The AIG Women’s Open field acquired 13 more names at St Annes Old Links, where Belgium’s Manon De Roey and England’s Bel Wardle mastered the breeze, signed for four-under-par rounds of 68 and shared top spot in Final Qualifying.

For Wardle, the reward is a first appearance in a major championship. For De Roey, it is a seventh consecutive trip to the championship and further evidence that experience is a useful travelling companion when links golf begins moving the furniture.

A field of 111 players contested the 18-hole qualifier close to Royal Lytham & St Annes, with every place carrying considerably more weight than the scorecard on which it was recorded.

By the end, seven players were safely through on three under or better. The remaining six places required a play-off involving eight players, because qualifying has never seen much value in allowing everyone to finish the day with their nerves intact.

Wardle Secures Her First Major Start

Wardle’s 68 placed her at the head of the qualifiers and secured the 26-year-old English player’s first major championship appearance.

It was a significant result achieved in conditions that demanded control rather than decoration. Breezy links golf rarely asks how elegant a swing looks. It is more interested in whether the ball finishes somewhere sensible.

Wardle answered that examination well enough to earn a place alongside the world-class field gathering at Royal Lytham & St Annes from 29 July to 2 August.

Her major debut will come on one of England’s most celebrated championship links, with the AIG Women’s Open serving as the final major of the 2026 season.

There are easier places to introduce oneself to major championship golf. There may not be many better.

Bel Wardle, England “It was tough but I got on a birdie run which gave me something to fall back on for the back nine. I didn’t have a score in mind, I was always going to take it as it comes. I had a couple of years where I went off form but I knew I had this game in me, I’ve just not been holing any putts.

“I’m now just so pleased. Royal Lytham & St Annes is fairly local for me. It’s only an hour away from Manchester. I’ve only played Lytham once… although I have also played it on a simulator! It will be like a dream to play in the AIG Women’s Open.”

De Roey Produces a Late 68

De Roey matched Wardle’s four-under score from the final group of the day.

The Belgian’s round carried her into a seventh successive AIG Women’s Open, continuing a remarkably consistent run of appearances in the championship.

Posting the joint-low score so late in the day also ensured the qualifying lead remained unsettled until the closing stages.

Where Wardle’s result opened a new chapter, De Roey’s extended an established one. Different journeys, identical numbers.

Manon De Roey, Belgium “Royal Troon was my first AIG Women’s Open in 2020 after Covid-19. I love the Championship as it’s really testing for your skills. In Scotland last week, I tried some new shots to keep the ball below the wind on the links and today I played very good golf. Last week definitely prepared me for today.

“I came to walk the course here last night after travelling from Dundonald. I walked 18 holes at 7.30pm with my caddie as I didn’t want to go blind into this course. We made a game plan, mainly to avoid bunkers, and I think we did a good job.”

Crump and Fuller Among Five Players on Three Under

Five players qualified with rounds of 69.

English amateur Lauren Crump and former Curtis Cup player Annabell Fuller both progressed at three under, adding further home interest to the Royal Lytham field.

Lauren Crump (a), England “From past experience of playing in these events, it’s about keeping patient. I was a bit shaky in the middle but overall I’m really pleased. It’s going to be my first major. Last year, I was like ‘wouldn’t it be great if I played at Lytham’ so I’m really excited.

Whenever we’ve been away on holiday, we might come up here and play a few courses. I’ve played Lytham a few times so it’s kind of nostalgic.

“We had some nice support today as the girl I was playing with, Gemma Clews, is from a club near me. So everyone was cheering us both on which was great. I’m looking forward to it and want to just enjoy it. I’m really excited to be near the English girls this week and be around players like Lottie Woad who have inspired me.”

They were joined by Australia’s Justice Bosio, France’s Vanessa Bouvet and Spain’s Carla Tejedo Mulet.

Their scores provided the luxury of avoiding the play-off. In Final Qualifying terms, this is roughly equivalent to being handed the final seat on a lifeboat before someone produces a stopwatch.

All five had done enough. Those one shot further back still had work to do.

Eight Players Chase Six Remaining Places

Eight players completed their rounds at two under, leaving six championship places to be settled in a play-off.

Anna Foster of Ireland, Chloe Williams of Wales, Germany’s Polly Mack, Spain’s Ana Peláez Trivino, American Amanda Doherty and England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff eventually emerged with the available spots.

With only two players from the group missing out, the margins were brutally narrow.

That is the peculiar cruelty of qualifying. A score can be excellent for almost an entire day, then become insufficient by the width of one putt or one uncooperative bounce.

Anna Foster, Ireland “The wind was still blowing early this morning, but I managed to get out there and make a good start which gave me a little bit of a cushion as there are some tough holes on the back nine. I feel like I’ve been playing well recently and tried to lean on the times I’ve come through Final Qualifying before in 2023 and 2025. I was definitely thinking about those previous occasions and the positive memories.

“You don’t need to be perfect to get through, you can plot your way round, and I tried to remind myself of that. It’s quite a tough and stressful day and I just tried to keep it simple. It’s exciting to play again in the AIG Women’s Open. Each time I’ve played I’ve got a bit more experience and I feel like I belong there more.”

For the six who progressed, however, there was no need to inspect the mathematics any further. Royal Lytham awaited.

Royal Lytham Awaits

The 2026 AIG Women’s Open begins at Royal Lytham & St Annes on 29 July, bringing together a world-class field for the final major championship of the year.

Wardle arrives as a major debutant. De Roey returns as an established championship presence. Crump carries amateur interest, while Fuller and Ewart Shadoff are among the other recognisable names to have negotiated the qualifying examination.

All 13 earned their places over 18 breezy holes at St Annes Old Links, where ambition had to survive both the course and the arithmetic.

The prize is a tee time at Royal Lytham. The next task is considerably harder, but at least nobody needs to qualify for it twice.