Royal Lytham & St Annes hosts the 50th Women's Open and lands the 2028 Open

Golf on the Fylde coast has rarely had a year like this one. Royal Lytham & St Annes, the famous links in St Annes, spent 2026 firmly in the international spotlight, and the news for the years ahead is just as exciting.

From 29 July to 2 August 2026 the club hosted the AIG Women's Open, one of the biggest events in the women's game. It was a particularly special edition, as the championship was celebrating its 50th staging, and Royal Lytham was a fitting home for the milestone.

Japan's Miyu Yamashita arrived in Lancashire as the reigning champion, and the week brought many of the world's best players to the town, along with crowds of spectators and visitors who filled hotels and restaurants across the Fylde.

Royal Lytham has a long association with the women's championship. The Women's British Open had returned to the course before, and the club's pedigree as a championship venue made it a natural choice for such a significant anniversary.

The biggest headline, though, came in April 2026. The R&A announced that Royal Lytham & St Annes will host The Open in 2028, the 12th time the club has been given the honour and the first since 2012.

The 2028 championship is scheduled for 3 to 6 August, a little later than the traditional date, to accommodate the Olympic Games being played in Los Angeles that July. For golf fans in the North West it means a major championship on the doorstep once again, with all the excitement, visitors and attention that such a week brings to St Annes.

The announcement was all the sweeter after earlier disappointment. The club had hoped to stage the 2026 Open to mark the centenary of its first Open in 1926, but that year's championship went to Royal Birkdale instead. The news of 2028 more than makes up for it.

For details of the club, its history and future championships, visit the Royal Lytham & St Annes website, and look out for ticket information for The Open from The R&A as 2028 draws closer.