The R&A and sponsors AIG have announced an increased prize fund and extended broadcast hours for the AIG Women’s Open which is celebrating its 50th anniversary at Royal Lytham & St Annes from 29 July – 2 August.

Speaking ahead of this year’s milestone Championship, Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of The R&A, and Peter Zaffino, Chairman & CEO of AIG, confirmed that athletes competing at Royal Lytham & St Annes will play for a prize fund of US$10 million.

“This is the sixth consecutive year that the AIG Women’s Open prize fund has been increased,” said Mark Darbon. “These consistent and sustainable investments in the prize fund clearly demonstrate The R&A and AIG’s commitment to elevating the Championship on the global stage.”

The growth of the Championship is reflected in its evolution over five decades. In 1976, Jenny Lee Smith won the inaugural title when the total prize fund stood at £500.

By 2008, when the Championship was last held at Sunningdale, which has been announced as the 2028 AIG Women’s Open venue, Jiyai Shin claimed the winner’s share of a US$2.1 million purse.

Georgia Hall triumphed at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2018, with a total prize fund of US$3.25 million, the year prior to The R&A and AIG partnership, and since then the purse has more than trebled in the eight years.

Broadcast coverage for the 2026 AIG Women’s Open will also expand significantly, offering fans enhanced opportunities to follow the action.

For rounds one and two, a new early broadcast window will provide three additional hours of live coverage each day.

Early window coverage, from 9am to 1pm BST, will feature the morning marquee groups with full main coverage, from 1pm to 7pm BST, bringing the best action from across the course to fans around the world.

The AIG Women’s Open will be broadcast live for seven hours, from 12pm to 7pm BST, on Saturday and Sunday.

In the United Kingdom, coverage will be available live and in full on Sky Sports and R&A TV, while audiences in the United States can watch on Golf Channel, USA Network and NBC. International coverage includes JTBC in South Korea, JGN and U-Next in Japan, and VGolf across Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

This increased coverage, up to 34 hours across four days, ensures that the AIG Women’s Open has more linear television broadcast hours in the UK and US than any other women’s golf championship.

Peter Zaffino, Chairman & CEO, AIG, said, “The AIG Women’s Open reflects our commitment to advancing women in business, sports and society, which is core to AIG’s values. In partnership with The R&A, we are making important strides in elevating the women’s game by continuing to increase the Championship purse and extending live broadcast coverage that will reach an even wider global audience of fans.”

Mark Darbon added, “Elevating all aspects of the AIG Women’s Open is key to our continued success as we build on the foundation of the past 49 years. Building the profile of women’s golf remains central to our ambition to establish the Championship as one of the world’s leading women’s sporting events.

“Our broadcast coverage is fundamental to that ambition and with a 20% increase in live hours compared to 2025, we are setting a new benchmark for women’s golf. The AIG Women’s Open now delivers more linear television broadcast hours in the UK and US than any other women’s golf championship, giving fans unprecedented access to the very best players in the world. This is another important step forward as we continue to invest in the Championship and grow its global audience.”

Fans are also encouraged to experience the AIG Women’s Open in person, with tickets available at aigwomensopen.com. As part of The R&A’s ‘Kids Go Free’ initiative, children under 16 can attend free of charge when accompanied by a paying adult, while youth tickets (ages 16–24) are available at half price.

A range of premium hospitality packages is also on offer, providing elevated viewing experiences alongside more than ten hours of world-class golf each day.

For full ticket, hospitality and event information, please visit aigwomensopen.com.

AIG Women’s Open prize funds

2026 $10m

2025 $9.75m

2024 $9.5m

2023 $9m

2022 $7.3m

2021 $5.8m

2020 $4.5m

2019 $4.5m

2018 €3.2m

Padraig Harrington and Brendan Lawlor are amongst the star names who will take part in a fun celebration of golf when the Heroes Classic is held for the first time during The 154^th Open at Royal Birkdale on Tuesday, 14 July.

Jordan Spieth and Pádraig Harrington, both former winners of The Open at Royal Birkdale, will be joined by reigning AIG Women’s Open champion Miyu Yamashita, G4D Champion Brendan Lawlor, and Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose, as well as high-profile figures from sport and entertainment, including R&A ambassadors Bryan Habana and Kathryn Newton.

Harrington said, “The Heroes Classic is a fantastic way for fans to experience a different side of The Open, and I’m really looking forward to being part of it.

“Royal Birkdale holds a special place in my heart, and this will showcase something new and exciting for spectators.

“It’s a great, family-friendly occasion, there are some great names taking part and I hope it inspires everyone who comes along.”

The event will celebrate the heroes of the sport – those who inspire millions of people around the world to play and get involved in golf – and highlight the work of The R&A in developing and promoting golf globally.

It will be contested in teams of three players over the 1^st, 2^nd and 9^th holes using a Texas scramble format with a scoring incentive to ensure each participant gets to hit as many shots as possible to create team unity and enable friendly competition.

Tommy Fleetwood said, “To be part of the first Heroes Classic at The Open is really exciting, especially at a Championship that means so much to all of us as players. It should be a lot of fun and I think the fans are going to really enjoy seeing a different side of everyone involved.

“If we can create a memory that inspires someone to be involved in the game and dream big, that is a wonderful thing.”

Jordan Spieth said, “It’s special to come back to Royal Birkdale, this place means a lot to me and I’m looking forward to being part of something unique during Open week. Heroes Classic will be a fun way to bring people together and give fans another great experience at one of the best weeks in golf.

“It’s great to see something new being added to The Open, and with Royal Birkdale being such an iconic venue and I’m excited to be involved.”

Justin Rose, said, “I am really looking forward to taking part in the Heroes Classic. The Open at Royal Birkdale in 1998 was a really special moment for me and brings back so many fond memories, especially winning the Silver Medal as a young amateur.

“To return now, in a different stage of my career, is something I’m excited about. I’m looking forward to being back, reconnecting with the fans, and giving them something new to experience through the Heroes Classic.”

Increased capacity at this year’s Championship has resulted in a limited number of tickets being available to attend the Last-Chance Qualifier being played on Monday 13 July and Heroes Classic.

Fans still have the opportunity to attend The Open on Championship Days with a range of ticket-inclusive travel packages, including The Open Camping Village. A limited number of premium experiences, such as Ticket Plus, which combine an admission ticket with added comfort and enhanced on-site facilities, are also available.

The Official Ticket Resale Platform for The 154^thOpen at Royal Birkdale also opened today allowing fans to purchase tickets returned for the Championship at face value prices. The R&A is reminding fans not to purchase tickets made available via unofficial third party resale websites as these are subject to cancellation under the ticketing terms and conditions for The Open.

To find out how you can still attend The Open through a range of ticketing, premium experiences and ticket-inclusive travel packages, please visit TheOpen.com

John Doyle cruised to a five-shot win at the Boylesports Lee Valley Scratch Cup.

The Junior Ruder Cup star closed with a three under 69 to hold off Fota Island clubman David Howard on 13-under.

Scores

East of Ireland champion Howard shot 72 to finish on eight under with Jordan Boles third on four under after a closing 69.

