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South Korea’s Ryu Hae-ran lines up a putt on the 5th green on the first day of the 2026 Women’s British Open Golf Championships at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club, north-west England, on July 30, 2026. (AFP)
* Ryu posts five-under 66 in breezy opening round at Royal Lytham
* Noh sits one shot back after first-round 67
* World number one Korda opens with two-over 73
South Korea’s Ryu Hae-ran began her hunt for a third successive major with a five-under 66 to sit on top of the first-round leaderboard at a breezy Royal Lytham on Thursday.
World number one Nelly Korda, also with two major wins this season, struggled to a two-over 73, never recovering from two bogeys in her opening three holes.
Fellow American Yealimi Noh was the closest to Ryu’s score midway through the afternoon after carding a 67.
Ryu won the PGA Championship and became the first golfer to shoot a round of 60 at a major to claim the Evian title this month and looked full of confidence.
She got off to the perfect start with a birdie on the par-three first and gained further shots at the fourth, sixth and seventh holes with her accurate iron play setting up opportunities.
A bogey at the 15th was her only blemish but she responded by holing an 18-foot putt for birdie at the 16th before another birdie at the last. “This type of golf course it is hard to make par if you go in the fairway bunkers and today I hit a couple of times in the bunkers but made some pretty good saves,” she told reporters.
“Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll stay in the fairway.”
A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB
Korda has already given herself a mountain to climb but England’s Lottie Woad put herself in the mix with a solid opening 69, featuring no bogeys.
Woad, who along with Charley Hull will be fancied to become the first English winner since Georgia Hall at Lytham in 2018, was frustrated as an eagle putt lipped out on the sixth and then a birdie putt suffered the same fate at the seventh.
Despite missing a few putts, however, Woad was happy with her start, especially as she avoided any bunkers.
“A good start. No bogeys, which is always a good round here. Hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. Didn’t make too many putts but definitely take two under.”
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, winner of the title in 2024, carded a level-par first round while defending champion Miyu Yamashita was one over after nine holes.
Several of the later starters were making moves with Spanish amateur Paula Martin Sampedro on four under after 13 with Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul also on four under after nine.
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