$9m prize fund for AIG Women's Open as Royal Lytham gets 2026 event

This week’s AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath will carry a $9 million prize fund - a 23 per cent increase on 2022 - with the winner picking up $1.35m.

Peter Zaffino, CEO of AIG, and Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, pictured at Walton Heath after announcing the continued partnership between the two organisations of the AIG Women's Open. Picture: The R&A.

In a further boost for the event, AIG, the title sponsor since 2019, has extended its partnership with The R&A until 2030.

Announcing the good news for the women’s game on the eve of the final major of the season, R&A CEO Martin Slumbers said: “In AIG and Peter Zaffino (CEO of the American multinational finance and insurance corporation), we have found an ally of women’s golf which has formed the basis of our strong partnership and I am delighted to see that continue.

“We have a clear vision for the AIG Women’s Open; we want to see the best women golfers compete on the best golf courses in front of large crowds and show us how good they are.

“When I look around at the 2023 AIG Women’s Open and what we have achieved in five years, I am incredibly proud; but even more so, I am inspired by what we can still do.

“The future of women’s golf is bright and it is up to us, with the support of the wider industry, to take bold steps, in a way that is financially sustainable, to ensure our aspirations become reality.”

The new $9m prize fund is less than the $12m on offer for this year’s US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, though it still represents a significant jump from the 2022 edition at Muirfield, where South African Ashleigh Buhai triumphed in a play-off.

Meanwhile, the 2026 event will be held at Royal Lytham, where Catriona Matthew triumphed in 2009 and, more recently, Georgia Hall landed the title five years ago.

Slumbers said of that announcement: “It is one of the finest links courses in the United Kingdom and has produced many memorable champions, including Georgia Hall’s 2018 victory to the rapturous applause of a home crowd.

“We look forward to making more memories at Royal Lytham and adding to the history of the AIG Women’s Open on this world-class links.”