Charley Hull & Lilia Vu move to the top of the leaderboard as Ally Ewing falters

AIG Women’s Open 2023 R3

Charley Hull and Lilia Vu share the lead going into the final day of the AIG Women’s Open after an engrossing third round at Walton Heath.

AIG Women’s Open 2023 R3 - Charley Hull & Lilia Vu move to the top of the leaderboard as Ally Ewing falters
Charley Hull is enjoying the home crowd support at the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath (Credit: The R&A)

“Obviously it was so windy today but I dug deep,” said Hull. “I struck the ball pretty well. I was pretty confident and felt good out there and I’m pretty proud of myself, so can’t wait to just chill tonight. It would be unbelievable to win. It would be absolutely unbelievable, to do what Georgia (Hall) did in 2018. To do that again would be unreal. But one step at a time and just go out there and have fun. It is good to have the home fans, so many crowds, and it’s nice to have that home support.”

American Ally Ewing led by five shots overnight but three bogeys in her first six holes in the breezy conditions allowed the rest of the field to close in and leave the Championship wide open.

Cheered on by the home fans, England’s Hull is chasing her first major title after three late birdies in a row from the 15th saw the 27-year-old post a four-under-par 68 for a nine-under total of 207.

It matched the total set by Vu, who recorded a superb 67, as the 25-year-old American looks to add a second major to her Chevron Championship success in April.

“I think today was really for me in terms of confidence,” said Vu. “It’s been since the Chevron that I actually felt pretty decent about my game and where it’s at. So tomorrow I’m just going to do the same thing I did today, focusing on tee shots and giving myself a good opportunity for birdies. If I just do that tomorrow and not think too much about the wind.”

Charley Hull & Lilia Vu move to the top of the leaderboard as Ally Ewing falters
Lilia Vu is looking to win her second major championship of the year at the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath (Credit: The R&A)

On a day when the lead changed hand on several occasions, American Angel Yin also signed for a 67 after six birdies in her last ten holes to reach eight-under-par. Yin, second at the Chevron Championship, is on the same mark as Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim after a 68.

The final round at the venue south of London is now set to produce an exciting finish with a host of international players in pursuit of the coveted title.

Ewing equalled the biggest lead after 36 holes and those who have previously held a five-shot advantage at the halfway stage, Emilee Klein (1996) and Jiyai Shin (2012), both went on to lift the trophy.

However, the Mississippi native dropped shots at the 1st, 5th and 6th in the toughest conditions of the week and then mixed three birdies with three further dropped shots as she posted a three-over 75 for a seven-under total to fall two strokes adrift.

Sweden’s Linn Grant is a shot further back on six-under, with world number one Nelly Korda still in the hunt inside the top ten at four-under, which was helped by a chip in for eagle at the par-5 11th.

In the two-way battle for the Smyth Salver as leading amateur, England’s Charlotte Heath sits at three-over-par, two strokes ahead of Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez, going into the final day.

The AIG Women’s Open takes place until tomorrow (13 August) at Walton Heath, with tickets on sale via www.aigwomensopen.com.

