The AIG Women’s Open will celebrate its 50th edition this summer with a significant jump both economically and in its media reach. The tournament, which will be played from 29 July to 2 August at the historic Royal Lytham & St Annes, will feature a prize fund of $10 million and a notable increase in hours of live coverage.
The announcement was made by Mark Darbon and Peter Zaffino, who emphasised the sustained growth of the championship in recent years. “This is the sixth consecutive year in which we have increased the prize fund”, explained Darbon. “It is a clear sign of The R&A and AIG‘s commitment to raising the tournament on the global stage”, he added
From £500 to $10 million: half a century of evolution
The transformation of the AIG Women’s Open over these five decades is spectacular. In its first edition, in 1976, Jenny Lee Smith won the title with a total prize of just £500. More than 30 years later, in 2008, when the tournament was last held at Sunningdale Golf Club (also confirmed as the venue for 2028), champion Jiyai Shin won a prize of $2.1 million.
The growth has accelerated particularly over the last decade. In 2018, when Georgia Hall triumphed precisely at Royal Lytham, the prize fund was $3.25 million. Since then, and following the agreement between The R&A and AIG, the total prize has more than tripled to the current $10 million
More hours of live golf than ever
The other big novelty of this edition will be the increase in television coverage, which will reach a total of 34 hours of live coverage across the four days, 20% more than in 2025. During the first two rounds a new early broadcast window is introduced, from 09:00 to 13:00 (UK time), focused on the morning featured groups. Main coverage will then run from 13:00 to 19:00, offering the best from across the entire course.
At the weekend, the tournament will have seven hours of live broadcast each day, from 12:00 to 19:00. This deployment makes the AIG Women’s Open the women’s golf championship with the most linear television hours in the United Kingdom and the United States, surpassing any other event on the calendar
A further step in the expansion of women’s golf
For Peter Zaffino, this growth goes beyond sport: “The AIG Women’s Open reflects our commitment to advancing women in sport, business and society”. In the same vein, Darbon insisted on the tournament’s strategic objective: “Raising every aspect of the championship is key to establishing it as one of the great women’s sporting events in the world”.
In addition, the tournament will continue to focus on attracting spectators to the course. Under-16s will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult, while 16 to 24-year-olds will have half-price tickets as part of the ‘Kids Go Free’ initiative. With more money, more exposure and a historic setting, the AIG Women’s Open 2026 presents itself as a key edition in the definitive consolidation of women’s golf at the global elite.
