Grace Kim tops Jeeno Thitikul in play-off to win Evian Championship
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Australia's Grace Kim celebrating after winning her first Major title at the Evian Championship on July 13.
PHOTO: AFP
Evian-les-Bains – Australian Grace Kim saved her best for last as she won her first Major title at the Evian Championship on July 13 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 play-off with world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand.
Kim won with an eagle on the second play-off hole.
Kim and Jeeno 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 Jeeno both turned in four-under rounds of 67 to finish in regulation at 14-under 270.
Jeeno 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 play-off, then a miraculous chip-in from the penalty area to stay alive on the first play-off 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 play-off 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 world No. 99.
Jeeno, 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... 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 Minjee 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 Ireland’s Leona Maguire (67) tied for seventh at 273.
Third-round leaders Gainer (74) and Ruffels (72) could not keep pace on the low-scoring day. Woad had eight birdies on the day, interrupted by a bogey on the par-three No. 14 that will stick with her.
Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul looks on after a shot on the 4 during the final round of the Amundi Evian Championship.
PHOTO: AFP
“I’m going to be thinking about one shot probably for a while, but I’m very happy how I played today,” said the 21-year-old.
Woad was playing to qualify for her LPGA Tour card, which she did. Now, she is 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.
Singapore’s Shannon Tan finished T59 after her worst round of the tournament, a four-over 75, after she mixed four birdies with three bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey.
She finished on 286. The 21-year-old has improved on her previous best Major finish, a T60 at the 2024 British Open.
Her other Major appearance was at the 2024 Evian Championship, where she missed the cut. REUTERS
