Yu Hae-ran claimed her second consecutive major title in Evian, France, cementing her status as the "Major Queen."
Yu won in a playoff at the final fourth round of the Amundi Evian Championship (total prize money $9.1 million), the fourth major event of the LPGA Tour season, held at the Evian Resort Golf Club (par 71) in Evian-les-Bains, France, on the 12th, local time.
Shooting an even-par 71 with one birdie and one bogey on the day, Yu finished with a total of 19-under-par 265 to tie with Brooke Henderson of Canada. She then made birdie on the par-5 18th hole in the playoff to defeat Henderson, who managed only a par.
Yu lifted another major trophy just two weeks after winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the season's third major, last month. Her winner's prize was $1.4 million (about 2.1 billion won). It marks the first time in seven years, since Ko Jin-young in 2019, that a Korean player has won two or more major titles in a single season. Ko conquered the ANA Inspiration (now the Chevron Championship) and the Evian Championship that year. Yu became the fourth Korean player to win the Evian Championship since it was promoted to major status in 2013. Kim Hyo-joo (2014), Jeon In-ji (2016), and Ko Jin-young (2019) had previously won.
Among the four majors completed this year, Nelly Korda of the United States won the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women's Open, while Yu swept the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Evian Championship. The remaining major this year is the AIG Women's Open, which opens on the 30th.
Yu began the fourth round with a three-stroke lead over Iwai Akie of Japan, who played in the champion group, and a seven-stroke lead over Henderson. But in the front nine, Henderson recorded an eagle on the par-5 7th hole followed by a hole-in-one on the par-3 8th hole, quickly closing the gap to a single stroke. On the par-3 16th hole in the back nine, Yu, Iwai, and Henderson became tied for the lead.
Henderson dropped a stroke on the par-4 17th hole but made an eagle on the par-5 18th hole, while Yu made her first birdie of the fourth round on the 18th hole, sending the contest into a playoff. Yu reached the green in two on the first playoff hole and calmly made birdie with two putts. Henderson, who sent her tee shot into the rough, managed only a bogey.
After the win, Yu said, "It was so hard because my putts weren't going in all day." She added, "I missed every putt, but I made the last putt in the playoff, so I thank God."
Iwai finished third at 18-under-par, while Im Jin-hee tied for fourth at 15-under-par. Lee So-mi finished tied for 10th at 11-under-par.
