The R&A has unveiled a new official anthem for the AIG Women’s Open which is being held at the Old Course in St Andrews from 21-25 August.
‘Rising Up’, which is written and performed by singer-songwriter Hayley May and produced by music strategy company WAVZE, was crafted to give the AIG Women’s Open a distinctive and memorable sound for years to come.
The anthem, which can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music, aims to connect with golf fans and inspire young people to engage with the sport. It captures the journey of top professional golfers striving to achieve their goals, highlighted by the recurring lyric, “No one can break me when I’m rising up.”
May is known for her exceptional vocals on tracks with DJ Joel Corry, as well as collaborations with Gorgon City and TCTS. She will also be performing the track and a full set on the Sessions stage on August 22 in the Festival Village at the AIG Women’s Open in St Andrews.
Zoe Ridgway, Championship Director of the AIG Women’s Open at The R&A, said, “The AIG Women’s Open is a prestigious championship that brings together the world’s best golfers on renowned courses. To celebrate and support these elite athletes, we aim to attract large crowds to witness and engage with them at the AIG Women’s Open. That’s why we’ve enhanced the overall fan experience at the Championship.
“The ‘Rising Up’ track is a fantastic way for us to reach a broader audience and introduce new generations to golf. Hayley and WAVZE have done an outstanding job of creating something that resonates with the spirit of the Championship. It’s an exciting time for women’s golf and the AIG Women’s Open as we strive to bring fresh energy to the sport.”
May said, “I’m so excited to be part of this track for the AIG Women’s Open. Creating ‘Rising Up’ was such an inspiring process. Women’s sport is on the rise and we wanted to capture that energy. I can’t wait to hear everyone singing and dancing to it this summer. The whole journey of making this track was amazing and I loved every moment of it.”
Greg Davies, co-founder and CEO of WAVZE, said, “WAVZE is a trusted music resource for some of the world’s most recognizable sports rights-holders and brands and we are delighted and honoured to have produced ‘Rising Up’ for The R&A and the AIG Women’s Open. Hayley May is an extremely talented singer-songwriter and, we believe, has set exactly the right tone for this esteemed championship.”
The R&A’s objective for the AIG Women’s Open is to continually inspire younger generations to embrace the sport and its talented athletes. As part of this effort, The R&A introduced a live music element at last year’s Championship at Walton Heath, with Ellie Goulding performing live. This year, the concert aspect will return, with Tom Grennan announced as the headliner for the Championship at St Andrews.
Tickets to the AIG Women’s Open are now on sale via aigwomensopen.com.