The Weetabix Women’s British Open further confirmed its status as one of the four women’s major championships as it announced an increased prizefund to £1.05 million for next year’s event at Royal Lytham and St Annes GC in Lancashire from 31st July to 3rd August.

Karrie Webb from Australia, the defending champion and thrice winner of the title, will be aiming for her seventh women’s major when she tees it up at the venerable links and will be eyeing the £160,000 first prize, double the amount she received when she won her second of her three Weetabix titles at Sunningdale in 1997.

Maureen Lockett, Chairman of the Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU), said: ‘We are delighted to announce the increased prize money and at the same time to thank Weetabix for their continued support of the Championship. We had a wonderful winner this year in Karrie Webb and we fully expect all the world’s top players to be at Royal Lytham in August.’

Sir Richard George, Chairman of Weetabix said: ‘Next year will be the 17th year of our sponsorship of the Women’s British Open and this increase in prize money not only confirms our support and commitment to the Championship, but ensures that we maintain its leading position as one of the four ‘Majors’ in the women’s game.’

In September 2000, the Weetabix Women’s British Open was named as the fourth Major in women’s golf alongside the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the MacDonald’s LPGA Championship and the US Women’s Open.

Royal Lytham & St Annes has been a regular venue for major championships and has hosted The Open Championship on ten occasions. The Women’s British Open has been played there once, in 1998, where American Sheri Steinhauer won the first of her two back-to-back victories.

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