Australian Grace Kim saved her best for last as she won her first major title at the Evian Championship on Sunday in Evian-les-Bains, France.
After spinning her wheels through the first 14 holes — an eagle, two birdies, two bogeys, a double bogey and eight pars — Kim ended her round with birdies at 15 and 16 and a final-hole eagle to force a playoff with World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand. Kim won with an eagle on the second playoff hole.
Kim and Thitikul entered the final round at Evian Resort Golf Club in a four-way tie for second, one shot behind co-leaders Cara Gainer of England and Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels. Kim and Thitikul each turned in 4-under rounds of 67 to finish in regulation at 14-under 270.
Thitikul was steady throughout the bogey-free round, recording four birdies. It was nothing like the roller coaster for Kim, whose putt on 18 sealed the playoff, then a miraculous chip-in from the penalty area to stay alive on the first playoff hole.
“I wasn’t worried,” she said. “Dropped the ball and it kind of ended up in a pretty decent lie and just wanted to make sure I got it there. Yeah, just happened to have chipped it in. I don’t know if I can do it again. That was great.”
And the putt to win on the second playoff hole had her in a fog.
“Just looked straight at the hole. That’s what my caddie told me to do and I did it,” she said. “Yeah, I don’t know what happened. Like, I don’t know how I’m in here already since then. Yeah, just all happened quickly, but I’m glad I’m sitting here for sure.”
This is Kim’s second LPGA Tour victory. The 24-year-old won her first title at the LOTTE Championship in 2023. She is ranked No. 99 in the world.
Thitikul, 22, has won five times on the LPGA Tour and was seeking her first major title.
“I’m so proud of myself on battling out there today,” she said. “I know like it’s going to be a tough day, it’s going to be a long day, but I just want to say I’m so proud of myself and what I did out there.”
It was a coming-out party for British amateur Lottie Woad, who fired a final-round 64 to finish one shot behind at 13-under, tied for third with Australian Mingee Lee (68).
Two shots back at 12-under 272 and in fifth were Americans Angel Yin (63) and Andrea Lee (66), with Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn (66) and Leona Maguire of Ireland (67) tied for seventh at 11-under par.
Third-round leaders Gainer (74) and Ruffels (72) couldn’t keep pace on the low-scoring day.
Woad had eight birdies on the day, interrupted by a bogey on the par-3 No. 14 that will stick with her.
“I’m going to be thinking about one shot probably for a while, but I’m very happy how I played today,” she said.
Woad was playing to qualify for her LPGA tour card, which she did. Now, she’s left to decide when she wants to turn pro.
“Just going to use next week at home with family and coaches to kind of discuss the options and then I’ll decide after that,” she said.
“I’ve always wanted to play on the LPGA,” she continued. “Whenever that is, it’s going to be really fun and I just look forward to playing all the events.”
–Field Level Media
