What a final!
Since becoming a Major in 2013, the Evian Championship has been fortunate enough to offer its spectators some outstanding laps.
In 2017, Anna Nordqvist even won the trophy on the first playoff hole ... Sunday, the tradition seemed threatened since Jeongeun Lee6 (-18) had five strokes ahead of his immediate pursuers on the morning of the epilogue of the 27th editing.
The co-record holder of the lowest lap (61) achieved in Major - men and women alike - seemed to have surfed towards victory since her feat on the 2nd day.
It was forgetting that golf often holds surprises.
Pubic favorites
Party in the company of Lydia Ko, one of the darlings of the Evian public (who finally came in quite a few despite the sanitary constraints), and the American Yealimi Noh, Lee6 quickly showed signs of feverishness, opening the door to a return to his adversaries: five bogeys weighed down his way. If the New Zealand star never really seemed able to catch up, the young, talented and ambitious Noh (19) had come back to height halfway. And even offered the luxury of leading at once to hole 13.
On the fairway of n ° 17, tied, Lee6 and Yealimi Noh did not let go. Their respective iron shots testified to a surgical precision, over the trees going up in order to pose their balls less than one meter of the flag. Superb. On the 18th, Noh (-17) won by paring for a card of 67 while Lee6 (-18) made his third birdie in a row… to secure a 71 and afford a playoff.
Indeed, for one as for the other, the danger had been declared elsewhere: in the penultimate part, Minjee Lee (-18) had shown much more will to win than his opponents. On a final 2.50-meter putt, the Australian ended her Sunday course with four birdies on her last five holes. Her 64 concluded thanks to six birdies propelled the 14th player in the world against Lee6 in the playoff. The opportunity to remember that his younger brother Min Woo Lee won the Scottish Open, his 2nd victory on the European Tour at the start of 2021, by winning this way ...
Hitting the first on the start of the 18th, Minjee Lee, 14th in the world, signed a last birdie while Lee6 was content with a bogey after seeing his second shot run aground in the water.
Total happiness for Minjee Lee, often successful in Major (3rd in the British Open 2020, 3rd in the ANA Inspiration 2017) but never a winner.
The American Yealimi Noh (-17) completed the podium in 3rd place, ahead of the Japanese Ayaka Furue (-15) and the Thai Atthaya Thitikul (-14).
Maguire equaled the record
The Sunday round of Evian gave rise to another feat: two days after Lee6, a new player equaled the record (61) for the lowest round achieved in a major tournament, men and women alike. Taking advantage of ideal weather conditions, the Irish Leona Maguire (26 years old) made ten birdies and eight starts in the Champions course in Evian. She therefore joins Lee6 but also Hyo-joo Kim, who had signed the same card during the 1st round in 2014.
Among the French, Céline Boutier (69-72-68-70) finished a solid week in 29th position in the standings, while Céline Herbin (68-70-76-74) is further (68th).
The main French satisfaction is Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (68-74-71-68), best amateur of the tournament, in 38th place on the leaderboard for her 2nd Major in Evian.
Lucie Malchirand (18) crossed the cut for her first participation (76th) but encountered great difficulties during the last two laps (69-72-82-87).
Amundi Evian Championship final ranking (par 71):
1. Minjee Lee (AUS) -18 (68-69-65-64), victorious at the first play-off
2. Jeongeun Lee (KOR) -18 (66-61-68-71)
3. Yealimi Noh (USA) -17 (65-68-67-67)
4. Ayaka Furue (JPN) -15 (66-68-68-67)
5. Atthaya Thitikul (THA) -14 (66-69-70-65)
6. Georgia Hall (ENG) -13 (69-72-66-64)
.
Lydia Ko (NZL) -13 (68-65-68-70)
.
Leona Maguire (IRL) -13 (69-70-71-61)
.
Chun In Gee (KOR) -13 (68-68-68-67)
10. Amy Yang (KOR) -11 (71-69-67-66)
.
Pajaree Anannarukarn (THA) -11 (65-65-72-71)
… Etc.
The complete leaderboard.