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Pos.PlayerTo ParR1R2R3Total
1Lilia Vu (USA)-9726867207
1Charley Hull (ENG)-9716868207
3Angel Yin (USA)-8726967208
3Hyo-Joo Kim (KOR)-8707068208
5Ally Ewing (USA)-7686675209
6Linn Grant (SWE)-6736968210
7Jiyai Shin (KOR)-5736969211
7Andrea Lee (USA)-5716872211
9Amy Yang (KOR)-4697667212
9Nelly Korda (USA)-4737069212
9Perrine Delacour (FRA)-4697271212
9Nasa Hataoka (JPN)-4707171212
9Alison Lee (USA)-4716972212
14Minami Katsu (JPN)-3706974213
15Jeongeun Lee6 (KOR)-2697372214
15Atthaya Thitikul (THA)-2746773214
17Akie Iwai (JPN)-1757169215
17Anna Nordqvist (SWE)-1727370215
17Stephanie Meadow (NIR)-1717470215
17A Lim Kim (KOR)-1727271215
17Olivia Cowan (GER)-1727271215
17Jenny Shin (KOR)-1717272215
17Yuna Nishimura (JPN)-1717272215
17Megan Khang (USA)-1707372215
17Jin Young Ko (KOR)-1736874215
17Allisen Corpuz (USA)-1707174215
17Gaby Lopez (MEX)-1707075215
28Cara Gainer (ENG)Par747270216
28Johanna Gustavsson (SWE)Par737271216
28Gemma Dryburgh (SCO)Par737172216
28Emily Kristine Pedersen (DEN)Par697473216
28Minjee Lee (AUS)Par726975216
28Aditi Ashok (IND)Par726975216
28Jodi Ewart Shadoff (ENG)Par726975216
35Diksha Dagar (IND)+1747172217
35Hae Ran Ryu (KOR)+1727372217
35Hye-Jin Choi (KOR)+1727372217
35Nicole Broch Estrup (DEN)+1756973217
35Ruoning Yin (CHN)+1727174217
35Grace Kim (AUS)+1717274217
35Yu Liu (CHN)+1707374217
35Jaravee Boonchant (THA)+1697375217
35Lindsey Weaver-Wright (USA)+1727075217
44Moriya Jutanugarn (THA)+2767072218
44Wei Ling Hsu (TPE)+2737372218
44Maja Stark (SWE)+2727472218
44Yuri Yoshida (JPN)+2747173218
44Leona Maguire (IRL)+2727274218
44Kokona Sakurai (JPN)+2707375218
44Narin An (KOR)+2737075218
44Rose Zhang (USA)+2727175218
44Ayaka Furue (JPN)+2727076218
44Miyu Yamashita (JPN)+2717176218
54Lindy Duncan (USA)+3727473219
54Alice Hewson (ENG)+3776973219
54Charlotte Heath (ENG) (A)+3737274219
54Celine Boutier (FRA)+3747174219
54Mina Harigae (USA)+3746976219
54Morgane Metraux (SUI)+3707277219
54Ryann O'Toole (USA)+3727077219
61Georgia Hall (ENG)+4747274220
61Caroline Hedwall (SWE)+4717574220
61Kylie Henry (SCO)+4757174220
61Klara Davidson Spilkova (CZE)+4717475220
61Xi Yu Lin (CHN)+4727375220
61In Gee Chun (KOR)+4707278220
67Danielle Kang (USA)+5727475221
67Angela Stanford (USA)+5737375221
67Julia Lopez Ramirez (ESP) (A)+5737276221
70Mao Saigo (JPN)+7757078223
70Eun-Hee Ji (KOR)+7727279223
72Pajaree Anannarukarn (THA)+9747081225
73Haruka Kawasaki (JPN)+13727483229
CUT
74Ashleigh Buhai (RSA)+37473147
74Brooke M Henderson (CAN)+37572147
74Paula Reto (RSA)+37473147
74Albane Valenzuela (SUI)+37176147
74Lala Anai (JPN)+37077147
74Linnea Strom (SWE)+37374147
74Mel Reid (ENG)+37275147
74Yan Liu (CHN)+37176147
74Marina Alex (USA)+37374147
74Stephanie Kyriacou (AUS)+37374147
74Carlota Ciganda (ESP)+37077147
74Yuka Saso (JPN)+37473147
74Stacy Lewis (USA)+37275147
74Patty Tavatanakit (THA)+37968147
74Chisato Iwai (JPN)+37176147
89Sarah Kemp (AUS)+47177148
89Hayley Davis (ENG)+47870148
89Jennifer Kupcho (USA)+47870148
89Madelene Sagstrom (SWE)+47672148
89Esther Henseleit (GER)+47276148
89Lydia Ko (NZL)+47474148
89Ariya Jutanugarn (THA)+47573148
89Cheyenne Knight (USA)+47375148
89Ayako Kimura (JPN)+47474148
89Trichat Cheenglab (THA)+47474148
99Hannah Green (AUS)+57376149
99Kelsey Bennett (AUS)+57376149
99Manon De Roey (BEL)+57277149
99Lee-Anne Pace (RSA)+57475149
99Ana Pelaez Trivino (ESP)+57376149
99Emma Grechi (FRA)+57475149
105Arpichaya Yubol (THA)+67278150
105Lauren Coughlin (USA)+67476150
105Daniela Darquea (ECU)+67575150
105Savannah De Bock (BEL) (A)+67476150
105Hinako Shibuno (JPN)+67575150
105In-Kyung Kim (KOR)+67476150
105Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DEN)+67377150
105Ingrid Lindblad (SWE) (A)+67674150
105Nuria Iturrioz (ESP)+67575150
114Meghan MacLaren (ENG)+77477151
114Lexi Thompson (USA)+77675151
114Celine Herbin (FRA)+77477151
114Elia Galitsky (THA) (A)+77477151
114Lisa Pettersson (SWE)+77675151
119Sarah Schmelzel (USA)+87973152
119Saki Baba (JPN) (A)+87676152
119Sei Young Kim (KOR)+87973152
119Pauline Roussin (FRA)+87775152
119Chloe Williams (WAL)+88072152
119Liz Young (ENG)+87577152
119Mi-Hyang Lee (KOR)+87775152
126Valentina Rossi (ARG) (A)+97380153
126Gina Kim (USA)+97380153
128Lily May Humphreys (ENG)+107975154
128Peiyun Chien (TPE)+107777154
128Carmen Alonso (ESP)+108074154
128Maria Fassi (MEX)+107876154
128Catriona Matthew (SCO)+107579154
133Ting-Hsuan Huang (TPE) (A)+117877155
133Matilda Castren (FIN)+117778155
133Magdalena Simmermacher (ARG)+117679155
133Maddie Szeryk (CAN)+117778155
137Chiara Noja (GER)+127878156
137Bailey Tardy (USA)+127680156
139Chiara Horder (GER) (A)+137978157
139Kristyna Napoleaova (CZE)+137978157
141Tiia Koivisto (FIN)+177883161
142Anna Foster (IRL) (A)+188775162
142Patricia Isabel Schmidt (GER)+188082162
144Laura Davies (ENG)RTD
Updated: August 12, 2023