The Women's Open and a host of the world's elite golfers return to St Andrews for the first time since 2013 to compete in this season's final Major. Who will tame the Old Course and lift the trophy come Sunday?
Lilia Vu is back to defend her title after a six-stroke victory over Charley Hull in 2023.
Past and present major winners who will tee off on Wednesday include Nelly Korda, Amy Yang, Yuka Saso, Minjee Lee, Lilia Vu, Hannah Green, Ashleigh Buhai, Celine Boutier, Georgia Hall, Brooke M. Henderson, Jin Young Ko, Hyo Joo Kim, Ruoning Yin, Lydia Ko, Allisen Corpuz, Sei Young Kim, Anna Nordqvist, Jennifer Kupcho, Patty Tavatanakit, Sophia Popov, A Lim Kim, and Hinako Shibuno.
These are our selections that could win the title this weekend.
Miyu Yamashita
Miyo Yamashita was in great shape in the JLPGA and LPGA Tours at the start of her season, finishing T19 at the Daikin Orchid Ladies Golf Tournament, T15 at the Meijiya Ladies Golf Tournament, T14 at the V Point Eneos Golf Tournament and 2nd at the Axa Ladies Golf Tournament.
She was then T15 at the Yamaha Ladies Open, 5th at the Fujifilm Studio Alice Ladies Open, T5 at the KKT Cup Vantelin Ladies Open and T17 at the Chevron Championship.
Yamashita has found another gear since those results, placing 2nd at the RKB Mitsui Matsushima Ladies, T2 at the Bridgestone Ladies Open, 7th at the Resorttrust Ladies, T2 at the U.S. Women's Open, 2nd at the Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open, T5 at the Nichirei Ladies, T2 at the KPMG PGA Championship, T39 at the Amundi Evian Championship, 2nd at the Daito Kentaku Ladies and T4 at the Paris Olympics.
The world's 19th-ranked player has competed at the Women's Open twice, finishing 13th in 2022 and T21 in 2023.
Yamashita comes into the final Major of the year in excellent form and has claims for the title on the Old Course this weekend.
Xiyu Lin
Xiyu Lin was in solid form on the LPGA Tour during the opening few months of the year, placing T13 at the Honda LPGA Thailand, T34 at the HSBC Women's World Championship, T10 at the Blue Bay LPGA, T27 at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, T35 at the Ford Championship, T13 at the Chevron Championship and T47 at the JM Eagle LA Championship.
Lin has continued to play well after those results, finishing T4 at the Cognizant Founders Cup, T28 at the Mizuho Americas Open, T29 at the U.S. Women's Open, MC at the Meijer LPGA Classic, T30 at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, T5 at the Dana Open, MC at the CPKC Women's Open and 3rd at the Paris Olympics.
The 28-year-old has contested the Women's Open nine times, finishing T17 in 2013, T62 in 2014, T61 in 2015, MC in 2016, MC in 2018, T51 in 2019, MC in 2020, T28 in 2022 and T21 in 2023.
Lin has yet to have an impact at this tournament but she will fancy her chances to be victorious, as she has had three top-five places in her last eight outings.
Rose Zhang
Rose Zhang was in excellent touch at the start of her season on the LPGA Tour, placing T7 at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, T22 at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, MC at the Ford Championship, T5 at the T-Mobile Match Play and MC at the Chevron Championship.
Zhang followed that with T32 at the JM Eagle LA Championship and victory at the Cognizant Founders Cup before withdrawing from the Mizuho Americas Open.
Zhang's form dipped after those performances, with results of MC at the U.S. Women's Open, T35 at the KPMG PGA Championship, and T39 at the Amundi Evian Championship in her subsequent three events before returning form, placing T6 at the CPKC Women's Open and T8 at the Paris Olympics.
The 21-year-old American golfer has featured three times at the Women's Open, with results of MC in 2021, T28 in 2022 and T44 in 2023.
Zhang will fancy her chances to win her maiden Major tournament in Scotland this weekend after her recent performances.
Hannah Green
Hannah Green achieved poor to excellent results at the beginning of her LPGA Tour season, with results of T54 at the Honda LPGA Thailand, victory at the HSBC Women's World Championship, MC at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, T21 at the Ford Championship, MC at the Chevron Championship and victory at the JM Eagle LA Championship.
Green has been performing consistently well since the end of April, placing T18 at the Cognizant Founders Cup, 2nd at the Mizuho Americas Open, T16 at the U.S. Women's Open, T27 at the Shoprite Classic, T44 at the Amundi Evian Championship, T14 at the CPKC Women's Open and T4 at the Paris Olympics.
The world's fifth-ranked golfer has made six appearances at the Women's Open, finishing T55 in 2018, T16 in 2019, T29 in 2020, T48 in 2021, T35 in 2022 and MC in 2023.
Green has been thereabouts in recent months and can challenge for the title at the Old Course this weekend.