HooperstarGolfer @ the RICOH Women's British Open

THURSDAY

0727 - Good morning and welcome to the 38th Women's British Open, the second ever to be played at the Home of Golf, St Andrews. The rains of the weekend have returned in the last 24 hours and the course is playing soft and with very little wind this morning the early starters are having fun on the Old Course. Little-known Rikako Morita has birdied the 1st and the 3rd and leads on -2 through 3 holes, she has a one stroke advantage over Brittany Lincicome. Ai Miyazato and Inbee Park who are all tied on -1 early in their first rounds.

0738 - it is my first time ever working in the media centre of a major golfing event so it is time to go and explore before it gets busy busy, as it will soon

0745 - biggest challenge of the day conquered! operating the tea and coffee machine in the media centre is like man going to the moon again.

0802 - all the big stars out early are firing on day one here at the Old Course, Brittany Lincicome leads at -3 with Inbee Park on -2

0819 - rain falling heavily now, the players starting now must be looking forward to it like going to the dentist

0821 - the top 10 right now is something else, the stars are shining early on day one at the RICOH Women's British Open even if the sun isn't

0825 - I will be live blogging throughout the championship and publishing a more detailed blog each evening reviewing the day's action. Little did I think on September 29 that I would be sitting in the media centre of a major championship - here is the blog that started it all for me - http://hooperstargolfer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/hello-everybody-this-is-matt-here-and.html

0832 - there are 13 journalists sat at their desks right now, I am sure by lunchtime this place will be buzzing, it is quite nice though to have space to breathe and bed myself in to the world of golf journalism

0838 - Inbee Park came into this week with the eyes of the golfing world and the expectations of a nation on her shoulders, her quest for a fourth consecutive major title has begun with four birdies in the first six holes - unbelievable

0850 - rain has either stopped or its a lot softer than it was, the field will be praying for the course to be flooded if Park carries on playing like this

0900 - first 90 minutes in the media centre, getting much busier now

0923 - Scoring is super-low on the Old this morning, Miyazato tied with Par at -5 and Young -4, Lincicome and Creamer -3 and five players -2, some 23 players under par in the first 14 groups

0931 - when do we start making comparisons with Park and Woods? The Korean goes to -6 through 10 holes and re-takes the lead, simply amazing

0937 - I love the ROLEX clocks in the media centre, would love to have them in my house when the magazine makes me loads of money, LOL

0946 - getting closer to Yani Tseng's tee time, at which time I will be off out onto the course to see if she can chase down the remarkable Inbee Park

0956 - sounds like the rain is back

1015 - nearly time to venture outside

1023 - incredible toilets in media centre, automatic taps in a tent!

1615 - Just back in the media centre from the course, watched most of Yani Tseng's back nine and it is steamy out there, no imminent threat of storms but surely they will arrive over night

1616 - News from Yani Tseng's press conference to come shortly

1652 - Just spoken to one of the senior members of Yani Tseng's team and she was not called to do a press conference, but after a strange round of 72 I highly doubt she would have wanted to do one anyway

1656 - The scoring is amazing today with 75 players under par

1713 - Just attended Morgan Pressel's press conference after her 6-under-par 66 to hold the lead by a shot at present, details and reaction to the day in the full review of the day later this evening

1732 - there is a hum of journalists talking and the tipper tapper of fingers on keyboards in the media centre, not every place is taken but nevertheless this is a big event

1747 - keep up to date with Live tweets throughout the tournament on twitter.com/golfmag1 and view photos on facebook.com/standrewsgolfmagazine

1756 - the leaderboard is littered with talented, young and global golfers

1758 - Ji Eun-Hee of Korea pars the 11th to remain tied with Morgan Pressel at 6-under, she could steal the lead tonight

1806 - I must say that Yani Tseng looked like she lack confidence out there today but the quality of her ball-striking is something to marvel at

1817 - as things stand we have a two-way tie for the lead between Morgan Pressel and Ji Eun-Hee at -6 and players on the course who could reach 5 or 6 under with a decent finish, 75 players under par and we are set for a more challenging day on Friday with the breeze expected to pick up. This brings an end to my coverage from the media centre for today, my full review of the first round of the 2013 RICOH Women's British Open is coming up later this evening, Live tweets continue until 7pm on twitter.com/golfmag1.

