LONDON (AFP) — Nelly Korda and Ryu Hae-ran are bidding to join an elite group by claiming a third major of the season at the Women’s British Open after sharing golf’s biggest prizes in 2026.

World number one Korda eased to a comfortable win at the Chevron Championship in Houston, Texas, in April and claimed her fourth major at the US Women’s Open in Pacific Palisades, California, last month.

But South Korea’s Ryu then took center stage, picking up her first major with victory at the Women’s PGA Championship in Minnesota, before adding the Evian Championship in France earlier this month.

It is the first season in golf history in which two players have won multiple majors.

Only six players — men or women — have won three majors in a single year.

Ben Hogan (1953) and Tiger Woods (2000) are the only men to have managed the feat, while South Korea’s Park In-bee won the first three majors in 2013 to match the achievements of Babe Zaharias, Mickey Wright and Pat Bradley.

Ryu, the world number three, is the golfer in form ahead of the opening round at Royal Lytham & St Annes on Thursday.

She showed astonishing resilience to overturn a 10-stroke first-round deficit to win the PGA Championship — the best comeback in the history of the tournament.

Then, in France, she became the first golfer, man or woman, to card a 60 in a major championship.

The 25-year-old said she was living an “unreal dream” after collecting her second major in two weeks.

“It feels like just fake, a cartoon... it just feels like, unreal,” she added. “It’s too hard to tell something.”

US star Korda failed to make the cut for the first time in two years at the Evian Championship.

The 28-year-old then tied for 16th at the Women’s Scottish Open, played on the Dundonald Links.

“We experienced everything this week -- sunshine, a little bit of warmth, and sideways rain, gusty winds, but that’s a given out here,” said Korda.

“So (I am) just trying to get into the mindset for next week.”

Korda will be aiming to improve on her best performance at the British Open -- a shared second-place finish behind Lydia Ko at St Andrews in 2024.

Korda and Ryu will tee off alongside New Zealand’s Ko in one of the marquee groups for the first two rounds on the links course on England’s northwest coast.

World number six Miyu Yamashita of Japan returns as defending champion, having secured a two-stroke victory at Royal Porthcawl last year.

Other challengers include Thai world number two Jeeno Thitikul, who has yet to win a major.

The tournament is being held just along the coast from where New Zealand’s Ryan Fox claimed his first major victory in the men’s British Open earlier this month.

It is the 50th anniversary of the championship, with the prize fund rising from £500 in 1976 to $10 million (£7.5 million) this year.