Charley Hull is savoring a chance to mount a late‑season charge for a major title after delivering a dramatic third‑round comeback at the AIG Women’s Open. The world No. 7 was five strokes off the lead at the halfway point on the storied links of Royal Lytham & St Annes, but a string of three bogeys in her first six holes on Saturday afternoon saw her fall to ten shots behind the overnight leader, South Korea’s Haeran Ryu, who had opened the round with a blistering pace.
Hull quickly steadied herself, rattling off two consecutive birdies beginning on the seventh tee. A bogey at the tenth halted her momentum, yet the gap began to shrink when Ryu, playing several groups behind, stumbled through an eight‑hole stretch that produced five bogeys. Hull capitalised on the shifting dynamics, stringing together a series of pars and a vital birdie on the 15th before salvaging a par on the 17th. She finished the round with a level‑par 71, leaving her just five strokes behind Yealimi Noh as the tournament moved into its decisive final day.
"I’m pretty proud – the first six holes I played like a 10‑handicapper," Hull told Sky Sports, reflecting on her early round performance. "I missed three putts I should have holed from five feet, which would have kept me at even par instead of three over." She went on to describe her recovery, noting a well‑struck approach on the closing hole that set up a comfortable finish.
"I hit a great shot into the last hole, landed it on a perfect line and left it short, but I was happy with how I wrapped up the round," she said. Hull admitted that keeping track of the leaderboard on a windy, sprawling course can be tricky. "I was glancing at the boards – there aren’t many people out on the course, so it’s hard to gauge where you stand.
I like to sneak a look when I can," she added. Hull’s résumé includes five runner‑up finishes in major championships, two of them at the AIG Women’s Open in the past three years and a close second at the U.S. Women’s Open in June. At 30, she hopes to translate those near‑misses into a breakthrough victory.
"I just want to go out there and enjoy it tomorrow, not put too much pressure on myself," Hull said. "Go out there, have fun and trust my swing." A win would make Hull the first British woman to capture a major since Georgia Hall triumphed at the same venue in 2018, and the first home‑grown champion at Royal Lytham since Catriona Matthew’s 2009 success. Fellow English competitor Lottie Woad is also in contention, having posted a one‑under‑70 in the second round after a disappointing start, which lifted her to three under for the tournament. "It’s a good position to be in," Woad told Sky Sports.
"I should be a few strokes back by the end of today. I’ll stick to my game plan and see what happens." She noted the challenging conditions, especially the wind that battered the course and turned the back nine into a true test of stamina and precision. "The course definitely played tougher today.
The wind was probably the strongest it’s been. The back nine was a grind, but I felt a bit better on the greens and scrambled well," Woad explained. Woad emphasized the importance of attacking the front nine, which benefits from a down‑wind advantage.
"You have to get at the front nine, with it being downwind. I went out in level par, which wasn’t the best start. I knew there would be chances on the back nine, but a lot of it is par golf," she added.
As the final round approaches on Sunday, the leaderboard remains tightly packed, with Hull, Noh, Ryu, and Woad all within striking distance of the title. Golf fans can tune in to Sky Sports Golf from midday to watch the climax live, or stream the action through the Sky Sports platform without a contract.
The AIG Women’s Open continues to produce compelling storylines: Hull’s determination to convert past runner‑up finishes into a win, Woad’s steady climb up the leaderboard, and the ever‑present challenge of Royal Lytham’s wind‑swept dunes. With the pressure mounting and the wind still a variable, the final day promises a blend of strategic shot‑making, resilient putting, and perhaps a new champion emerging from the historic links.
Regardless of the outcome, the tournament showcases the depth of talent in women’s golf and highlights the mental fortitude required to thrive in major championships. Hull’s candid reflections on her performance, her willingness to learn from missed putts, and her focus on enjoyment over pressure illustrate the mindset that often separates a good player from a great one.
Likewise, Woad’s pragmatic approach—sticking to a game plan while adapting to the conditions—underscores the importance of flexibility on a demanding course. With the championship hanging in the balance, viewers can expect a thrilling showdown as the world’s top women golfers navigate the final challenges of Royal Lytham & St Annes, each hoping to etch their name into the annals of major‑championship history.