Yealimi Noh took full advantage of Haeran Ryu's missteps to claim the lead heading into the final day of the AIG Women’s Open, with England’s Lottie Woad and Charley Hull still firmly in the hunt for the championship. Ryu entered the round with a two‑stroke advantage, aiming for a third straight major triumph. She opened strongly at Royal Lytham & St Annes, pulling four shots clear of the field. However, an eight‑hole stretch in the middle of her round proved disastrous; she carded five bogeys and finished with a three‑over 74, erasing much of her early dominance.
Noh, who had trailed Ryu by two shots at the start of the day, also endured a shaky beginning, making two bogeys within her first five holes. The American quickly found her rhythm around the turn, unleashing a flurry of birdies that propelled her to a two‑under 69.
That score vaulted her into a three‑shot lead, positioning her at seven under par and giving her a realistic chance to capture her first major title. Behind Noh, a tightly packed group of contenders remained. Ryu, despite her setbacks, stayed in contention, sharing the tied‑second spot with Thailand’s Jeeno Thitkul, United States’ Lucy Li, and Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki.
Each of these players sat just a few strokes back, ready to launch a final‑day charge. Woad entered the day four shots off the lead, while Hull was another stroke further back. Both Englishwomen expressed confidence that they could mount a serious challenge on Sunday. Meanwhile, world number one Nelly Korda, after a double‑bogey on the final hole, found herself eight shots behind the leader, sitting at one over par.
Ryu initially tried to re‑establish her lead, stringing together birdies on holes three and four, which gave her a four‑stroke cushion when her playing partner faltered with a bogey. A subsequent bogey on the par‑three was quickly offset by a birdie on the following par‑five, but the momentum shifted dramatically on the seventh tee. A wayward drive left her with an unplayable lie in thick rough, forcing her to take a penalty and ultimately resulting in a bogey. Kuwaki, who had been just one shot behind Ryu at the turn, responded with birdies on the seventh and ninth holes, narrowing the gap to a single stroke.
Yet Ryu’s round unraveled further when she failed to get out of a greenside bunker on the tenth, taking two attempts to finish the hole and adding another bogey. At the same time, Noh, playing ahead of the leaders, recorded three consecutive birdies from the ninth through the eleventh, pulling herself into a three‑way tie for the top spot.
The pressure continued to mount on Ryu as she stumbled on the 12th and 14th holes, each resulting in a bogey. Kuwaki missed a par-saving putt on the 15th, and Noh seized the opportunity with a five‑foot birdie on the 16th, extending her lead to two strokes.
Kuwaki’s subsequent bogey on the penultimate hole cemented Noh’s advantage, leaving her with a comfortable cushion as she eyed history – she could become the first American to win the AIG Women’s Open as her maiden major since Mo Martin’s victory in 2014. Reflecting on her performance, Noh told Sky Sports, "It was a little bit of a rocky start, but my putting was solid and my shots too. I just settled into a better routine and focused on my tempo on the back nine. I'm just happy to be in this position and ready to go again." German contender Esther Henseleit posted an impressive five birdies in her first ten holes before a bogey on the 15th.
Already qualified for the Solheim Cup via her world ranking, Henseleit now needs a solo second‑place finish or better to leapfrog Chiara Tamburlini on the Ladies European Tour qualification list. Woad also has a chance to overtake Tamburlini with a solo third‑place finish. The world‑number‑five mixed three birdies with two bogeys in her round, leaving her well‑positioned to chase her first major title.
"It’s a good position to be in," Woad said to Sky Sports. "I should be a few back. I’ll stick to my game plan and see what happens.
I felt a bit better on the greens today and I scrambled pretty well to get around." Hull’s round was a roller‑coaster. After three bogeys in her opening six holes, she rallied with back‑to‑back birdies on the seventh and eighth, only to drop another shot on the 10th.
The two‑time runner‑up at the AIG Women’s Open in the past three years then found a surge of momentum late, carding consecutive birdies from the 15th through the 17th to finish with a level‑par 71. "I’m pretty proud as the first six holes I played like a 10‑handicapper, I felt," Hull explained.
"I missed three putts I should have holed from five feet and in, which would have kept me level par instead of being three over. I had a bit of a bounce back and I was pretty happy with the way I finished. I was looking at leaderboards – there’s not many out on the golf course, so it’s quite hard to see where you’re at – and I do like to have a sneaky look." As the final round approaches, the leaderboard remains tightly packed, with Noh holding a three‑stroke lead over a group that includes Ryu, Thitkul, Li, and Kuwaki. Woad and Hull sit within striking distance, and a strong performance on Sunday could see them surge into contention.
Golf fans can tune in to Sky Sports Golf from midday on Sunday to watch the climax of the tournament, or stream the coverage without a contract for a flexible viewing experience. The stage is set for an exciting finish, and any of the leading players could claim the coveted green jacket at Royal Lytham & St Annes.