Ryu secures second major title in three weeks, Kim wins Scottish Open
Haeran Ryu secured her second consecutive major title within three weeks, triumphing at the Evian Championship in Evian-les-Baines, France. She concluded the tournament with an even-par 71 and clinched the victory by birdying the first playoff hole against Brooke Henderson. This win follows her success at the Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club on June 29.
Ryu and Henderson both finished the week at 19-under par at Evian Golf Resort. Henderson, the 2022 champion, recorded three eagles in her final round, including a hole-in-one on No. 8 and an eagle on No. 18, which forced the playoff. In the playoff on No. 18, Henderson made par after pulling her drive, while Ryu sank a three-foot birdie putt to secure the championship.
During the tournament, Ryu achieved a significant milestone by shooting a 60 on Saturday, marking the lowest round ever recorded at a major. This performance put her three shots ahead of the field at 19-under par leading into the final round. Her caddie, Martin Bozek, noted that he was unaware the course was a par 71. Ryu’s round included an eagle on the sixth hole and birdies on holes 2, 7, 9, 10, 14, 15, and 17. She hit eight fairways, 16 greens, and used 24 putts.
This marks the first time in women’s golf that there have been double major winners in the same year, with Nelly Korda having won the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open earlier in the season. Ryu’s approach to majors involves focusing on easy pars rather than aggressively pursuing birdies, a strategy she believes reduces stress.
Kim Claims Scottish Open Title
In other golf news, Tom Kim emerged victorious at the Scottish Open in North Berwick, Scotland, securing his first PGA Tour title since the fall of 2023. Kim played a bogey-free final round, closing with a 6-under 64, which gave him a two-shot lead.
His decisive shot came on the par-4 16th, where he hit from 203 yards to within six feet of the hole. He then sealed his win with a four-foot par putt on the 18th. Min Woo Lee finished alone in second place after shooting a 67.
Matt Fitzpatrick, who shared the 54-hole lead with Robert MacIntyre after the fog-delayed third round was completed on Sunday morning, posted a 69. Fitzpatrick tied for third place with MacIntyre (69), Keita Nakajima (67), and Johnny Keefer (67). Keefer, the Korn Ferry Tour player of the year in 2025, earned one of three spots in the upcoming British Open, alongside Michael Thorbjornsen and Victor Perez.
Other Tournament Results
On the PGA Tour Champions, Zach Johnson won his first major at the Kaulig Companies Championship, the final event held at Firestone Country Club. He closed with a 2-under 68, achieving a six-shot victory. Johnson had established a four-shot lead going into the final round with a 63 in the third round. This marks Johnson’s third win in his rookie season on the 50-and-older PGA Tour Champions, allowing him to narrow the gap on Stewart Cink in the Charles Schwab Cup. The victory also qualifies Johnson for The Players Championship next year. Boo Weekley finished second at 9-under 271, followed by Rory Sabbatini, and Cink in fourth.
Meanwhile, Steven Fisk won the ISCO Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, for his second PGA Tour title. He outlasted Taylor Pendrith in a playoff, securing the win with a two-putt par on the third extra hole. Fisk closed with a 3-under 67 to match Pendrith at 16-under 264. This event, sanctioned by both the PGA Tour and the European Tour, was played opposite the Scottish Open. Fisk’s win grants him entry into the PGA Championship, but not the Masters, next year. His first PGA Tour title was the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi last October.
On the Korn Ferry Tour, Ross Steelman claimed his first title at The Blue Championship in Berthoud, Colorado, with a 4-under 68, winning by one stroke over Tommy Morrison. Steelman matched the tournament record of 22-under 266. In other tours, Lars van der Vight won the German Challenge, Haylee Harford Sanchez won the Epson Tour’s Four Winds Invitational, and Mardy Fish secured his third American Century Championship title.
Read Also
Source: infonews.ca
