Last year saw 20-year-old Jiyai Shin became a household name when she emulated her compatriot Se Ri Pak and won the Ricoh Women's British Open at Sunningdale. Her triumph was all the more impressive with the field for the 2008 Championship the strongest and most international to date, with every player in the World's top 30 competing and 25 nationalities represented in the 144 player field.

Shin has gone from strength to strength since her Ricoh Women's British Open victory, underlining her star quality with wins at the Mizuno Classic, the season ending ADT Championship where she bagged a $1 million first prize and the 2009 HSBC Women's Champions. She now stands at No.3 on the Rolex World Rankings.

Shin explained, "I can't wait to defend my title at Royal Lytham and St Annes. I had an amazing year in 2008, but winning my first major at the 2008 Ricoh Women's British Open is certainly the highlight of my career. I am looking forward to playing at the historic Royal Lytham for the first time and I think it will be very exciting to be at a Major Championship as the defending champion. I think I will enjoy the week very much."

Shin will be joined by the LPGA's newest Major winner Brittany Lincicome, who won the first Major of 2009 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California earlier this month.

Brittany, who snatched her win with a magnificent eagle on the 72nd hole explained, "It is so exciting to be heading over to England to play in the Ricoh Women's British Open as a Major winner. It has given me a huge amount of confidence to know that I can deliver under such pressure. I enjoyed playing at Royal Lytham in 2006 although, having finished tied 56th, I am certainly hoping to improve on my finishing position!"

Other players that have confirmed their participation in this year's event include Natalie Gulbis, European number one Gwladys Nocera, Suzann Pettersen and Paula Creamer, All of the world's top players are expected to play and the event is given additional importance given that it will be the final qualifying event before the teams are announced for the 2009 Solheim Cup matches.

This year's Championship will take place at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in the North West of England. Its credentials as a Championship venue are impressive. As well as holding three Women's British Opens - in 1998, 2003 and 2006 - Royal Lytham has hosted an impressive 10 men's Open Championships and two Ryder Cups.

With Annika Sorenstam, the winner at Royal Lytham in 2003, recently retired from the Tour and Sherri Steinhauer, the 1998 and 2006 Champion, having played no events in over 6 months, the North West golf fans look set to witness a new winner crowned at Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club in August.

Shona Malcolm, Ladies' Golf Union's CEO, observed; "Last year's event was a great success and we have had terrific feedback from the players and media. Together with our partners Ricoh and IMG, we are delighted with the way we have developed and improved the Championship year on year and feel sure that the 2009 Ricoh Women's British Open will be even better."

Steeped in history and the only Major to take place outside of the USA, the 2009 Ricoh Women's British Open is set to be one of the highlights on this year's golfing calendar. It is the most international of all the Majors with millions tuning into the 2008 Championship coverage as it was televised around the world, including on the BBC in the UK, ABC network television in the USA and on TV Asahi in Japan.

The Ricoh Women's British Open was founded by the Ladies' Golf Union in 1976 and gained Major status in 2001. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994.

For more information, including the latest news and advance ticket offers, please visit www.ricohwomensbritishopen.com or call our ticket line on +448719459421.

For further information about Ricoh please visit www.ricoh.com

About the Ladies' Golf Union ("LGU")
Founded in 1893, the LGU is the encompassing body for ladies' amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland. The LGU Executive Council includes representatives of the National Organisations (English Women's Golf Association Ltd, Irish Ladies' Golf Union Ltd, Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association Ltd and the Golf Union of Wales Ltd). The primary objective of the LGU is to uphold the rules of the game and to advance and safeguard the interests of ladies' golf. In particular, the LGU owns the Ricoh Women's British Open (one of the four Major Tournaments for Professional Women golfers), and has responsibility for running other British Championships and Home International events, and preparing the Great Britain and Ireland teams for representative matches, such as the Curtis Cup and the Vagliano Trophy.