Ryu Hae-ran wins second straight LPGA major title in playoff

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- Ryu Hae-ran captured her second straight LPGA major title in France on Sunday, prevailing in a playoff after blowing a five-shot lead in the final round.

Ryu beat Brooke Henderson of Canada on the first playoff hole to win the Amundi Evian Championship at Evia Resort Golf Club in the French town of Evian-les-Bains. The two rivals finished 72 holes at 19-under 265, before Ryu birdied the first playoff hole for her fifth LPGA title overall and the winner's check of US$1.4 million.

Ryu, world No. 7, claimed her maiden LPGA major at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship two weeks ago and is now the first South Korean player to grab back-to-back major titles since Hall of Famer Park In-bee won three in a row in 2013.

The Evian Championship was elevated to a major championship status in 2013, and Ryu is the third South Korean since then to win at least two majors in a season.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda had won the two first majors of this year before Ryu reached the top at the next two. The fifth and the final major of the season, the AIG Women's Open, will tee off July 30 at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Course in Lancashire, England.

Ryu, 25, is the eighth South Korean LPGA player with at least two career major victories.

"This is just a dream. Three weeks ago, I didn't have a major title. And I have now won two in a row," Ryu said afterward. "I am so happy. I can't believe it right now."

Ryu soared to the top of the leaderboard Saturday after shooting an 11-under 60, the lowest 18-hole score in LPGA major history. It put the South Korean at 19-under, three better than Aki Iwai and seven ahead of Henderson.

Ryu's three-shot lead grew to five early in the final round. But the tournament took a stunning turn when Henderson eagled the par-5 seventh and then had a hole-in-one on the next hole to reach 17-under. Ryu, after making seven straight pars, bogeyed the eighth hole to fall to 18-under, her lead over the Canadian down to just one stroke.

Iwai also was not going away easily. She birdied the ninth to move to 16-under, while Ryu and Henderson both settled for pars there.

Ryu got a little more breathing room on the 11th, where Henderson three-putted for a bogey to give the South Korean a two-shot advantage.

Ryu kept making pars to stay two ahead of the pack but then Iwai birdied the 14th and 15th to pull even with Ryu at 18-under.

Henderson had birdies on the 15th and 16th to create a three-way tie at the top, while Ryu remained without a birdie in the final round with two holes remaining.

Henderson committed a three-putt bogey on the 17th, leaving Ryu and Iwai tied for first place going to the 18th hole.

Off the 18th tee, Henderson was the only one of the trio to find the fairway, while the other two sent their tee shots to left and had to lay up.

Henderson reached the green in two to set up an eagle putt. After Ryu made her birdie putt -- her first birdie of the final round -- and Iwai missed hers, Henderson sank her eagle attempt to send the tournament to the playoff.

Ryu, who shot an even-par 71 in the final round, and Henderson, who carded a seven-under 64, went back to the 18th for the playoff. And there was a role reversal, with Ryu finding the fairway and Henderson missing it to the left.

It was Ryu who reached the green in two this time, and Henderson missed the putting surface with her third shot, giving the South Korean an opening she needed.

Ryu's eagle attempt fell a few feet short, but after Henderson's chip landed shy of the cup, Ryu made her birdie putt to clinch the title.

Ryu, the 2023 LPGA Rookie of the Year, had recorded one victory in each of her first three seasons on the tour and has now won twice this year.