Women's British Open Golf 2018: Tee Times, Dates, TV Schedule, LPGA Prize Money

The 2018 Women's British Open starts on Thursday at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England.

South Korea's In-Kyung Kim is the defending champion after triumphing by two shots at Kingsbarns last year.

But the favourite to prevail in 2018 is Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, who claimed her third win of the year last time out at the Ladies Scottish Open at Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian, Scotland.

The total prize fund for this year's Women's British Open is $3.25 million (£2.5 million), with the winner set to go home with $487,500 (£371,000).

Here are all the viewing and scheduling details for what should be four thrilling days of action on one of England's most historic links courses.

Dates: Thursday, August 2 to Sunday, August 5 

TV Coverage Start Time: 11 a.m. BST (6 a.m. ET) on Thursday and Friday, midday BST (7 a.m. ET) on Saturday and Sunday

TV Info: Sky Sports Golf (UK), Golf Channel (U.S.), NBC (U.S., Saturday and Sunday only)

Live Stream: Sky Go, NBC Sports App 

Tee Times: RicohWomensBritishOpen.com

Jutanugarn, 22, is already a two-time major winner having triumphed at the U.S. Women's Open earlier this year at Shoal Creek Club and the Women's British Open in 2016 at Woburn.

Her triumph in the Scottish Open returned her to the No. 1 spot, and she is one of only two players who have claimed multiple victories on the LPGA Tour in 2018.

The other is Park Sung-hyun, also a two-time major winner. The South Korean, who prevailed at the Women's PGA Championship on July 1, finished in a tie for 11th at the Ladies Scottish Open.

It was her first time at the tournament, and she said the experience proved helpful in terms of getting used to links golf, per the LPGA:

Conditions will play a huge part at Lytham & St Annes over the four days of competition. Although it does not actually border the sea it is a true links course, boasting brutal bunkers and plenty of gorse.

The wind can have a major impact, and ingenuity and craft will more often than not supersede power when it comes to plotting a safe route around the course.

The 2018 Women's British Open boasts almost as strong a field as could be conceived. 

Jutanugarn and Park are joined by world No. 2 Inbee Park, defending champion Kim, 2018 ANA Inspiration champion Pernilla Lindberg, China's former world No. 1 Shanshan Feng, America's Michelle Wie and British hopeful Charley Hull.

America's Lexi Thompson will be absent, though, after announcing she would not take part due to the need "to take some time to work on myself":

It is set to be a fascinating tournament, and in a season when only two players have won multiple times, there will be numerous competitors believing they can triumph.