Unknown Lennarth surges into share of lead with Pressel as day one comes to a conclusion at the Home of Golf

The fourth major championship of the women's golf season got underway today in varying conditions with all the talk and hype about Inbee Park's quest for a fourth straight major win threatening to overshadow the championship. And on the front nine Park justified the hype by birdieing six of her first ten holes to take control of the tournament. But just as golf seems easy it can bite you where it hurts most and following a pushed tee shot on 13 the world number one made her first bogey of the week, she then made double-bogey after finding the greenside bunker on 16 and then followed that up with a bogey on 17 to drop a fourth shot of the back nine and fall to -2. She then showed her true class and ability by birdieing the 18th hole to finish at 3-under and start with a 69 and she is right in contention going into day two.

Park described her round as being "like a roller coaster" stating that she played well on the front nine and had a shaky back nine, she admitted to being a "little nervous this morning before I teed off". Despite the immense magnitude of the potential achievement should she win this week Park said that she "didn't feel much pressure during the round".

As Park slipped others took their opportunity to share the limelight and move ahead of the favourite. World number 2 Stacy Lewis birdied five holes on the back nine including the 18th to finish at five under par and tie for the early lead with Nicole Castrale, Mi Jeong Jeon and Na Yeon Choi. The afternoon wave of players was led by former world number one Yani Tseng, the Taiwanese 5-time major champion has had the toughest year of her career falling to world number 14 and missing four cuts including the last three tournaments on the LPGA tour. This lack of form clearly has affected her confidence and she played a very defensive and less aggressive game throughout the round, and although she reached 2-under-par through 12 holes Tseng could not keep the bogeys off her scorecard and 3 successive fives from 13 to 15 saw her stumble to a level par round of 72, six off the lead. That lead is jointly held by Morgan Pressel and Camilla Lennarth who posted afternoon rounds of 66.

Pressel is chasing a place in the United States Solheim Cup and has enjoyed a nice run of form since the LPGA Championship in an otherwise unsuccessful season, she said it was "nice to get off to a good start". The round of 66 featured seven birdies and one bogey including three birdies in succession from 13 to 15, it was more evidence of a more mature player and more experienced exponent of links golf. The 2007 Ricoh Women's British Open at the Old Course was a disaster for the then 19-year-old, "I also had a local caddie. My caddie at the time had a family emergency, had to go home from Evian". "I think coming into this week, I was a lot better prepared in that sense, and just had a better game plan".

Pressel played with the 2009 British Open champion Catriona Matthew, who birdied 17 and 18 to post a 4-under-par 68. Ji Eun-Hee of Korea challenged Pressel's position as sole leader and reached 6-under-par through ten holes before finishing with seven pars and a bogey to sit in a 6-way tie for third place. The big surprise of the day came from the world number 340 Camilla Lennarth from Sweden who birdied the 1st, 5th, 9th, 10th, 14th and 18th to take a surprise share of the first round lead. Playing in the 46th group of the day the 25-year-old from Stockholm was not expected to feature, whether she will end up being another major first round surprise or something more will be determined over the next 18 holes.

With the weather set to be more settled on Friday scoring may be just as good as the condensed field take aim at the fourth Major title of the season.

FRIDAY

0724 - Good morning I am back for my second day in the media centre, same format as yesterday but today will be in two sessions because of other commitments I have from 1200-1800, you can catch live tweets at twitter.com/golfmag1

0725 - Morgan Pressel has parred the first hole and still holds a 1 shot lead (tied with Lennarth) over 8 players on -5

0733 - off to get a cup of tea, hoping it goes better than yesterday's effort

0746 - It has started raining in St Andrews, pretty heavy and the clouds looked stormy

0747 - Georgia Hall, an English amateur has birdied two of her first four holes to tie for second on -6, Morgan Pressel has birdied the third hole to move into sole possession of the lead on -7

0753 - more media starting to trickle into the media centre now, the big names are off early each day due to Japanese television - the sponsors Ricoh are from Tokyo

0800 - Yani Tseng is parring the course to death, she hasn't made a birdie since the 5th hole in round one, meanwhile Michelle Wie has made a promising start -2 through 4 to get to level par

0806 - four Brits within 3 of the lead, that should boost the crowds for the weekend but the weather isn't complying

0856 - one of the criticism's I have of this event is the tented village, its tiny and doesn't firstly provide enough logo'd merchandise and secondly doesn't have anywhere near enough men's wear. Equality isn't a one way street.

