A Shot at Golfing Immortality

World number one Nelly Korda and South Korea’s Ryu Hae-ran reach the season’s final major with the same extraordinary target: a third major victory in a single year. Korda claimed the Chevron Championship in April and then the US Women’s Open in June, while Ryu matched her by winning the Women’s PGA Championship and the Evian Championship in quick succession. Their meeting at Royal Lytham & St. Annes for the Women’s British Open now presents a rare chance to join the most exclusive club in golf.

Only six players — male or female — have ever won three majors in one calendar year. The men’s list stops at Ben Hogan (1953) and Tiger Woods (2000); the women’s quartet includes Babe Zaharias, Mickey Wright, Pat Bradley and South Korea’s Park In-bee (2013). Korda, seeking to improve on a share of second place at St. Andrews in 2024, plays alongside Ryu and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko in a marquee grouping for the opening two rounds.

The championship arrives with a significant commercial milestone: its 50th edition has pushed the prize fund to $10 million, a dramatic climb from the $665 on offer in 1976. Defending champion Miyu Yamashita of Japan is also in the field, and the event is held just along the Lancashire coast from where Ryan Fox won the men’s British Open earlier this month.

What the Pursuit Means for the Players and the Women’s Game

A Run Into the History Books

The women’s game has not seen a three-major season since Park In-bee’s flawless start in 2013, and the combined presence of Korda and Ryu with live chances adds a layer of narrative that transcends the sport. The degree of difficulty is compounded by Royal Lytham’s links conditions, where weather can reshape leaderboards within hours. Ryu enters in sharper form, having overturned a 10-shot first-round deficit at the PGA Championship — the biggest comeback in tournament history — before collecting the Evian trophy. Korda, despite a quieter Scottish Open, remains the world’s most complete player and has shown she can peak for majors.

The Quiet Rise of Women’s Golf’s Commercial Power

The jump from a few hundred dollars in 1976 to $10 million today is not just a number; it reflects a multi-decade build in sponsorship, broadcast deals and audience engagement that has lifted the LPGA and its partners. While the women’s tour still trails the men’s major purses, the trend line is steep and sustained. The 50th anniversary of this championship offers a symbolic moment to measure that progress, and the presence of two players with a shot at sporting history amplifies the tournament’s commercial value — drawing viewers and brands that might otherwise pay less attention.