Few things in golf are more thrilling than watching Charley Hull in full attack mode. That’s exactly what we saw on Saturday, complete with a dramatic moment when her wayward shot whizzed past Minjee Lee’s head.
Hull had struggled to make the cut at the AIG Women’s Open for much of Friday afternoon. Starting her third round 11 shots behind Miyu Yamashita, she quickly turned things around—firing five under par through nine holes. Birdies at the 12th and 13th narrowed the gap to just four shots. Though she bogeyed the 14th, finishing with a 66, Yamashita’s shaky 74 suddenly made this a wide-open contest.
Yamashita, who led by six strokes at the halfway point, saw her advantage shrink to just one after a rough day on the greens. Hull now sits three shots back.
On the 17th, Yamashita pulled off an incredible 40-foot par save—one of her few bright spots. What once looked like a procession has turned into a tense battle, especially with wind and rain forecast for the final round.
Hull, ever the competitor, was in high spirits. “I love chasing,” she said. “It’s fun. I enjoy hunting someone down.” When asked if she’d go all out on Sunday, she laughed: “100%. What do I have to lose?”
A major win on the Welsh coast would be an unlikely triumph for Hull, who admits she’s not a natural links player and arrived nursing a back injury. She’d also lost four kilograms after falling ill at the Evian Championship.
But now, feeling stronger than ever, she’s approaching the final round like a casual game with friends. “You just want to birdie every hole,” she said. “That’s how it feels tomorrow.”
Her round wasn’t without drama—her errant shot at the 4th nearly hit Lee on the 17th tee, bouncing off signage before settling in a playable spot. “I like Minjee,” Hull joked. “Wouldn’t want to take her out.” Lee took it in stride, brushing off the incident.
It’s not just a two-player race. Yamashita’s struggles have brought others into contention. Kim A-lim trails by one at nine under, with Andrea Lee at seven under. Megan Khang, Rio Takeda, and Minami Katsu join Hull at six under. Georgia Hall lurks at four under, with 23 players within seven shots of the faltering leader.
Game on.
