Grace Kim with a stunning finish wins Evian Championship for her first major
Kim, whose 2-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th in regulation gave her a 4-under 67, looked to be just as surprised as everyone else when she rolled in a 12-foot eagle putt to win the playoff. The 24-year-old Australian calmly placed her hand over her mouth and stood still before doubling over and breaking into a wide smile.
Thitikul's biggest challenge had been English amateur Lottie Woad, who was coming off a win in the Irish Women's Open and at one point had the lead on the back nine of Evian Resort. She closed with 64 and then waited to see if that would be enough.
Woad was bidding to become the first amateur to win a major since Catherine Lacoste at the 1967 U.S. Women's Open.
Thitikul birdied the 17th to take the lead, and the Thai player was on the verge of her first major when she laid up short of the pond and hit wedge into 8 feet on the final hole.
But there was Kim, blasting a fairway metal onto the green. The ball rolled back down the slope to 2 feet for eagle to tie for the lead. Thitikul's birdie putt for the title missed right. She shot 67 and joined Kim at 14-under 270, one ahead of Woad and Minjee Lee (68).
Back to the 18th in the playoff, Thitikul again looked like a winner when Kim's second shot bounced on a cart path, over some rocks and into the pond. Thitikul was just left of the green in two. Kim took her penalty drop, then chipped in for birdie across the green.
Thitikul had to make an 8-foot birdie putt to extend the playoff, which she did. Playing the 18th for the third time, Kim again delivered another beauty over the pond and onto the green to about 12 feet.
Thitikul, who had tiny insects buzzing around her ball in the collar of a bunker, chipped weakly to about 6 feet. She could only watch as Kim ended it with an eagle.
That extended what already is a record streak in the LPGA Tour's 75-year history, the 18th consecutive tournament to start a season with a different winner. It also makes 13 different winners in the last 13 majors.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
27 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Jofra Archer's triumphant return helps England defeat India at Lord's
LONDON (AP) — It was July 14. Of course Jofra Archer was going to open the bowling for England against India on the final day of the Lord's test on Monday. 'Yeah, part of the reason I went with Jof this morning ... six years ago now to the day,' England captain Ben Stokes said. On July 14, 2019, Archer helped England won its first Cricket World Cup trophy in the most dramatic final against New Zealand, also at Lord's. 'He played a major role,' Stokes said, 'and I had a feeling he'd do something special (on Monday) and crack the game open.' In the fourth over of the day, Archer sent Rishabh Pant's off stump cartwheeling. Then in the day's eighth over, he got Washington Sundar with a fantastic one-hand caught-and-bowled. Archer and Stokes combined to take 3-11 in the first 40 minutes and hastened India's demise from 58-4 overnight to 82-7. India, chasing 193, was eventually dismissed for 170 and England won by 22 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Archer's first test in 4 1/2 years produced an impressive match haul of five wickets, his most in a test since December 2019. 'I had a gut feeling that Jof's going to do something in his first game back,' Stokes said. 'Every time he's announced on the tannoy, the ground erupts, and when the speeds go up on the screen, the feeling changes.' Archer regularly worried India by bowling at speeds of up to 90 mph (145 kph). But he was managed by Stokes, never doing more than five-over spells and spaced well apart. It frustrated Archer but he also understood after years of being sidelined by elbow and back injuries. 'It was pretty hectic, for the first game back,' he told broadcaster Sky Sports. "I probably bowled a few more overs than I thought I would've (39.2 in the match) but every single one mattered today so I'm not too fussed about it. 'Only played one test at Lord's (on debut in 2019) and that one was just as special as this one. It's been a long time coming, a lot of rehab, a lot of training. But moments like this make it worth it.' 'Managing the workload is still very hard, being told you can bowl some days and not others.' Archer never thought he would not return to test cricket. His previous test was in February 2021 in Ahmedabad, and his previous home test was in August 2020. 'I'm not totally out of the woods yet but it's a good start,' he said. 'The style of cricket that this team plays, it means I'm going to bowl a lot of overs!' Archer didn't hold back either when he verbally sprayed Pant and Sundar after dismissing them. It was all part of the passions brought on by earlier incidents between the teams. "We came together as a group yesterday and said, you know, sometimes we're too nice. We go to other places and some teams are not as nice to us as we are to them so I guess we just tried to shift it. I don't know if it gave us a bit more of a buzz in the field or not but we will keep it in the bank for the future! 'It wasn't a proud moment (to Pant). I just told him to cherish that moment. He came down the track and that annoyed me a little bit so when the ball nipped down the slope (and bowled him), I was so grateful.' ___
Hamilton Spectator
27 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Ben Healy takes Tour de France yellow jersey to give Ireland another cycling hero
