[Photo: Ross Flannigan]

The world’s best players return to the home of the sport for the third time this week at the AIG Women’s Open, with Australia’s chances again led by Olympians Hannah Green and Minjee Lee.

Seven Australians are in the field this week for the final major of the women’s season, as 49-year-old Karrie Webb takes her place in a tournament that she has won three times before.

No Aussie has won the tournament previously known as the Women’s British Open since Webb’s triumph at Turnberry 22 years ago, making it something of a drought.

World No.14 Lee has had the best chance of breaking that streak; in 2020 she played in the final group with Germany’s Sophia Popov at Royal Troon, started three shots shy and could not bridge the gap. Her third-place finish was the Australian’s best in the AIG Women’s Open.

Both Green and Lee were amateurs back in 2013 when St Andrews last hosted, and this week they will be among the favourites.

Green is ranked No. 5 in the world having won twice on the LPGA Tour in 2024, and she was fourth in the Olympic golf tournament a couple of weeks ago.

St Andrews has been a citadel for golf since the 15th century but it has only hosted the women’s Open twice before – in 2007 when Lorena Ochoa of Mexico triumphed and in 2013 when Stacy Lewis of the USA was the winner.

The other Australians in the field this week are Grace Kim, Stephanie Kyriacou, Hira Naveed and Gabriela Ruffels.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Lilia Vu (US)

PRIZEMONEY: $US 9 million

LIVE SCORES: https://www.aigwomensopen.com/leaderboard

TV COVERAGE: The AIG Women’s Open is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo. All times AEST.

Thursday and Friday 9pm-4am Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

Saturday and Sunday 9pm-4am Fox Sports 505 and Kayo

Round 1: Thursday 9pm-4am Friday 2am–10am (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)

Round 2: Friday 9pm–4am (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)

Round 3: Saturday 9pm–4am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo)

Final Round: Sunday 9pm–4am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo)

Australasian Player Profiles

HANNAH GREEN World ranking: 5 Age: 27 Professional wins: 12 Best finish at the AIG: T16 (2019) The lowdown: Will likely be Australia’s No. 1 contender at St Andrews in the midst of a career-best season. Green has won twice on the LPGA Tour, breached the top five in the world rankings for the first time and finished fourth at her last start, at the Olympic Games. The question mark will be her ability to master the kind of conditions that you would anticipate at St Andrews. Her previous record in this tournament is moderate by her high standards, with no top-10s.

STEPH KYRIACOU World ranking: 49 Age: 23 Professional wins: Two Best finish at the AIG: T7 (2022) The lowdown: Could be a sneaky chance having played well in links conditions (she was inside the top 10 in this event two years ago at Muirfield) as well as showing that she can produce in the majors. She was runner-up in the Evian Championship in France this year. Kyriacou has won more than $US900,000 on the LPGA Tour in 2024 and is a growing star of the game.

GRACE KIM World ranking: 73 Age: 23 Best finish at the AIG: T36 (2023) The lowdown: Sydney’s improving young pro will be playing her second AIG Open and is in solid form on the LPGA Tour. Her three top-10 finishes in 2024 have all come in her last seven starts, including her most recent tournament in Portland.

HIRA NAVEED World ranking: 111 Age: 26 Best finish at the AIG: Debut The lowdown: Playing her rookie season on the LPGA Tour and has done enough to earn her first start in the AIG Women’s Open. Naveed has been impressive having spent a few years on the secondary tour and this will be a tremendous opportunity for her at the home of golf.

MINJEE LEE World ranking: 14 Age: 28 Professional wins: 13 Best finish at the AIG: 3rd (2020) The lowdown: Lee is grinding through what has not been her best year on tour, but she has been a consistent threat in the AIG Women’s Open and she played well early at the Scottish Open last week, eventually finishing inside the top 10. She was third in this event in 2020 when she played in the last group on Sunday, tied-fifth in 2021 and tied-fourth in 2022. It shows that her brilliant ball-striking can hold up in the wind, and if her putting touch returns, she is always going to be a threat.

KARRIE WEBB World ranking: 1003 Age: 49 Professional wins: 41 (LPGA) Best finish at the AIG: Won (1995, 1997, 2002) The lowdown: The veteran takes her place in the field as a past winner. Webb’s three Open wins came a long time ago, but she won the Senior PGA Championship in the US as recently as two years ago. Of more concern would be that she missed the cut in her only two starts on the LPGA Tour in 2024, but you can be guaranteed she will have prepared and will not be making a mere ceremonial appearance.

GABI RUFFELS World ranking: 46 Age: 24 Professional wins: Three Best finish at the AIG: Missed cut (2022) The lowdown: A T7 finish at the Scottish Open shows that Ruffels is continuing to flourish in her first full season on the main tour. It also bodes well for the conditions she will get at St Andrews. Ruffels is inside the top 50 on the world rankings and has had three top-10 finishes in America this season. One to watch.

LYDIA KO (NZ) World ranking: 12 Age: 27 Professional wins: 20 (LPGA) Best finish at the AIG: T3 (2015) The lowdown: It has been a momentous time for Ko, who is now eligible for the LPGA Hall of Fame having won the Olympic gold medal to go with her two majors and wins in every corner of the globe. The Kiwi is one of a handful of players in the field to have competed the last time the Open was at St Andrews; it is a mystery why she has never previously won the event, her best being a top-three finish.

THE COURSE St Andrews will play at 6203 metres par-72 for the women this week. Conditions always play a part at the home of golf; in particular whether a player gets luck with their side of the draw.

American Stacy Lewis shot 8-under to win the last time St Andrews hosted in 2013, but there were weather interruptions. Karrie Webb, one of the few players in the field this year who played that event, shot 74-76 and missed the cut.

A start at such a storied venue will be a career highlight for all the players, notably the likes of Green and Lee who were amateurs when it was last played there in 2013, and who now count among the best in the world.

HEADLINERS

Nelly Korda – World No.1 and six-time winner in 2024

Ashleigh Buhai – Winner of the Open in 2022

Lauren Coughlin – Last week’s Scottish Open victor

Lilia Vu – World No. 2 defends the title she won in 2023

Charley Hull – 2023 AIG Open runner-up having her best year

Lydia Ko – Olympic gold medallist and 20-time LPGA winner

Celine Boutier – 2023 Evian Championship winner

Ruoning Yin – 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner