Rose Zhang shot an even-par 72 in blustery conditions Thursday during the opening round of the 2024 AIG Women’s British Open at St. Andrews, but her second 18 got off to a rocky start after finding a greenside pot bunker on the second hole.
Hoping to get up and down for par, Zhang’s first attempt slammed into the riveted face and rolled back down into the sand. Her second try ended the same way.
With her third from the sand, she rocketed her ball out sideways back into the fairway and went on to make a quadruple-bogey eight.
Zhang birdied the next hole but double-bogeyed the par-5 fifth and was 5 over through 5 holes Friday. The projected cut sat at 4 over as of 10 a.m. ET Friday.
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Linnea Strom’s assigned locker number in the most famous clubhouse in the world is No. 124. Past champions of the AIG Women’s British Open and amateur champions have name cards on their lockers this week in the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse. World No. 1 Nelly Korda’s, for example, is situated next to Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific champion Wu Chun-wei. The rest of the field simply has a hand-painted gold number.
This isn’t the first time LPGA players have used the iconic clubhouse, which dates back to 1854 and is situated directly behind the first tee and 18th green at the Old Course. It is, however, the first time the best in the world have utilized the clubhouse since the membership voted to admit female members a decade ago.
Brooke M. Henderson of Canada plays her shot from the first tee during a practice round prior to the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews Old Course on August 19, 2024 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Last April, the clubhouse reopened after its most extensive renovation in 100 years, adding new women’s facilities among other upgrades. This week, LPGA players are actually utilizing the larger men’s locker room space as well as the new heritage lounge, where they can recover in comfort with compression boots and locally made protein bars and balls.
“Probably the nicest locker room we’ve had, ever,” said Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh, adding, “They smell quite nice. Usually we get old lockers that smell like old feet and stuff.”
Jenny Shin called the stately locker room area “absolutely phenomenal,” giving a small group of scribes details on the toilet stalls, down to the look of the toilet paper holder and handles.
The new club storage room can handle up to 500 bags, and players drop theirs off daily this week. Players also have a chance to shop in the new Royal and Ancient Clubhouse Shop, which is normally open only to R&A members and their guests and features items with the exclusive R&A logo.
In addition to the facilities of the R&A Clubhouse, there’s also a nearby Players Clubhouse, a temporary structure designed to meet a variety of needs for players and their guests.
“In terms of the services,” said past champion Georgia Hall, “the players’ lounge, it’s the best Women’s Open we’ve had, like, facility-wise.”
Open two hours before the first tee time until 9 p.m., players can eat three meals a day in the stylish, first-class tent, which features a coffee bar (with free alcohol) a full gym and cold-plunge tubs.
While players can bring their caddie and two guests into the Players Clubhouse, there’s a players-only black-out room that offers a quiet respite. The mental health room includes Infrared light, eye masks, weighted blankets, coloring books and Ishga spa beds that heat up and pulse waves for those needing to block out the world.
In the makeshift salon, players can have their nails and makeup done or get a facial after a long day in the elements.
Doctors onsite can look after most ailments and even have an MRI machine at their disposal. There are three tournament-provided physios on hand to stretch and massage, though many players travel with their own.
The dermatologist offering free screenings for players, caddies and staff is booked solid and has detected cases of melanoma in recent years.
Players can look up information on everything from the benefits of an ice bath to what’s recommended for lunch using a QR code. The dining area includes food descriptors in English, Japanese and Korean. Forget cold cuts, chefs are on hand to make any kind of specialty dish a player might desire. There are egg stations and smoothie stations. The Sashimi salmon plates are especially popular.
Last year, players asked that instead of ready-made salad bowls, they have a build-your-own salad bar, with plain protein – grilled fish and chicken.
They also asked that everything open 30 minutes earlier so there’s not such a rush to eat breakfast and prepare for the day. Tournament officials took each request to heart, such as removing treadmills from the pop-up gym and adding heavier free weights.
Stacy Lewis was on the phone near the ping pong table on Thursday afternoon after her round, unwinding after a brutal day in the wind. The nearby concierge desk, which books free tours of the area, takes care of laundry and sorts out transportation, spent quite a bit of time this week tracking down lost luggage on behalf of players.
Lewis, who didn’t realize they could’ve helped, mentioned that daughter Chesnee’s bag had only arrived that day.
“This is the R&A effect,” said Lewis, “the resources and knowing the right people.”
While the public often measures progress on the quality of the course and the weight of the purse, and rightly so, these behind-the-scenes amenities go a long way toward making the best in the world feel like they’re being taken seriously as athletes.
Doors that were once closed to women have begun to crack open. Even the Royal and Ancient ones.