0858 - the marshalling is also dreadful and in some instances non-existent, letting spectators and vehicles across Granny Clark's Wynd while golfers are playing is downright disrespectful

0910 - Miki Saiki of Japan has had an astonishing round so far 1 par, 3 birdies, a bogey and an eagle to lead the championship by 1

0919 - Michelle Wie making a significant move -4 thru 10 -2 for championship

0920 - Suzann Pettersen also -4 and -6 for the championship

0929 - The Norwegian makes birdie at the 9th and she shoots 31 for the front nine and is tied for third place on -7

0932 - I am now off to the range to see who is preparing for their second round and get a feel for the atmosphere of the event

0935 - almost as soon as I thought about going to the range the heavens opened

0945 - the rain is torrential and the wind is getting up, those playing the back nine now near the cut mark must be hanging on for dear life

0955 - all this rain is going to make the surrounds of the course extremely slippy and muddy, the area where the tented village is located was already getting slippy this morning

1000 - it sounds as if the rain has let up, one more go and popping down to the range, back up shortly then at 1145 the live blog will take a rest and resume at 1815 this evening as the second round concludes and the cut is made

1038 - one of the many perks of being media is that you get to stand inside the ropes and up close to the players and caddies when they are on the range

1040 - Yani Tseng is playing 17 and needs a birdie birdie finish to make the cut which currently stands at -1, I am now off out to see her finish and I will be back to finish this mornings coverage afterwards

1815 - back in the media centre and just attended the press conference of Na Yeon Choi, the Korean leads the RICOH Women's British Open after a sensational 67 at the Old Course. The sun has come out and the breeze has got up and Inbee Park's challenge faltered with another poor showing over the final nine holes, 73 leaves her -2 and 8 shots adrift heading into the weekend.

1831 - Many of yesterday's star names struggled in the afternoon today, Ai Miyazato shot 79 to fall to +4 and misses the cut after briefly holding a share of the lead during Friday

1838 - after round one there were 75 players under par, right now there are only 50

1930 - the last few players are completing their second rounds out there now, Nicole Castrale birdies the final hole to tie for fourth place with Suzann Pettersen and JY Lee

1957 - Brittany Lang needs birdie at 18 to make the cut

1958 - this concludes my Live coverage on the site today, Live tweets continue until 9pm on twitter.com/golfmag1

2001 - HooperstarGolfer will be back at the RICOH Women's British Open on Saturday morning and bring you coverage until 5.45pm and a review of the third round later tomorrow

Na-Yeon Choi shoots sublime 67 in the St Andrews sun to take second round lead

The 2012 US Women's Open champion played in perhaps the most difficult conditions of the championship so far and six birdies in the breeze saw her move into pole position on a day when several of the stars from the first day struggled in the wind. Choi's friend and compatriot Inbee Park began the week as the outstanding favourite but she struggled again on the back nine and will begin the third round 8 behind Choi. The 25-year-old from Seoul won the US Open by 4 at Blackwolf Run in Wisconsin last July and has shown major pedigree before with ten top 10 finishes in the last 23 majors she has played in, along with winning 7 LPGA career titles since turning professional at the age of 17 in 2004. 

6 birdies and a bogey from Choi enabled her to match the first round 67 she had recorded on Thursday morning and she reached the top of the leaderboard, giving her a one stroke advantage over Miki Saiki of Japan who had an extraordinary round which started birdie, bogey, birdie, eagle and included an additional eagle, two birdies and a bogey. She recorded the lowest round of the week so far of 66 and moved into the lead midway through the round before being replaced by Na-Yeon Choi in the afternoon.

The world number one and holder of all 3 of this year's women's majors Inbee Park had stumbled on the back nine on Thursday, shooting 38 after a front nine of 31 and her struggles continued on Friday. She bogeyed 10, 13 and 17 to shoot a one-over-par round of 73 and drop 8 back of her friend Choi. The British challenge faded on Friday with Catriona Matthew the leading home player some 8 shots off the lead, Florentyna Parker did reach 5-under-par at the turn but two bogeys and a double-bogey on 17 saw her fall back to -1 and 9 behind the Korean. Norway's Solheim Cup hero and 2007 LPGA Champion Suzann Pettersen shot a stunning 31 going out but could only make pars coming home, leaving her at -7 and 3 behind going into the weekend.

