For the very first time, live music featured at the AIG Women’s Open as part of a new, enhanced experience that has been attracting new and diverse audiences to the Championship. 

Speaking ahead of her performance Ellie Goulding said: “I’m honoured to be the first music artist to perform at the AIG Women’s Open. The elevation of women’s sport is something I’m a huge champion of, so I can’t wait to be surrounded by inspiring women.”

Fans were treated to an array of classic hits such as Love Me Like You Do, I Need Your Love and Burn. Also in the set was trance thumper Miracle, the Eurodance inspired track produced by Calvin Harris that recently spent eight weeks at number one.

Along with the live music performances, fans have also been able to experience a new-look Festival Village that includes:

• Festival village stage featuring panel discussions with leading names from sport, business and entertainment including Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Zoe Aldcroft, Alice Dearing, Christine Ohuruogo MBE, Young Athena, Jenny Drummond and Di Stewart.

• Golf It! Zone featuring fun golf activities to introduce fans to the sport

• Interactive golf experiences including VR and e-sports

• Big screens to watch golf and other leading women’s sport including the FIFA Women’s World Cup

• A new food and beverage offering, featuring a collective of exciting, passionate and diverse street food traders.

Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A said: “We and our valued partners in AIG have been clear that our ambition is to elevate the AIG Women’s Open as a world-class sporting event. We have made important strides in recent years to enhance prize money, Championship venues and facilities for the benefit of the world’s best women’s golfers, but we also see the spectator experience as crucial to increasing the appeal of the Championship and encouraging more fans to attend.”