Open to be Wales' 'largest women's sporting event'
Royal Porthcawl borders the Bristol Channel and is renowned for changeable wind directions
- Published
Wales is set to stage its biggest ever women’s sporting event when Royal Porthcawl hosts the Women’s Open in 2025.
The championship, featuring the best players in the world, will be held from 30 July to 3 August.
A crowd of almost 53,000 watched Lydia Ko win the Women’s Open at St Andrews last week, adding to the Olympic gold medal she won in Paris this summer.
“I've never been to Wales, so it's exciting to go to these new venues,” the New Zealander said.
“It's pretty crazy to say that I'm going to be the defending champion there in Wales."
Watch thrilling finish as Ko wins the Women's Open
Ko triumphed after a tense finish at St Andrews to claim her third career major, the last coming in 2016.
"It's been a crazy past few weeks. Something that was too good to be true happened," she said.
"I honestly didn't think it could be any better and here I am as the AIG Women's Open Champion this week. Obviously, being here at the Old Course at St Andrews makes it so much more special."
Royal Porthcawl is no stranger to hosting prestigious events.
It has held the Amateur Championship on six occasions, the Walker Cup, featuring a young Tiger Woods, the Curtis Cup and on three occasions the Senior Open.
“We have enjoyed an incredibly successful week in St Andrews and we now turn our focus to Wales where we will play the Championship at Royal Porthcawl for the first time," said R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers.
“The famous Welsh links has a cherished history of hosting prestigious championships and the players will enjoy the challenge of competing for the AIG Women’s Open at another outstanding venue.
“It will be the largest women’s sporting event to be played in Wales and we hope to attract many Welsh sports fans, and those from further afield, to come and enjoy a true celebration of golf.”