AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

July 30, 2026

Alice Hewson

Mixed Zone

Q. Alice, first group off this morning. Just talk us through the opening tee shot. You had the honor of hitting that this morning.

ALICE HEWSON: Yeah, I mean, it was a huge honor to get to hit the opening tee shot. Being local as well, like it just means so much more.

I actually wasn't quite as nervous as I maybe expected to be, and definitely helped it being downwind. It meant it was only a 7-iron, versus we've been hitting 5-iron in practise.

So, no, it is was good. Nice to kind of get away with a good one to start with.

Q. I know you had a 3:15 a.m. alarm this morning. Were your parents out for the first hole as well?

ALICE HEWSON: Yeah, mum came out. Dad is back home looking after the dog today. I think he will be up here tomorrow, which will be good. Yep, mum was awake bright and early. She's staying with me. We are staying about five minutes from the course.

So, yeah, she was here for everything. We actually beat the people into the players lounge this morning. We had to wait for 15 minutes for it to open. No, it's good.

Q. In terms of the rest of your round, obviously got off to such a good start. The eagle on six as well, just talk us through that.

ALICE HEWSON: Yeah, I mean, I hit a nice tee shot kind of down the right-hand side, which left me like a good angle in. I hit a nice 3-wood just kind of middle of the green and rolled in a nice putt.

I didn't then really see too many go in the rest of the round, but, yeah, always kind of feels nice to get the big bird out there.

Q. How close was the first putt on No. 1?

ALICE HEWSON: About five feet. About five feet.

Q. When you say local, exactly how local? How often have you been...

ALICE HEWSON: So I've only been here once before. I came about six weeks ago kind of in between tournaments on the LET. As the crow flies I'm about 20 miles, but there is several bodies of water between us and there, so it takes about an hour and a half to drive.

So not staying at home.

Q. What was your home club growing up?

ALICE HEWSON: My home club growing up is Berkhamsted Golf Club. I am still friends with kind of all the lady members and still part of all their scratch team group chats and everything, so I keep up with them a lot.

I'm officially attached to Centurion and Royal Liverpool do a fantastic job of kind of letting me out and practicing when I need to, which is great.

Q. Where did you grow up?

ALICE HEWSON: Right next to Berkhamsted Golf Club, so, kind of, yeah, Hertfordshire.

Q. Then just how was it with Charlie out there this morning?

ALICE HEWSON: Yeah, Charlie was great. He was very excited. He had to work pretty hard coming down those final few holes there. I put us in a couple of interesting little spots.

But, no, I think he had a great day and just kind of good to get a solid round to start with a major.

Q. Now you're finished so early. What do you do with the rest of your day?

ALICE HEWSON: Probably take a little nap. Come back, go to the gym. I was actually talking with I mom and I was like, we actually have enough time that we can go back, have a chill, and then come back in time to go to the gym and dinner and stuff and probably still be back in time to go to bet at 8:00. No, plenty of time to just relax.

Q. Did you go to men's or women's Open Championships growing up?

ALICE HEWSON: Yeah, my grandma took me to actually kind of around here I think when I was really young. Other than that, not really too many. I've been to like The Players a few times because we have some connections around there. I just like enjoy watching golf.

Q. What was your reaction when you found out that you were going to hit the first tee shot?

ALICE HEWSON: I was really surprised. Like I definitely wasn't expecting that, so for the R&A to give me that honor means a lot. Yeah, happy that I could doit justice and hit a nice one in there.

Q. When did you find out?

ALICE HEWSON: Oh, we just get sent the tee sheet. I was like, oh, wow I'm first.

Q. Very cool.

ALICE HEWSON: Yeah.