Hoylake to host Women’s Open

Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake in Wirral will host the 2012 Ricoh Women's British Open, the first time that the club has hosted the ladies' championship.

The Championship Committee has also announced a new date for 2012 ensuring the tournament does not clash with the London Olympics. It will now take place at the later date of the 13^th to 16^th September.

Shona Malcolm, the Ladies' Golf Union's CEO, explained: "We are absolutely delighted to be introducing Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake to the Ricoh British Women's Open course rotation. The Ladies' Golf Union is committed to playing the Women's British Open at the best British courses and it is a great coup for the top players to be heading to such an esteemed venue. Adding this news to previously announced Carnoustie for 2011 and as well our return to St Andrews in 2013 for a second time, we have a thrilling few years ahead of us."

Kieran O'Brien, chairman of council of Royal Liverpool Golf Club, added: "The Ricoh Women's British Open has gone from strength to strength in recent years and is truly one of the great sporting events held in the UK today. We are very proud of our Club's rich heritage and the many memorable golfing moments we have played host to over the years and are happy that we will now be playing such an important role in the women's game too. We are thoroughly looking forward to working with the LGU and IMG in 2012."

The club, the second oldest seaside links golf course in England, was built on a racecourse in 1869. Hoylake held the inaugural men's amateur championship in 1885, the first international match in 1902 between Scotland and England and in 1921, the first international match between Great Britain and the United States, later known as the Walker Cup.

Between 1897 and 2006, Hoylake hosted the men's Open Championship 11 times, including the 1930 famous victory of Bobby Jones who went on to win a grand slam that year. More recently, after a gap of nearly 40 years, the Open Championship returned to Hoylake in 2006 with Tiger Woods triumphing during a week of unusually benign weather.

Wirral Council has committed to providing significant infrastructure and operational support for the 2012 event. The North West Development Agency has approved a funding package.