July 31, 2025: The AIG Women’s Open, the final major of the 2025 LPGA Tour season, is underway at the stunning and challenging Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales. The field is packed with talent, including all of the top 25 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings and all 20 of this season’s LPGA Tour winners. The new venue promises to be a thrilling test for the world’s best. Here are three players whose recent form and history on links-style courses make them particularly compelling to watch this week.
Lottie Woad: The Rookie Sensation
The golf world is buzzing about Lottie Woad, and for good reason. The 21-year-old Englishwoman arrives in Wales as a bona fide professional for the first time, and the results of her last month of golf are nothing short of spectacular. Woad’s incredible run began on the Ladies European Tour where she won the KPMG Women’s Irish Open by six strokes as an amateur. The following week, she narrowly missed a playoff at The Amundi Evian Championship, tying for third and, in the process, earning her LPGA Tour card through the new LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP).
Woad then made her professional debut at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open and won in her first start, becoming the eighth Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2025 season. Her combined score of 55 under par over her last three starts, with a scoring average of 67.3, makes her a force to be reckoned with. The AIG Women’s Open will be her first professional major championship, but she has a history of performing well in big events, including a T10 finish as an amateur at the 2024 AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews. Woad’s combination of momentum, skill, and confidence makes her a player that everyone will be watching closely.
Celine Boutier: The Links Specialist
French star Celine Boutier is no stranger to success on links-style courses, which makes her a top contender at Royal Porthcawl. This will be her 10th start in the AIG Women’s Open, and she has a strong track record, including four top-25 finishes and two top-10 finishes in 2019 and 2022.
Boutier’s comfort on these types of layouts is further evidenced by her performances at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, the other true links test on the LPGA Tour schedule. She has never missed a cut in seven starts at the event, with a win in 2023 and two other top-10 finishes. Her season-long stats are also impressive; she is second on the LPGA Tour in birdies (207) and tied for third in par-5 scoring average (4.58). With her consistent performance and proven success on links courses, Boutier is well-equipped to contend for the major title.
Stephanie Kyriacou: The Australian Contender
With two major championships already claimed by Australians this season, it would be wise to keep an eye on Stephanie Kyriacou. The 24-year-old has a solid history at this major, having only missed one cut in five previous appearances and notching two top-14 finishes, including a tie for seventh in 2022 at Muirfield.
Kyriacou has had a strong 2025 LPGA Tour season so far, with three top-10 finishes in her 15 starts. Her most recent top-10 finish was a tie for fifth at the Mizuho Americas Open in May. She has consistently been a strong performer in strokes gained categories, ranking 37th in strokes gained total according to KPMG Performance Insights. Given her knack for performing well on the big stage and the success of her fellow countrymen and women this season, Kyriacou is a player who could make a run up the leaderboard.