U-NEXT to Exclusively Stream AIG Women's Open Golf with Ai Miyazato as First-Time Guest Commentator; Collaboration with Main Commentator Momoko Ueda to Occur; "Japan Focus LIVE" to Feature Hinako Shibuno and Others with Exclusive Cameras

U-NEXT, a video distribution service operated by U-NEXT Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tenshin Tsutsumi), part of the USEN & U-NEXT GROUP, will exclusively live stream the major women's golf tournament "AIG Women's Open (The Women's British Open)" to be held from Thursday, July 30 to Sunday, August 2, 2026. Ai Miyazato, professional golfer, will serve as a special guest commentator for this event, marking her first appearance in this role. She will also collaborate with professional golfer Momoko Ueda, who will be the main commentator.

The "AIG Women's Open" is a major overseas women's golf tournament held in the United Kingdom. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the tournament and will be held at the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in England. The total prize money will be a record $10 million (approximately 1.596 billion yen), the highest in the tournament's history.

U-NEXT began exclusively streaming all nine men's and women's major tournaments this season. To coincide with this final major of the overseas season, Ai Miyazato, professional golfer, has been invited as a special guest commentator.

First Japanese World No. 1... Her Immense Influence Remains

Ai Miyazato is a legend representing Japanese women's golf. In 2003, as a third-year high school student at Tohoku High School, she won the "Miyagi TV Cup Dunlop Ladies Open Golf Tournament." Shortly thereafter, she became the first high school professional in history and went on to win 15 JLPGA Tour titles. In 2006, she moved to the United States and began competing on the LPGA Tour. In 2010, she won five tournaments in a single season and became the first Japanese player to reach World No. 1.

Even after retiring from professional tour competition in 2017, her immense influence has not waned. Currently, a record 15 Japanese players are competing on the LPGA Tour, and many of them have been influenced by Ai Miyazato. She continues to be respected by many female professional golfers as a "key figure" who laid the foundation for the golden age of Japanese women's golf.

This will be Ai Miyazato's first appearance as a guest commentator for a U-NEXT live stream. She will serve as a guest commentator for "Japan Focus LIVE" throughout all four rounds. This stream, which follows Japanese players with U-NEXT's exclusive cameras, will also feature collaborations with a star-studded main commentary team.

"Dream Collaboration" to Energize the Final Major

In the final round, she will provide commentary alongside Momoko Ueda. This will be their first collaboration, including television broadcasts, as contemporaries who have jointly led the women's golf boom.

In June, Momoko Ueda successfully served as a first-time round reporter for U-NEXT's exclusive live stream of the "U.S. Women's Open," receiving high praise for her commentary skills on social media and elsewhere. She also has a strong record at the AIG Women's Open, finishing 6th in 2020, making this "dream collaboration" highly anticipated.

Ai Miyazato will also collaborate with Mika Miyazato, with whom she competed for many years in the U.S., during the live stream of the first round. In the second round, she will team up with Mamiko Higa, a junior golfer from her home prefecture. In the third round, she will partner with Erina Hara, a junior from Tohoku High School, who also garnered attention last season for her unusual role as the main commentator for the PGA Tour's "Barracuda Championship."

"Japan Focus LIVE," featuring Ai Miyazato, can be viewed by purchasing U-NEXT's "World Golf Pack." Viewers can enjoy the play of Japanese golfers, focusing on notable players such as Hinako Shibuno, who became a national heroine by winning this tournament in 2019, and Miyu Yamashita, who achieved her first major overseas victory at last year's tournament.

Ai Miyazato's Comments

I am very happy to be able to serve as a guest commentator for U-NEXT's "Japan Focus LIVE." The AIG Women's Open is a tournament that holds many moments of history, tradition, and romance, unique to the birthplace of golf, and I have a special attachment to it.

It is also a tournament that tests the mental strength and resilience of the competing players. I feel that the players' earnest battles against the ever-changing weather and the course design that embraces nature's elements have the potential to resonate with many people.

I will do my best to convey the unique charm of this tournament. I am also very much looking forward to it, as the main commentators I will be working with are all people I have been close with for a long time.

Watch Golf on U-NEXT. All Major World Tours Available

The World Golf Pack offers access to all major world tours, including the "PGA Tour (Men's)" – the world's premier tour where Hideki Matsuyama competes, the "LPGA Tour (Women's)" – the main tour for players like Shibuno and Yamashita, and the "DP World Tour (Men's)" – where Kaito Onishi achieved his first victory.

Additionally, U-NEXT monthly members can watch the "JLPGA Tour (Domestic Women's)," which boasts top-class global popularity, at no extra charge. Furthermore, for all nine men's and women's overseas major tournaments, viewers can watch the "International Feed" broadcast worldwide. Please enjoy live streaming of golf tours on U-NEXT.

"AIG Women's Open"

[Streaming Schedule] Thursday, July 30, 2026 – Sunday, August 2, 2026

[Streaming Programs] "Japan Focus LIVE" and "International Feed"

*Detailed streaming times and URLs will be announced later on the official U-NEXT website and social media.

Scheduled Players (as of July 8, 2026)

Past Champions

Hinako Shibuno

Miyu Yamashita

Major Champions from the Past 5 Years

Yuka Saso

Ayaka Furue

Mao Saigo

Top 10 Finishers in the 2025 Tournament

Minami Katsu

Reo Takeda

No. 1 Player in the 2025 JLPGA Tour Point Rankings

Shuri Sakuma

Top 35 Players in the 2025 LPGA Tour Point Rankings

Nasa Hataoka

Ai Suzuki

Chisato Hii

Winner and Runner-up of the 2026 Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open

Shiho Kuwaki

Kana Nagai

Top 3 Players in the JLPGA Tour Point Rankings as of the end of the 2026 Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open

Yui Kawamoto

Fuka Sugai

Ayaka Takahashi

Top 25 Players in the 2026 LPGA Tour Point Rankings as of July 5 (excluding qualified players)

Erika Hara

About U-NEXT

U-NEXT is the No. 1 video distribution service in terms of the number of titles available for unlimited viewing*. You can enjoy over 460,000 movies, dramas, and anime, as well as live music and stage performances, and watch world-class sports such as soccer, golf, martial arts, and tennis in real-time. In addition, with over 1.29 million manga and books available, it offers a genre-defying entertainment experience where you can seamlessly enjoy "Video," "Books," "Sports," and "Live" within a single app. With the service integration of Paravi in July 2023, a large lineup of dramas and variety shows from TBS and TV Tokyo has been added, making it an even more attractive service.

U-NEXT Co., Ltd. is a group company of U-NEXT HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yasuhide Uno).

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