AIG WOMEN'S OPEN-MUIRFIELD
"Savannah De Bock achieved a formidable feat by winning the European Women's Amateur Championship, contested on the Parisian course of Saint-Germain. Co-leader at the start of the fourth and final round with the Englishwoman Charlotte Heath, the young 16-year-old Waterlootoise held up the shock this Saturday by returning, like her opponent, a solid card of 66 (-6). They both finished the tournament 19 strokes under par, two strokes ahead of France's Inès Archer. Savannah finally won on the 4th hole of the play-off in sudden death, while the two players could not decide on all of the first three holes.
It is therefore an extraordinary performance for the Royal Waterloo player, originally from Ecaussinnes (Hainaut), who for the first time in her career broke the “70” bar four times in a row (69-67 -67-66). And this on a very tricky St-Germain course with many judiciously placed bunkers, like all the courses designed by Tom Simpson. This did not prevent the reigning Belgian champion (winner of BIAC at Sept Fontaines) from accumulating birdies there: 27 in total, also a record of its kind!
This is the second time that a Belgian player has been crowned European champion, the first being Florence Descampe 34 years ago, in 1988 in Pedrena in Spain, also after a play-off. Note that at the men's level, Didier de Vooght won for him exactly 25 years ago on the course of the Imperial domain, near Geneva, ahead of a certain Sergio Garcia.
The FRBG congratulates Savannah for this new phenomenal performance, and wishes her to follow in the footsteps of her illustrious elders." FRBG
The Tournament
Created in 1976, the Women's British Open became a Major in 2001. It has since been part of both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour (LET) calendar. It is regularly positioned between July 15 and August 15, but the 2012 edition, organized at Royal Liverpool, was however postponed from September 13 to 16 due to the London Olympics. Stamped Ricoh Women's British Open between 2007 and 2018, the title sponsor has changed since 2019 with the arrival of AIG (an American insurance group) becoming AIG Women's Open from 2020. It is contested under this name at least until in 2025. A Grand Slam tournament for more than twenty years, it is most often played on the same courses chosen by the rotation of The Open for these gentlemen, such as Royal Lytham & St Annes (2003, 06, 09, 18) , Royal Birkdale (2005, 10, 14), Old Course at St Andrews (2007, 13), Carnoustie Golf Links (2011, 21), Royal Liverpool (2012), Turnberry (2015), Royal Troon ( 2020). In 2023, we will go to Walton Heath (Surrey), where between 2005 and 2019 the 36-hole European qualifications for the US Open for men were held. St Andrews and Royal Porthcawl will host the British Women in 2024 and 2025.
The endowment
Increased to $4.5 million in 2019, the endowment was the same until last year when it was reassessed at $5.8 million. For 2022, it is once again experiencing a significant increase since it now displays 6.8 million dollars. The winner will pocket a check for 1,020,000 dollars against 870,000 in 2021. After the US Open (10 million) and the KPMG PGA Championship (9 million), the British is the third best-endowed Major of the season ahead of the Amundi Evian Championship (6.5 million) and the Chevron Championship (5 million).
The course
6,625 meters long, the par 71 of Muirfield (Scotland) was extended by 193 meters for the coming of The Open in 2002 won by the South African Ernie Els, winner in the play-off of the Frenchman Thomas Levet and the Australians Stuart Appleby and Steve Elkington.
Muirfield is no longer persona non grata
A private golf course located in Gullane (East Lothian) which is home to the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, Muirfield received The Open sixteen times between 1892 and 2013. But his policy of ostracizing women almost failed him. cost his place in the British Open rotation. Until 2017, women were not allowed to become members of the club. Under pressure from the R&A after a first vote carried out in May 2016 refusing the membership of women within it, a second vote carried out in March 2017 finally accepted women as members. A result that put Muirfield back on track ahead of hosting the AIG Women's Open this week. FFG
Tee Time Thursday 7H25 with Sophia POPOV and Nanna KOERSTZ MADSEN
Tee Time Friday 12H05 with Sophia POPOV and Nanna KOERSTZ MADSEN