Rosslare’s Mark Shanahan was fourth and Cork’s Jonathon O’Sullivan fifth.

David Reddan claimed sixth on two under after a best-of-the-day 67.

The low Lee Valley member was Ben Murray on level-par, while another home player, Mark Behan, won the Nett.

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The 2028 Open will be staged at Royal Lytham and St Annes, but R&A chief executive Mark Darbon admits he's "cautiously optimistic" about Portmarnock's chances of hosting the game's oldest Major.

The north Dublin links have been mooted as a venue for the AIG Women's Open as early as 2028, and for The Open itself in 2030.

Much will depend on feasibility studies into the venue being carried out by the R&A, and while Mr Darbon said at a media facilitation day today that progress has been slower than he'd hoped, more clarity could come by the summer.

"We remain excited by the potential to stage both an AIG Women's Open and an Open Championship at Portmarnock," he said at Royal Birkdale, which hosts the 154th Open from 16-19 July.

"As you know, it's a wonderful golf course, and it would be a first for us. There is a long history of R&A championships in Ireland, but it would of course be the first Open Championship there if we were to go.

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"It's a complicated venue, so what we've been doing over recent months is undertaking a really significant body of feasibility work.

"If I'm honest, it's taken us slightly longer than we originally envisaged, but good progress is being made, and I would say we're cautiously optimistic about the ability to stage major championships at that venue.

"We're hoping to bring some clarity to that by the end of this summer.

"I should acknowledge the wonderful support that we've had from the Irish government in terms of supporting us on that feasibility work and their excitement around the potential for championships more broadly."

As for 2028, Royal Lytham & St Annes will host the 156th Open with Donald Trump's Turnberry links and famed Muirfield remaining out in the cold.

The game's oldest major, which will be played from 30 July to 6 August to avoid clashing with the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, marks its return to the Blackpool links for the first time since Ernie Els lifted the Claret Jug there in 2012.

"Royal Lytham & St Annes is widely renowned as one of the world's finest links courses and has witnessed many great championship moments since The Open was first played there in 1926, when the legendary Bobby Jones won," Mr Darbon said.

"This is one of golf's most cherished and historic venues, and The Open's return to these famous links will spark huge interest among fans to be part of one of the world's great sporting events and celebrate the rich traditions of golf's original Championship."

The return of Royal Lytham means the wait for The Open goes on for Muirfield and Turnberry.

Turnberry last hosted The Open in 2009, five years before President Trump bought the resort, and while he has invested €230 million in improving the Ailsa Course, the R&A appears reluctant to return.

Asked today about Turnberry and Muirfield's futures as Open venues, Mr Darbon said dialogue was "ongoing".
He had previously explained that the decision not to return to Turnberry had nothing to do with the US president's ownership of the course but rather with logistics, noting that the 120,000 attendance in 2009 was dwarfed by the 280,000 at Royal Portrush in 2024.

Muirfield, which hosted The Open for the 16th time in 2013, also remains on the sidelines for similar reasons.

The lack of suitable practice facilities and the fact that the Genesis Scottish Open will be staged at The Renaissance Club next door until 2030 are two stumbling blocks.

Royal Lytham, in contrast, has undergone significant change since it last staged The Open, with a new practice ground and the lengthening of the par-five 11th to 601 yards among the improvements.

Nelly Korda captured her third Major title and returned to the top of the world rankings when she completed a wire-to-wire win in the Chevron Championship in Texas.

The Floridian (27) led by five shots with a round to play at Memorial Park in Houston and closed with a two-under 70 to win by five shots from China's Ruoning Yin and Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit on 18-under par.

"That was a hard weekend," said Korda, who won the KPMG Women's PGA in 2021 and the Chevron Championship for the first time two years ago.

"Honestly, having that big of a lead, it's not easy. It was definitely one of the hardest things I've had to do mentally.

"But I have an amazing support system, amazing family right behind me, an amazing caddy that's on the bag and just happy to get it done."

Korda had her struggles on the greens in the third round, and she was thrilled to produce a solid performance with the blade last night.

"Honestly, what I was telling myself was I really want to hoist this trophy, because I want to show the kids at home that it's okay to miss short putts and still win a major championship," she said.

"You know you're going to do it, you're going to make mistakes, but you have to mentally still be in it 100 per cent and that's really what I wanted to show.

"I wanted to show it to myself, and I wanted to show it to everyone also looking up to me."

It was Korda's 17th win as a professional, and the $1.35 million cheque took her career earnings to $18,578,276.

It was also a good day for Séamus Power and his German teammate Matti Schmid in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where they tied for 10th  behind Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick at TPC Louisiana.

Power and Schmid closed with a five-under 67 in the foursomes to finish on 26-under and pocket $112,496 each as the Fitzpatricks birdied the 18th to shoot 71 and win by a shot from Norwegians Kristoffer Reitan and Kris Ventura and US duo Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer.

It was far from a walk in the park for the Fitzpatrick brothers, who had a four-shot lead starting the day.

They made three birdies in their first 11 holes to lead by just three shots from Reitan and Ventura on 33-under.

But they double bogeyed the 12th after driving behind a tree and dropped another shot at the 14th to find themselves tied for the lead with Smalley and Springer on 30-under.

Reitan and Ventura then eagled the par-five 18th to shoot 65 and set the target at 30-under before being joined in the clubhouse lead by Smalley and Springer, who shot 68.

The Fitzpatricks missed a good birdie chance at the 17th to edge in front, but got over the line with a hard-earned birdie at the 584-yard 18th.

Bunkered short of the green in two, they got up and down to win — Matt splashing out to a foot from 35 yards to give Alex the simplest of tap-ins for his maiden PGA Tour win.

They each earned $1,372,750 and received a two-year exemption until the end of 2028, which means Alex now joins his brother on the PGA Tour.

"Yeah, it was a struggle,” Matt admitted. "I was doing absolutely zero to help him, apart from the (par) putt that I made on 15 there.

"I wasn't really providing much support. He was fantastic on that back nine, as he was yesterday as well.

"I said, just give us a chance on the last and obviously to hit one shot like that (from the bunker), it was nice to give him the easy tap-in.”

Alex added: “It's amazing to be here with him, my mom and dad. Just a lot of hard work, and I can't believe that we’ve done it.”

Older brother Matt compared the feeling to his maiden Major win in 2022.

“It’s hard to describe,”  the world number three said after his third PGA Tour win this season. “The US Open… it’s as good as that for sure."

Edmondstown's Anna Abom celebrated a "bittersweet" but historic victory when she raced to a 10-shot win in the inaugural South of Ireland Women's Amateur Open at Lahinch.

Leading by seven strokes heading into the final round, the Dubliner (19) added a four-under 70 to rounds of 70 and 68 to win on 14-under par from Hermitage's Kate Lanigan, who shot 72.

Scores

"I'm really happy to have won it, it's very cool that it's the first one of its kind," said Abom, whose win came just five months after the passing of her father, Bill.

