The R&A has introduced digital features and extended television coverage for the 50th AIG Women’s Open, played at Royal Lytham & St Annes through Sunday, 2 August.
Announced on Wednesday, the changes are intended to help spectators at the Lancashire links and viewers following remotely track players throughout the championship.
New tools for following players
The new Find Your Player personality quiz pairs each user with a golfer based on their interests and personality. Fans can then track that player’s progress in the official AIG Women’s Open app during the week.
The app now includes a Player Locator showing where competitors are on the course. It can help spectators move between groups at Royal Lytham, while viewers at home can use it to track when a chosen player reaches a particular hole.
Other app features include full leaderboards, tee times, course maps and video. A new vertical-video format will carry mobile-first player content during the championship.
The AIG Women’s Open website has also been redesigned to improve speed on mobile devices. It provides live scoring, championship news, weather information and location-specific broadcast details.
Neil Armit, Chief Commercial Officer at The R&A, said the tools were designed to connect more fans with the field.
Whether you’re attending Royal Lytham & St Annes or following from the other side of the world, we want fans to feel closer to the players than ever before. From discovering a new favourite through our ‘Find Your Player’ experience to following every shot through enhanced live coverage and personalised digital experiences, we’re making it easier than ever to connect with the AIG Women’s Open.
As we celebrate the Championship’s 50th edition, we’re continuing to set the standard for women’s golf by delivering more linear television coverage in the UK and US than any other women’s golf championship. Combined with an extensive global broadcast network and innovative digital experiences, we’re making it easier than ever for fans everywhere to connect with our players and experience the AIG Women’s Open.
Opening rounds gain six broadcast hours
The broadcast schedule adds three hours of live coverage on both Thursday and Friday. A dedicated early window runs from 9am to 1pm BST, showing the morning marquee groups, before the main broadcast continues from 1pm to 7pm.
Saturday and Sunday will each carry seven hours of live coverage, beginning at noon and running until 7pm BST, the end of play or the completion of the prize ceremony. The four competition days provide 34 scheduled hours of live television.
The R&A said the schedule marks a 20 per cent rise on 2025 and means the championship will have more linear television hours than any other women’s major. Sky Sports is broadcasting the event in the United Kingdom, with international partners including NBC in the United States, Fox Sports in Australia and U-Next in Japan.
First established in 1976, the AIG Women’s Open brings a 144-player field to Royal Lytham for its 50th edition. The course last hosted the championship in 2018, when Georgia Hall won her first major title.
Related: Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings 31/2026
Simon Bale
Simon Bale is the publisher of Golf Today. A low single-figure handicap golfer, he was previously a major shareholder and course reviewer for Top100GolfCourses.com for over a decade, starting in 2010. Through this role, he developed extensive knowledge of golf course design and architecture while playing more than 300 courses worldwide.