ranked 119th in the world, she is hoping the Women's Open will inspire the next generation of golfers. "It would be great to see the young girls supporting and seeing what the world's best women have to offer," she said. "I love to see a lot of people support, especially the youngsters. "I'm a massive fan of golf and what it can provide for the kids and people socialising and [helping] to make friends. It's great that people are learning to grow the game as well." Hall is also an advocate for the promotion of women's sport and wants to see increasing media coverage. "I think that having this event here and all the other women's sports [this summer] is amazing and hopefully in 10 years' time it will be bigger than it is now," she added.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Women's Open a 'massive step' for Wales
Wales. Golf. Porthcawl. Eyes from across the golfing world will be on the south Wales coastline this week as Royal Porthcawl hosts the AIG Women's Open. It is being billed as the biggest female sporting event ever staged in Wales, thanks to a combination of the tournament's status, its global reach and the fact that all the world's top players will be involved. For Gareth Bale, the football icon who is also a golf fanatic, the hope is that the staging of the Women's Open - the final golf major of 2025 - will have a long-term impact on the game in his homeland. "To have the largest women's sporting event ever to be held in Wales is amazing," Bale says. "It's a massive step in the right direction, especially for Welsh golf." Lydia Ko is the reigning Women's Open champion having seen off America's Lilia Vu - the victor in 2023 - to win at St Andrews in 2024. The New Zealander will be among the favourites this week, alongside a number of other contenders such as world number one Nelly Korda, from the USA, and Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul. Charley Hull and rising star Lottie Woad, for whom the Women's Open will be just a second event as a professional, are among those hoping to lead the charge for a first British winner since Georgia Hall's victory at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2018. Ladies European Tour rookie Darcey Harry, a Royal Porthcawl member, will fly the flag for Wales as the 22-year-old plays just the second major of her young career. Australia's Grace Kim will aim for a second successive major victory having triumphed at the Evian Championship earlier in July, with fellow Australian Minjee Lee, Sweden's Maja Stark and Mao Sigao, of Japan, also looking for a second major success this year. "All those top players are going to be here and I think everyone in Wales will want to come out and witness some greatness," Bale says. 'There won't be any professional golf for me' Bale has played many of the world's finest golf courses – and describes Royal Porthcawl as being "right up there" with the best he has seen. The former Real Madrid forward has fine-tuned his own game since retiring from football in 2023, cutting his handicap from "three or four" when he was still playing to just 0.1 now. "I try to play twice a week if I can - if I can get another practice session it's always a bonus," he says. Should Bale get his wish, some of his time may soon be taken up by Cardiff City, with the 36-year-old involved in a consortium looking to buy the Bluebirds. As he speaks to BBC Sport Wales next to the 18th green at Porthcawl, Bale declines to comment on Cardiff as he focuses instead on golf. Fellow former professional footballers Jimmy Bullard and Peter Odemwingie are also fine golfers, with both making failed attempts to qualify for the men's Open Championship this summer. There has been speculation at times over whether Bale might fancy his chances in golf's professional ranks – but despite the fact that he is close to being a scratch player, he insists that is not going to happen. "When you are in golf and you see professional golfers play, compared to even your best stuff, it is nowhere near," he says. "Never mind just playing with your friends, they are doing it under the most severe pressure, in tournament conditions, in hard weather… so there won't be any professional [golf] for me. "But I love the game. I love watching it, I love growing it and that's why we are here." Hopes for Harry - and for more Welsh players to come Bale has explained previously how he hopes a sporting festival set up in his name will help produce more top-class Welsh professional golfers. Wales is short of golfing stars right now, though Harry's qualification – courtesy of her win at June's Hulencourt Women's Open in Belgium – means the home crowd will have one player to cheer at least. Bale's hope is that, in time, many more Welsh players will follow Harry's lead by making a mark in professional golf. "Everybody behind the scenes, with my golf championship, with Wales Golf, we are trying to promote golf, to get more kids playing golf," he says. "Hopefully in the future we will see more players like Darcey playing in these majors and hopefully winning them." Bale reckons experience of Porthcawl will be a "bonus" for Harry, who missed the cut as she made her major debut at the recent Evian Championship. "She is going to be very nervous but I am sure she is going to relish the opportunity, and hopefully she will have a bit more knowledge on the course than the rest," Bale says. As for who will emerge victorious, Bale believes the weather conditions will be significant. "If it's calm, the Americans maybe come into it a bit more," he says. "But if the wind blows and it gets a bit cold and wet, then I think the British, the Europeans, will come into it a bit more. "It's difficult to say, but someone's going to have to play very well to win here."
