Kingsbarns Golf Links and the Ricoh Women’s British Open

The world’s best female golfers have arrived in Scotland for the Ricoh Women’s British Open Championship. All eyes are on Kingsbarns Links from 3 to 6 August 2017 as this incredible course holds its first major. With one of the most spectacular settings in golf, it is guaranteed to provide a sensational backdrop to the season’s penultimate major.

The Contenders

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn will face fierce competition to defend the title she won at Woburn twelve months ago, with the field featuring the top 25 players on the Rolex Rankings, along with all of the current top 50 on the Race to CME Globe LPGA money list, and the top 30 on the LET Order of Merit.

World No. 1 So Yeon Ryu, the 2017 ANA Inspiration champion and one of only two multiple winners on the LPGA this season, will headline the field.

She will be joined by World No. 3 Lexi Thompson, and two-time major winner Lydia Ko, who despite experiencing a lull in form over recent months, must still be considered among the favourites for the title.

“I haven’t played Kingsbarns yet, but I’ve heard great things,’’ the New Zealander told us during last week’s Aberdeen Asset Scottish Ladies Open. ‘’It’s always exciting to return to the Home of Golf and test yourself against the very best on a links course, which is so different to what we normally play on the LPGA.”

It was Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee who overcame the brutal conditions to lift the crown at Dundonald Links, and after firing a sensational six-under-par on the final day, in a week when sub-70 scoring was somewhat of a rarity, she will certainly be a player to watch at Kingsbarns Links.

The Local Girls

England’s Charley Hull, who won her first LPGA title at the season finale last year, the CME Group Tour Championship, will lead the British charge as she looks to join the group of talented young 20-somethings with Major silverware to their name. Look out also for Mel Reid who has been slowly building momentum in the last year. Meanwhile Scottish hopes lie with veteran Catriona Matthew. The gritty Scot famously won the championship in 2009, just weeks after giving birth to her second child.

Others to watch out for

US Women’s Open champion Danielle Kang, Irish amateur Leona Maguire, and the feisty Cristie Kerr are also in the field for what looks set to be nail-biting championship.

There is a Solheim Cup element to the event too. Americans Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang, Denmark’s Emily Pedersen and England’s Florentyna Parker, are still trying to qualify. The final American and European squads will be announced immediately following the conclusion of the championship.

The Course at Kingsbarns

Located just outside St Andrews, the Kyle Phillips design is one of the finest golf courses in Scotland. The course affords fantastic ocean views from every hole on this spectacular piece of land.

Golfers on All Square have rated Kingsbarns the best course in the world through their reviews. The course has held this accolade for over a year and continues to collect five-star reviews from our users. There simply is not one bad hole on the course, in fact there isn’t even a mediocre one!

This is a course that deserves pride of place atop your “must play” list and one every golfer should experience!

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