How Haran Ryu survived the chaos on Sunday to win the Evian
As Haeran Ryu compiled his scorecard on Saturday, he was shocked to realize that he had just made major championship history in Evian. Nine birdies and an eagle saw her shoot a third-round 11-under 60, the lowest score ever in a women’s major, to take a three-shot lead into Sunday’s final round.
Ryu, who won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship three weeks ago, was 18 holes away from winning back-to-back majors. It was within his grasp and felt like a foregone conclusion, especially after Aki Iwai bogeyed the third hole Sunday to extend Ryu’s lead to five.
But Evian always brings Sunday mayhem, and this edition was no different.
Brooke Henderson, who started the day seven shots behind Ryu, opened with a birdie at the first. He then bogeyed the par-5 seventh before making an ace on the par-3 eighth to move within one of Ryu, who played the first eight holes at one over.
Iwai responded to his early stumble by making birdies at six and nine to get between the two Ryu on the turn.
Ryu’s lead remained at 2 until Iwai made birdies at 14 and 15 to catch him at 18 under. One hole later, Henderson made a birdie of his own to pull even with Ryu and Iwai, setting up a two-hole run to the major title.
Iwai and Ryu both made pars on the par-4 17th, but Henderson missed a three-foot par putt to fall one back on the par-5 18th.
But the door backfired quickly for Henderson when Iwai and Ryu both missed their left shots, forcing them to lay up. Henderson, on the other hand, split the fairway and holed his second through eighth feet for eagle.
Ryu and Iwai both got the greens in the third but were far behind Henderson. If one made birdie, it would have forced Henderson to roll in his eagle to force a playoff. If both missed, Henderson would have the appearance of winning by regulation.
Ryu went first. A day after making nine birdies, he had gone 17 holes without recording a round. Now he needed one to ensure he would at least make it to the playoffs. He put a confident stroke on the ball, until it almost caught the edge of the cup and dropped to move him to 19 under.
Iwai followed. The 24-year-old retired former Japanese major came into last month’s KPMG Women’s PGA, where she finished tied for 19th. He already had the best finish of his young career secured but needed to make a mid-length putt to reach a playoff with Ryu and Henderson possibly. His putt misses left, leaving the fairway to Henderson.
It was a hot Sunday for Henderson, who also made two eagles. A third would send him into a playoff and make him the first player in LPGA history to make three eagles in one round. But he also missed short par putts on 14 and 17 which put him eight balls behind heading into the final hole.
Henderson stood on his ball, took a deep breath and rolled it straight to the heart.
As Henderson and Ryu prepare for their playoff match, Iwai’s emotions flow as he talks about his first big miss.
“I was confident.
After the interview, Lydia Ko consoled Iwai as he corrected the putt he “just missed” and would put him back on 18 with Henderson and Ryu.
Back on the 18th tee, this time it was Henderson who pulled his tee shot left while Ryu drew up the middle. After Henderson fell asleep, Ryu got a double green, giving himself a long eagle look.
With Ryu almost assured of a two-putt birdie, Henderson knew he had to get close to his shot to have a chance to extend the playoff. But he pulled it left, and his ball bounced off the green and landed in the rough.
Ryu bogeyed his first putt to four feet, leaving Henderson with what might have to be done for a birdie to send the tournament to the second qualifying hole. But Henderson’s magic ended in France as the chip missed the ground, leaving Ryu four feet away from back-to-back majors. Four feet with what he said on Saturday would be “a fantastic dream,” something that seemed to have disappeared three weeks ago before he was crowned champion at Hazeltine after his first major win.
Ryu stood over the ball and calmly rolled it into the center of the cup to claim his second major title in a row. Ryu’s win made more LPGA history, making it the first time two players won back-to-back majors in the same season. Nelly Korda opened the year with wins at the Chevron and the US Women’s Open.
“It feels like nothing right now,” Ryu said after his win. “Because today [my] a gun [were] very good but my placement is bad. I [was] I’m just thinking God, please enter the hole. All holes, I just pray. But the last hole and the birdie hole there, I just thank God I can say that part. And it feels like a pipe dream right now.”
Henderson, who finished third to Ryu at the Women’s PGA, didn’t lament the missed opportunity. She watched a flurry of Sundays where she raced up the leaderboard and emerged as another building block towards a No. 3 major, which could come in three weeks at the AIG Women’s Open.
“I played well today, which is very exciting,” Henderson said. “Finishing second a few weeks ago, the game is in a very good place. Obviously, it’s very exciting to get into the play-offs. I wish I could have played better, but Haeran was playing well.
“I’m happy with the way I played. Lots of birdies and eagles, which is really exciting.”
Back on the 18th green, Ryu was once again showered with champagne, spoiling what a major tournament winner gets to enjoy while considering his new place in the game.
“This is just a dream right now,” Ryu said. “Because before three weeks [ago]I don’t have a big competition, but now two in a row. So I’m very happy and—I can’t believe it yet.”
