Australia’s Grace Kim Wins Playoff Thriller To Clinch First Major Title At Evian Championship

Grace Kim has produced 1 of nan astir astonishing golfing fightbacks successful history to subordinate Australia’s illustrious group of awesome champions.

Kim recovered from 4 shots down successful a astir melodramatic last information to clinch triumph complete world No 2 Jeeno Thitikul connected nan 2nd playoff spread astatine nan Evian Championship successful France.

“I don’t cognize really it happened, really,” said nan incredulous Kim aft her astounding eagle-birdie-eagle decorativeness landed her nan crown successful nan 4th awesome of nan year.

With 3 eagles successful a crazy final-round 67, Kim prevailed pinch a 14-under-par 270 winning full to subordinate Karrie Webb, Minjee Lee, Hannah Green and Jan Stephenson arsenic only Australia’s 5th female awesome winner.

Thitikul appeared connected way to herself seizure her maiden awesome aft nan trio of Aussies, Kim, Lee and Gabriela Ruffels, faltered down nan agelong astatine nan Evian Resort Club connected Sunday.

Ruffels had shared nan lead while chap 24-year-old Kim and triple major-winning awesome Lee were conscionable 1 changeable down entering nan last information successful nan beautiful French Alps, adjacent Lake Geneva.

But aft a crazy time of twists and turns, Kim recovered herself successful a playoff pinch Thitikul aft delivering a contender for changeable of nan twelvemonth for a spectacular eagle connected nan closing par-five 18th hole.

Thitikul still had nan chance to triumph but missed a short sliding downhill putt earlier Kim tapped successful for eagle to unit nan playoff.

The Thai past looked definite to triumph connected nan first other spread erstwhile Kim deed her 2nd changeable into nan hazard.

But nan Sydneysider miraculously chipped successful for birdie to widen nan playoff, earlier prevailing connected nan 2nd other spread erstwhile Thitikul erred again and could not lucifer Kim’s eagle.

“I wasn’t worried,” said Kim, reflcting connected her astonishing chip. “Dropped nan shot and it benignant of ended up successful a beautiful decent dishonesty and I conscionable wanted to make judge I sewage it there. Yeah, conscionable happened to person chipped it in. I don’t cognize if I tin do it again. That was great.”

But earlier successful nan day, Kim had felt she had missed nan vessel aft she had double-bogeyed nan 12th hole.

“I thought I was retired of it,” she said. “But I conscionable said to myself and to my caddy, ‘I’ve sewage thing other to lose’.”

It was nan cue for her to play almost arsenic if successful a trance complete nan clutch precocious holes and successful nan playoff.

What was she reasoning erstwhile she stood complete nan 12ft eagle putt to make history connected that 2nd playoff hole?

“Just looked consecutive astatine nan hole. That’s what my caddie told maine to do and I did it,” she said. “Just each happened quickly.”

Kim’s epic triumph secured Australia a 2nd consecutive awesome aft Lee won nan Women’s PGA Championship only 3 weeks ago.

After closing pinch a 67 to station a four-round 14-under-270 total, Kim yet only edged retired Lee – who closed pinch a 68 – by 1 shot.

Ruffels’ third-round co-leader and chap erstwhile tennis ace, England’s Cara Gainer, was speedy to slice retired of nan image pinch 4 bogeys successful nan first 5 holes.

For Kim, a four-time victor of Karrie Webb’s scholarship, which has fixed her nan chance to study from Australia’s top champion, it was a perchance life-changing win.

“It’s a immense accomplishment for me,” she said. “I’ve had a batch of doubts early this year. I was benignant of losing motivation. I benignant of had to get immoderate difficult conversations done pinch nan team. Yeah, benignant of had to aftermath up a small bit.

“So to beryllium sitting present adjacent to this trophy is decidedly surreal.”

Completing a stellar title for Australia’s breathtaking batch of stars, 2024 runner-up Steph Kyriacou had different last-day complaint to large wind location pinch a 64 to necktie for 14th.