For Yani Tseng unfortunately there will be a fourth straight weekend off after a lame round of 74 to follow her frustrating opening round of 72. St Andrews Golf Magazine's Colin Donaldson followed her for two days and commented "The aggressive players are rewarded on the Old Course, the are rewarded for their bravery and knowing when to be aggressive and when to play cautiously". For two days Yani Tseng played defensively and lacked confidence, she didn't go for enough shots that had risk and reward and therefore had very few birdie chances, converting only 3 in 36 holes. This is at total odds with her practice rounds when she had 17 birdies in 2 rounds. Tseng goes home along with Beatriz Recari, Belen Mozo, Ai Miyazato, Laura Davies, Azahara Munoz, Sophie Gustafson, Trish Johnson, Karen Stupples, Karrie Webb, Carly Booth, Christina Kim and Lexi Thompson.

SATURDAY

0904 - Good morning and welcome to the third day of the RICOH Women's British Open at the Old Course, St Andrews

0911 - I have just come out of the interview room after having interviewed Beatriz Recari, the  26-year-old Spanish golfer has won twice in 2013 at the KIA Classic and at the Marathon Classic just two weeks ago, she is as lovely in real life as she is on television let me tell you

0916 - The wind is expected to get up to between 30 and 40 mph between 12pm and 6pm today, this could cause many of the leading contenders untold problems

0936 - The leaders go out at 1340 this afternoon, Inbee Park is out some 2 hours 10 minutes before them and will be hoping to shoot in the mid-60's to set herself up for a shot at the title tomorrow

0954 - Writing my review of yesterday, the early starters are being battered by the wind, this afternoon could be very very interesting

1018 - Finished writing my review of yesterday you can now read it above today's live blog

1019 - Off to get a cup of tea and make a phone call

1048 - It is windier today than at any other time in the whole summer here, the scores on the front nine may be bad but they may pale into insignificance in comparison to the back nine

1100 - scoring is extremely tough out there and it is only going to get tougher

1108 - Not sure what some of these scoreboard people have for breakfast but it must be alcoholic, a lot of the numbers up there are wrong - if you are 6-over on a par 36 then you scored 42 not 43!

1121 - Inbee Park is set to tee off at 1130 in a howling right to left wind

1137 - Just been invited to stay for the announcement of the two Solheim Cup teams tomorrow evening, a great way to finish my first event

1153 - Just met Lewine Mair, one of the most respected and longest serving golf journalists in the UK, she just came up and introduced herself, this week has been and still is going to be MASSIVE

1157 - You have to wonder if the course had still be as firm and fast as it was 10 days ago whether firstly the leading score would be under par and secondly if play would have been stopped by now

1204 - Laura Davies has been omitted from the European Solheim Cup team for the first time, it truly is the end of an era but the beginning of a bright new one with young, beautiful, talented and popular girls ready to take Europe to the next level

1233 - PLAY SUSPENDED DUE TO HIGH WINDS

1241 - Announcement by Colin Callander tells us all in the media centre that Tournament officials are going to make an announcement at 1330 depending upon the weather conditions

1242 - Just sampled some of the food in the dining club at the media centre, fantastic stuff

1248 - I believe the Scottish expression is blowy as fuck, whatever it is play has been suspended throwing into doubt the finish of the event depending upon how long it stays like this. I am supposed to be attending the announcement of the Solheim Cup teams tomorrow at 8pm but if it is put back to Monday I will miss it because I am at work in the evening

1249 - This delay also means I may also not get to interview Sandra Gal and Brittany Lincicome tonight as I have to work at 6pm when I had requested the weekend off

1302 - The delay means I can get on with drafting the interview I did with Beatriz Recari, the live blog will continue soon

1435 - Welcome back, play is still suspended due to winds up to 40mph and another announcement will be made in 55 minutes but play cannot resume until 1600. The question has to be asked why this situation has arisen. The forecast, which everyone in the media centre has, was for winds up to 40 mph, why on earth didn't they start the third round earlier and split them over two tees? Play would have been quicker and everyone would be out on the course and have played at least some holes. Now we have the situation that when they re-start they have to remain playing off the first tee until everyone has started their third round. Apparently the forecast for tomorrow is similar, somewhat throwing into doubt the conclusion of the tournament and the timing of the Solheim Cup announcement.

1440 - Journalists talking about possibility of the third round being wiped out and playing 36 on Sunday, but if wind is up like this then that is not possible, a Monday finish is looming large.

