Exciting! What else can be used to dub the upcoming major at St. Andrews, or more specifically, the Old Course? All eyes will undoubtedly be on the 144-player field led by the World No. 1 golfer Nelly Korda and Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko. But ahead of the 2024 AIG Women’s Open, one can’t help but recall some of the unforgettable instances that took place over the years.

The final major of the season will undoubtedly dish out many top moments, however, only a few will truly manage to leave a mark in the golfing world like the below incidents have!

Unforgettable AIG Women’s Open moments including the first St. Andrews win

1. Lorena Ochoa’s historic win: It was 2007. The women’s major (the Ricoh British Women’s Open back then) had just been welcomed to St. Andrews for the first time in history. But who knew that a Mexican golfer, for the first time in the said major, would manage to leave a mark in the annals of golfing history, all the while clinching her first major win of her career? Enter Lorena Ochoa, the then world No. 1 golfer and now 27-time LPGA Tour winner.

She put up a score of 67 during her first round. But what turned the heads of many in the golfing world was the fact that she started to lead the scoreboard following the 9th hole on the first day itself. Interestingly, she maintained that lead to win the major by four strokes becoming one of only three champs to achieve the feat of leading the AIG Women’s Open after every round. The golfer’s accolade remains special even to this day, for she herself said, “This is the most special round of golf I ever played.”

2. The first major winner Se-Ri Pak: The tournament now remains one of the most prestigious majors in women’s golf. But that status was only attained later on. What’s more, it wasn’t even an official LPGA Tour event till 1994. However, come 2001, the AIG Women’s Open (known as the Weetabix Women’s British Open back then) would be deemed a major championship and Se-Ri Pak, from South Korea, would emerge victorious at the same. The golfer carded a score of 11-under 277 to topple the other golfers including Mi Hyun Kim. She would then go ahead to become the first champion of the tournament after it became a major.

3. The Stacy Lewis Perfection: Ever hit a golf shot so perfectly that you’d be able to win a major with it? Well, look no more for the American golfer Stacy Lewis had achieved it back in 2013. It was the 17th hole at St. Andrews and the athlete was, apparently, simply aiming to par the hole. But her plans to just “move on” to the closing stages were thwarted, all thanks to her 5-irons.

Don’t get us wrong, the golfer was able to hit a beautiful shot using the 5-irons. The approach she unleashed sailed beautifully and bounced to fall within three feet of the hole. The result? A chance for a birdie while allowing her to set up the victory at the 2013 AIG Women’s Open. “[It] was definitely by far the coolest win I’ve ever had,” said Lewis while alluding to the 8-under 280 she carded to win the major.

These are but some of the iconic moments that have taken place at the prestigious event. From Sherri Steinhauer and Karrie Webb clinching becoming three-time champions to Georgia Hall clinching her very first victory across the LPGA Tour and LET, many such instances have left a mark in the game. What’s more, the latter breaking down after her win while dedicating the same to her grandfather surely remains a heartfelt moment that cannot be topped by many. Besides, the fans can be sure of one thing; the upcoming AIG Women’s Open at St. Andrews is sure to dish out many more such moments. So, do keep an eye out!