Haeran Ryu Opens With a 66 as Her Historic Major Run Reaches Royal Lytham

A confident start on a demanding links course

Royal Lytham is not the kind of course that allows players to relax for long.

Its deep bunkers, narrow landing areas and shifting coastal wind can punish even a slightly misplaced shot. Ryu, however, settled into her round almost immediately.

She birdied the opening hole, added another at the fourth and then took advantage of the two par fives on the front nine. After four birdies in her first seven holes, she reached the turn in 31.

The back nine was steadier than spectacular. Ryu opened it with five straight pars before making her only bogey of the day at the 15th.

A weaker finish might have changed the feeling around her round. Instead, she responded immediately.

Ryu birdied the 16th and added another at the closing hole, finishing with the same calm authority that has defined her recent major performances.

“I’m so happy to finish the birdie,” she said afterward.

That final putt did more than erase the frustration of her late bogey. It gave her a 66 and placed her firmly among the early contenders.

Ryu is trying to enjoy the moment, not chase it

The history surrounding Ryu is difficult to ignore.

She won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June and followed it with victory at the Amundi Evian Championship in July. That made her the winner of the two most recent women’s majors before arriving in England.

Another victory this week would put her in exceptionally rare company.

Ryu, however, does not appear interested in spending four days calculating what every shot could mean.

Before winning her first major, she admitted that the pressure to break through had begun to affect her. Now that the breakthrough has become a winning streak, she says the pressure feels different.

“I feel free,” Ryu said.

That may be the most important change in her game right now. She is no longer playing with the burden of proving that she belongs among major champions. She has already done that twice.

Her focus at Royal Lytham is simpler.

“I just enjoy my golf,” she said.

There is no need to turn that comment into a grand psychological explanation. A relaxed attitude does not automatically produce birdies, and two major victories do not guarantee a third.

Still, Ryu’s words match what has been visible in her play. She looks composed, committed and increasingly comfortable in the most demanding tournaments on the schedule.

Two victories changed the shape of her season

Ryu’s major run began at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, although nothing about the opening round suggested that history was beginning.

She started with a 73 and found herself 10 shots behind first-round leader Ina Yoon.

Rather than falling out of contention, Ryu responded with a 64 in the second round. She followed it with scores of 68 and 70, finishing at 13 under and winning by two strokes.

It was her first major title and one of the most remarkable opening-round recoveries seen in a women’s major.

Two weeks later, she did it again at the Amundi Evian Championship.

A third-round 60 pushed Ryu into contention, but the title was not secured until she defeated Brooke Henderson in a playoff. Ryu made birdie on the first extra hole to claim her second consecutive major.

Those victories transformed an already strong season into an exceptional one.

Before the AIG Women’s Open, Ryu had made 11 cuts in 12 LPGA starts. She had eight top-10 finishes, two wins and approximately $4.2 million in official earnings.

Her form is not based on one unusually hot weekend. She has been consistently near the top of leaderboards throughout the season.

The history Ryu is chasing

A third straight major would carry two different historical distinctions.

First, Ryu would become only the third woman to win three consecutive major championships in the same season. Babe Zaharias and Inbee Park are the previous players credited with accomplishing that feat.

Park was the most recent, winning the first three majors of the 2013 season.

Ryu would also become the fifth woman to win three majors during a single season, whether consecutive or not. That broader group includes Zaharias, Mickey Wright, Pat Bradley and Park.

The distinction matters.

Winning three majors in one year is rare. Winning three in succession is rarer still, because it requires a player to carry peak form across different courses, conditions and competitive situations without interruption.

A victory would also secure the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award for Ryu. She and Nelly Korda entered the week as the only players still capable of winning it after splitting the first four majors of the season.

Korda won the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open. Ryu answered with victories at the KPMG Women’s PGA and the Evian.

The AIG Women’s Open is now the final chapter in that season-long major contest.

Thitikul gives Ryu a clear target

While Ryu’s pursuit of history attracted much of the attention, the best score of the opening day belonged to Thitikul.

The Thai star made seven birdies and did not drop a shot on her way to a 64. It was the lowest AIG Women’s Open round recorded at Royal Lytham and gave her a two-stroke lead over Ryu and Kuwaki.

Yealimi Noh and Celine Boutier finished another shot back at four under.

A two-shot deficit after 18 holes is meaningful, but it is hardly decisive. There are still three rounds to play on a course where the leaderboard can change quickly.

Wind direction may shift. Bunkers will begin to matter more. Players who appeared comfortable on Thursday may face entirely different conditions on Friday.

Ryu knows that better than most. Her victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA came after she trailed by 10 shots following the opening round.

This time, she does not need a dramatic comeback. She only needs to stay patient and remain close.

History is still a long way away

It would be easy to describe Ryu as being on the verge of a third consecutive major.

She is not.

Fifty-four holes remain, Thitikul is leading and a crowded group of world-class players is close behind. One strong round has put Ryu in contention, but it has not brought her close to finishing the job.

That is precisely why her opening 66 was so valuable.

Ryu did not win anything on Thursday. She did not finish the day as the leader. She did not prove that a historic third title is coming.

What she did was survive the first examination of Royal Lytham with six birdies, a strong finish and another round that belonged on a major leaderboard.

For now, that is enough.

The history can wait. Ryu is only two shots back, and she is still very much in the chase.

FAQ

What did Haeran Ryu shoot in Round 1 of the 2026 AIG Women’s Open?
She shot a 5-under 66 with six birdies and one bogey.

Who is leading the 2026 AIG Women’s Open after Round 1?
Jeeno Thitikul leads after shooting a bogey-free 7-under 64, two shots ahead of Haeran Ryu and Shiho Kuwaki.

Which majors has Haeran Ryu won in 2026?
She won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June and the Amundi Evian Championship in July.

How many women have won three consecutive majors in a single season?
Only two: Babe Zaharias (1950) and Inbee Park (2013).

GOLFRAW's Take

Haeran Ryu's opening 66 proves her major momentum is very real. Staying within two shots of Jeeno Thitikul's brilliant 64 keeps her squarely in position to chase a historic third consecutive major title at Royal Lytham.