1447 - the wind has been the same all day, they should either have never started or never stopped, once more a golfing organisation puts itself in a completely ridiculous position

1505 - Maybe the wind has eased a touch, announcement due in 24 minutes

1529 - announcement imminent

1533 - "another announcement at 4, hopeful they can start at 4.30" deary me its groundhog day and it means that if they do start then the leaders will not begin their rounds until 1750, play almost certain to run into Sunday morning, please LGU have a two-tee start tomorrow for final round

1547 - every time I go to the toilet in the media centre I am amazed, its as nice as most hotels
(hotel toilets it is)

1548 - the wind is back up again, I really do not fancy their chances of starting again today

1600 - another announcement telling us there will be another announcement at 1700, by which time I will be preparing to leave the media centre for the day

1616 - wind is back up at times it is less and at times it is more

1617 - nearly finished drafting the interview and editorial with Beatriz Recari but some aspects cannot yet be written about but it will appear in our launch issue 1 November

1622 - I am going to request interviews with Suzann Pettersen and Michelle Wie for tomorrow's Solheim Cup announcement as well as draft questions for them and others in the press conference, in addition to requesting an interview with an LPGA/LET executive to discuss future of the women's professional game - Going to be a busy busy Sunday to end a superb week (unless we run into Monday)

1635 - it has been a very frustrating afternoon here in St Andrews, for everyone concerned, especially those who had to pay £25 to come in, I REALLY HOPE THEY ARE REFUNDED OR LET IN TOMORROW FOR FREE

1642 - Wind is the ultimate uncertainty, you never know when it will go or come back and its so annoying because it is gloriously sunny out there

1650 - If they aren't re-starting at 1700 there should be an inquiry, its a stiff breeze with the odd gust, get on with it

1800 - Play suspended for the day

Wind blows third day away but not without controversy at RICOH Women's British Open

SUNDAY

0832 - Good morning and welcome to the fourth and final (hopefully) day of the 2013 RICOH Women's British Open, it is going to be a huge day on and off the course with the announcement of the Solheim Cup teams to come later this evening. It is also a massive day for myself and St Andrews Golf Magazine. I will be interviewing an LPGA executive about the future of the LPGA and the women's professional circuit, as well as catching the leading players behind the 18th green for a quick interview including Brittany Lincicome and Sandra Gal. I will be asking a question in the Solheim Cup press conference and taking photos from all over on a momentous day in my career and the short history of St Andrews Golf Magazine

0836 - Play re-started at 0615 this morning and already there have been several changes at the top of the leaderboard. Morgan Pressel and Miki Saiki are tied for the lead on -9 with Stacy Lewis in 2nd place on -8 tied with the overnight leader Na-Yeon Choi who is 2-over for the day and Norwegian Suzann Pettersen. 

0839 - There are 9 players within 2 shots of the lead.

0840 - They will not be re-drawn and it is a virtual about turn for most groups as they end their third rounds and begin their fourth and final rounds.

0841 - There will be a full review of yesterday's 'action' later but for now stay tuned to twitter.com/golfmag1 for live updates

0852 - I will be preparing questions to ask the LPGA executive and in the Solheim Cup press conference for the next few minutes

1032 - Morgan Pressel leads by 1 from Stacy Lewis and Na-Yeon Choi at -10

1042 - 3 way tie for the lead Pressel, Lewis and Choi at -9

1200 - Just went out to see Morgan Pressel birdie the 18th, I had a quick word with Suzann Pettersen "Matt Hooper, St Andrews Golf Magazine. What would it mean for you to win at the Home of Golf?" (Pettersen) "Well, I will tell you when I find out"

1201 - Not sure I could expect much more considering it was in between the third and fourth rounds of a Major Championship from a contender to win

1206 - This Major is wide, wide open and maybe two weeks after one Brit gassed it in the final round another can come through and claim a second Open title, Catriona Matthew went birdie eagle to finish her third round and is just 3 behind Pressel

1250 - Just had lunch with Vanessa Vignali, PR Manager for the Ladies European Tour, spreading the story of myself and St Andrews Golf Magazine

1310 - Leader out at 1330 no re-draw just same pairings which means a final round showdown between Morgan Pressel and Suzann Pettersen 

1317 - off out onto the course to see leaders tee off and others finish, hopefully will be coming back with Michelle Wie interview to be written up

1442 - Back from interviewing Brittany Lincicome at the 18th, what a phenomenal girl she is, so accommodating and open which put me at ease straight away. Didn't ask every question I had written down but it was enough. Michelle Wie couldn't have been more different she spoke to Alex Miceli of Golf Week but once he had finished I couldn't manage to get a question in. There will be other opportunities.

