Yealimi Noh holds a three-shot lead at the Women's Open after a dramatic third round at Royal Lytham and St Annes, where Ryu Hae-ran's bid for a third consecutive major victory unravelled. Noh, who carded a 69 with an inward half of 33, sits on seven under par, four strokes clear of a chasing pack that includes Ryu, Jeeno Thitikul, Lucy Li, Esther Henseleit and Shiho Kuwaki.
Ryu's collapse
Ryu, who started the day with a four-shot advantage, appeared unstoppable early on, extending her lead to four after four holes. But her game unravelled after the 7th, where she drove right towards the railway line. A bogey there triggered a horrific run of dropped shots on the 8th, 10th, 12th and 14th, as she found bunkers and lost her lead entirely by the 10th. By the time she walked off the 18th green, she was three behind Noh.
The South Korean's stumble brings back memories of Adam Scott's capitulation at Lytham in 2012, when he lost a four-shot lead to Ernie Els. Lytham's treacherous design has once again proved a graveyard for leaders.
Noh's masterclass
Noh, whose major record is modest, delivered a links masterclass when it mattered most. Despite a rocky start that saw her three over through six, she steadied herself with solid putting and a disciplined back nine. "It was a little bit of a rocky start," Noh said. "But my putting was solid after that and my shots too. I just settled into a better routine and focused on my tempo on the back nine."
"It's just another round of golf out there tomorrow and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm just happy to be in this position and ready to go again," she added.
Contenders and home hopes
Nelly Korda, the world No 1, briefly moved to one under with a birdie at the 17th, but a double bogey at the last left her eight shots adrift, effectively ending her challenge. Lydia Ko is also at one under and remains a threat.
England's Lottie Woad, who shot a 70, is at three under and very much in contention, while Charley Hull is a stroke further back after a 71. Hull admitted she played like a 10-handicap amateur early in her round, but Lytham's unpredictability means anyone within sight of the lead has a chance on the final day.
Woad, who led at the Evian Championship earlier this year, is drawing on that experience. "The more times you're in that position the more comfortable you get," she said. "I know I can play well in this tournament and I have done the last two years and had that experience of being in the mix. And even this year, obviously a few weeks ago I was leading at the Evian Championship, so I can kind of use that experience as well."
With the crowd behind her, Woad acknowledged the support: "It's always great when the fans are pulling for you. I mean, it's not all going to be on me tomorrow. Charley is playing great too, so people going to be supporting both of us."
As Ryu knows all too well, the final day at Lytham offers no guarantees. Her bid for history is now firmly under threat.