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Women's Open a 'massive step' for Wales
Wales. Golf. from across the golfing world will be on the south Wales coastline this week as Royal Porthcawl hosts the AIG Women's is being billed as the biggest female sporting event ever staged in Wales, thanks to a combination of the tournament's status, its global reach and the fact that all the world's top players will be involved. For Gareth Bale, the football icon who is also a golf fanatic, the hope is that the staging of the Women's Open - the final golf major of 2025 - will have a long-term impact on the game in his homeland."To have the largest women's sporting event ever to be held in Wales is amazing," Bale says."It's a massive step in the right direction, especially for Welsh golf." Lydia Ko is the reigning Women's Open champion having seen off America's Lilia Vu - the victor in 2023 - to win at St Andrews in New Zealander will be among the favourites this week, alongside a number of other contenders such as world number one Nelly Korda, from the USA, and Thailand's Jeeno Hull and rising star Lottie Woad, for whom the Women's Open will be just a second event as a professional, are among those hoping to lead the charge for a first British winner since Georgia Hall's victory at Royal Lytham & St Annes in European Tour rookie Darcey Harry, a Royal Porthcawl member, will fly the flag for Wales as the 22-year-old plays just the second major of her young Grace Kim will aim for a second successive major victory having triumphed at the Evian Championship earlier in July, with fellow Australian Minjee Lee, Sweden's Maja Stark and Mao Sigao, of Japan, also looking for a second major success this year."All those top players are going to be here and I think everyone in Wales will want to come out and witness some greatness," Bale says. 'There won't be any professional golf for me' Bale has played many of the world's finest golf courses – and describes Royal Porthcawl as being "right up there" with the best he has former Real Madrid forward has fine-tuned his own game since retiring from football in 2023, cutting his handicap from "three or four" when he was still playing to just 0.1 now."I try to play twice a week if I can - if I can get another practice session it's always a bonus," he Bale get his wish, some of his time may soon be taken up by Cardiff City, with the 36-year-old involved in a consortium looking to buy the he speaks to BBC Sport Wales next to the 18th green at Porthcawl, Bale declines to comment on Cardiff as he focuses instead on golf. Fellow former professional footballers Jimmy Bullard and Peter Odemwingie are also fine golfers, with both making failed attempts to qualify for the men's Open Championship this has been speculation at times over whether Bale might fancy his chances in golf's professional ranks – but despite the fact that he is close to being a scratch player, he insists that is not going to happen."When you are in golf and you see professional golfers play, compared to even your best stuff, it is nowhere near," he says. "Never mind just playing with your friends, they are doing it under the most severe pressure, in tournament conditions, in hard weather… so there won't be any professional [golf] for me."But I love the game. I love watching it, I love growing it and that's why we are here." Hopes for Harry - and for more Welsh players to come Bale has explained previously how he hopes a sporting festival set up in his name will help produce more top-class Welsh professional is short of golfing stars right now, though Harry's qualification – courtesy of her win at June's Hulencourt Women's Open in Belgium – means the home crowd will have one player to cheer at hope is that, in time, many more Welsh players will follow Harry's lead by making a mark in professional golf."Everybody behind the scenes, with my golf championship, with Wales Golf, we are trying to promote golf, to get more kids playing golf," he says."Hopefully in the future we will see more players like Darcey playing in these majors and hopefully winning them." Bale reckons experience of Porthcawl will be a "bonus" for Harry, who missed the cut as she made her major debut at the recent Evian Championship."She is going to be very nervous but I am sure she is going to relish the opportunity, and hopefully she will have a bit more knowledge on the course than the rest," Bale for who will emerge victorious, Bale believes the weather conditions will be significant."If it's calm, the Americans maybe come into it a bit more," he says."But if the wind blows and it gets a bit cold and wet, then I think the British, the Europeans, will come into it a bit more."It's difficult to say, but someone's going to have to play very well to win here."
