Hat trick? Hall of Fame? 5 major stories for golf’s final major of 2026

Every major weekend is precious, but this one feels even more so given the AIG Women’s Open is the last — for the men or women — of 2026.

The good news? We’ve got a high-stakes showdown shaping up for the final two rounds at Royal Lytham & St. Anne’s. Nineteen players are in red figures at the halfway mark; of those 19, here are five storylines that stand out.

1. Haeran’s hat trick?

Haeran Ryu enters this week having won two consecutive major championships. Now? She’s leading this one, too. Ryu played her final 12 holes in five under par on Friday to sit pole position at the halfway mark.

“I don’t want to focus on other players. [I’ll] just keep thinking about my golf and the golf course,” Ryu said post-round. “Because a lot of great players are here, that’s why I just want to think about my golf. Because this is a major; nobody knows what comes up.”

2. Jeeno’s breakthrough?

After a blistering start, Jeeno Thitikul took a step back with a two-over 73 on Friday — but still sits T3 heading to the weekend, just two shots back of Ryu’s lead. While World No. 1 Nelly Korda and Ryu, the World No. 3, have each won two majors this year, World No. 2 Thitikul is still chasing her first.

At just 23 years old, it’s not like her chances are running out. But Thitikul’s advice to herself for this weekend seems to apply more broadly, too:

“Patient. Patient. Just really be patient.”

3. Charley’s challenge?

Charley Hull’s viral prank on her caddie inspired a wide range of opinions — “I think people just need to be a bit more tough skinned,” she said by way of dismissal — which has obscured the fact that she’s in good position to challenge for her first career major championship, too.

“Yeah, really looking forward to it. It’s going to be loads of fun. I feel like now my nerves have settled down,” Hull said.

4. Nelly’s next one?

Nelly Korda guaranteed that her major-championship season would be a smashing success when she won both the Chevron and the U.S. Women’s Open, the first two of the year.

But there’s still plenty at stake. Korda is playing for a spot in the Hall of Fame now; a win this week would tick that box and get her into the rare company of golfers to win four different majors (the career Grand Slam).

Korda’s second-round 68 got her back into red figures, comfortably in striking distance after a ball-striking display.

“Thirty-six in, 36 holes to go,” she said post-round. “You never know what’s going to happen. It’s golf. It’s links golf. Just going to try to have the same attitude I had today going into the weekend.”

5. Lydia’s legend grows?

Now that we’re at No. 5 I’m inclined to shout out several other possibilities — Shiho Kuwaki sits solo second and could be the latest Japanese player to break through, Lucy Li is in position to challenge for her best major finish ever, Yealimi Noh and Lauren Coughlin are among the Americans chasing their first major, Lottie Woad could make a formidable chaser, etc. — but it’s tough to ignore Lydia Ko’s name anytime it’s on a leaderboard.

At one under par, Ko is T14 and hoping to rekindle some of the same magic that made her Open champ two years ago — and channel some of the magic that fellow Kiwi Ryan Fox put on display at Royal Birkdale two weeks ago.

“I would love to kind of keep the dice rolling,” Ko said earlier this week.

She’s not the only one.

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