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For the first time in Indian golf, there will be three players at a single Major. And the feat has been achieved by women ahead of the men, who have many times had two at a Major.
On Saturday, when Tvesa Malik, currently playing at the Ladies Scottish Open was given an exemption into next week’s AIG Women’s Open, she joined Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar for the Women’s Major to be held from August 20 to 23.
The Women’s Open will be held at the Royal Troon, which hosted the 2016 men’s Open. The Women’s Open, which is one of the five Majors in women’s golf, will have a purse of $ 4.5 million.
Of the five, the Evian Championship in France was cancelled due to the pandemic. The Women’s Open will be followed by ANA Inspiration in California in September, the Women’s PGA in October and the Women’s US Open in December.
While Aditi and Diksha have played the Women’s Open in the past, this will be the first Major for Tvesa Malik, who started out a couple of seasons back with strong performances on the domestic Hero Women’s Golf Association of India Tour and she was tied-sixth at the LET-sanctioned Hero Women’s Indian Open.
With the Women’s Open qualifiers not being held this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the final 22 qualifying spots were given based on the performance at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open. The top players who made the cut and were not otherwise exempt earned the spots.
As many as 15 players, who were not already exempt made the cut and Tvesa was one of them, and it also included Scotland’s Kylie Henry and Michele Thompson, who cut the number.
Other notable LET members to qualify include England’s Eleanor Givens, and Welshwoman Becky Morgan.
China’s Muni He also booked her first visit to the Women’s Open along with LPGA rookie, Haley Moore, who has been impressing in the USA.
The remaining seven spots were then awarded to the highest Rolex Ranked players, who were not already exempt and missed the cut. In total, 12 nationalities were represented from the 22 qualifiers.
AIG, which became the sponsor in 2019, renewed its sponsorship this year and re-branded the Major as ‘Women’s Open’ dropping the word ‘British’ from the name of the tournament. The sponsorship runs till 2025.
It is the 44th Women’s Open, the 20th as a Major and the first being held at the Royal Troon. It will be held behind closed doors due to the pandemic.
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