Women's British Open Golf Tournament

About the Women's British Open::

The Women's British Open, currently carrying the official name of Ricoh Women's British Open, has been considered a major championship in women's golf since 2001 (it replaced the du Maurier Classic as an LPGA major). The tournament was founded by the Ladies Golf Union (governing body of women's golf in Great Britain) in 1976. It became an official stop on the LPGA tour in 1994.

2009 Tournament
• When: July 30-Aug. 2
• Where: Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club, Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire, England

2008 Recap
Korean LPGA Tour member Ji-Yai Shin surged past third-round leader Yuri Fudoh and to her first major - and first LPGA victory - with a final-round 66. Shin finished three strokes clear of runner-up Yani Tseng.
• Who is Ji-Yai Shin?
Photos: Annika's final major

Official Web site

Women's British Open - Records:

• Most wins: 3 - Karrie Webb (1995, 1997, 2002) and Sherri Steinhauer (1998, 1999, 2006)
• Low round: 62 - Minea Blomqvist, third round, 2004
• Low total strokes: 269 - Karrie Webb, 1997, and Karen Stupples, 2004
• Low total in relation to par: 19-under - Webb (1997) and Stupples (2004)
• Largest margin of victory: 11 strokes - Ayako Okamoto, 1984

Women's British Open - Golf Courses:

The Women's British Open rotates yearly to courses around the U.K.

Recent Sites

• 2007 - The Old Course at St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland
• 2006 - Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club, Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire, England
• 2005 - Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England

Future Sites

• 2008 - Sunningdale Golf Club, Sunningdale, Berkshire, England
• 2009 - Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club, Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire, England
• 2010 - Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England

Full list of Women's British Open golf courses

Women's British Open - Trivia and Notes:

An amateur, Jenny Lee-Smith, won the inaugural Women's British Open - then called the Ladies' British Open - in 1976.

Another amateur, Janet Melville, won in 1978, and Marta Figueras-Dotti won as an amateur in 1982.

Laura Davies was not yet playing in America when, in her second year as a pro, she won the Women's British Open in 1986. The following year she won the U.S. Women's Open and became a member of the LPGA Tour. The U.S. Women's Open victory in '87 also made Davies the first golfer to hold both the British and U.S. women's open titles simultaneously.

Patty Sheehan was the first to win the U.S. and British women's opens in the same year, doing so in 1992.

Karrie Webb first gained major notice in 1995 when, as a rookie on the Ladies European Tour, she won the Women's British Open by seven strokes.

The record for lowest round in a men's or women's major is 62. It's been done twice, the first time by Minea Blomqvist in the third round at Sunningdale in the 2004 Women's British Open.

The British cereal company Weetabix was the title sponsor of this tournament from 1987 through 2006, when it was known as the Weetabix Women's British Open.

Women's British Open - Past Champions:

Recent winners of the Women's British Open:

2008 - Ji-Yai Shin
2007 - Lorena Ochoa
2006 - Sherri Steinhauer
2005 - Jeong Jang
2004 - Karen Stupples
2003 - Annika Sorenstam
2002 - Karrie Webb
Full List of Past Champions