LE MONT-DORE, France (AP) — Ireland has a new cycling hero. Ben Healy became the fourth Irish rider to earn the Tour de France's yellow jersey on Monday with a gritty ride in the fabled race's first mountainous stage. Healy led for much of the tough 165.3-kilometer route through the Massif Central — France's south-central highland region — but had to be content with third place after Giro d'Italia winner Simon Yates broke on the final ascent to take the stage victory . But Healy's push — he was nominated the most combative rider of the day on France's national day — was enough to take a 29-second lead over Tadej Pogačar in the general classification and take the yellow jersey from the three-time Tour champion. 'It's a fairy tale, you know,' said Healy, who claimed his first stage victory at the Tour on Thursday. 'If you'd told me before this Tour, I think I wouldn't have believed it. So a stage win and yellow jersey is just incredible and beyond belief, really.' Healy is preceded by fellow Irish riders Shay Elliot, who won a stage in 1963, Sean Kelly, who led after Stage 9 in 1983, and Stephen Roche, who won the Tour in 1987. 'It's some pretty crazy footsteps to follow, isn't it, and I'm just super proud to represent Ireland and wear the yellow jersey for them and hopefully I can do it some justice,' said Healy, who was born in England and qualifies for Ireland through his father's parents from Cork and Waterford. Healy was 3 minutes, 55 seconds behind Pogačar when he started Stage 10, but he found himself in a large breakaway from the favorites in the peloton, and then forced the initiative over seven category two climbs. Supported by UAE Team Emirates colleagues, Pogačar fought back late. Healy watched as the defending champion finished the stage on the ascent of Puy de Sancy — the region's highest peak — 4:51 behind stage winner Yates. Healy was only nine seconds behind. 'UAE surprisingly let a really big break go up the road,' he said. 'We had four guys in there and, yeah, I've got to really say a massive thank you to (EF Education-Easypost teammates) Harry Sweeney and Alex Baudin today, you know, they were just incredible and I'm just so glad I was able to finish.' Healy was not considered among the race favorites — two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard was expected to provide Pogačar with his sternest challenge. But wearing the yellow jersey means Healy will have to be more focused on the general classification than before. 'It would be rude not to be,' he said. 'I've got to respect the jersey and I'm in quite a nice position now, I guess, to try and hold on for as long as possible.' ___ AP sports:
San Francisco Chronicle
29 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ben Healy takes Tour de France yellow jersey to give Ireland another cycling hero
LE MONT-DORE, France (AP) — Ireland has a new cycling hero. Ben Healy became the fourth Irish rider to earn the Tour de France's yellow jersey on Monday with a gritty ride in the fabled race's first mountainous stage. Healy led for much of the tough 165.3-kilometer route through the Massif Central — France's south-central highland region — but had to be content with third place after Giro d'Italia winner Simon Yates broke on the final ascent to take the stage victory. But Healy's push — he was nominated the most combative rider of the day on France's national day — was enough to take a 29-second lead over Tadej Pogačar in the general classification and take the yellow jersey from the three-time Tour champion. 'It's a fairy tale, you know,' said Healy, who claimed his first stage victory at the Tour on Thursday. 'If you'd told me before this Tour, I think I wouldn't have believed it. So a stage win and yellow jersey is just incredible and beyond belief, really.' Healy is preceded by fellow Irish riders Shay Elliot, who won a stage in 1963, Sean Kelly, who led after Stage 9 in 1983, and Stephen Roche, who won the Tour in 1987. 'It's some pretty crazy footsteps to follow, isn't it, and I'm just super proud to represent Ireland and wear the yellow jersey for them and hopefully I can do it some justice,' said Healy, who was born in England and qualifies for Ireland through his father's parents from Cork and Waterford. Healy was 3 minutes, 55 seconds behind Pogačar when he started Stage 10, but he found himself in a large breakaway from the favorites in the peloton, and then forced the initiative over seven category two climbs. Supported by UAE Team Emirates colleagues, Pogačar fought back late. Healy watched as the defending champion finished the stage on the ascent of Puy de Sancy — the region's highest peak — 4:51 behind stage winner Yates. Healy was only nine seconds behind. 'UAE surprisingly let a really big break go up the road,' he said. 'We had four guys in there and, yeah, I've got to really say a massive thank you to (EF Education-Easypost teammates) Harry Sweeney and Alex Baudin today, you know, they were just incredible and I'm just so glad I was able to finish.' Healy was not considered among the race favorites — two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard was expected to provide Pogačar with his sternest challenge. But wearing the yellow jersey means Healy will have to be more focused on the general classification than before. 'It would be rude not to be,' he said. 'I've got to respect the jersey and I'm in quite a nice position now, I guess, to try and hold on for as long as possible.'