"Definitely bittersweet. It's been a very hard few months. It's definitely been a bit of a struggle to keep going, so I'm definitely proud of myself for what I have done this weekend."

She added, "Nothing is ever guaranteed in golf; nothing is ever easy. There were so many good players behind me, it's links golf and anything can happen.

"I was just trying to keep the outcome a little bit less in my focus and just try and enjoy the day the same as I had the first two rounds."

On the Ladies European Tour, Elm Park's Anna Foster closed with a two-under 71 to lead the Irish challenge in the Investec South African Women's Open at Royal Cape.

She tied for 15th on five-under par, finishing ten strokes behind England's Esme Hamilton, who also shot 71 to claim her maiden Ladies European Tour title by two strokes from compatriot Cara Gainer on 15-under.

"This means a lot," Hamilton said. "I'm a bit lost for words.  This is something I've dreamt about for a while.

"Hopefully, this is the start of many more wins. I'm very ambitious, and I'm excited about how I can build on this. But I'm going to make sure I enjoy this first."

Lahinch's Aine Donegan and Armagh's Olivia Mehaffey tied for 37th on level par after closing rounds of 74.

Meanwhile, Austria's Bernd Wiesberger (40) claimed his ninth DP World Tour win and his first in nearly five years with a three-shot victory in the Volvo China Open.

He shot a four-under 67 to finish on 19-under-par in Shanghai and edge out the UAE's Adrian Otaegui, who led by three strokes with nine holes to play before limping home in 39.

"It has been a tough couple of years," said an emotional Wiesberger. "It's been an unbelievable week.

"I played my heart out today. It wasn't pretty at times, but I got it done. Adrian is a great competitor and had it under control."

Wiesberger turned his day around when he chipped in for birdie at the 10th, then birdied the 11th and 13th to draw level.

"Something happened on my 10th hole that I can't explain, and that's how golf goes sometimes," he said after Ogaegui bogeyed the 12th and 16th and double-bogeyed the last for a 71

"I'm super proud of sticking through hard times on the golf course lately. This is for everyone at home and I couldn't be happier."

On the Asian Tour, South Korea's Jeongwoo Ham won the Singapore Open by two shots from Australia's Cameron John as both men earned their debuts in The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale through The Open Qualifying Series.

"It's an unbelievable feeling," John said. "I've wanted to play in Major championships my whole life.
"I came close back home in Australia, so to come over here and get it done means a lot. It's something I'll never forget."

Brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick shot a tournament-record 15-under 57 in fourballs to take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

The English pair lead on 30-under at TPC Louisiana from Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who shot 62, and Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat, who carded a 61.

Seamus Power and his German partner Matti Schmid briefly held the lead when they played their first seven holes in five under on a course softened by an overnight lightning storm.

Preferred lies were in effect, but they failed to push on significantly and signed for an 8-under 64 that left them tied for 16th on 21-under heading into the foursomes today.

World number three Matt Fitzpatrick, winner of the Valspar Championship and the RBC Heritage in recent weeks, did most of the heavy lifting on the front nine before his younger brother took his birdie count for the day to seven with five counting birdies on the back nine as he seeks a win that would give him a PGA Tour exemption until the end of 2028.

“I didn't really do much the first nine holes,” said the recent winner of the Hero Indian Open, of their seven-under front nine. “I just kind of just let him do his thing. 

“Yeah, it was pretty cool to watch. You know, playing alongside my brother, who happens also to be one of the best players in the world is pretty fun. 

“When he's playing well, it's pretty cool to watch.”

Matt added, “Yeah, an amazing day. Amazing day. Probably not kind of sunk in how well we played today, if I'm honest. 

“Yeah, it was just hole after hole. The score, I only just realised we finished with five in a row. 

“You know, you are thinking about the next shot, so you're not really thinking about that. Yeah, a special day.”

The pair surged into contention with a 65 in the foursomes on Friday and hope to finish the job today.

“For me, it feels like no matter what happens tomorrow, it's going to be a great week regardless,” Alex said.

At the Chevron Championship, Nelly Korda equalled the event's 54-hole scoring record to take a five-shot lead into the final round in Houston.

After opening with two rounds of 65 at Memorial Park, the 27-year-old American carded a third round 70 to lead on 16 under par from Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit, who shot 69.

A second Chevron title in three seasons, and a third Major win, would take Korda back to the top of the world rankings after current world number one, Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul, missed the cut.

“The front nine was great," said Korda, who turned in three under before failing to shine on the greens on the back nine and heading to the putting green to practice.

“Just got to reset and hopefully it goes my way tomorrow.”

France’s Pauline Bouchard shot 67 and China's Yin Ruoning a bogey-free 66, the joint-best round of the day, to share fourth place on 10-under, six shots off the lead.

At the Investec SA Women’s Open, Slovenia’s Pia Babnik and England’s Esme Hamilton share the lead on 13-under par, one clear of England’s Cara Gainer, heading into today’s final round at Royal Cape.

Anna Foster was tied 24th on three under after a 75, with Olivia Mehaffey (75) and Aine Donegan (76) joint 41st on one under.

Meanwhile, Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger claimed his ninth DP World Tour win today when he closed to a four under 67 to win the Volvo China Open by three shots from the UAE’s Adrian Otaegui on 19-under.

He was three shots behind overnight leader Otaegui with nine holes to play but chipped in at the 10th and birdied the 11th and 13th to draw level.

Otaegui then bogeyed the 16th to trail by a shot playing the par-five 18th, where he took seven to sign for a 71 and hand Wiesberger his first win for almost five years.

Rory McIlroy has decided to prolong his post-Masters break and skip his second successive $20 million signature event. 

The six-time Major winner opted not to play the RBC Heritage the week after his second win at Augusta National.

But his absence from the entry list for next week’s inaugural $20 million Cadillac Championship at President Donald Trump’s Blue Monster course at Doral in Miami has raised some eyebrows.

It possibly indicates that McIlroy plans to be even more selective about his tournament starts as he seeks to peak for more Major wins.

He also celebrates his 37th birthday the Monday after the Doral event, which hosted the WGC-Cadillac Championship from 2007 to 2016.

The Florida tournament will be Shane Lowry’s next start after his rollercoaster season took another stomach-churning dive in Louisiana last night.

The Offaly man and playing partner Brooks Koepka missed the cut in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where they were amongst the pre-tournament favourites

An opening six under 66 in the fourballs left them struggling to make the top 33 teams and ties who made the cut, and in the end, they finished one stroke outside the mark on nine under par last night after carding a three under 69 in the foursomes.

To rub salt in the wound, they were playing alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and his brother Alex, who shot a sparkling 65 to end the day in a three-way tie for second on 15-under, a shot behind leaders Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who shot a modest 70.

Lowry had a chance to get his new partner, a replacement for McIlroy, into the weekend when Koepka hit a brilliant shot at the par-three ninth, their final hole.

But Lowry’s tricky ten-footer never threatened the hole, and Seamus Power and his German playing partner Matti Schmid now hold the Irish interest heading into the weekend.

After opening with a 63, they shot a four under 68 in the foursomes to go into the weekend with a chance of victory.

