Yu Haeran shot an 11-under 60 in the third round. It set a new record for the lowest 18-hole score in a major. But on the final day, Yu was a different person. Her inspired shot-making vanished, and pressure crept into its place. Through the first 17 holes, until her tee shot on the final hole, she failed to make a single birdie. That is the nature of golf. Judging by momentum, it would not have been strange at all for Brooke Henderson of Canada, who produced three eagles in a single day, to complete a comeback. But Yu's determination was strong. Her first birdie came on the 18th hole (par 5). Kept alive by that birdie, Yu carded another birdie in the playoff to put an end to the fierce contest.
Yu won the Amundi Evian Championship (total purse of $9.1 million), the fourth major of the LPGA Tour season, held on the 12th at the Evian Resort Golf Club (par 71) in Evian-les-Bains, France. After tying Henderson at 19-under through the final fourth round, she made a birdie in the first playoff hole to edge out Henderson, who managed only a par. The winner's prize is $1.4 million (about 2.1 billion won). Yu lifted another major trophy just two weeks after winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the LPGA's third major, on the 28th of last month. It is her fifth career LPGA Tour victory.
Yu became the fourth Korean player to win since the Evian Championship was elevated to major status in 2013, following Kim Hyo-joo (2014), Jeon In-ji (2016) and Ko Jin-young (2019). It is the fifth time a Korean player has achieved two or more major victories in a single season, following Pak Se-ri (1998), Park In-bee (2013, 2015) and Ko Jin-young (2019).
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. This is the first time on the LPGA Tour that two players have won two majors each in a single season.
Yu started the fourth round leading Iwai Akie of Japan, who played in the champion group on the final day, by three strokes, and Henderson by seven strokes. Through the early holes, this gap held, and it seemed she would win easily. But Henderson suddenly summoned fierce power. After an eagle on the 7th hole (par 5), she recorded a hole-in-one on the 8th hole (par 3). Yu, on the other hand, dropped a stroke on the 8th hole, narrowing the gap between the two to one stroke.
On the back-nine 16th hole (par 3), Yu, Iwai and Henderson became co-leaders. Henderson lost a stroke on the 17th hole (par 4) but made her third eagle on the 18th hole (par 5), and Yu made her first birdie of the fourth round on the final hole, sending the match to a playoff between the two.
On the first playoff hole, played on the 18th, Yu reached the green in two and calmly made a birdie with two putts. Henderson, who sent her tee shot into the rough, managed only a bogey. After winning, Yu wrapped the Korean flag around herself. The winner's flag ceremony is a tradition of this tournament.
With this victory, Yu has emerged as a strong challenger to Korda. Korda, who has achieved four wins this season, has led in the Player of the Year award, the Annika Major Award and the Vare Trophy (lowest scoring average award), and appeared set to monopolize the LPGA Tour's major titles.
But with Yu closing in fast, a fierce chase is expected for the remainder of the year. In the Annika Major Award, Korda is first (126 points) and Yu is second (120 points). The winner will be decided at the AIG Women's Open, which opens on the 30th. Yu can also aim for the Vare Trophy. Korda leads with an average of 68.68 strokes, while Yu is second at 69.40. In Player of the Year points, Korda, who has four wins this season, is dominant in first place with 225 points, while Yu is second with 152 points on two wins this season. But with the tournament at midseason and many events remaining, the year-end result is still unknown.
Meanwhile, Iwai finished third at 18-under, Im Jin-hee tied for fourth at 15-under, and Lee So-mi tied for 10th at 11-under.
Soaked in champagne, Yu said, "This moment feels like a dream." She added, "It was so hard because my putts weren't dropping all day. I missed every putt, but I thank God because I made the last putt in the playoff." She continued, "Until three weeks ago I had no major victory, and now I've won two in a row. I'm so happy. I can't believe it."
