Ryu Ha-ran Falls Short of 3rd Straight Major, Says "Unforgettable Week, Satisfied with Top 10"

Ryu Ha-ran, who narrowly missed the milestone record of three consecutive major victories in women's golf, expressed satisfaction with a top-10 finish and promised to look forward to the next tournament.

Speaking after the final fourth round of the AIG Women's Open held at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (par 71) in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England, on the 2nd (local time), Ryu smiled and said, "A lot of people supported me and I heard a lot of talk about a third major win or the Annika Major Award, but that's golf."

She continued, "Isn't this why we love sports and golf? It has given me a reason to work harder for the next tournament."

Ryu finished tied for sixth place with a final total of 1-under 283 at the AIG Women's Open, the fifth and final major of the season which concluded on this day.

Having won back-to-back major titles at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in late June and the Amundi Evian Championship, the fourth major of the season which ended on July 12, Ryu challenged the historic feat of three straight major wins at this tournament.

She raised expectations by taking the lead in the second round, but slipped out of contention after dropping three strokes in each of the third and fourth rounds.

Ryu stated, "Winning two major titles and finishing in the top 10 are both truly great achievements. It is just a pity that I couldn't achieve something that would remain in history."

She added, "It's a challenge that many players want to take on, and the mere fact that I tried was a great experience," emphasizing, "It was an unforgettable week in my golf career."

Ryu had also been contending for the Annika Major Award—given to the player with the best record across the majors—with World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States, who each secured two wins in the previous four majors this year, but ultimately handed the award to Korda.

Korda wrapped up this tournament tied for fourth place at 2-under 282.

Even so, Ryu expressed determination, saying, "This is the best I've ever played in the British Open (AIG Women's Open). I couldn't even imagine a top 10, so I feel great. It's a shame I couldn't repay everyone for their support, but there are plenty of tournaments left, so I will work harder and show a good performance."

Prior to this year, Ryu's best finish in three previous appearances at the AIG Women's Open was a tie for 21st in 2023.

The LPGA Tour will take a one-week break before resuming with the Portland Classic, which opens on the 13th.

Revealing her plans to compete in the Portland Classic, Ryu smiled and said, "During the week off, I won't be leaving my house."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.