At 13-under, they're just two shots behind Smalley and Springer in the race for a pay cheque for $1,372,750 each, 400 FedEx Cup points and a two-year exemption at a time when only the top 100 players are exempt.

With the surviving 35 teams covered by just six shots, Power and Schmid will be looking for better than their opening 63 in today's fourball round alongside Ben Martin and Trace Crow.

Lowry and Koepka weren’t the only notable team to miss the cut in New Orleans.

Tony Finau and Max Greyserman also finished on nine under, while Michael Brennan and Johnny Keefer – who shot an 11-under 61 in the opening round – struggled to a 75 in the foursomes to miss out.

At the Chevron Championship, it's also a weekend off for Leona Maguire for the fourth time in eight starts this season and the fifth time in her last 11 Majors.

Two rounds of 76 left her six shots outside the cut mark on eight over and a long way off the pace set by Nelly Korda.

The two-time Major winner shot a brace of 65s to lead by six strokes at Memorial Park in Houston from 2021 Chevron Championship winner Patty Tavatanakit.

Maguire’s lack of length was a disadvantage at a course that even a big hitter like Tavatanakit found demanding.

“It's playing really long, so overall I'm really happy with where I'm at,” the Thai said after carding a bogey-free 69 last night, averaging 262 yards off the tee to Maguire’s 242 yards

Jim Furyk will have the unenviable task of stopping Luke Donald from becoming the first captain to win three matches in a row after being confirmed as the US Ryder Cup captain for next year’s matches at Adare Manor.

The former US Open winner (55), a safe but uninspiring choice, returns as captain for the second time following defeat in Paris in 2018 when three of his four wildcards—Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau—failed to win a point and Patrick Reed proved a divisive figure in the team room.

“The opportunity to captain the U.S. Ryder Cup Team for a second time is a tremendous honour,” said Furyk, who will be seeking the USA’s first away win since 1993. “I am deeply grateful to the PGA of America Ryder Cup Committee for entrusting me to lead our team into the 46th Ryder Cup. 

“My passion for the Ryder Cup and dedication to the US Team have never been stronger. Having previously captained the team, I understand the responsibilities and immense pride that come with this role. 

“I look forward to drawing on that experience while incorporating some new ideas as we prepare for 2027.  

“I am committed to putting our players in the best position to succeed as we work to reclaim the Cup on European soil.”

Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka will be keen to play, but they missed the cut in the Zurich Classic of New Orlean, carding a three-under 69 to finish a shot outside the mark on nine

In the Chevron Championship in Houston, former world number one Nelly Korda remained on course for her third Major win when she shot a second successive seven-under 65 to claim the halfway lead as Leona Maguire shot a second successive 76 to miss the cut.

On the LET, Anna Foster, Aine Donegan and Olivia Mehaffey made the cut in the €350,000 Investec South African Open at Royal Cape.

Foster shot a three-under 70 to share 23rd, nine shots behind Slovenia’s Bia Babnik, whose 67 gave her a three-shot lead over England’s Cara Gainer on 14-under.

Donegan bogeyed her last two holes to post a 72, leaving her 32nd on four-under, while Mehaffey was a shot further back in 43rd after a 71.

In Shanghai, Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger shot a five-under 66 and South Africa’s Shaun Norris a 67 to lead the Volvo China Open by one shot on 12- under from the home pair Yanhan Zhou and Bowen Chai.

Lahinch Golf Club is set to welcome a new chapter for women’s amateur golf this weekend as it hosts the inaugural South of Ireland Women’s Amateur Open Championship.

The 54-hole event is the first of four new Golf Ireland championships, alongside the Women’s East, West and North. With World Amateur Golf Ranking points on offer at each event, the regional series represents another significant step forward in strengthening the women’s amateur game in Ireland.

A field of 60 players are set to compete with 36 holes of Stroke Play on Saturday before a cut ahead of Sunday’s final round, where the first champion will be crowned.

Among those teeing it up is Lahinch’s Aideen Walsh, who is looking forward to competing on home soil following another impressive campaign that saw her claim her first Bridgestone Order of Merit title while also enjoying success at both the Women’s Home Internationals and European Mid-Amateur Team Championships.

“It was an enjoyable year. The Order of Merit was something I was waiting to tick off for a while, so it was nice to tick that off and being part of the Home International team, it's always a highlight, and the women's team, we won that week, so that was special,” said Walsh.

“You quickly turn to this year. It's funny, I haven't reflected on last year in a while. It's all focused on 2026 now.”

Walsh has also played a key role in establishing this new quartet of events, having been part of the Golf Ireland Working Group that helped develop the revamped championship structure.

“There was a group of six of us and Golf Ireland wanted a player's point of view, so I came on from that aspect,” said Walsh.

“If you win or come second, you might get enough points to get on to WAGR, so I think it's all really positive and it's all going in the right direction.”

The field includes a host of current and former champions, including Walsh herself, reigning AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Champion Anna Dawson (Tramore), Irish Mid-Amateur Women’s Open Champion Shannon Burke (Ballinrobe) and Irish Senior Women’s Amateur Close Champion Deirdre Smith (County Louth).

“I'd say it's as strong a field as you'll get in the middle of April in Ireland. Everyone who's at home is playing and again, a huge part of that is because of the venue,” said Walsh.

“I probably sound biased, but we are very lucky to be playing a championship in Lahinch.”

Often referred to as the St Andrews of Ireland, the Old Course at Lahinch is expected to provide a stern test, with the County Clare links set to ask questions of every aspect of a player’s game.

“I think the course is going to ask everything of you. That's why it's such a brilliant course,” said Walsh.

“Everyone in the field should just to go and enjoy it. It's my favourite golf course I've ever played, and it's my favourite place in the world.”

“Lucky for me that the South is on in Lahinch, but lucky for everyone really, what a venue.”

For Walsh, competing on home soil in an event that she has helped bring to life adds an extra layer of significance, but as the opening round draws near, her focus remains firmly on her process rather than the outcome.

“I think I know how to get the best out of myself at this stage, but I won't be thinking too much about winning until hopefully it happens,” said Walsh.

“I'm just going to put together a plan for myself and if I do those things well, I'll be happy and if that means I'm the winner, I'll be even more happy but if I'm not, as long as I do what I set out to do, I'll be happy with that.”

Play gets underway at 9.00am on Saturday with a shotgun start for the opening two rounds before the field is cut ahead of Sunday’s final round where the inaugural South of Ireland Women’s Amateur Open Champion will be crowned and their name etched on the famed Vaughan Trophy.

View tee times and scoring here

Shane Lowry and Leona Maguire find themselves in a battle to make the cut after disappointing opening rounds in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Chevron Championship.

Lowry was on fire early at TPC Louisiana, making birdies at five of the first seven holes to do all the heavy lifting alongside partner Brooks Koepka in the fourball-betterball format.

But while Koepka weighed in with a birdie from 31 feet at the 10th, it was their lone birdie on the back nine as they struggled to convert their chances on the greens.

