Yoo Haeran Falls Short of Third Straight Major Win... 'Brought Down by Pot Bunker'

Tied for Sixth at Three Over Par in AIG Women's Open Final Round

Kuwaki Claims Major Playoff Title as Non-Member

Noh Yealimi Third, Korda Fourth, Kim Hyojoo Sixteenth

World No. 3 Yoo Hae-ran failed to achieve three consecutive major victories.

On August 3 (Korean time), Yoo Hae-ran carded three birdies, four bogeys, and one double bogey in the fourth round of the final major of the 2026 LPGA Tour season, the AIG Women's Open (total prize money of $10 million), held at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Links (par 71, 6,601 yards) in Lancashire, England. With a score of three-over-par 74, she finished tied for sixth place at one-under-par 283.

Yoo Hae-ran is teeing off at the 3rd hole of the 4th round of the AIG Women's Open. Riddum St Andrews=Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Yoo Hae-ran's run was derailed by a pot bunker. She started the day tied for second, three shots back, and made a promising start with a birdie at the first hole (par 3). After giving up a shot with a bogey on the third hole (par 4), her tee shot found a pot bunker on the fifth (par 3), which led to a double bogey. Momentarily dropping out of the title contention, Yoo made a strong comeback with a long drive for birdie at the seventh hole (par 5), but lost another shot on the eleventh (par 5), when her third shot landed in a bunker. She then carded consecutive bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes (both par 4).

Yoo Hae-ran was attempting a third straight major win, a feat not achieved in 13 years since Park In-bee in 2013. She had won back-to-back majors at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June, and the Amundi Evian Championship, which concluded on July 12, but failed to add the AIG Women's Open trophy to her collection. Only two players, Babe Zaharias (USA) in 1950 and Park In-bee, have ever captured three LPGA major titles in a single season.

Siho Kuwaki is teeing off at the 3rd hole of the 4th round of the AIG Women's Open. Riddum St. Andrews=AFP Yonhap News Photo by AFP

Japanese non-member Shiho Kuwaki matched Esther Henseleit (Germany) at five-under-par 279 after shooting a one-under-par 70, then claimed victory with a par on the second playoff hole, which resumed at the 18th. Kuwaki, who notched two wins on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour this year, missed the cut last year. However, in just her second appearance, she claimed her maiden major title, collecting the winner's prize of $1.5 million (approximately 2.16 billion won). Japan has now claimed victory at this event for two years running, following Miyu Yamashita's triumph last year.

Esther Henseleit is walking on the green after finishing the 3rd hole of the 4th round at the AIG Women's Open. Rydum St Andrews=AP Yonhap News

Overnight leader Yealimi Noh, a Korean American, struggled with a three-over-par 74, dropping her to third place at four-under-par 280. Born in 2001 in California, Noh debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2020 and has one career victory. World No. 1 Nelly Korda (USA), who was chasing a career Grand Slam, shot a three-under-par 68 with six birdies, one bogey, and one double bogey, tying for fourth at two-under-par 282 alongside Atthaya Thitikul (Thailand).

Among Korean players, world No. 4 Kim Hyo-joo, who has two victories this year, fired a four-under-par 67 to finish tied for 16th at one-over-par 285. Jinhee Lim also placed tied for 16th, while Kiwi Lydia Ko and Subin Joo tied for 20th at two-over-par 286, and Kim Sei-young finished in a tie for 29th at four-over-par 288.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.