British Stars Charley Hull and Lottie Woad Eye Major Win

British golf fans have every reason to get excited this week as two homegrown stars lead the charge at the AIG Women's Open.

Charley Hull and Lottie Woad are among the favorites at Royal Lytham and St Annes, a course with a remarkable habit of crowning British champions. Scotland's Catriona Matthew won here in 2009, and Georgia Hall captured the title nine years later, making this Lancashire links feel like lucky ground for UK golfers.

Hull, ranked seventh in the world, has come agonizingly close to major glory five times as a runner-up. The 30-year-old from Kettering nearly captured the US Open in June, holing pressure putts down the stretch before world number one Nelly Korda edged her out.

"I have got grit," Hull said, reflecting on those clutch moments that proved she can handle the heat. She won the Saudi Ladies International earlier this year and knows her major breakthrough could come any week.

Despite the pressure of home expectations, Hull is keeping things light. She kicked off the week by pranking her caddie Adam Woodward with a fake lottery scratchcard worth £100,000 from a Blackpool joke shop, leaving him shaking with excitement before revealing the truth.

Hull admits the weight of home support can feel heavy. "You feel like you let everyone down if you don't quite play well," she said, before adding her perspective: "But at the end of the day, it's just life. You're not going to die if you hit a bad shot."

Why This Inspires

Joining Hull is 22-year-old Lottie Woad, Britain's number one ranked player and the world's fifth-best golfer after just one year as a professional. Woad has already notched two pro wins and finished runner-up at last year's Women's Open, proving she belongs among golf's elite.

Woad's rise has been meteoric. She won last year's Scottish Open in her professional debut and captured an LPGA title in Cincinnati this May, beating Korean star Haeran Ryu by two shots.

The links golf at Lytham will test every aspect of their games, with bunkers dotting the classic seaside course. But Woad feels ready after experiencing true links conditions at last week's Scottish Open, even though her finish was modest.

Both golfers represent different stages of excellence: Hull, the veteran seeking her breakthrough moment, and Woad, the fresh talent already competing at the highest level. Together, they give British fans something special to cheer for as golf's final major of 2024 unfolds on home soil.