A six under 66 left them tied for 50th on the 74-team leaderboard, two shots outside the top 33 and ties who will make the cut today.

It was also a disappointing day for Maguire at a sodden Memorial Park in Houston in the opening women’s Major, where a four over 76 left her tied for 106th, 11 strokes behind leader Nelly Korda on a course that plays into the hands of the big hitters.

Lowry and Koepka will still be confident they can come back in New Orleans, where they play foursomes today.

They go into the second round, eight shots behind Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, who made an eagle and 12 birdies in a record-equalling 14-under 58 to lead by a shot from Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat.

Brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick, who played alongside Lowry and Koepka, were bitterly disappointed to find water with both approach shots to bogey at the par five 18th and open with an eight under 64 that left them tied for 30th.

“I've holed two long and lucky putts really on 16, 17 there, which is a nice bonus, but would have been nice to take advantage on 18 and make a birdie,” said world number three Matt, who arrived in Louisiana with two wins in his last three starts.

“Yeah, really disappointing way to end with two balls in perfect position. It's not good enough, really.”

He's hoping that they can make hay in the foursomes today and get themselves back in position to win.

“You could easily go out and shoot 8-under in foursomes tomorrow, and that all of a sudden feels like 14-under today,” he said

“I think the biggest thing is getting those two rounds under your belt, seeing where you lie, and kicking on from there. 

“Foursomes is obviously much harder. (In fourballs) You've got two goes every hole. PGA TOUR standard, two goes every hole is going to be a good score.”

Séamus Power and German Matti Schmid were joint 16th after a nine-under 63 and in position to challenge the leaders.

But it will be far tougher for Maguire just to make the cut in Houston, where she got off to a great start with birdies at the third and fourth.

She found just eight greens in regulation in the end, and after bogeys at the fifth and sixth, she followed a birdie at the 10th with five bogeys in her last seven holes.

The Co Cavan star averaged 237 yards off the tee, which meant she was giving up more than 30 yards to leader Korda.

The American came home in 31 to card a 65 that gave her a two-shot lead over Thailand’s Patty Tavatanikit (286 yards off the tee) and Korea’s Somi Lee, who missed just two greens despite being an average hitter.

Asked what she likes to see in a Major setup, Korda had no doubts.

“Long,” she said. “You know, I think it should test every part of your game. I just think it should just play long and tough.

“I think when you make golf courses really short, especially par-5s where everyone is laying it up in the same exact area and at the end of the day it's a wedge contest, to me that's not very exciting.

“Like the people that hit a really good drive and have the opportunity to go for it should be able to go for it and not where you're like okay this is a three-shoter today.”

A three-under 70 left Lahinch's Aine Donegan seven shots behind Patricia Schmidt in the Investec South African Women's Open at Royal Cape.

The German made eight birdies and an eagle at South Africa's oldest course and received a round of applause from members after she signed for a 10-under 63.

"Honestly, I didn't even know I'd shot 10 under until I got a high five on the last hole," said Schmidt, who had just 23 putts to forge a two-stroke lead over Denmark's Smilla Tarning Soenderby and Slovenia's Pia Babnik.

"It was just one of those days where you stand behind a putt and read it and just clearly see the line. It's the type of feeling you look for but which is really hard to find. Today it was just there for my putting,"

Donegan had 30 putts as she made an eagle and two birdies against a lone bogey to share 20th place.

Elm Park's Anna Foster birdied three of her last five holes for a 71 that left her joint 35th, while Olivia Mehaffey was joint 51st after a 72.

It was also a low-scoring opening day at the DP World Tour's Volvo China Open, where Spain's Alejandro Del Rey fired a 10-under par 61 to lead by one stroke from local favourite Yanhan Zhou.

The 28-year-old started with an eagle at the 10th, and after following a birdie at the 13th with his lone bogey at the next, he made another eight birdies in the ideal start to his quest for a second DP World Tour. win.

South Africa's Shaun Norris was the next best with a bogey-free 63, while Austria's Bernd Wiesberger was a shot further back on seven under at Shanghai Enhance Anting.

"I definitely didn't see it coming at the beginning of the round," Del Rey said. "It's a tough course, and you have to play well, and I guess we got a little bit lucky with the rain yesterday – it helped, because Monday, the greens were really, really firm.

"We were a little bit worried how it was going to play out throughout the week. Everything felt like it was flowing pretty nicely and I just let one of those low ones come out."

Brooks Koepka believes Shane Lowry’s game is an ideal fit as they look to justify their billing as favourites for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

The pair are neighbours in Jupiter and frequent practice partners and with Rory McIlroy unavailable this year, five-time Major winner Koepka will try to help Lowry repeat his win alongside the Holywood star in 2024.

“I think we form a really good team,” Koepka said. “I think the way Shane drives the ball, the way my iron play has been lately, and then Shane's short game, I mean, I think it's a pretty good combination.

“Then the best ball side of this whole thing, he's been playing great, so just let him go do him and stay out of the way.”

Lowry repaid the compliment, adding with a grin, “He's Brooks Koepka. He's got five majors. 

“I think our job for the first two and a half to three days is put ourselves there, and I think when we do, we'll be okay.

"His iron play has been pretty good this year. My job is to try and hit it in the fairway and let him do his thing, and we'll be okay from there.”

Newry’s Charlie Smyth, who is now a kicker with the New Orleans Saints, walked a few holes with Lowry in the pro-am and the Offaly man is impressed with his progress.

“It's been incredible what he's done,” Lowry said of the Maybridge man who became the first GAA player to sign an NFL contract in 2024.

“I don't think people at home even realise how big it's been or how big it is, to go from not doing something to two years later, you're at the top of the sport. It's pretty cool.

"Obviously, I'll be watching him from here on in, and hopefully, he can get that starting place on the Saints and kick some winners.”

Seamus Power, meanwhile, returns to PGA Tour action alongside Germany’s Matti Schmid.

It’s a Major week in women’s golf with Leona Maguire the lone Irishwoman in the Chevron Championship at Memorial Park in Houston.

She continues to work on her game with coach Séan Foley, and after missing the cut in last week’s JM Eagle LA Championship, she’s looking to recapture the kind of form that brought her a tie for second in the Aramco Championship in Las Vegas just three weeks ago.

She tees it up with Japan’s Ayaka Furue and Swedish Solheim Cup teammate Madelene Sagstrom at 7:15 pm Irish time.

On the LET, Anna Foster, Aine Donegan and Olivia Mehaffey play the Investec SA Women’s Open at Royal Cape.

But there are no Irish entrants in the DP World Tour’s Volvo China Open, where New Zealand’s world number 90, Daniel Hillier, is the top-ranked player in the field in Shanghai.

This Saturday, 60 golfers will make history at Lahinch when the first-ever Women’s South of Ireland takes place on the County Clare links.

Libby Fleming is one of those vying for the Vaughan trophy, and ten months after relocating from the USA’s west coast to Kilkenny, she feels very much at home in the Irish countryside.

The 23-year-old who came through Texas Tech alongside Ludvig Aberg and Shannon Tan had planned on taking a step back from competitive golf, but could not turn down the chance to be part of history.

