AIG Women's Open: Miyu Yamashita takes narrow lead into final round as Charley Hull boosts major hopes at Royal Porthcawl
Miyu Yamashita holds a one-shot lead over A Lim Kim; England's Charley Hull in tied-fourth and three back as she chases a maiden major title; watch the final round of the AIG Women's Open live on Sunday from midday on Sky Sports Golf
Saturday 2 August 2025 21:03, UK
Miyu Yamashita takes a one-shot lead into the final day of the AIG Women's Open, as Charley Hull charged back into major contention at Royal Porthcawl.
Yamashita held a three-shot halfway advantage and was briefly five clear during the third round, where she stuttered to the turn in 37 and started the back nine with a bogey to give hope to the chasing pack.
The world No 15 - celebrating her 24th birthday - responded with back-to-back birdies but carded two further bogeys late in a frustrating two-over 74, leaving her on nine under and just one ahead of A Lim Kim.
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Andrea Lee holds third spot on seven under ahead of Rio Takeda, Megan Khang, Minami Katsu and Hull, who produced an early birdie burst to post a stunning six-under 66 and move within three of the lead.
Former champion Georgia Hall is in tied-eighth on four under, with compatriot Mimi Rhodes and pre-tournament favourite Lottie Woad a further stroke back, while world No 1 Nelly Korda dropped to tied-36th after a two-over 74.
How Yamashita clung on to major lead
Yamashita opened with a string of pars but saw her lead increase to five when Takeda bogeyed the first and dropped another shot at the fourth, only to give the chasing pack hope with a three-putt bogey at the par-four fifth.
Lee started nine behind but made three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the fourth, then cancelled out a bogey at the eighth by making four consecutive birdies to get within two of Yamashita.
Kim - playing three groups ahead of Yamashita - was next to threaten the lead after following a front-nine 33 with back-to-back birdies from the 12th, getting her to eight under, which left just one back after Yamashita missed from barely two feet and bogeyed the 10th.
Yamashita responded by holing from six feet at the 11th to post her first birdie of the day and firing her tee shot close to set up another at the par-three next, restoring her three-shot buffer, with Takeda joining Kim tied-second after successive gains from the 12th.
The overnight leader scrambled a par at the 13th but joined Takeda in bogeying the par-four next, going from rough to rough after an errant tee shot, then missed from four feet to save par at the 16th and saw her lead cut to one.
Kim was unable to convert a final-hole birdie to pull alongside Yamashita, who drained a 30-footer from the fringe to save par at the 17th and then squandered a six-foot chance at the last to double her advantage.
Hope for Hull and the chasing pack?
Hull was 11 strokes off the halfway lead but charged into contention with five birdies on her front nine and back-to-back gains from the 12th, but bogeyed the 14th and closed her round with four straight pars to head into the final day in a share of fourth.
"I just kind of enjoy chasing," said Hull, a two-time major runner-up. "It's quite fun. I like it. It's more fun that way. I like hunting someone down. It was good fun."
Katsu recovered from two bogeys in her first four holes to fire a round-of-the-day 65 and jump to six under alongside Hull, with Takeda - playing alongside Yamashita - stumbling to a third-round 74 and Khang posting a four-under 68 to also sit three back.
Hall looked set to better Hull's total when she birdied six of her first 13 holes, only to bogey her next two, while Rhodes bogeyed two of her last three holes in a third-round 70 and Woad's final-hole birdie took her to three under.
Every winner of the AIG Women's Open - since it became a major in 2001 - has been within four strokes of the lead going into the final day, while the record 54-hole comeback in a women's major is seven strokes.
Who will win the AIG Women's Open? Watch the final round live on Sunday from midday on Sky Sports Golf. For Sky customers, Sky Sports Golf is now found on channel 406. Not got Sky? Stream the women's majors and more with no contract.
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