The Ricoh Women’s British Open which was founded by the Ladies’ Golf Union in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company will be held in Carnousties and the Old Course at St. Andrews in 2011 and 2013 respectively. The event that has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and has gained Major status in 2001 is starting today at the Royal Lytham and St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire.
The announcement of the venues of 2011 and 2013 events was made as part of EventScotland’s 10 year partnership with the LGU and IMG to support the Ricoh Women’s British Open. EventScotland has committed to the Championship being held in Scotland on at least five occasions between 2011 and 2020, the period which is popularly predicted to be the golden decade for UK in sport.
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Following the success of the 2007 Ricoh Women’s British Open at St Andrews, EventScotland realised that the championship can help showcase Scotland’s resources in relation to golf. The 2007 event added over £7.5 million pounds to the Scottish economy and received over 356 hours of global broadcast coverage to almost 400 million households all over the world.
In 2011 the Ricoh Women’s British Open will be hosted over the famous Carnoustie Links in Angus, Scotland for the first time. The Carnoustie Links are considered one of the best links courses in the world and has hosted seven Open Championships in the past.
The much anticipated return to the Old Course, St Andrews Links will take place in 2013 after the unparalleled success of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2007. It was the first women’s professional event to be held on the famous Links. Following in the footsteps of her counterpart in the men’s game, Tiger Woods, who has won two Open Championships there, world number one Lorena Ochoa clinched her first major with finesse. The Old Course will host its 28th Open Championship 2010.
As the only women’s Major to be played outside the USA, the Championship Committee is committed to ensuring that the Ricoh Women’s British Open is held only in the best golf courses and all these distinguished venues fit the brief to a tee.
“The Ladies’ Golf Union is committed to playing the Women’s British Open at the best British courses and clearly these two world class courses fit those criteria,” said Shona Malcolm, the Ladies’ Golf Union’s CEO. “We are thrilled to add one of the UK’s most famous and impressive golf courses to the rotation as well as returning to St Andrews for a second time. They are both wonderful tests of golf and will provide an excellent challenge for the best women golfers in the world.”
Payoshni Mitra, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