“I’m so excited because there are more opportunities in the Irish amateur scene, and it’s only getting stronger,” said Fleming. 

“I was in college with Beth Coulter, Áine Donegan and Sara Byrne, and I got to meet them two or three years ago for the Irish Close, and they’re all doing such good things for Irish golf.

“It’s inspiring a lot of the younger girls, and to have even more opportunities to play on competitive circuits, and also 54 holes.

“Then the affordability of it and being able to play Lahinch, to play in competitive environments at great golf courses. It’s exciting, and I hope the girls travel and appreciate what goes on in the background.  

“Participation is only going to increase with this format, and it’ll make the Irish amateur scene stronger and hopefully representation on the bigger stages down the line.”

Fleming hails from Elfin Forest in California; her mother, Megan, is English, while her father, Patrick, was born and raised in Paulstown, Kilkenny.

He emigrated to the USA when he was in his late teens, and the pair met in Dallas, Texas, before they moved to San Diego, where Libby and her sister, Phoebe, were born.

Patrick Fleming is a huge golf fan, but Libby had contemplated a pathway through the ranks in soccer before she focused her efforts on the smaller ball.

“I grew up playing soccer. I always thought I was going to be a professional soccer player, and it was my whole life until I was 12, when I picked up a golf club and never put it down,” said Fleming.

“So I quit soccer and I played Gaelic football as well for some teams in California and I'm back playing that now too. I played every sport growing up, but it was always soccer, and then it just became golf and Gaelic football.

 “My dad’s addicted to golf. He plays five days a week, and I would only go out with him once every six months. When I was younger, I just didn’t like it, and then one day he said I had a God-given talent, and I was like, okay, I’ll do it, and I loved it since. 

“I love the individual side of it, I can’t rely on anybody else, can’t blame anybody else. I have the most control over it, even though we really don’t, but it feels like we have some sort of control.” 

Fleming initially committed to San Diego State University but would end up attending Texas Tech for her studies.

She completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing at the Rawls College of Business and that gave her the perfect platform when she arrived in Ireland last summer.

The 23-year-old joined up with Baxter Edits for content creation and social media storytelling and Pitch Ireland as a Graduate Marketing and Operations Associate.

She helped to launch the Pitch Women’s Academy in Dublin before she left them in February and has since focused her efforts elsewhere.

“PSD Agri is a seed fertiliser farm, agricultural supplier, and I do their social media and I go to the horse races with Baxter. I’m still getting better at it,” said Fleming.

“There’s a lot of opportunity in Ireland for sports content, storytelling, social media marketing, so I’m diving into that now and seeing what opportunities are out here.

“I started in agriculture and I don’t know a thing about agriculture. I appreciate farming so much more since. It’s really fun working with them. I was very new to it. I hadn’t touched or worked with a camera, hadn’t worked with editing software, but I'm definitely learning as I’m going, and it’s getting a lot better.

“I don’t know a thing about horse racing either, but I know what looks cool on camera, and I know what people want to see, so I’m doing okay with it, but I’m only a beginner.”

Having taken her mind off competitive golf for a few months when she first arrived in Ireland, she now returns with a fresh perspective on playing on the women’s circuit.

The Kilkenny golfer comes back at an opportune moment when women’s golf has received a further boost as the South of Ireland kicks off an historic schedule in 2026.

Castle Dargan will play host to the West of Ireland on the June Bank Holiday weekend before the East goes to Woodbrook on 12 and 13 June and finally, the North of Ireland in Lough Erne at the end of June.

“When I came over first, I was just going to play in some of the amateur tournaments, and I did, and I just didn’t play well,” said Fleming. 

“I thought it was going to be different, and it wasn’t, but it really enticed me to see what else I could do because I had a good degree and I just wanted to put the clubs away. I had never taken a week off golf for the last eight years before that and then I basically didn’t touch a club from September to December.

“It was a good reset. I’m in a totally different mindset. It’s just fun now, nice to be outside. Being inside working at a desk for eight or nine hours a day, just itching to be outside again.”

And Fleming is in red-hot form coming into this week, fresh off her runner-up finish behind Shannon Burke at the Cork Scratch Cup last Saturday.

“I bought into a whole different perspective after taking four or five months off. I’m just out there having fun and there’s really no pressure on it anymore. I put professional golf in the back of my mind now,” said Fleming.

“I used to think that was all I had, that’s all I could do, but since I moved to Ireland in June and then working and seeing different things, I can do something else.

“But I would love for golf to still be a big part of my life, especially in this country, it’s so much more affordable and we play such good courses, so it’s a good balance right now.”

Tickets for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor will go on sale this Friday with residents of the island of Ireland granted exclusive early access ahead of a global ballot.

The 100th anniversary edition of what is arguably the biggest event in golf takes place at JP McManus's Co. Limerick resort from September 13-19, 2027 with prices for competition days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 17-19) set at €499 per day.

While this makes tickets for the second Irish staging of the Ryder Cup the most expensive ever for a European staging, it's far less than the $750 a day (approximately €600) that fans had to fork out at Bethpage in New York last year.

The good news for Irish fans is that 11 am BST this Friday, April 24, a limited number of general admission daily tickets will be available to residents of the island of Ireland for the three match days at €499 per daily ticket.

Practice day tickets for Tuesday and Wednesday (September 14-15) start from €89, with Thursday tickets – which include the Opening Ceremony – priced from €179.

Under-16s can attend practice days from just €20 on Tuesday and Wednesday, and €30 on Thursday.

The Irish ticket window will operate on a first-come, first-served basis rather than a ballot.

If home fans fail to get a ticket, the global ticket ballot for fans from the rest of the world opens on Wednesday, June 3, with the same pricing structure.

While the €499 match-day ticket represents a significant increase from the €260 charged at Marco Simone in Rome in 2023, organisers stress that prices are actually lower than the last Ryder Cup staged in the United States.

Ryder Cup Europe has confirmed there will be no dynamic pricing, meaning fans will not find prices suddenly hiked when they come to purchase later in the year.

The Ryder Cup is clearly the biggest team event in golf and arguably the biggest event in the game — a bucket-list sporting event that bears comparison with the Super Bowl, the Masters, the Olympics, Wimbledon, and the FIFA World Cup.

Organisers expect that around one-third of the overall attendance to be from the island of Ireland.

How to apply for a ticket

All fans wishing to attend the 2027 Ryder Cup will need to have a registered ticket account. You must sign up here.

Only tickets secured via official Ryder Cup channels will be accepted, a measure designed to prevent tickets from being resold in the secondary market.

With site capacity set at 55,000 per day and over a quarter of a million people — 250,000 — expected across the week, that would represent around 83,000 Irish fans.

European captain Luke Donald, who returns for a third successive captaincy after victories in 2023 and 2025, believes a strong Irish presence will be key as he aims to become the first Captain in the history of the Ryder Cup on either side to win three times in a row.

"The Irish golf fans are some of the best in the world," Donald said when he was reappointed last month. "I am sure they will get behind our players and cheers us on.  

