Haeran Ryu beats Brooke Henderson in playoff to win Evian Championship for 2nd straight major title

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — A second major title in a three-week stretch. The lowest round — an 11-under 60 — in an LPGA major.

It was quite the weekend for Haeran Ryu, the latest South Korean sensation in women’s golf.

Ryu, the winner of the Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine on June 29, gave up a three-shot overnight lead, birdied No. 18 to make a playoff, and beat Brooke Henderson on the first extra hole to win the Evian Championship on Sunday.

“This,” said the 25-year-old Ryu, drenched in Champagne and cradling the trophy in her left arm, “is just a dream right now.”

A day after rolling in nine birdies and an eagle to set the scoring record for women’s majors, Ryu couldn’t make a putt at Evian Golf Resort and found herself teeing off on the par-5 18th in a tie for the lead with Japanese golfer Aki Iwai and with Henderson — a two-time major winner and 2022 Evian champion — a shot back.

With Henderson hitting her second shot to 8 feet, Ryu needed to make birdie — her first of the day — from further out to ensure being in a playoff and a putt finally dropped to complete a level-par 71. Iwai missed her birdie putt to fall out of contention but Henderson curled in for eagle to take the championships to extra holes.

It was the third eagle of the round for Henderson, whose 64 included a hole-in-one at No. 8 after finding the middle of the green and seeing her ball roll all the way in.

Ryu and Henderson went back up No. 18 in separate golf carts. Ryu found the middle of the fairway, while Henderson drove left into the rough and had to lay up.

Ryu hit her second onto the green and left an eagle putt 3 feet short. That proved to be the distance needed for the win after Henderson could only make par, and Ryu made no mistake.

“It was so tough today because my putt always missed the cup,” Ryu said. “Just made the one birdie on the last hole.

“Before these three weeks,” she added, “I didn’t have a major championship — now two in a row. I am so happy, I can’t believe it.”

For the first time in women’s golf, there have been double major winners in the same year.

No. 1-ranked Nelly Korda won the first two of 2026 — the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open.

Henderson was looking to be the first repeat winner of the Evian Championship since it became women’s golf’s fifth major in 2013.

“Obviously very exciting to get into the playoff,” the 28-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., said. “Wish I had played a little bit better, but Haeran has been playing great. Congrats to her.”

Iwai wept as she fell short of winning her first major title and becoming the fifth major champion from Japan since the start of 2024.

Still, third place was her best finish in a major.

“I got a little confidence,” she said, fighting back tears. “I never give up.”

The year’s final major — the Women’s British Open — is at Royal Lytham & St. Annes starting July 30.

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The Associated Press