As the AIG Women’s Open crowns its champion golfer for 2025, there's also a fiercely contested prize for the low female amateur. The Smyth Salver is an equally coveted trophy in the amateur ranks, and four players will be vying for the title at Royal Porthcawl this year: Meja Ortengren (Sweden), Paula Martin Sampedro (Spain), Carla Bernat Escuder (Spain), and Jeneath Wong (Malaysia).
The list of former winners is as illustrious as the AIG Women’s Open champions itself, with many going on to become successful professionals in the game. Here are a selection of them.
Lydia Ko - 2012 & 2013
Lydia Ko was just a teenager when she won the Smyth Salver in 2012. Being only 15, she remained an amateur for another year, and shared the Smyth Salver title with Georgia Hall in 2013 before finally turning professional. It turned out to be the right decision, as she seamlessly transitioned into the professional game and made an instant impression.
By the age of 17, the New Zealander became the youngest player in the history of professional golf (male or female) to reach number one in the Women’s World Golf Rankings, achieving this feat at 17 years, 9 months, and 9 days old. Ko has since become one of the most successful female golfers of all time, winning over 30 titles worldwide including three Major championships - the 2015 Evian Championship, the 2016 Chevron Championship, and the 2024 AIG Women’s Open. In 2024, her already illustrious career reached new heights when she qualified for induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame, making her the 35th member and the youngest ever to achieve this incredible honour under the current criteria.
Michelle Wie - 2006
American Michelle Wie was another child prodigy whose talent shone from an incredibly young age. At just 10 years old, she became the youngest player in history to qualify for a USGA amateur championship. She continued to break records, becoming the youngest winner of the US Women’s Amateur Public Links and the youngest to qualify for an LPGA Tour event.
In 2005, at 15 years old, she blew the field away to win the Smyth Salver at the Ricoh Women's British Open, finishing in a tie for third place overall. She turned professional shortly after, and her tour debut was met with a whirlwind of media frenzy and huge sponsorship deals; everyone, it seemed, wanted a piece of her. Throughout her career, she accumulated 5 LPGA Tour victories, including her most significant win, her first and only Major at the 2014 US Women’s Open. In 2019, Wie married and became known as Michelle Wie-West, and she and her husband, Jonnie West, now have two children.
Anna Nordqvist - 2008
Anna Nordqvist has a history of making a strong impression from the very beginning. She clinched the Smyth Salver for low amateur honors at the 2008 Ricoh Women’s British Open, and that same year, she was part of the winning Swedish team at the European Ladies’ Team Championship. Her collegiate career at Arizona State University was equally stellar, earning her National Golf Coaches Association Freshman of the Year, Pac-10 Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year by the end of her first year.
Given that impressive amateur background, it was hardly a surprise when, in only her fifth start on the LPGA Tour, Nordqvist secured her first professional tournament win, and a Major, at the 2009 LPGA Championship. This quick success led directly to her selection as a captain’s pick for the Solheim Cup. Fast forward to today, and she's now preparing to captain Team Europe herself in the next edition of the match in 2026. Her career boasts a remarkable 16 professional wins, including three Majors. Her most recent Major triumph came at the 2021 AIG Women’s Open, solidifying her status as one of the game's greats.
Leona Maguire - 2016
Leona Maguire showcased her talent at the 2016 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Woburn, where she clinched the Smyth Salver, finishing tied for 25th overall. Her collegiate career at Duke University was equally stellar, earning her National Golf Coaches Association Freshman of the Year, Pac-10 Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year by the end of her first year.
Given that impressive amateur background, it was hardly a surprise when, after turning professional in 2018, Maguire quickly made her mark. She boasts 5 professional wins to date, including two on the LPGA Tour. Maguire's star shone brightest at the 2021 Solheim Cup, where as a rookie, she put on a record-breaking performance, earning an incredible 4.5 points out of a possible five, the best-ever by a Solheim Cup debutant. Her best Major finish to date was tying for fourth place at the 2022 AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield, a performance that further solidified her place among golf's elite
Atthaya Thitikul - 2018 & 2019
Given just how much she has already achieved, it's hard to believe Atthaya Thitikul is still only 22 years-old. The Thai superstar was a mere 15 when she first burst onto the scene, making the cut and claiming the prestigious Smyth Salver at the 2018 Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes. A year later, she did it again at Woburn, securing the prize for a second time and finishing in the top-30 overall.
Thitikul has since had an absolutely phenomenal start to her professional career. She boasts an impressive 18 professional wins, including 5 on the LPGA Tour. Her incredible run took her briefly to the top of the Rolex Women's World Rankings in 2022, making her one of the youngest ever to achieve that feat. In 2024, she made history by winning the CME Group Tour Championship, earning a prize of $4 million. This, along with her other consistent results throughout the season, pushed her total earnings to an incredible $6,059,309 for the year, setting a new record for single-season earnings on the LPGA Tour. Her best finish in the AIG Women’s Open to date was tying for seventh place at the 2022 Championship at Muirfield.
Lottie Woad - 2024
When you look at the names on the Smyth Salver, you see future Major champions. And the 2024 recipient, Lottie Woad, is certainly following in illustrious footsteps, arriving at Royal Porthcawl as one of the hottest players in the game.
The English star, still only 21 years old, won the Smyth Salver at the 2024 AIG Women's Open held at St Andrews, finishing as the low amateur with an impressive tied-10th place finish overall. This came after a whirlwind year in her amateur career, including a victory at the Augusta National Women's Amateur in April 2024, where she became the first European winner of the event. She also rose to become the world's number one amateur in June 2024 and was awarded the prestigious Mark H. McCormack Medal.
Woad turned professional recently and has made an immediate, electrifying impact. She made history by winning the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open in her professional debut on the LPGA Tour, becoming only the third player ever to win their first professional start on the Tour.
Smyth Salver Winners in the last two decades (& their score total)
2024 Lottie Woad 287
2023 Charlotte Heath 295
2022 Rose Zhang 285
2021 Louise Duncan 281
2020 NO EVENT
2019 Atthaya Thitkul 284
2018 Atthaya Thitkul 300
2017 Sophie Lamb 282
2016 Leona Maguire 284
2015 Luna Sobron 287
2014 Emma Talley 294
2013 Georgia Hall & Lydia Ko 294
2012 Lydia Ko 297
2011 Danielle Kang 290
2010 Caroline Hedwall 291
2009 NO EVENT
2008 Anna Nordqvist 285
2007 Melissa Reid 296
2006 Amy Yang 301
2005 Michelle Wie West 278
2004 Elisa Serramia 294
2003 Rebecca Hudson 287