"That's what you want from a crowd – to pick you up in those low moments and keep you going when things are going well.

"That will be a big factor. It's obviously one of the advantages of playing at home and there is no better place to do it than in Ireland."

Thousands of tickets for the Tuesday practice day will be made available through the 'SuperValu Community Day', sponsored by Musgrave.

The tickets will be distributed via a customer promotion with full details to be announced later this year.

Organisers have promised that the increased prices will be matched by an improved onsite experience.

The event will feature a record 20,000 grandstand seats and more giant screens than ever before, including a screen at every green.

For the first time in Ryder Cup history, an official campsite will operate adjacent to Adare Manor, enabling fans to walk directly into the venue – a move designed to ease traffic pressure.

Irish residents who miss out in Friday's first-come, first-served window will have a second opportunity to enter the global ballot in June, giving them two chances to secure tickets, compared to international fans who only have the ballot option.

Former Masters champion Ian Woosnam believes Rory McIlroy has the talent and the dedication to win at least “another two or three majors.”

Speaking ahead of the Legends Tour’s Barbados Legends, the 1991 Masters champion was impressed to see the Co Down star retain the title without having his A-game.

“He could quite easily be the best golfer from Britain and Europe because what I love about Rory is his dedication,” the former world number one said at Apes Hill

“You get up in the morning to be that good for that long, and going to be that good for a lot longer, is about dedication, and that's how much you've got to put in.

“The sacrifice you have to make to do that is incredible. 

“If he keeps playing like that and he gets the right set of courses, he could get enough at least another two or three majors. I believe he could.”

As for the way the tournament played out, Woosnam was impressed that McIlroy managed to give himself a chance to win without playing his best.

“Rory made it fun again, didn't he? He really was struggling with his game, you know, left and right, but at the end of the day, he hung in there, and he found a way out to get it around.

“A little lucky at the last to have a shot like that around the tree (on the 72nd hole). It couldn't be better, really, for him, because he can hook it as much as he wants to, and get it up and down.”

The Holywood star had a six-shot lead at halfway but shot 73 on Saturday to fall into a tie for the lead with Cameron Young.

“I think you're going to have one round where it's not going to go quite right for you,” the Welshman said.

“And you know what I liked about it was he's still leading, no joint leader, but you know, it all happens on the back nine and it came down to it again. 

“And that's one of the great things, where at Augusta it all comes down to that back nine. You just want to be in there to have a chance. 

“Obviously, it'd be easier if he could drive it straighter, you know. But sometimes that's Rory.

“It just shows that he's got a lot of talent,  that he can chip, and he can putt well.

“Sometimes he suffers a bit from less than 100 yards away. And you know, I'd like to give him a lesson on that sometime. If he had that game, he'd be unstoppable.”

LIV Golf ended a tumultuous week with a six-shot win for Jon Rahm as Tom McKibbin expressed his desire to help Legion XIII win LIV Mexico City for the fourth year in a row next year.

With the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia announcing last week that it’ll be tightening its investments, and reports that, after spending over $5 billion on LIV, the rebel tour must now seek new backers, the players continued to speak as if nothing had happened.

“Yeah, three in a row has a nice ring to it,” McKibbin said after closing with a level par 71 to finish ten shots behind Rahm in joint fifth and pocket $615,000.  “So four in a row would be even better.”

Rahm shot a bogey-free, seven-under 64 to win by six shots on 21-under from David Puig and pocket $4m as Legion XIII won the team title by nine strokes from the Fireballs on 45-under.

“Yeah, it feels good,” McKibbin said of the team win. “To get the first win of the season has been nice. We sort of have been close all year and to get over the line today was very nice.”

McKibbin, who will return to play on the DP World Tour at the Turkish Airlines Open later this month, believes playing alongside the likes of Rahm helps his game.

“I think getting to play with Jon pretty much every week we play and just to see how good he is, he's a hard guy to beat, so if you're up there or close to him, it means you're playing well, and it's definitely something that we can all sort of strive for,” he said.

“It's good to be around. You see pretty quickly what you need to do to get better, and it's great to be a part of the last sort of year and a half.”

It was a far more significant week for England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, who won for the second time in three starts on the PGA TOUR when he beat world number one Scottie Scheffler with a birdie at the first tie hole to win the RBC Heritage for the second time.

The Sheffield native had a three-shot lead with four holes to go, but Scheffler birdied the 15th and 16th and took advantage of Fitzpatrick’s bogey at the 72nd hole to take it to a playoff.

Despite chants of USA-USA and close-to-the-line behaviour from the partisan crowd at Harbour Town, Fitzpatrick hit a stellar four-iron to 13 feet and, after Scheffler failed to pitch in, rolled in the putt to win his fourth PGA TOUR title and move up from seventh to third in the world.

“It didn’t get out of line in terms of no one was shouting on backswings or anything like that,” Fitzpatrick said of the crowd after his win.

“Which was great. I’m all for it. I love the people -- they’re supporting Scottie; that’s great. You want golf to have an atmosphere in my opinion.

He added, “I grew up watching football. I’m paid so much money to be out there in front of those crowds, having them chanting at you every week, it’s a great feeling.”

He lost out to Cameron Young at The Players amid similar scenes, but after bouncing back to win the Valspar Championship, he enjoyed his win over Scheffler in front of a partisan crowd.

“It’s kind of winning away against your biggest rival,” he said. “Nothing to do with Scottie or the players; it’s the fans that have sort of spurred me on there.  

“It was nice to obviously win, but it never crossed the line. It was just loud. Just loud.”

Shane Lowry tied for 42nd on six under after a closing 72 and now partners Brooks Koepka in this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans as Rory McIlroy continues to celebrate his Masters win.

Pádraig Harrington, meanwhile, had to settle for tied eighth in the Senior PGA Championship at the Concession Golf Club in Florida, 12 strokes behind Stewart Cink.

The Dubliner started the final day just five shots behind South African Keith Horne, but after getting to within four shots of the lead with six holes to play, he double-bogeyed the 13th and 15th.

Birdies at the 16th and 17th saw him sign for a one-under 71 that left him on seven-under as Cink made an eagle and seven birdies in a sensational 63 to win by six shots from Ben Crane on 19-under.

Wexford’s Luke Furlong birdied three of his last five holes before beating Portmarnock’s John Moran at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off to win the Flogas Irish Boys Amateur Open.

They closed with three-under-par 67s to finish on one-under at Malone, a shot better than Ballybofey and Stranorlar’s Barry McMenamin, who shot 72.

“Lost for words really,” said Furlong, who went into the final round four shots off the lead. “I didn’t think coming into that back nine that I would have had too much of a chance, but I just tried to stick in it and keep going.

“Luckily, I chipped in on 14 to set me off a bit and then two birdies on the way in, and obviously the birdie in the playoff to beat John, who is an incredible player. It’s a very nice feeling.”

At the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage, Shane Lowry shot a one-over 72 to finish 46th on six-under at Harbour Town.

It was also a disappointing day for Anna Foster, who closed with an adventurous level-par 73 to tie for 38th in the Joburg Ladies Open.