Check out photos from the iconic R&A Clubhouse as well as the Players’ Clubhouse:
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Charley Hull and Nelly Korda are two of the fastest women in the game. Yet in the opening round of the AIG Women’s British Open, they played the Old Course alongside defending champion Lilia Vu in six hours and eight minutes.
On a blustery day in St. Andrews the par-3 11th, the most exposed hole on the golf course, had as many as four groups waiting to play. Andrea Lee waited 45 minutes to hit her tee shot, sitting on her bag for 15 of them.
Hull took a bathroom break on the 11th tee and then went over to have a chat with her boyfriend and good friend James Northern, the mate she famously got Paula Creamer’s autograph for after beating her in Sunday singles at the 2013 Solheim Cup.
“It took ages,” said Hull. “I had a bet with my caddie. I said, ‘I reckon it’ll take six and a half’; he said, no way, he said, five hours (and) 30 (minutes). I was right.”
Hull, who prefers parkland golf to links, opened with a 5-under 67, nearly holing her approach on the par-4 18th for eagle, to take a one-shot lead over world No. 1 Korda and Ruoning Yin, who played in tougher conditions as one of the first groups out.
Six players – including Vu and Lee – opened with a 69 to take a share of fourth. A total of 17 players broke par, with the vast majority coming in the afternoon.
The morning wave saw winds consistently blow 30-35 mph, with gusts up to 39 mph. The winds reduced some as the day wore on, but pace of play was glacial as backing off the ball became routine.
It didn’t help that officials were forced to use a two-tee start due to the Paris Olympics moving back the championship by two weeks. That meant one less hour of daylight for the field of 156.
The last group to tee off No. 10 played the first four holes in two hours and 45 minutes.
Nelly Korda of the United States plays her shot from the 11th tee during Day One of the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews Old Course on August 22, 2024 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)
When asked if rounds of more than six hours were acceptable at a major championship, Korda said “obviously not.”
“But with circumstances of the wind and then with it kind of intersecting between two holes, it’s kind of a given,” she said “I think we all knew that kind of playing the golf course for the first time on Monday.”
England’s Hull, who has yet to win a major championship, credited her longtime coach, Matt Belsham, for getting her prepared for this week by working on three-quarter shots, ball position and patience. She also played Turnberry with her boyfriend on Monday and finished fifth at the Scottish Open last week.
For Hull, who was unofficially diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) last summer, slow play has long been an enemy. She conquered all the hurdles in fine fashion on Thursday, delighting crowds along the way as she vaped down the fairways of the venerable course, her stylish aviators on to block out the wind.
Charley Hull walks onto the 17th green while she has a vape during day one of the 2024 AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews. Picture date: Thursday August 22, 2024. (Photo by Steve Welsh/PA Images via Getty Images)
“It was loads of fun out there today,” said Hull. “Actually, before my round I was in there watching it on the TV when I saw the scores, and I thought, how is (Yin) 4-under par; that was an unbelievable score. I’d take that now because it was gusting a lot on the range, and I said to my coach, feels like they could call it at any minute because I don’t know how the balls are staying on the greens.
“To go out there, shoot 5-under, play pretty solid, it was a lot of fun.”
This marks the third time an LPGA major has ever been contested over the Old Course, with Lorena Ochoa (2007) and Stacy Lewis (2013) winning the first two.
An 11-year gap between stagings means many players will only get one crack at the iconic venue, if that.
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – This week marks only the third time the best female players in the world will compete over the Old Course for a major championship title, with Lorena Ochoa winning the first in 2007 and Stacy Lewis the second in 2013.
Before a competitive shot has even been struck at the 2024 AIG Women’s British Open, the question of when the women will return to the iconic venue is top of mind.
In all, 32 of the top 50 players in the Rolex Rankings have never played a competition at the Old Course. That list includes 2023 AIG champion Lilia Vu, Jin Young Ko, Rose Zhang, Hannah Green, Ruoning Yin, Minjee Lee, Yuka Saso, Brooke Henderson and a host of other top players.
An 11-year gap between stagings means many players will only get one crack at the iconic venue, if that.
A general view of the first hole during a Pro-Am ahead of the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews Old Course on August 21, 2024 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
So far, only Royal Porthcawl has been announced as a future venue in 2025. The men’s Open Championship goes to St. Andrews once every five years. R&A chief Slumbers met with the media on Wednesday and stopped short of putting a number on how often the women would come here but said “more often.”
