BBC Sport will broadcast live coverage of the 2013 Ricoh Women’s British Open, one of the highlights of the golf calendar featuring all the biggest names the women’s game.
Now in its 38th year, the tournament makes its second appearance at one of the most famous and historic links courses in the UK – The Old Course at St Andrews.
The much anticipated return to the Old Course follows on from the phenomenal success of the first visit of the Women’s British Open to the ‘Home of Golf’ in 2007.
It was the first women’s professional event to be held on the famous Links but crowned a long history of top class women’s amateur golf in St Andrews.
Following in the footsteps of her opposite number in the men’s game, Tiger Woods, who has won two Open Championships there, world number one Lorena Ochoa captured her first major in fine style.
The Old Course is the Home of Golf where golf was first played 600 years ago. It remains a real test of golf for today’s champions.
The fabled original links course is synonymous with The Open Championship which it has hosted more times than any other venue and hosted for a 28th time in 2010.
Despite its reputation and status, it is a public course and is one of seven public courses at St Andrews Links.
One of the unique features of the Old Course are the huge double greens.
Seven greens are shared by two holes each, with hole numbers adding up to 18 (2nd paired with 16th, 3rd with 15th, all the way up to 8th and 10th).
The Swilcan Bridge, spanning the first and 18th holes, has become a famous icon for golf in the world. The Road Hole, the 17th, is one of the world’s most famous holes.
The famous Old Course could play host to yet another historic golfing moment as South Korea’s Inbee Park is aiming to win her fourth major of 2013, a feat no male or female player has ever achieved in the same year in the professional era.
Her compatriot, Jiyai Shin, won the British title last year in style, making light of tricky, windy conditions to win by nine shots at Hoylake.
But all eyes will be on Park as she looks to make sporting history this week.
She has collected a remarkable six victories already in 2013, claiming the second major of her career when she won the Kraft Nabisco title in April.
Park then overcame Scotland’s Catriona Matthew in a play-off to win the LPGA Championship before a four-stroke victory in the US Open.
The home fans will be keen to see a second British Open victory for the remarkable Catriona Matthew, who is regarded by some as Britain’s most under-rated and under-appreciated sportswoman.
Top English prospect Charley Hull, 17, is dreaming of winning the coveted title having made an impressive start to her first season on the Ladies European Tour, finishing second in her first five events.
Australia’s Karrie Webb is another contender on the Old Course after the 38-year-old won the Ladies European Masters last weekend at Buckinghamshire Golf Club, with Hull finishing in a share for ninth.
The Women’s British Open also acts as the final qualifying event for the Solheim Cup in mid-August, with the primary focus for the European players in the field this week is to stamp their claim on a place in the European team.
BBC Sport will have live coverage of the 38th Women’s British Open from fabled Old Course at St Andrews.
Extensive coverage of all four days will be shown on BBC Two, as well as two hours of coverage on BBC One for Saturday’s third round.
Hazel Irvine introduces BBC TV’s output throughout the four days from St Andrews, featuring more hours of live coverage than ever before – a total of 16 hours.
Commentary will be led by Peter Alliss, Ken Brown, Andrew Cotter and Maureen Madill.
BBC TV’s live coverage will also be available to watch via the BBC Sport website and mobile app, while each programme can be seen on-demand via BBC iPlayer shortly after transmission.
Plus there will be live reports, videos, interviews and analysis on the BBC golf website.
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