Yoo Hae-ran claimed victory at the Amundi Evian Championship, the fourth major of the LPGA Tour season, with a total prize purse of $9.1 million.
On July 12, during the final round held at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France, Yoo shot an even-par 71.
With a total score of 19-under 265, Yoo tied with Brooke Henderson of Canada, leading to a playoff. In the first playoff hole, the par-5 18th, Yoo secured a birdie while Henderson made par, clinching the championship.
This victory marks Yoo's second major title in just two weeks, following her win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last month. It is her second win of the season and the fifth of her LPGA Tour career.
Yoo is the first South Korean player to win back-to-back LPGA major titles since Inbee Park swept three majors in 2013 (Kraft Nabisco Championship, Wegmans LPGA Championship, and U.S. Women’s Open). Additionally, it is the first time since Jin-young Ko in 2019 that a player has won more than two majors in a single season.
Starting the final day with a three-shot lead, Yoo struggled with her putting throughout the round. Meanwhile, Henderson made an eagle on the par-5 7th hole and followed it up with a hole-in-one on the par-3 8th, tightening the competition.
The decisive moment came on the final hole of regulation. After making only one bogey and no birdies until the 17th hole, Yoo made a crucial birdie from about 4 meters on the 18th. Henderson also made a dramatic eagle on the same hole, sending the match into a playoff.
During the playoff on the 18th hole, Yoo displayed steady shot-making, calmly hitting her second shot onto the green and making a two-putt birdie to seal her victory.
Yoo earned $1.4 million (approximately 2.1 billion won) for her win. Combined with her $1.95 million prize from the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, she has earned a total of $3.35 million (about 5 billion won) from her last two major tournaments.
After the match, Yoo expressed her disbelief, stating, "Just three weeks ago, I had no major wins, and now I have two in a row. It feels like a dream."
Other South Korean players also performed well. Jin-hee Lim shot a final round of 6-under, finishing tied for fourth with a total score of 15-under 269. So-mi Lee concluded the tournament in a tie for 10th with a total score of 11-under 273.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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