ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Laura Davies was out recording a hit for Sky Sports on the Old Course shortly after an afternoon rainstorm on Tuesday. She was scheduled to make this year’s AIG Women’s British Open the final LPGA start of her illustrious career, but opted to commentate on the event instead.
Davies was surprised to hear that the Old Course will start from two tees. She can’t remember this ever happening at this event since it became a major. Although the weather forecast for this week is grim, the R&A planned to have players tee off from the Nos. 1 and 10 tees regardless of the weather because there was less daylight there. The event was postponed until later in the month due to the Paris Olympics. Playing so late in August cost the field an hour of daylight, 30 minutes at the start and 30 minutes at the end of the day.
The first tee shot on the Old Course is arguably the most iconic first tee shot experience in golf, which makes starting on the 10th hole even more unusual.
When asked if she had any regrets about not playing this week, Davies said: “From left to right to first, not one iota. I can’t think of anything worse than standing on the first tee and hitting a ball out of bounds.”
Former British Open champion IK Kim will tee off on the first hole at 7am local time. Last week’s Scottish Open winner Lauren Coughlin will tee off on the 10th hole at 7am alongside Miyu Yamashita and Madelene Sagstrom. The backside is traditionally the more difficult side of the Old Course with the prevailing wind.
Three former British Open champions – Stacy Lewis, Karrie Webb and Catriona Matthew – will tee off on the back course at 7:33 a.m. In 2013, Lewis became the second woman to win on the Old Course, after Lorena Ochoa.
Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu and Charley Hull form one of the top couples in the afternoon wave, which starts at 1:10 p.m. local time.
Here’s a look at the remaining tee times for Round 1 of the AIG Women’s Open.
Start times Thursday
How to watch
Thursday, August 22: 7am-2pm (US)
Friday, August 23: 7am-2pm (US)
Saturday, August 24th: 7am-12pm (US); 12pm-2pm (NBC)
Sunday, August 25th: 7am-12pm (US); 12pm-2pm (NBC)
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Tee times for the 2024 AIG Women’s British Open at St. Andrews on Thursday, which will feature the unusual two-tee start