“I think you’re going to increasingly see us use exactly the same venues as we use for The Open,” said Slumbers, “with one exception that we will probably want to have, periodically, a championship in the London area, for reasons – it’s primarily linked to one of the byproducts of this is trying to grow young people to play – more women to play golf, and there are more women golfers down in the south of England than in Scotland, so we’ll take advantage of that to lean into.
“But you’re increasingly, over the years, going to see the same venues that we use for The Open Championship, and I think that is entirely appropriate.”
The final women’s major championship of the year begins Thursday morning at The Old Course at St. Andrews. The 2024 AIG Women’s British Open is loaded with the best players in the game including defending champion Lilia Vu, Nelly Korda, Jin Young Ko, Lydia Ko, Rose Zhang and Brooke Henderson, among others.
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Laura Davies was out taping a hit for Sky Sports on Tuesday shortly after an afternoon shower at the Old Course. She was expected to make this year’s AIG Women’s British Open the final LPGA start of her illustrious career but decided to commentate on the event instead.
Davies was surprised to hear that it’s a two-tee start at the Old Course, something she can’t recall ever happening at this event since it became a major. While the forecast this week is grim, the R&A planned to have players tee off of Nos. 1 and 10, regardless of the weather, due to less daylight. The event was pushed back later in the month due to the Paris Olympics. Playing this late in August cost the the field one hour of daylight, with 30 minutes to start the day and 30 minutes at day’s end.
The first tee at the Old Course is arguably the most iconic first-tee experience in golf, making a start off the 10th hole even more unusual.
Asked if she had any regrets at all about not playing this week, Davies said, “With this left to right to the first, not a jot. I can think of nothing worse than standing on that first tee whipping one out of bounds.”
Former British Open champion I.K. Kim. will hit the first tee shot at 7 a.m. local time off the first hole. Last week’s Scottish Open winner, Lauren Coughlin, will tee off at 7 a.m. off the 10th hole alongside Miyu Yamashita and Madelene Sagstrom. The backside is traditionally the tougher side at the Old Course with the predominate wind.
Three former British Open champions – Stacy Lewis, Karrie Webb and Catriona Matthew – will tee off at 7:33 a.m. off the back side. In 2013, Lewis became the second woman after Lorena Ochoa to win at the Old Course.
Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu and Charley Hull make up one of the marquee pairings of the afternoon wave, off at 1:10 p.m. local time.
Here’s a look at the rest of the tee times for Round 1 of the AIG Women’s Open.
Thursday tee times
How to watch
Thursday, August 22: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. (USA) Friday, August 23: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. (USA) Saturday, August 24: 7 a.m.-12 p.m. (USA); 12-2 p.m. (NBC) Sunday, August 25: 7 a.m.-12 p.m. (USA); 12-2 p.m. (NBC)
Every golfer has different ways of preparing for the Olympics.
Every golfer has different ways of preparing for the Olympics.
Ben An went home to Florida while Tom Kim stayed in London. Scottie Scheffler vacationed a bit in France and has been enjoying the Olympic experience and Paris with his family.
For Rory McIlroy, his prep involves the home of golf.
McIlroy was one of the favorites two weeks ago at Royal Troon before missing the cut, and video surfaced Monday of him playing the Old Course at St. Andrews only 72 hours before he’s set to tee it up for Ireland in the Olympic games at Le Golf National in Paris.
Rory McIlroy is preparing for @OlympicGolf in Paris with a round on The Old Course at St Andrews this afternoon.
The men’s golf competition is set to begin Thursday at the site of the 2018 Ryder Cup. McIlroy went 2-3-0 in Paris that year with the Europeans coming out on top.
It’s nothing new for McIlroy to show up to events only a couple of days before they begin. It’s something he has done numerous times this year, including major championship weeks.
He even had some fun with some inebriated fans near the clubhouse.
Davies made the decision not to compete after hitting a tee shot in Utah, of all places.
Laura Davies made the decision not to compete at St. Andrews next month shortly after hitting a tee shot in Utah, of all places. The result of the tee shot wasn’t that bad, but the feeling of dread and uncertainty that preceded the strike was more than she could take.
After that first round at the LPGA Senior Championship at Copper Rock in St. George, Davies rang up her caddie and said that she wouldn’t be playing the AIG Women’s British Open. She’s competed in the past 43 consecutive British Opens and was set to make the Old Course her final LPGA tournament appearance.
It’s the only way a sporting legend like Davies should go out – on historic ground. Instead, golf fans have likely seen the last of Davies teeing it up on the LPGA.
“I just don’t think I’m good enough anymore,” she explained. “It would’ve been lovely, don’t get me wrong. … I wish I could’ve just stood up and said I’ll give it a go, I don’t care how bad I am. But I do care. That’s the trouble.”
