Four majors are gone, and the race has narrowed to 2 players with very different forms of control. Nelly Korda seized the first half of the major calendar with victories at the Chevron Championship and the United States Women’s Open. Haeran Ryu took over when summer arrived, winning the Women’s PGA Championship and the Evian Championship in rapid succession.
Now they reach Royal Lytham with the same opportunity. A 3rd major would match the record for the most major victories in a calendar year. It would also give one player clear ownership of a campaign that has so far been split down the middle.
Nothing about Lytham promises a clean duel. Its parched fairways can send the ball racing beyond intended landing areas. Coastal wind changes the shape of approach shots, while 174 pot bunkers wait around fairways and greens. Korda and Ryu arrive as the central figures, but the course has enough trouble to bring the entire field into the argument.
Korda Rebuilt Her Command
Korda entered 2026 carrying an unusual question. A player of her stature had gone through 2025 without a title. She answered quickly.
Her victory at the Chevron came by 5 shots and returned her to the top of the world ranking. The performance looked familiar. Korda controlled distance, hit greens and removed most of the field before the closing holes could create pressure.
The United States Women’s Open required another kind of resolve. She began 7 shots off the lead at Riviera, worked her way into contention with consecutive rounds of 67, then grabbed the lead with a birdie at the 71st hole. Her winning putt on 18 circled the cup before falling.
That victory made Korda the first American since Pat Bradley in 1986 to win the first 2 majors of a year. It also gave her 4 career major titles.
Her early form extended beyond those trophies. Korda opened the year with top 2 finishes in her first 6 starts. No player had matched that run since Annika Sorenstam in 2001.
The missed cut at Evian interrupted her rhythm, but the cause was not mysterious. A 3 over 74 in the opening round created the damage. Korda fought back with a 69, then missed the birdie she needed at the final hole and finished 1 stroke outside the cut.
A tie for 16th at the Scottish Open followed. That was not a dominant result, but it gave her 4 competitive rounds on firm links turf before Lytham.
Ryu Turned a Hot Run Into History
Ryu’s rise has been sharper and more sudden. She entered the Women’s PGA Championship without a major title. Ryu left Hazeltine with one after winning by 2 shots.
Two weeks later, she produced the round that changed the scale of her summer.
Ryu shot an 11 under 60 during the 3rd round at Evian. No golfer, male or female, had ever recorded a 60 in a major. The previous women’s major record was 61. Ryu lowered it by 1 stroke and nearly went lower, leaving an eagle attempt short on the final green.
The record round did not hand her the trophy. Brooke Henderson forced a playoff, making Ryu prove that her week involved more than one historic score. Ryu found the fairway on the extra hole, reached the green in 2 and made the birdie that secured a 2nd straight major.
That closing sequence matters at Royal Lytham. The links will create awkward lies, long waits and sudden changes in scoring conditions. Ryu has already shown she can reset after a record performance, absorb pressure and finish the job.
Royal Lytham Gives the Chasers a Route In
The headline pairing is obvious, but the course does not respect billing. Firm ground can turn a safe drive into a bunker visit. Approaches that land beside the flag can release through the green. Players must control height, spin and landing angle on almost every hole.
Charley Hull understands the opportunity and the burden. She will make her 15th attempt to win her home major after finishing 2nd in 2023 and tied for 2nd last year. Her speed and creativity suit links golf, but Lytham will test whether she can avoid the costly mistake that has followed several of her strongest major weeks.
Lottie Woad brings a different case. She finished 49th at Royal Porthcawl last year, soon after turning professional. A full year on tour has added experience, while her comfort with low shots gives her a valuable option if the wind strengthens. She also understands what this championship means at home, saying, “For any British player this would be the dream one to win.”
Defending champion Miyu Yamashita arrives with stronger current form than the label of spoiler suggests. She won the Meijer LPGA Classic in June with a final round 64 and finished tied for 5th at the Scottish Open. Ranked 6th in the world, she carries both recent results and major experience into her title defense.
A Third Major Changes Everything
Korda can settle the largest unresolved question on her major record. Her best Women’s Open finish remains a tie for 2nd at St Andrews in 2024. Winning at Lytham would add the missing links performance to a year already defined by control on very different courses.
Ryu is chasing something even more concentrated. Victory would give her the final 3 majors of 2026 and turn a brilliant summer into one of the strongest major runs the women’s game has seen.
Their contrast gives the championship its force. Korda built her case over months. Ryu compressed hers into a few extraordinary weeks. One arrived as the established standard. The other forced her way into the same conversation by winning twice and recording the lowest round in major history.
Royal Lytham will decide whether either player can separate from the other. Its 174 bunkers, hard ground and coastal wind will make that decision difficult.
The first 4 majors produced a perfect split. Now the 5th offers a verdict.
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FAQs
Why is the 2026 Women’s Open important for Korda and Ryu?
Korda and Ryu won 2 majors each before Royal Lytham. A third victory would give either player control of the year’s major story.
Where is the 2026 Women’s Open being played?
The championship is being played at Royal Lytham and St Annes in Lancashire, England. The venue is hosting the event for the 6th time.
How many bunkers does Royal Lytham have?
Royal Lytham has 174 pot bunkers. They punish inaccurate drives and approaches across its traditional links layout.
What record did Haeran Ryu set at the Evian Championship?
Ryu shot an 11 under 60. It became the lowest round recorded by any golfer in a major championship.
Who could challenge Korda and Ryu at Royal Lytham?
Charley Hull, Lottie Woad and defending champion Miyu Yamashita lead the group trying to interrupt the expected duel.
Tracking stats and settling debates. If there is a scoreboard, I am watching it.
