Seventeen players secured their place in the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales through Final Qualifying, and Ireland’s Anna Foster was among them.
A field of 107 players competed over 18 holes at nearby Pyle & Kenfig and exactly 17 players finished under par to claim spots in the final major of the year.
Rookie professional Anna Huang, aged only 16, led the qualifiers with a winning total of four-under-par 67. The Canadian went to the turn in six-under 30 before dropping two shots.
Foster was in the first group of the day at 6.45am and took advantage of the idyllic conditions to sign for a three-under 68, the same mark as Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, and she will now compete in her second Women’s Open having qualified for the 2023 edition at Walton Heath but missed the cut.
“The 4am alarm this morning was definitely something else!” Foster said afterwards. “But once I saw the draw I was really pleased that I was out first, with the fresh greens and the calmer conditions. I was delighted to be able to take advantage of playing early and do the simple things effectively, like playing the par-5s well.
“I was first reserve for the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open last week but didn’t get in. I drove down from there on Friday and got to play here at Pyle & Kenfig on Saturday and Sunday so that definitely helped. I played in the AIG Women’s Open in 2023 at Walton Heath and it was quite an overwhelming experience as an amateur but now I feel I have more confidence in myself.”
In windier conditions for the afternoon starters, Hira Naveed, Soo Bin Joo, Morgane Metraux and Alesssandra Fanali all impressed to post two-under 69s.
The ten-player group on one-under included Wales’ Lydia Hall, joining Darcey Harry in the field as home hopes, Swedish amateur Meja Ortengren and Aline Krauter from Germany, winner of The Women’s Amateur Championship in 2020.
There was no joy for Aine Donegan, Olivia Mehaffey, Annabel Wilson or Sara Byrne, with Donegan at, +2. the closest to the qualifying mark.
Qualifiers in full:
- Anna Huang, Canada -4
- Anna Foster, Ireland -3
- Arpichaya Yubol, Thailand -3
- Hira Naveed, Australia, -2
- Soo Bin Joo, Republic of Korea -2
- Morgane Metraux, Switzerland -2
- Alessandro Fanali, Italy -2
- Brianna Do, USA -1
- Olivia Cowan, Germany -1
- Lydia Hall, Wales -1
- Pei-yun Chien, Chinese Taipei -1
- Momoka Kobori, New Zealand -1
- Aline Krauter, Germany -1
- Laura Fuenfstueck, Germany -1
- Meja Ortengren (a), Sweden -1
- Marta Martin, Spain -1
- Linnea Strom, Sweden -1
The 2025 AIG Women’s Open takes place in Wales for the first time from Thursday to Sunday this week (31 July – 3 August) with a world class field chasing the coveted title at Royal Porthcawl.
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