There’s one final round left in the final major of the year on the LPGA Tour and while the chasers will have some work to do, there are plenty of notable names gunning for the AIG Women’s Open trophy.

Yealimi Noh leads by three thanks to a spectacular week thus far – after having not shot under par since April – as she hunts for her first major and just second career LPGA Tour title. She was, at one point, seven shots back of the lead but four birdies in her final 10 holes left her three head through 54 holes.

While Noh doesn’t have the major-winning pedigree, amongst those at 4 under and tied for second is the hottest major golfer on the LPGA Tour through the summertime in Haeran Ryu.

Ryu struggled Saturday at Royal Lytham & St Annes but remains firmly in the mix to become the first golfer since Inbee Park in 2013 to win three majors in a season.

Ryu was 2 under through six holes Saturday and had a four-shot lead. But she made three bogeys in four holes on Nos. 7, 8 and 10 as she made the turn and didn’t make any more birdies coming in. Instead, she added two more bogeys on the par-3 12th and par-4 14th.

“This is a major and already I know that I’ve won (a major) so it’s not too much stressful. Just a tough day today,” Ryu said. “I’m still happy because (there were a few chances) to make some double bogeys today but everything was just still (bogeys).”

Ryu went from four up to three down heading into Sunday and opened the door to plenty looking for their first major triumph.

Ryu is one of just two golfers inside the top 10 – Ayaka Furue, who shot the round of the day Saturday a 6-under 65, is the other – who have won major championships before. She’s well versed in what it takes to win one of the biggest titles in golf and there’s no one on the LPGA Tour who is doing it better in 2026.

“She's playing really well right now. I mean, it's cool to see. (Winning) three majors in a row almost so that's pretty cool,” said Brooke Henderson of Ryu. Henderson was in the final group on Sunday at both the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship with Ryu, eventually losing in a playoff to her in France.

“I feel like just her ball striking is in a really good spot. She's always been a really good ball striker, and then her putting has been able to match. She's all around playing great. I mean, you don't finish that well three weeks in a row without playing awesome.”

Tied with Ryu for second at 4 under includes Shiho Kuwaki, Lucy Li, Esther Henseleit, and former world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, who was 1-over on Saturday. Thitikul, a two-time winner already this season, continues to hunt for an elusive first major title.

Each of the last 19 women’s major winners have been within three shots of the lead after 54 holes, while 24 straight AIG Women’s Open winners have also been within three of the lead through 54 holes.

That may mean Lottie Woad, who is alone at 3 under and solo eighth, is staring down too big of a deficient to win a major in her home country. But that certainly doesn’t mean she’s not going to give it her all on Sunday. Especially considering Load was, at one point Saturday, eight shots back.

Stranger things have certainly happened in professional golf – and certainly when it comes to the unpredictability of links golf.

“Feels great. Obviously always the goal (to be in the mix on Sunday at a major), so to do that and put myself in position is great. Just going to try my best tomorrow and not really much else you can do,” Woad said.

“I think just the more times you're in that position the more comfortable you get. Like I know I can play well in this tournament and I have done the last two years and had that experience, you know, being in the mix. And even this year obviously a few weeks ago I was leading at Evian, so kind of could use that experience as well. The more times you put yourself in that position is obviously a good thing.”

A handful of the game’s best have put themselves in position to win the final major of the season. It’s set to be a thrilling Sunday showdown.

Haeran Ryu Part of an Impressive Chasing Pack at the AIG Women’s Open

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