Ryu Hae-ran seizes 36-hole lead in quest for 3rd straight LPGA major title

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, July 30. AFP-Yonhap

Ryu Hae-ran has grabbed the halfway lead in her quest for a third straight LPGA major crown.

Ryu moved into sole possession of the lead at seven-under 135 through 36 holes at the AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lytham St Annes, England, on Friday (local time). The South Korean shot a two-under 69 with five birdies, a bogey and a double bogey in the second round, and she leads Shiho Kuwaki of Japan by two shots.

Ryu dropped three shots through her first five holes, with a bogey at the par-4 third and a double bogey at the par-3 fifth. But then she collected five birdies the rest of the way, including one at the difficult par-4 15th. Ryu was one of just four players to make birdie on that hole in the second round.

Ryu, world No. 3, is trying to become just the fifth LPGA player to win three majors in one season. She previously won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June and the Amundi Evian Championship earlier this month.

The last player to win three LPGA majors in a row is South Korean legend Park In-bee, who pulled off the feat in 2013.

"Since I had an afternoon tee time, I had to deal with windy conditions early on," Ryu said. "But the wind died down as I played on the back nine, and it allowed me to pick up some birdies."

Joo Soo-bin is the next best South Korean through two rounds, as she followed her opening round of 70 with a second round of 69 to sit alone in fifth place at three-under 139.

The cut was set at four-over, and South Korean teen amateur Yang Yun-seo made it on the number after carding a 76 in the second round.