The Elm Park golfer made five birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey to finish on five under af Randpark, 14 shots outside a play-off that saw France’s Agathe Laisne win in near darkness at the fifth extra hole.

“That was stressful with a lot of trips back to 18,” said Laisne. “But I’m glad it ended well for me.”

South Africa’s Casandra Alexander made two eagles in a seven-under 66, which included a costly bogey at the last, to set the clubhouse target at 19-under and end up in a playoff with Laisne and Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley, who shot respective rounds of 69 and 67.

Alexander exited after making par to the birdies of her two opponents on their first trip down the par-five 18th in sudden-death.

Laisne and Rudgeley both birdied the second play-off hole and parred the third.

With darkness falling, the hole was recut, but after both birdied the 18th yet again, it was shortened to a par three, and Laisne made birdie to claim her second LET title.

At LIV Golf Mexico City, Bryson DeChambeau withdrew before the final round, citing a wrist injury.

He was 16 shots behind after the 54-hole leader Jon Rahm overnight.

Tom McKibbin and Padraig Harrington will be in chasing mode today as they bid for victory in LIV Mexico City and the Senior PGA respectively.

While Shane Lowry goes into the final round of the RBC Heritage ten strokes behind Matt Fitzpatrick, McKibbin and Harrington still have options.

The Holywood star held the lead early on day three at Club de Golf Chapultepec, but while a one-over back nine saw him card a two-under 69 that left him tied for third on 11-under, he's just three strokes behind Legion XIII teammate Jon Rahm, who shot 67 to lead by two shots from teammate Tyrrell Hatton (66) on 14-under.

“Yeah, it's cool,” McKibbin said. “Today, getting to play with Jon in the final group was pretty cool. 

“I've watched him win tournaments on TV for many years, and even since I've been out here, he's won a few times.

“To be around that and have that environment under that sort of pressure is pretty cool.

“Tomorrow will be much the same, so that will be cool to sort of try and fight it out with him and Tyrrell. Yeah, looking forward to it.”

A bogey at the 17th cost McKibbin a place in the final group today, but he was looking at the positives.

“It would have been cool,” he said. “I’m a little bit annoyed. The golf course is tricky, so mistakes and bogeys are going to happen. 

“That was probably the only thing that I admit that I was annoyed about, missing that putt. Anyway, it'll be a good day tomorrow, and yeah, looking forward to it.”

The Newtownabbey man was pleased to be competing at a course that doesn't suit his game.

“If you'd asked me that at the start of the week or even last year, I'd be like, no chance,” he said. “But yeah, I feel like I learned a lot from last year, and there are a lot of holes that if you miss one side of the fairway, you have a shot to the green, and if you miss the other side, you're completely blocked out. 

“I feel like I've managed that quite well. I've driven the ball well. But when I have missed the fairway, it's been on the right side to get it up and around the green.

“Yeah, I'm starting to enjoy the course the more times I play it.”

Legion XIII has a 15-stroke lead over Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs in the team event, and McKibbin just wants to finish strongly.

“There is a lot going on,” he said. “Tomorrow we'll all be going out there just to shoot the best score possible, and we'll see where that stands after four days. 

“But yeah, it's a weird position. As you say, we're all playing against each other, but then playing with each other. Yeah, it'll be an interesting day.”

In the Senior PGA Championship at The Concession in Florida, a mistake at the last cost Harrington for the second day running.

A bogey at the hole he double-bogeyed on Friday saw him sign for a two-under 70.

But while he's tied for 14th on six under, he's just five shots behind South African Keith Horne, who shot 66 to lead by a shot on 11-under from Australians Scott Hend (72) and Steven Allen (68), American Stewart Cink (70) and Thailand’s Thammanoon Sriroj (66).

Lowry has a lot more work to do in the $20m RBC Heritage at Harbour Town.

A bogey-free, four under 67 catapulted him to joint 29th on seven under. 

But he's ten strokes behind Ryder Cup teammate Fitzpatrick, who came home in 31 and shot 68 to lead by three shots from World number one Scottie Scheffler on 17-under.

Scheffler fired a seven under 64 to sit alone in second on 14-under with Brian Harman, Si Woo Kim and Sepp Straka a shot further back.

Fitzpatrick overcame a partisan home crowd to beat Jordan Spieth in a playoff to win the title in 2023 and expects Scheffler to have all the support today.

“As long as they don't shout in my backswing, then they can do whatever they want,” he said. 

“But I have a lot of people that support me this week, as well, and just looking forward to it. 

“Scottie is a great guy, and I'm looking forward to playing with him tomorrow.”

Barry McMenamin set the early pace on Saturday morning as a superb four-under-par 66 saw the Donegal teenager move into a share of the lead at the Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Championship at Malone Golf Club.

The Ballybofey and Stranorlar golfer began his championship with a two-over-par 72 on Friday, but as the second player off the first tee at 8.00am, he made full use of the calm morning conditions to move himself firmly into contention.

“It was nice to be off first thing this morning,” said McMenamin.

“Getting up early was a bit of a pain, but I made a few nice putts. I chipped in a few times as well, some of them were lucky and they were good chips, the other ones.”

“I was holding on down the back nine a little bit. A few tough holes out there but I was pretty happy with how I played. I hit it very well off the tee so wasn’t out of position too many times.”

Starting the day at two-over-par, McMenamin quickly moved back to level par after an eagle on the par-five second set the tone for his round.

Three birdies would follow at the sixth, eighth and ninth holes, before he added his fourth of the day at the 10th, bouncing back after a costly error on the same hole in round one.

“Yesterday I made a very big mistake on the 10th, I played the wrong ball so that was a two-shot penalty,” said McMenamin.

“I was playing quite well, that was just a bit of a kick.”

McMenamin dropped just two shots across his round, with the second of his two bogeys coming at the 12th. The 18-year-old responded well however, playing his final six holes in level par to set the clubhouse target.

Overnight leader Harry O’Hara (Clandeboye) found conditions more testing in the afternoon but produced a strong finish to ensure he and McMenamin share top spot heading into the final round.

O’Hara, who opened with a four-under-par 66 of his own on Friday, carded bogeys at the third, sixth, 12th and 13th, but the recently turned 17-year-old responded with birdies at the 14th and 17th to keep him firmly in contention.

“It was good fun. I played pretty solid. I didn’t play as well as yesterday but the course tested me and I hung in there. I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” said O’Hara.

“I stayed patient. A strong enough finish leaves me in a good position for tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it. It should be fun.”

O’Hara will join McMenamin in the final group on Sunday alongside Luke Furlong (Wexford), who remains within touching distance after signing for a level par round of 70, highlighted by two birdies across his closing four holes.

With one round remaining, McMenamin has given himself a strong opportunity to claim silverware, although preparations for Sunday may not be limited to just golf.

“Plenty of time to do that and a bit of study maybe as well. Leaving cert coming up pretty soon but yes, happy with my round.”

The final round is set to get underway at 9.00am with the leading group teeing off at 12.07pm

Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Championship scoring