Out of the Rough: AIG Women's Open (2025)

The final major of the 2025 LPGA season is upon us with this week’s AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.

This year marks the 49th playing of the AIG Women’s Open. It has been a part of the LPGA Tour schedule since 1994 and became a major championship in 2001.

This year’s installment will be held at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales, marking the first time the event has been held in Wales.

The Field

With this week being a major, all of the world’s best women golfers will be in attendance.

Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda leads the charge this week alongside World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul who currently leads the Race to CME Globe. 

World No. 3 Lydia Ko comes in as the defending champion, winning at St. Andrews by two strokes over the likes of Korda, Lilia Vu, Ruoning Yin and Jiyai Shin.

Grace Kim won the most recent major, The Amundi Evian Championship a few weeks back as World No. 5 Minjee Lee claimed the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June. 

World No. 9 Maja Stark won the U.S. Women’s Open and World No. 10 Mao Saigo claimed The Chevron Championship to round out the other four major winners this season.

Yin (No. 4,) Angel Yin (No. 6,) Haeran Ryu (No. 7) and H.J. Kim (No. 8) rounds out the current top ten of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

All eyes will be on Lottie Woad who won the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open in her professional debut last week. 

Other former winners of this event teeing it up include Lilia Vu (2023,) Ashleigh Buhai (2022,) Anna Nordqvist (2021,) Sophia Popov (2020,) Hinako Shibuno (2019,) Georgia Hall (2018,) Ariya Jutanugarn (2016,) Stacy Lewis (2013,) Shin (2012 & 2008) and Yani Tseng (2011 & 2010.) 

The Course

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales will play host for the AIG Women’s Open for the first time.

Although it has never hosted this event, it has hosted other events such as the Walker Cup, Ladies Open Championship, Curtis Cup, The Amateur Championship and The Senior Open Championship, among others.

It plays as a par-72 at 6,580 yards and is widely regarded as the best golf course in all of Wales and one of the best courses in the entire world.

Over the years, legendary golf architects Harry Colt, J.H. Taylor and Tom Simpson have helped shape Royal Porthcawl into what it is today.

Most recently, Martin Ebert oversaw further improvements to keep the venue up-to-par to host premier golf events.

Royal Portcawl sits along the coastline of the Swansea Bay within the Bristol Channel. 

It’s set on gentle slopes that run down to the shore and with the lack of sand dunes that traditional links venue feature, Royal Porthcawl offers uninterrupted sea views from every hole.

Holes run in every direction, offering a continual test of skill with shifting winds ensuring that no two holes, let alone rounds, feels the same.

The first three holes flank the boardwalk and the beach on the left. Hole No. 2 features an out-of-bounds fence that sits very close to the green.

The short par-three seventh hole features a heavily bunkered green, playing similar to Royal Troon’s ‘Postage Stamp.’

As the holes are directed in different directions, there is a wide variety throughout this golf course. The back nine may play tougher than the front nine with a number of demanding par-fours.

Along them are the back-and-forth duo of holes No. 15 and No. 16. Both feature devious cross bunkers and uphill approaches.

The closing hole is a winding par-five that offers a decision to go for the green in two. The 18th will definitely offer its hand in the dramatics that can ensue with a chance to record an eagle to cap a major championship.

The Weather

As of the time of writing this, winds will be the biggest factor this week. Surprise right? Not really. This is links golf at its finest. Winds are set for 16 miles-per-hour on Thursday, 18 miles-per-hour on Friday, 13 miles-per-hour on Saturday and 22 miles-per-hour on Sunday. Thursday currently calls for a 45-percent chance of precipitation, Friday a 20-percent chance, Saturday a ten-percent chance and Sunday a 45-percent chance. Temperatures will begin Thursday at 70-degrees before falling to 65-degrees on Friday. Temperatures will then rise to 67-degrees on Saturday and 68-degrees on Sunday.

Key Stats

• Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (SG: TTG)

• Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: APP)

• Total Driving

• Strokes Gained: Putting (SG: PUTT)

• Three-Putt Avoidance

• Par 5 Average Scoring

• Sand Saves Percentage

• Scrambling

Betting Card

Jeeno Thitikul (+1100)

I’d like to thank Lottie Woad for giving us a manageable number on Thitikul this week. Sure Thitikul has the third shortest odds to win this week, but at 11/1, there’s enough meat on the bone to back her. She topped my stats-based model by a large margin. She is currently third on Tour in par-five average scoring, sixth in SG: TTG, seventh in SG: PUTT, ninth in SG: APP, 12th in three-putt avoidance, 20th in scrambling, 27th in total driving and 28th in sand saves percentage. She most recently placed second at The Amundi Evian Championship, fourth at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and 11th at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. She also won the Mizuho Americas earlier this season. Thitikul placed 17th at the AIG Women’s Open last season, 36th in 2023, seventh in 2022 and 48th in 2021.

Hye-Jin Choi (+3000)

Choi’s success at the AIG Women’s Open is nowhere near the other majors. She has at least a top-ten in each of the other majors but a best of T28th at this event in 2022. She also placed 37th last year and 66th in 2023. However, you can’t deny the type of form she is currently in. She placed tenth last week at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, 14th at The Amundi Evian Championship, eighth at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, second at the Meijer LPGA Classic, fourth at the U.S. Women’s Open, fourth at the MEXICO Riviera Maya Open, 33rd at the Mizuho Americas, 12th at the Black Desert Championship and ninth at The Chevron Championship. A tenth last week on a links course is rather promising. She is currently third on Tour in total driving, fifth in three-putt avoidance, sixth in SG: PUTT, 31st in SG: TTG, 33rd in scrambling, 41st in SG: APP, 73rd in par-five average scoring and 77th in sand saves percentage. 

Ruoning Yin (+3500)

A missed cut at The Amundi Evian Championship is beneficial to us for Yin in getting a playable number. One of the Tour’s premier ball strikers and iron players and a runner-up at this event a season ago. She also placed 61st here in 2023. She won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2023 as well. Yin also was the runner-up at The Chevron Championship and placed T4th at the U.S. Women’s Open this season. She is currently fourth on Tour in SG: APP, sixth in both SG: TTG and scrambling, 12th in par-five average scoring, 15th in total driving, 16th in sand saves percentage, 38th in three-putt avoidance and 71st in SG: PUTT. She is actually second in my stats-based model to only Thitikul (although a large margin) this week. 

Sarah Schmelzel (+12500)

Schmelzer is currently 11th on Tour in scrambling, 35th in total driving, 37th in SG: TTG, 39th in par-five average scoring, 48th in sand saves percentage, 51st in SG: APP and 58th in both SG: PUTT and three-putt avoidance. She most recently placed 28th at last week’s ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, 49th at The Amundi Evian Championship and fifth at the Dow Championship. Earlier this season she placed 14th at the U.S. Women’s Open and sixth at The Chevron Championship. She placed 29th at this event a season ago, missed the cut in 2023 and placed 48th in 2022.