AIG Women's Open: Martin Dempster's essential guide to event

Royal Troon is staging the AIG Women's Open for the first time after opening its doors to women members just before the 2016 Open Championship at the Ayrshire venue. Picture: PA

All you need to know about the women’s major at Royal Troon

Is the tournament more significant than normal?

Very much so. It's the first time the women's major has been staged at Royal Troon, which opened its doors to women members in the build up to the men's Open Championship in 2017. It's also the event's 20th staging as a major and the first women's major in 2020 as well due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Who are the stars in field?

The line up includes six players from the world's top 10 - three more than last week's ASI Ladies Scottish Open in East Lothian. Danielle Kang (No 2), Nasa Hataoka (No 5) and Minjee Lee (No 8) are joined by Nelly Korda (No 4), Brooke Henderson (No 7) and Lexi Thompson (No 9) while 13th-ranked Hinako Shibuno from Japan defends the title.

How many Scots are in the line up?

Five, including 2009 winner Catriona Matthew, who is returning to a venue where she won the Helen Holm Trophy as an amateur in 1990. Carly Booth and Kylie Henry also have previous Women's Open experience, but Gemma Dryburgh and Michele