The Women's Open Predictions - Top contenders for victory at Royal Lytham & St Annes

Brad Newcomb

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Last updated: 3 hours ago

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Brad Newcomb 3 hours ago

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The AIG Women's Open takes place between July 30-2 August.
The tournament takes place at the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, Lancashire, England.
Top contenders: Miyu Yamashita, Lottie Woad, Gaby Lopez,and Casandra Alexander.

Miyu Yamashita is the defending Women's Open champion (Getty Images)

The Women's Open returns to Royal Lytham & St Annes for the first time since 2018, where a stellar lineup of the world's elite women's golfers will be vying for victory at the final Major of the season. Who will emerge victorious come Sunday?

Miyu Yamashita is back to defend her title after a two-stroke victory over Charley Hull and Minami Katsu in 2025.

Past and present Major winners in the field for Thursday's tee-off include Haeran Ryu, Nelly Korda, Celine Boutier, Sei Young Kim, Ashleigh Buhai, In Gee Chun, Allisen Corpuz, Ayaka Furue, Hannah Green, Georgia Hall, Brooke M. Henderson, Ariya Jutanugarn, A Lim Kim, Hyo Joo Kim, In-Kyung Kim, Lydia Ko, Jennifer Kupcho, Minjee Lee, Anna Nordqvist, Sophia Popov, Mao Saigo, Yuka Saso, Hinako Shibuno, Jiyai Shin, Maja Stark, Patty Tavatanakit, Yani Tseng, Grace Kim, Lilia Vu, Amy Yang, Ruoning Yin.

These are our selections that could win the title this weekend.

Miyu Yamashita

Miyu Yamashita played well on the LPGA Tour at the start of her season, placing T5 at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, T18 at the Honda LPGA Thailand, T10 at the HSBC Women's World Championship, T5 at the Fortinet Founders Cup, MC at the Ford Championship, and 4th at the Aramco Championship before finishing T46 at the JM Eagle LA Championship.

Yamashita did not take long to rediscover her touch, placing T21 at the Chevron Championship, T20 at the Mizuho Americas Open, 3rd at the Kroger Queen City Championship, T34 at the U.S. Women's Open, a victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic, T12 at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, T4 at the Evian Championship, and T5 at the Women's Scottish Open last weekend.

The world's sixth-ranked golfer has compiled a solid record at the Women's Open, placing 13th in 2022, T21 in 2023, MC in 2024 and a victory in 2025.

Miyu Yamashita will fancy her chances of securing back-to-back victories at this tournament after her recent displays on the LPGA Tour.

Lottie Woad

Lottie Woad had a solid start to her season on the LPGA Tour, placing T7 at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, T15 at the Honda LPGA Thailand, T10 at the HSBC Women's World Championship, and T14 at the Fortinet Founders Cup before finishing T34 at the Ford Championship, T41 at the Aramco Championship, and T36 at the JM Eagle LA Championship.

Woad bounced back to form after those results, placing T7 at the Chevron Championship, MC at the Mizuho Americas Open, a victory at the Kroger Queen City Championship, T49 at the U.S. Women's Open, 2nd at the Meijer LPGA Classic, MC at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, a T16 at the Evian Championship, and a T37 at the Women's Scottish Open last weekend.

The world's fifth-ranked player has featured twice at the Women's Open, placing T10 in 2024 and T8 in 2025.

Lottie Woad has performed well in her previous two starts at this event and can win the title at Royal Lytham & St Annes this weekend.

Gaby Lopez

Gaby Lopez had a fair beginning to her season on the LPGA Tour, finishing T38 at the Honda LPGA Thailand, T27 at the HSBC Women's World Championship, T5 at the Fortinet Founders Cup, T25 at the Ford Championship, T48 at the Aramco Championship, and T36 at the JM Eagle LA Championship.

Lopez has found another gear since those results, placing T12 at the Chevron Championship, T20 at the Riviera Maya Open, T3 at the Mizuho Americas Open, T2 at the U.S. Women's Open, T12 at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship before missing the cut at the Evian Championship.

The world's fourteenth-ranked player has made nine appearances at the Women's Open, finishing T37 in 2016, MC in 2017, MC in 2019, T59 in 2020, T29 in 2021, T58 in 2022, T40 in 2023, T49 in 2024, and MC in 2025.

Gaby Lopez has been thereabouts in recent months and can pocket the winner's cheque in Lancashire come Sunday.

Casandra Alexander

Casandra Alexander started her season in excellent form on the LET Tour, finishing T2 at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, T6 at the Australian Women's Classic, T4 at the Australia WPGA Championship, T41 at the Aramco Championship (LPGA Tour), T2 at the Joburg Ladies Open before missing the cut at the Investec South African Women's Open.

Alexander shrugged off that result, placing T2 at the MCB Ladies Classic, 2nd at the Amundi German Masters, T9 at the Lalla Meryem Cup, T40 at the U.S. Women's Open, T10 at the Evian Championship before missing the cut at the recent Women's Scottish Open in her subsequent six events.

The South African golfer has contested the Women's Open on three occasions, with results of MC in 2022, T7 in 2024, and T40 in 2025.

Casandra Alexander has done no wrong this year and could cause an upset victory in England this weekend.

Verdict

Miyu Yamashita comes into the final Major of the year in excellent touch and has claims to the title at Royal Lytham & St Annes this weekend.

Lottie Woad has the form to go all the way and win her maiden Women's Open title come Sunday.

Gaby Lopez has come into some solid form lately and could lift the trophy come Sunday.

Casandra Alexander has been ultra-consistent this season and could upstage the others in England this weekend.

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Brad graduated from the University of South Africa with a Bcom-Management Accounting degree and has a financial background.

His love of sport has seen him venture down the road of researching sporting history for the past several years, specifically boxing, cricket and football.

Other sports of particular interest are golf, tennis, horse racing and motorsports.

Additionally, he spends his time researching the military history of his home country of South Africa.

He is an ardent Liverpool supporter and is known to DJ and release music on occasion.