Frenchwoman Agathe Laisne is the 2026 Ford Women’s NSW Open Champion in Wollongong. Photo: Golf NSW.
French golfer Agathe Laisne has claimed the Ford Women’s NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club, capping off a week that brought economic returns and priceless global exposure for the city.
The 2026 Open was the biggest in its 20-year history, with a record $600,000 prize purse and 132 players from more than 30 countries teeing off on Thursday (26 February) and continuing until the final round on Sunday (1 March).
Destination Wollongong general manager Jeremy Wilshire said the tournament had become a key pillar in Wollongong’s major events calendar, not just for attracting large numbers of players to the region, but for the elite field and international broadcast reach it delivered.
“It’s a significant event on our calendar in that the economic returns are solid, but being an elite field, it’s not mass participation,” Mr Wilshire said.
“But there’s certainly a couple of select major events that we look at in our portfolio to provide us with reputational impact – all the things that come with broadcast.”
Wilshire said the event sat alongside Wollongong’s other global showcases, such as the UCI Road World Championships and major triathlon events, to showcase the region’s beautiful coastline and attractions, with tourism vignettes included in the broadcast.
“You’ve got a pristine course right on the coast, next to the CBD, and providing that vision around the world of what Wollongong has to offer is pretty significant for us,” he said.
For Wilshire, though, the Ford Women’s NSW Open was about more than tourism and broadcast metrics. He was personally invested in what elite women’s sport meant for the community.
“To provide those pathways and showcase women’s sport is something I’m personally passionate about,” he said
Mr Wilshire said the event was important because of the female role models it showcased, its high standard of competition, and the way it reflected Wollongong’s commitment to being progressive and diverse in its major events.
That inspiration is already filtering through the ranks. Feedback from Golf NSW highlighted the strength of female junior talent, with some girls handed tournament invitations.
“It’s pretty inspiring to see an amateur come within one shot of the title. Quite incredible,” he said.
However, it was Laisne who became only the second Frenchwoman to win the Ford Women’s NSW Open, delivering a stunning final-round 65 to claim a one-stroke victory at Wollongong Golf Club.
The 26-year-old carded a six-under par final round to finish at 16-under par for the tournament, edging out Thailand’s April Angurasaranee and Korean amateur Soomin Oh, who both finished at 15-under par.
She joins compatriot Joanna Klatten as a name etched on the Jan Stephenson Trophy, which was presented to her by three-time Major Champion Jan Stephenson at the conclusion of play.
Korean teenager Soomin Oh claimed the leading amateur honours after a remarkable final round that briefly looked like it might be enough to take the title outright.
“I left nothing out there. Nothing. I just tried to make as many birdies as I could,” Laisne said after her win.
“I felt the pressure because I knew people were around watching us, so it could have been me, could have been someone else, I didn’t know. So I tried to make the best shots I could, even with all the pressure I had.”
Laisne’s win came after a rain-hit opening round on Thursday that left her soaked.
“I had never seen [rain like] that before. My shoes had water in them — I could pour water out of them,” she said.
“So I think plus one was okay. I think it was worth a four-under in good conditions, so I was pretty happy with it.”
With play suspended on Thursday, Laisne completed both her second and third rounds on Saturday, moving to within two strokes of the lead heading into the final day.
Off the course, Laisne credited her host family for helping her navigate the disrupted week.
“My host family was great,” she said.
“We had a lot of bonding time — they had three kids, so we had fun, and I tried to think about something else.
“My host got me through it, and my caddy was really good in that last round. Massive credit to them.”
Sunday’s final round delivered plenty of drama. Laisne shared the early lead before falling three behind as 17-year-old Oh surged with eight birdies in 11 holes. An eagle at 13 and a clutch birdie at 17 pulled her back to 16-under alongside Oh, who stumbled at the 16th.
Just as Laisne teed off on the par-five 18th, Oh carded a bogey after hitting her approach over the green, dropping into a share of the clubhouse lead with Angurasaranee at 15-under.
With the pressure suddenly lifted, Laisne laid up, hit her approach to the heart of the green, and two-putted from 30 feet to seal the title.
When asked where the victory ranks in her career, she didn’t hesitate: “Maybe number one.”
Charlotte Heath (England) finished fourth at 13-under, while Sarah Kemp ended the week as the leading Australian in a share of fifth at 12-under.
