Woburn Golf Club was announced today as the venue for the 2019 Women’s British Open with Royal Troon making its debut on the Championship roster in 2020. The selection of these two outstanding venues continues the Championship Committee’s strategy of ensuring that the world’s best players play the world’s best golf courses.
Woburn has hosted the Championship on 10 occasions, the first nine of which were on the Duke’s Course, while the 2016 Ricoh Women’s British Open was played on the Marquess Course to great acclaim from the 144-strong field of world class players.
Forming part of the Woburn Estate, home to the Duke of Bedford, Woburn Golf Club is one of the UK’s premier golf facilities, boasting three world class Championship golf courses and has held many European Tour and Senior Tour events as well as Final Qualifying for The Open.
The Open has been played at Royal Troon on nine occasions, most recently in 2016 when Sweden’s Henrik Stenson triumphed. It has also hosted The Senior Open Championship, The Amateur Championship, the Ladies Amateur Championship, The Home Internationals and the Scottish Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championship.
Taking the event to Royal Troon is another landmark for the Championship with three new courses already added to the rota in the last 12 years of the Championship – The Old Course in 2007, Carnoustie in 2011 and Royal Liverpool in 2012.
Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn was delighted to hear that the Championship is returning to the scene of her first Major triumph commenting: “I am so happy to hear that we will be back playing on the Marquess Course at Woburn. I know everyone always says they like the courses where they have won before but I think I actually won because I loved everything about my week in Woburn so much! The crowds were amazing, the facilities were perfect, the course totally suited my game and, of course there is lots of lovely places around Woburn to visit. I cannot wait to see everyone there in 2019.”
The Duke of Bedford commented: “We are delighted to be welcoming the Women’s British Open back to Woburn in 2019. Hosting our first Major in 2016 was a real privilege and it was an experience all of our members enjoyed very much. Ariya was a truly wonderful champion and I was in awe as to how well she handled the challenges of the Marquess. We look forward to seeing if she can manage a repeat performance next year against what will be another world-class field of international stars.”
Clive Brown, Chairman of the Championship Committee said: “We are very much looking forward to returning to Woburn next year after the success of 2016. Royal Troon has one of the most impressive resumés of championships hosted of any world-renowned golf club but their determination and enthusiasm to host the Women’s British Open shows just how prestigious the Women’s British Open has become in world golf.”
Scotland’s leading golfer, Catriona Matthew said: “This is great news for the Championship as Royal Troon is a fantastic venue and test of golf. I know that this news will be extremely well received by the players.”
Royal Troon Club Captain, Alasdair Cameron, added: “We are thrilled that the Women’s British Open will be coming to Royal Troon in 2020. It is the event that we have had our eye on for some time and we are very much looking forward to hosting the best women golfers and seeing how these fantastic players handle the challenges of our course.”
The Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company, since 1984. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.
