Pro hits out at TV coverage for AIG Women’s Open

The former world No.1 Ruoning Yin was in the midst of a sublime round of golf on the opening day at the AIG Women’s Open. 

Before eventually posting a mightily impressive four-under 68 in the morning wave, Yin was tearing the Old Course apart despite the howling winds at St Andrews.

The problem for one LET player, however, that many people won’t have been able to witness the 21-year-old’s magic.

While Sky Sports provides comprehensive coverage of The Open from the first tee shot until the last, the UK broadcast for the women’s showpiece began at midday on Thursday.

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“How is there no tv coverage of the @AIGWomensOpen before 12pm?” English pro Meghan McClaren complained on X.

Mainstream TV coverage of all four days in the final major of the season starts at 12pm, but the morning action is available to stream free for One Club members on the R&A website.

An excellent live blog also provides quick updates on the action.

The Women’s Open, which was granted major status in 2001, has returned to the Old Course for the first time since 2013. The tournament continues to grow, with outgoing R&A chief Martin Slumbers announcing a record $9.5million prize purse for this year’s renewal.

But there is still frustration among some female pros about the coverage the best players in the world receive compared to their male counterparts.

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Bronte Law, who is in the field this week, still feels particularly disillusioned.

“Not much has changed. It’s difficult. We just can’t seem to be taken fully seriously by people who watch golf in a lot of cases,” Law told bunkered.co.uk.

“Its a shame because a lot of those people haven’t even tried. They’re quite happy to be critical on social media yet they’ve probably never been to a women’s golf tournament. The emphasis has to be on getting as many people to events to drive that interest.

“Sometimes it can be difficult to showcase an atmosphere and being in contention on TV but if we can get more people coming to events it creates that buzz.

“They’re more likely to then tune in because they understand what they’re watching as opposed to flicking on the TV and not really getting it. The graphics on TV make it very difficult for people to follow the golf when they’re not avid golfers themselves. There’s a lot of work to be done.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.