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Golf Monthly
Golf Monthly
Sport
Matt Cradock

Haeran Ryu Defeats Brooke Henderson In Playoff To Secure Amundi Evian Championship

(Image credit: Getty Images)

After shooting the lowest round in a Major championship on Saturday, Haeran Ryu found herself three shots clear going into the final round of the Amundi Evian Championship.

Certainly, it looked like it would be an easy procession for the South Korean, who was looking to secure a second straight Major...

However, it was anything but, as Ryu had to endure a playoff win over Brooke Henderson to add to her KPMG Women's PGA Championship success.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Firing a 60 on Saturday, Ryu was 19-under starting her day and, with eight pars and a bogey on the front-side, that advantage was shrunk to just one, as Henderson carded a five-under front nine that included an eagle and a hole-in-one.

Despite the pressure, Ryu kept ahead and, with Henderson making bogey, the lead moved back to two, before another player in Akie Iwai leaped out the blocks with birdies at the 14th and 15th.

What's more, thanks to a birdie from Henderson at the 16th, we had a three-way tie for the lead with just two holes remaining, as Evian Resort Golf Club threw up yet another thrilling finish.

Iwai produced her best ever Major performance (Image credit: Getty Images)

At the 17th, both Ryu and Iwai parred, while Henderson bogeyed to fall to 17-under, one back of her playing partners.

Ryu and Iwai, though, found trouble off the tee on the 18th and, with Henderson down the middle of the fairway, lay-ups were needed for the leaders, who then watched the Canadian stick her approach to just four-feet.

Henderson had a good look for eagle coming up, but when Ryu made her birdie putt, it meant a playoff was the best outcome.

Watching Iwai miss her birdie, Henderson stood up and calmly rolled in the eagle putt, which just so happened to be her third of the round.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Heading for a playoff for a second straight year, we saw a complete contrast to regulation play, with Ryu finding the short grass and Henderson going left into the rough.

From there, a chip out was followed by a pulled wedge for Henderson, who looked on as Ryu found the green and rolled her eagle attempt to four-foot.

Needing to chip-in, the Canadian was unable to, with the resulting par not enough compared to Ryu's birdie, as she secured back-to-back Major wins.

Amundi Evian Championship Leaderboard

  • -19 Haeran Ryu (71)*
  • -19 Brooke Henderson (64)
  • -18 Akie Iwai (69)
  • -15 Jin Hee Im (65)
  • -15 Miyu Yamashita (66)
  • -15 Mao Saigo (68)
  • -13 Lydia Ko (64)
  • -13 Anna Nordqvist (66)
  • -12 Auston Kim (67)
  • -11 Somi Lee (64)
  • -11 Maja Stark (67)
  • -11 Jeeno Thitikul (70)
  • -11 Casandra Alexander (71)

    *claimed victory at first playoff hole

THE STORY SO FAR

We are a few holes in to the back nine, where Haeran Ryu leads by two strokes from Brooke Henderson and Aki Iwai.

Henderson has been the main challenger to Ryu's perch, with the Canadian making an eagle and a hole-in-one to move within one shot at one point.

Ryu, though, has produced some good saves, seeing her advantage move to two with six holes remaining.

HENDERSON'S ACE

RYU LOOKING FOR BACK-TO-BACK MAJORS

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Nelly Korda claimed the Chevron Championship and US Women's Open earlier this year and, with a victory, Ryu would match her in winning back-to-back Majors.

The South Korean claimed the KPMG Women's PGA Championship last month, and is on-course to secure another Major title.

GREAT SHOTS AT THE 13TH

Ryu, Henderson and Iwai are pulling themselves away from the chasing pack, with their approach shots at the 13th showing why.

Finding the fairway, all three are within 15-feet of the hole on the long par 4, with all leaving great chances for birdie.

LYDIA KO FINISHES UP

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Ko fires an excellent seven-under 64 final round to move into a share of fifth.

