Yamashita Claims AIG Women's Open Title at Royal Lytham as Noh's Three-Shot Lead Evaporates
M. Yamashita has claimed the 2026 AIG Women's Open title at Royal Lytham and St Annes in a dramatic final round that saw overnight leader Yealimi Noh's three-shot advantage evaporate under the pressure of a major championship Sunday, with Charley Hull and M. Katsu sharing second place at nine under par in a result that will be remembered as one of the most dramatic finishes in the tournament's recent history.
Background
The AIG Women's Open, one of the five major championships on the LPGA Tour, returned to Royal Lytham and St Annes for the 2026 edition — a links course on the Lancashire coast that has hosted the men's Open Championship on multiple occasions and is regarded as one of the most demanding tests in links golf. The course's combination of deep rough, unpredictable winds, and punishing bunkers makes it a severe examination of every aspect of a golfer's game.
Heading into the final round, American Yealimi Noh held a three-shot lead after a third-round 69 that had demonstrated both her ball-striking quality and her composure under pressure. Noh, who had been seeking her first major championship title, was paired in the final group with Esther Henseleit, with their tee time set for 2:35 pm BST. The leaderboard was competitive, with Charley Hull — the popular English golfer who has long been regarded as one of the most talented players never to have won a major — among those within striking distance.
For Irish golf fans, the tournament had been followed with interest, with the performance of the course and the quality of the field providing a compelling backdrop to the final day's drama.
Key Developments
The final round at Royal Lytham produced the kind of drama that major championships are built on. Noh, who had looked so composed in the third round, struggled to replicate that form on Sunday, with the pressure of leading a major championship proving difficult to manage. As her score began to slip, Yamashita — who had been lurking just off the pace — produced a final round of exceptional quality, finishing at 11 under par to claim the title by two shots from Hull and Katsu.
Charley Hull, who had been one of the most popular figures in the field throughout the week, produced a strong final round to share second place at nine under par. The Englishwoman's performance was warmly received by the large home crowd, and her post-round comments were characteristically generous toward the champion. Noh, who finished outside the top positions after her final-round struggles, was gracious in defeat, acknowledging that Yamashita had played the better golf on the day.
The final leaderboard: Yamashita -11, Hull and Katsu -9, with the remainder of the field further back.
Why It Matters
The AIG Women's Open is one of the most prestigious events in women's golf, and its staging at Royal Lytham provided a world-class backdrop for a compelling final day. The drama of Noh's collapse and Yamashita's charge is the kind of narrative that major championships produce at their best, and the quality of the field throughout the week demonstrated the depth of talent in the women's game.
For women's golf in Ireland and Britain, the tournament's staging at a links course in the north of England provided an opportunity to showcase the game to a large and enthusiastic audience. The LPGA Tour's continued investment in the AIG Women's Open as a flagship event has helped to raise the profile of women's golf significantly in recent years, and the 2026 edition at Royal Lytham will be remembered as one of the more dramatic editions of the championship.
Local Impact
Irish golfers on the LPGA Tour will have been watching the final round closely, with the performance of the course and the conditions at Royal Lytham providing useful intelligence for those who may compete there in future. The Irish Ladies Golf Union has been working to develop the next generation of Irish women golfers, and the visibility provided by a major championship staged in the British Isles is an important part of that effort. Golf Ireland will be monitoring the results and using them to inform its high-performance programme.
What's Next
The LPGA Tour now moves on to the next events on its schedule, with the remainder of the 2026 season featuring a number of significant tournaments. For Yamashita, the AIG Women's Open title is a career-defining achievement that will open doors to new opportunities and endorsements. For Noh, the experience of leading a major and not converting will be a painful but potentially formative one. Charley Hull, meanwhile, will be hoping that her strong performance at Royal Lytham is a sign of things to come as she continues her pursuit of a first major championship title.
