Storylines to Watch at the 2026 AIG Women's Open

Now that we've covered a little bit of Women's Open history, let's take a look at some of the players and storylines I'll be keeping an eye on this week.

Haeran Ryu

Entering in prime form having won the last two majors, Ryu is not the betting favorite this week. She leads the LPGA in approach play both in Strokes Gained and Greens in Regulation, so Royal Lytham should be a great fit for the best ball-striker on tour. I’d be shocked if she doesn’t contend this week.

Nelly Korda

The world No. 1 has cooled off after her gun-blazing start to the season. Whether her potential grand super duper slam added some outside pressure or not, the Nelly we saw at the beginning of the year has grown frustrated with her recent play on the course. Despite missing the cut at the Evian, you can't really leave Nelly off your watch list at any event. Plus she’s paired with Haeran Ryu for the first two rounds, which should make for a fun head-to-head battle.

The British are Coming

Catriona Matthew in 2009. Georgia Hall in 2018. Can the streak of British winners at Royal Lytham continue? Will Charley Hull finally get it across the finish line at a major? Royal Lytham fits the likes of a Lottie Woad tremendously, and it would be a proper place for Lottie to capture her first major, reminiscent of Georgia in 2018.

Brooke Henderson

Have you heard she’s an aunt? Consecutive top fives in the last two majors have her game heating up at the right time, and I would be hard-pressed to think that will stop this week. Hopefully her time at home with her new niece after the Evian hasn't distracted her too much, though.

Japan vs. Korea

Last year saw Japan's resurgence to superiority in the women's game as six different players claimed victory — most notable was Miyu Yamashita's dominant putting performance at Royal Porthcrawl at the 2025 Women’s Open. Korea has bounced back this year with stellar runs from both Haeran Ryu and Hyo Joo Kim. Ina Yoon, Sei Young Kim, Jin Hee Im and a handful of other Korean ladies have also shown great form. It will be a fun game within the game to watch this week as both proud countries attempt to pick off another major.