Davies, 60, said that she immediately felt lighter after the decision was made and that it’s actually helped her golf on the senior circuit. She’s excited to head to Fox Chapel Golf Club in Pittsburgh next week for the U.S. Senior Women’s Open.
Dame Laura Davies of England tees off the first hole during the Celebration of Champions Challenge ahead of the 150th Open at St. Andrews Old Course. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
She’ll still be in St. Andrews in a month’s time to commentate for Sky Sports. The Old Course is her favorite course in the world. Amazingly, her first time there was in 2007 for the first women’s major ever contested at the Home of Golf.
Davies hit her first tee shot off No. 1 on Tuesday that week and promptly hit it left and out of bounds. She only played up the first and down the 18th that day.
“I did a Baker-Finch,” she said at the time. “I had people heckling me on the first tee as well, so it was a hard shot.”
Her first full round over the Old Course came during Wednesday’s pro-am.
On Thursday, Davies teed off just as eventual champion Lorena Ochoa was putting the finishing touches on a bogey-free 67. The Englishwoman found the fairway when it counted.
Davies played her first British Open as a 16-year-old amateur in 1980, long before the event became a major. She won the event in 1986 and, with the exception of 1983 when the event was not contested, has never missed an appearance. Past champions who are 60 and under are exempt into the championship. St. Andrews would’ve been her final exemption.
In 2020, Davies hit the first tee shot at Royal Troon to mark her 40th appearance but there were no fans in the gallery due to the global pandemic. Georgia Hall sent her a text message that jokingly said, “Don’t hold us up.”
If only everyone on tour carried on as quickly as Davies.
England’s Hall has called her a great friend and an idol.
“I kind of pulled up to the car park and you have your 2018 champion, so I have my space, and I look down and it’s Laura, 1986, and I had a joke with her that I was born 10 years later than that,” Hall once remarked, “and she found that funny.”
England’s Laura Davies at the 2007 Ricoh Women’s British Open at St. Andrews in Scotland. (Kieran Dodds/AFP via Getty Images)
Last year at Walton Heath, Davies withdrew midway through the first round after suffering a wrist injury trying to escape a bramble bush.
That she won’t get a proper sendoff feels inadequate for a woman who who won 20 times on the LPGA and more than 80 times worldwide.
She’s the only player to have never missed an appearance in the event since it became a major in 2001. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame at St. Andrews in 2015 and took part in the R&A Celebration of Champions there two years ago for the 150th British Open.
Davies never imagined there would come a time when she didn’t want to play competitive golf. But everyone always told her that she’d know when she’d had enough.
“If someone’s never played top-level sport, it’s hard to explain where you go from a position of pure control and comfort and looking forward to your day’s golf to absolute terror,” she said, “and I’ve reached that point.”
“This is an irresponsible and reckless act which shows disregard for the safety of both public and property.”
While the Old Course at St. Andrews is preparing to host the AIG Women’s Open later this summer — Aug. 22-25 — the St. Andrews Links Trust was forced to release a statement regarding a video that has gone viral on social media.
An unidentified person hit a golf ball off concrete from the corner of Golf Place and North Street, near The Dunvegan Bar and about 100 yards away from the closing green at St. Andrews.
“This is an irresponsible and reckless act which shows disregard for the safety of both public and property. This kind of behaviour is not welcome at the Home of Golf and we would discourage anyone from repeating it,” the statement sent to bunkered’s Michael McEwan read.
Harry Styles knew exactly what to do on his off day in Scotland
Harry Styles is currently jetting around the world on tour for his latest Grammy-winning album, Harry’s House, but given some of the photos coming out of Scotland this week you’d think he entered some type of Pro-Am golf tournament.
Ahead of two shows in Edinburgh this weekend, Styles popped over to St. Andrews — the home of golf — on Thursday to get a quick round in at the iconic public course. It did not take long for fans to learn what was going on and rush over to the grounds to catch a glimpse of Styles on the links.
By the time he reached the 18th green, so many people had packed in around The Old Course it looked like a full blown Open Championship was going on.
On the one hand, it might not have been the most fun for Harry to play a round on his off day with a massive crowd following his every move. It’s not like he’s a professional golfer used to these environments. Then again…he’s not a professional golfer!
Think about how absolutely thrilling it would be to not only get to play St. Andrews but also experience the same environment the best in the world get during major championships. Walking up the fairway on No. 18 with the crowd cheering you on is daydream material. It doesn’t get much cooler than that. You’ve also got to imagine the adrenaline of playing in front of that big of a crowd added some extra distance to his drives.
The moral of the story here is that more prestigious courses should open their doors to the public. Looking at you, Augusta National.
