Yu Hae-ran wins back-to-back majors, signals Korean women's golf revival

Yu Hae-ran claimed back-to-back major titles at the Amundi Evian Championship — the fourth major of the LPGA Tour season, with a purse of $9.1 million — signaling a full revival of Korean women's golf.

Yu finished even par in the final round Sunday at the Evian Resort Golf Club (par 71) in Évian-les-Bains, France, closing at 19-under-par 265 to draw level with Brooke Henderson of Canada. She then made birdie on the first playoff hole to claim the title.

Yu had captured her first major title three weeks earlier at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, and on Sunday she completed back-to-back major victories. It is the first time in 13 years that a Korean player has won two majors in a single season, since Park In-bee achieved the feat in 2013.

Yu moved to 120 points in the Rolex Annika Major Award, which ranks players by their combined major results, closing to within six points of leader Nelly Korda, who holds 126 points.

It is the first time in women's golf history that two players have each won multiple majors in the same season. World No. 1 Korda had already swept the first two majors of the year, the Chevron Championship and the US Women's Open.

Yu will next chase a third consecutive major title at the AIG Women's Open, the season's final major, which begins July 30 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. She is expected to go head-to-head with Korda for the title of "major queen."

Yu's path through the final round was far from smooth. She had stormed into a three-stroke lead after Sunday's third round, firing a 60 — an 11-under-par round that set a new record for the lowest 18-hole score in major championship history.

Pressure appeared to weigh on her as her ball-striking and putting wavered throughout the front nine. Her rivals pressed hard. Henderson in particular put on a dazzling display that included three eagles, one of them a hole-in-one.

Fortune ultimately favored Yu, however. She had made only one bogey through 17 holes but found herself sharing the lead and in danger of losing it, before draining a dramatic 5-meter birdie putt on the par-5 18th to force a playoff.

Iwai Akie of Japan, who had been tied for the lead heading into the 18th, pulled her tee shot and could only make par, finishing one stroke back in sole third place at 18-under.

Henderson, who had seemed out of contention after missing a short par putt on the 17th, kept her hopes alive by reaching the 18th green in two and holing a 2.4-meter eagle putt to join Yu in the playoff.

Yu's composure shone in the playoff, also played on the 18th hole. After reaching the green in two, she two-putted from 10 meters for birdie to seal the win. Henderson went for the green in three but missed it, and a chip-in birdie attempt from the rough came up short, leaving her with par.

"I was definitely very excited to get into the playoff," Henderson said. "I wish I had played a little better, but Yu played a really great round. Congratulations to her."

Drenched in champagne by her fellow Korean players, Yu said, "Right now it all feels like a dream." In her official post-round interview, she added, "Just a month ago I didn't have a single major trophy, and now I have two in three weeks. Something unbelievable — like something out of a cartoon — has happened."

Yu also spoke of a personal connection to the venue. "When I won the Junior Evian Championship in 2015, I used to imagine what it would feel like to win this major here when I grew up," she said. "Eleven years later, I've made that dream come true right here, and I'm happy beyond words." On handling the final-round pressure, she added, "The birdies weren't coming and I felt frustrated, but trusting myself to the end and focusing on each shot one at a time made the difference."

With the victory, Yu became the fourth Korean player to win the Evian Championship since it was elevated to major status in 2013, following Kim Hyo-joo (2014), Jeon In-ji (2016) and Ko Jin-young (2019). Korean women's golf, which had fallen into a prolonged slump, has now fired a clear signal of revival through Yu's consecutive major wins.

The back-to-back titles delivered Yu a windfall of more than 5 billion won ($3.32 million). She added approximately 2.1 billion won in prize money from this event to the 3 billion won she earned for winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

Im Jin-hee carded seven birdies against one bogey in the final round for a 6-under 65, finishing at 15-under 269 to share fourth place with Japan's Yamashita Miyu and Saigo Mao.

Lee So-mi also turned in a flawless final round, making seven birdies with no bogeys for a 7-under 64, finishing at 11-under 273 in a tie for 10th.