1445 - We have a two way tie for the lead between Morgan Pressel and Stacy Lewis at -8 with the two Koreans HY Park and Na-Yeon Choi1 behind at -7. Suzann Pettersen is -6.

1454 - Off soon to find the Chief Communications Officer of the LPGA for an interview which should have been arranged by Media Representative Mike Scanlan

1501 - Back soon

1531 - Just waiting for the gentleman to finish eating then will be interviewing him

1641 - Had an absolutely fantastic interview with Kraig Kann and now it is time to go outside and watch the last few players come in on the Old Course

1643 - You can keep up to date via www.ricohwomensbritishopen.com



Stacy Lewis wins 2013 RICOH Women's British Open with stunning finish on incredible final day at the Home of Golf

The 2013 RICOH Women's British Open will go down in the annals of golf history as one of the truly great major championships, defined by a final day marathon for some and a day which saw many lead changes and more drama than an Opera. It was a day which started at 6.15am and ended around 9pm with photos of the Solheim Cup teams on the Swilcan Bridge, it was a day that saw the rain fall, the wind blow and the sun shine and it was a day which had almost everything golf could possibly offer. The third round came to a spectacular conclusion with birdies from Morgan Pressel and Suzann Pettersen at the 18th hole, Pressel took the sole lead at 9-under-par and take a 2 shot advantage into the final 18 holes. Bogeys at 2 and 8 saw the American fall back into the pack of 5 players who were in contention for the title, at one stage on the front nine we had a four way tie between Na-Yeon Choi, Morgan Pressel, Stacy Lewis and Hee-Young Park at 8-under-par, with Suzann Pettersen 2 strokes back on -6.

Korea's Na-Yeon Choi made birdie at 10 to reach 9-under and as she did that her challengers melted away, Hee-Young Park made bogeys at 12, 13 and 14, Morgan Pressel made double-bogey at 12 and Stacy Lewis dropped shots at 11 and 12. The 2012 US Open Champion had a three shot lead with 6 holes to play. It was all over bar the shouting.

But this is golf and major championship golf at that.

Bogey from Choi at 13 and birdie from Lewis at 14 closed the gap to one, Lewis then bogeyed 15 but Choi also bogeyed 14 to leave her at -7, 1 ahead of the American. Lewis playing 2 groups ahead of Choi then found the 17th fairway 160 yards from the front edge of the green, she saw in her mind a low 5-iron and she hit the shot as she saw it, into the front of the green and it rolled up to a few feet from the hole and she holed the putt for an astounding and critical birdie. She had tied the lead with 1 hole to play.

She hit a long drive on 18 and was left with a 40-yard pitch or, as she chose, a long putt to set up a birdie chance. Leaving herself with a putt from behind the hole, slight left to right break and it was her experience of playing over 15 rounds on the Old Course across the 2008 Curtis Cup and 2013 British Open that stood her in good stead for this moment. "I remember one of my matches in the Curtis Cup, the pin was in that similar place, and I remember having a putt back up the hill and leaving it short. So that's the kind of the mistake there is to not get the putt to the hole, because you see the swale (Valley of Sin) on the other side, you think it's downhill, but it's actually back up the hill. I knew what that putt did, right off the face, it looked pretty good, and it was pretty cool when it went in".

Pressel and Choi bogeyed 17 to effectively hand Lewis the title, but make no mistake the 28-year-old from Texas won this in the most remarkable fashion possible, birdieing arguably the two most famous holes in all of golf when it mattered. Not on Thursday like Catriona Matthew did, but in the heat of battle on Sunday in a Major, that is class and that is historic. It is in my opinion without question the greatest championship we have seen at the Home of Golf since the 1984 Open won by Seve, it produced the best finish we have seen on the Old Course in 29 years and we had many of the world's best contending right the way until the end until Lewis produced her remarkable finale.

Women's golf around the world has a very healthy future, they have a gaggle of young, talented and marketable stars from every corner of the globe and championships like the 2013 RICOH Women's British Open enhance and confirm it.

This week has been a remarkable week for myself and +St. Andrews Golf Magazine we were given media credentials to our  event, a Major Championship. "Every event after this is smaller" said Vanessa Vignali, PR Manager of the Ladies European Tour, whom I had lunch with on Sunday. I got to interview Beatriz Recari, Brittany Lincicome and Kraig Kann. Kraig, Chief Communications officer of the LPGA, said "It's great that these players have reached out to you, especially If it's not Sports Illustrated or some major publication"

What a week, one I will never forget.