08/01/26 01:52:00
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08/01 13:50 CDT Yealimi Noh seizes on Ryu's late collapse to build 3-shot lead
in Women's British Open
Yealimi Noh seizes on Ryu's late collapse to build 3-shot lead in Women's
British Open
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England (AP) --- Yealimi Noh took advantage of a surprising
collapse by Haeran Ryu and found her rhythm at just the right time Saturday,
with four birdies over the last 10 holes for a 2-under 69 that gave her a
three-shot lead going into the final round of the Women's British Open.
Noh, the 25-year-old Californian with only one LPGA title, played bogey-free on
the back nine at Royal Lytham & St. Annes and finished at 7-under 206 to lead
over five players.
One of them is Ryu, who is trying to become the first player since fellow South
Korean Inbee Park to win three straight majors in the same year. Ryu was headed
in that direction with a pair of birdies on the front nine to build a four-shot
lead.
Her slide began with a bogey on the par-5 seventh, the start of five bogeys in
an eight-hole stretch that cost her the lead and put her in a chasing mode the
rest of the sunny day along the Lancashire coast of England.
Ryu finished with four straight pars for a 74 and saw the bright side. She kept
double bogeys off her card, including the 10th hole when she was against a back
lip of a pot bunker. She chipped it forward in the sand and got up-and-down
from there for bogey.
Plus, she's still in range of adding a third major this year to victories in
the Women's PGA Championship and Evian Championship.
"Tomorrow supposed to be wind the same as today," Ryu said. "Today my shot was
a little higher than the other two days. So I'm just trying to keep lower and
no bunker."
Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player who captured the first two majors of the year,
had her round ruined by a pair of double bogeys, one on the 18th hole that gave
her a 73 and left her eight behind.
As surprise as Ryu's collapse was the emergence of Noh, who decided to return
home last week instead of playing the Women's Scottish Open. She had missed her
last three cuts coming into the final LPGA major of the year, and had not
registered a top 10 since last October.
But she overcame a rocky start with three straight birdies starting on the
par-3 ninth, including a birdie putt from 12 feet on the 10th, and avoided
mistakes on the firm links coming in.
Noh, at No. 69 in the women's world ranking and No. 95 in the Race to CME Globe
on the LPGA Tour, has only contended one other time in a major when she missed
a playoff by one shot in the 2021 Evian Championship.
"It was good for me to go home and reset, refresh and come here with a
different mindset," Noh said of her decision to skip the Scottish.
The chasing pack also includes Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, one of only two
players to have been No. 1 in the world without winning a major. Thitikul
closed with nine straight pars for a 72 to join the pack at 4-under 209.
Esther Henseleit of Germany (67), Lucy Li (69) and Shiho Kuwaki of Japan (72)
also were three back. Kuwaki had a chance to get into the final group, but she
missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th. None has won a major. Henseleit won
Olympic silver in France two years ago. Li is best known for qualifying for the
U.S. Women's Open in 2014 at age 11.
Noh said her fianc, who plays amateur golf, has been a big support in
reminding her to put some enjoyment into the game. They played last week at
Sahalee, a tree-lined course near Seattle.
"Good practice for this week avoiding all those trees, helping me avoid these
bunkers," she said.
Now comes the big test, with a strong pack of contenders behind her and a
chance at winning her first major championship.
"Just focus on playing the round," Noh said. "I don't want to think too much
about the lead. Just settle into a good tempo and have fun out there."
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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