It has been a trying 2026 LPGA campaign for 25-year old Yealimi Noh.

The six-year pro entered play this week at the AIG Women’s Open in Lytham St. Annes, England, with three consecutive missed cuts, two of which were in major championships.

Noh’s fortunes have changed with a 2-under-par 69 in the third round of the Women’s Open to lead the final major of the year at 7-under 206 through three rounds at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club.

Noh carded rounds of 67 and 70 to open the tournament to sit just two shots off the pace set by South Korea’s Haeryn Ryu. Her status looked bleak Saturday after taking a bogey 6 on the par-5 seventh hole to fall six shots off the pace of the fast-starting Ryu.

However, Noh made an unlikely birdie at the par-3 ninth hole, which was the start of three consecutive birdies for the one-time LPGA Tour winner. The San Francisco-area native added another birdie at 16 while charging into the lead.

Ryu cooled off and struggled to a 3-over 74 and plummeted into a five-way tie for second place at 4 under for the tournament.

“I don’t know, golf is just crazy,” Noh said about her turnaround from recent struggles. “It’s been making me realize it more and more. It only takes one round for your whole mindset and whole game to change.

“Yeah, I had a really rough couple months. Not even just missing cuts, but just not playing good golf or rounds. And Thursday, I was just really happy to shoot under par and just really set me up for the week.”

Ryu, who is seeking her third consecutive major this season, is tied in second place with Germany’s Esther Henseleit, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki and Lucy Li.

Noh, who had 26 putts in her round, appeared to salvage the day with an early break.

“I had a little bit of a rough start a couple bogeys on the front nine,” she said. “Actually a chip-in par save on the second, which was nice. Yeah, I just fell out of tempo a little bit and then got it together for the back nine, and it was really solid. Had some good par saves.”

Ryu got to 9 under with birdies at the third and fourth holes, then bogeyed six of her next 10 holes. After hitting 31-of-36 greens and converting 2-of-3 from the sand over the first 36 holes, Ryu stumbled to 11-of-18 and 0-of-2 respectively on Saturday.

She still will take a positive attitude into Sunday. Two major titles will do that.

“Before I got the major win and then always I’m doing like more pressure and want to more not good for my mindset,” Ryu said. “But these days, after got two wins, I’m still calm because this is a major. Yeah, it’s such a different (feeling than) before I got two wins.”

Henseleit posted the best round of anyone in the top-7 with a 4-under 67.

She went out in 31 and only needed 26 putts on Saturday, knocking in several of considerable length.

“I mean, you have so many long putts so your speed has to be really good,” Henseleit said. I feel like if there is a strength in my putting the speed control on the long ones is that, so I guess it kind of suits my game.”

Li carded a 2 under 69, while Thitikul shot an even-par 72 and Kuwaki shot a 1-over 73.

The day’s best round belonged to Japan’s Ayaka Furue, who carded a 6-under 65. She moved up six spots and is tied for eighth place at 2-under 211.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda shot her second 1-over 73 of the week and is at 1 over for the tournament, tied for 16th place.

–Field Level Media

Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve appreciates the WNBA’s history.

On Sunday afternoon, Reeve and fans everywhere will be able to witness the league’s present — and its future.

Star players like Indiana’s Caitlin Clark and Minnesota’s Olivia Miles will square off when the Fever (19-10) play the Lynx (24-6) in Minneapolis. The Lynx have won nine games in a row, while the Fever have won five straight.

Clark and Miles have been huge reasons for their teams’ success.

“We knew a time when we had (Sue Bird) and Diana (Taurasi), and that sort of thing,” Reeve said. “This next era of guard play — Caitlin Clark will be a big part of that. Olivia Miles will be a big part of that.”

It’s no surprise that both players are receiving buzz as Most Valuable Player candidates.

Clark is averaging 21.6 points, 8.0 assists and 4.1 rebounds for Indiana. She is shooting 44.6% overall, 35.5% from 3-point range and 86.8% from the free-throw line.

In her most recent game, Clark notched a triple-double with 26 points, 10 assists and 10 boards. She helped Indiana pull away for a 112-98 road win against the Portland Fire on Friday.

Fever coach Stephanie White said her players still could reach another level of improvement.

“I thought we had some moments where we were really good,” White said. “Obviously, when we get 31 points off of turnovers, I think that’s really good for us. We had some moments where our execution was really good.

“We’re still a work in progress, and a coach is never going to be happy. I liked some of the adjustments we were able to make and execute, and now we’ve got to just continue to work toward growing it for 40 minutes of consistency.”

Meanwhile, Miles has wasted no time showing her skills since the Lynx drafted her No. 2 overall during the offseason. The dazzling rookie playmaker is averaging 19.4 points, 5.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds, and she is shooting 49.2% overall, 37.3% from beyond the arc and 87.2% from the charity stripe.

Miles and the Lynx welcomed another superstar back to the lineup when Napheesa Collier returned in July. In her first three games since returning from offseason ankle surgery, Collier is averaging 18.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

Miles’ no-look passes and slithery drives to the paint have caught the league’s attention.

That includes Clark, who joined Miles in Chicago for the WNBA’s All-Star weekend.

“I’ve always been a fan of hers, even when she was in college,” Clark said. “She just plays with incredible pace. It’s never too fast, it’s never too slow.

“You can see her creative juices flowing on the floor. … (It’s fun to see) the way she’s come into the league, and just been pretty flawless, in a way.”

The Lynx are 11-4 at home this season and the Fever are 8-5 on the road. The teams will meet again in the final two games of the regular season on Sept. 22 in Indianapolis and Sept. 24 in Minneapolis.

–Field Level Media

Taysom Hill’s nine-season tenure with the New Orleans Saints is over and former coach Sean Payton could have a landing space for him.

Payton and the Denver Broncos are reportedly interested in bringing in the jack-of-all-trades Hill to discuss a reunion in the Mile High City.

Payton coached Hill in New Orleans from 2017-21 and successfully unleashed his versatility as a receiver, quarterback and rusher.

Hill, who turns 36 next month, could factor in all three roles with the Broncos. He enters this season with 2,426 passing yards and 12 touchdowns against nine interceptions to go with a 7-2 record as a starter.

Hill has rushed for 2,551 yards, 34 touchdowns and recorded first downs on 179 on his 489 career rushing attempts.

As a receiver and tight end, Hill has 110 receptions for 1,034 yards and 11 scores. He accumulated first downs on 48 of his catches.

Hill also has 489 kickoff return yards during his career but it is highly unlikely he would be utilized in that role again.

With Bo Nix coming off ankle surgery, Hill could serve as the running quarterback in short-down situations and help Nix protect the ankle. Jarrett Stidham, who started the AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots in place of the injured Nix, is currently the No. 2 quarterback.

Hill was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent out of BYU in 2017 before being released shortly before the start of the season and getting scooped up by New Orleans.

He passed for 43 touchdowns and rushed for 32 in parts of five seasons in Provo.

–Field Level Media