Great performance from the LPGA Tour Hall of Famer, who will add another top 10 to her CV.

NO BIRDIES

Well, after all three players in the final group hit excellent approaches, none of them can convert at the 13th.

Iwai's putt just slides by, while Ryu's attempt never threatens the hole. Henderson, meanwhile, sees her effort run by the right-edge.

Ryu remains two clear of her playing partners.

MORE GREAT TEE SHOTS

The par 3 14th has been playing under-par today, and it's clear to see why, as Ryu and Iwai put their tee shots close.

Both leave around six-to-eight-feet, while Henderson goes long and right of the flag, leaving a tough up-and-down coming up.

IM TO 14-UNDER

Jin Hee Im birdies the 11th, 13th and 15th to move to 14-under, which is currently a share of fourth alongside Mao Saigo.

HUGE SAVE FROM BROOKE

That's an incredible up-and-down from Henderson!

Her tee shot goes long and right and on to a tee box. There aren't many options with the pitch, forcing her to go past the flag around 15-feet.

It's a tough putt for par, but it never looks anywhere else, as it drops in the center of the hole for a huge save.

IWAI MOVES WITHIN ONE

Ryu can't convert her birdie attempt at the 14th, but Iwai can!

Her birdie putt dives in the middle of the hole, with the Japanese player moving to within one of leader, Ryu.

BIG SLICE OF LUCK FOR THE LEADER

Faced with an awkward lie, Ryu pushes her approach at the par 5 15th and grimaces as it goes right.

Somehow, though, it clears the thick rough and finds the short grass, leaving a nice pitch up to the flag.

GREAT EFFORT FROM HENDERSON

From the rough, Henderson digs her fairway wood out and finds the middle of the green at the par 5 15th.

She has an eagle chance coming up, but will take a two putt, given the difficulty of the attempt.

It's a similar story to Iwai, who from the fairway also finds the green, albeit well back of the hole.

IWAI'S BIRDIE

GREAT TWO PUTT FROM SAIGO

At the par 3 16th, Saigo makes a great two putt from the front of the green to remain at 14-under. She shares fourth with Im right now.

SHARE OF THE LEAD

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Ryu can only par the easy par 5 15th and she remains at 18-under.

She was leading, but is now co-leader, as Iwai two putts for birdie to move to 18-under, while Henderson moves to 17-under, thanks to her two putt birdie.

WHAT'S UP FOR GRABS?

Along with the trophy, there is also lots of prize money and points available this week.

Check out the full Amundi Evian Championship prize money breakdown here.

SUCH GOOD GOLF

Iwai goes right at the par 3 16th, leaving a tough two putt.

Henderson and Ryu, meanwhile, go straight at the flag and finish around 10-feet behind the hole. They will have great looks at birdies coming up.

YAMASHITA TO 14-UNDER

We now have a three-way share of fourth, with Miyu Yamashita moving to 14-under.

The AIG Women's Open winner birdies the 16th and 17th to join Saigo and Im.

SAIGO DROPS A SHOT

We momentarily had a three-way tie for fourth, but Saigo bogeys the 17th and drops to a tie for sixth.

THREE-WAY TIE FOR THE LEAD

Ryu misses her birdie attempt and Henderson doesn't at the 16th!

Iwai two putts, and that means we now have a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard.

Unreal finish in-store

17TH HOLE

Ryu produces a decent approach into the par 4 17th, where the pin is tucked on the right-side of the green.

Iwai goes at the flag, landing 15-feet behind it, while Henderson pulls it left and it leaves a tough two-putt coming up from the edge of the green.

Advantage Iwai.

BIRDIE FOR BROOKE

THREE BIRDIES FOR MIYU

Great finish from Yamashita, who birdies the final three holes to finish 15-under.

It won't be enough to win, but it's a great showing from the Major winner, who sits solo fourth right now.

IM TO 15-UNDER

Just as Yamashita ends her round, Im joins her at 15-under, with the pair firing rounds of 65 and 66 on Sunday.

ALL-SQUARE DOWN THE LAST

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Iwai and Ryu safely par, while Henderson misses a tough three-footer.

It was a good first putt, but she never looked comfortable over her par attempt, with it missing the hole.

Henderson is 17-under, Iwai and Ryu are 18-under.

SUPER SAIGO

Saigo eagles the last and joins Im and Yamashita at 15-under-par.

TROUBLE OFF THE TEE

Iwai and Ryu share the lead, but they will be forced to lay-up with their second shots at the par 5 18th, with both going well left off the tee.

Henderson, meanwhile, pounds her tee shot down the fairway and will be able to reach the green with her second.

IWAI AND RYU LAY UP

Iwai chips out from the trees and leaves herself well back of the flag.

Ryu, meanwhile, wedges out from the rough and leaves herself slightly back of Iwai, with both in the fairway.

WOW! WHAT A SHOT FROM HENDERSON

That's incredible from Brooke Henderson!

From the middle of the fairway, the Canadian produces a stunning approach that rolls to six-feet from the hole.

She'll have that for eagle, with it a relatively simple putt up the hill.

BIRDIE PUTTS INCOMING

Both Ryu and Iwai find the green with their approaches, leaving around eight-feet for birdies.

They are both outside Henderson's eagle putt, though, such was the quality of her approach.

HOW GOOD?!

MAGIC FROM RYU

What a time to make your first birdie!

Ryu has struggled today, but she gets a putt to drop at the last and gets to 19-under.

It only just made it, but that's a birdie and puts the pressure on her playing partners.

IWAI MISSES

Gutting finish for Iwai, whose birdie putt slides by the right-side.

That's a closing par for the Japanese player, who finishes 18-under for the championship.

BIRDIE FOR RYU

BROOKE HAS DONE IT

Unbelievable from Henderson, who eagles the 18th and joins Ryu at 19-under!

We head for a playoff for a second straight year.

NEVER IN DOUBT

FROM SEVEN BACK

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Henderson was seven back of Ryu starting the final round, but a seven-under 64 from the former means we head to a playoff, which will be played down the 18th.

PLAYOFF RECORD

Henderson has an LPGA record of two wins and one loss. One of those victories was a Major, specifically the 2016 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

Ryu, meanwhile, has one win and no losses, with her sole victory being the FM Championship in 2024.

EMOTION FROM IWAI

PLAYERS ARE ON THE TEE

Both Ryu and Henderson are on the tee, and it's Ryu who leads the pair off.

Stepping up, Ryu stripes it down the middle and her tee shot is well up the fairway.

Henderson, meanwhile, has been driving superbly all week, but her tee shot is well left and that will likely be a lay-up.

BROOKE LAYS UP

From the rough, Henderson lays up and finds the fairway.

The advantage is in Ryu's hands, who will be going for it from the short grass. She has 167-yards to the flag.

GREEN FOUND

It's not bad from the Major winner, who finds the green with her approach.

Ryu is about 45-foot from the hole, so still holds the advantage.

HENDERSON MISSES THE GREEN

She knew it immediately...

With a wedge in-hand, Henderson pulls her third left and it nestles down in the rough.

She might need to chip that in to have a chance of matching Ryu, who is safely on the green.

RYU'S EAGLE PUTT

Up first is Ryu, whose eagle attempt is online but comes up a few feet short.

You expect her to hole that birdie putt, but it's not a gimme.

GOOD CHIP FROM HENDERSON

Nice chip from Henderson, who was slightly short-sided.

Putting her fourth to a foot, she has guaranteed the par, but will need Ryu to miss.

RYU DOES IT

She's done it! Haeran Ryu defeats Brooke Henderson with a birdie at the first playoff hole to win the Amundi Evian Championship!

The South Korean claims her second straight Major, following her KPMG Women's PGA Championship triumph last month.

YOUR CHAMPION

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THE WINNING MOMENT

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