EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — In the last LPGA event before this week’s Dana Open in Sylvania, Ayaka Furue of Japan made a late charge to win the Evian Championship with an eagle on the last hole to clinch her first major title on Sunday.
The 24-year-old Furue held her nerve with another clinical putt, having made three birdies in the previous four holes to finish on 19 under overall after posting a 6-under 65.
Furue placed one stroke ahead of Australian Stephanie Kyriacou (67), the overnight leader, and two ahead of Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit — who made a superb 63 to move into contention for her second major.
American Lauren Coughlin (69) finished four shots behind Furue in fourth place.
Heading to the 18th hole Furue and Kyriacou were level at 17 under with Tavatanakit, who was already in the clubhouse.
Furue teed off well and found the fairway but Kyriacou’s shot swerved left into the rough.
Furue found the green with her second shot, giving her a championship shot and, moments later, she was doused with Champagne. Her previous best performance at a major was fourth at Evian in 2021.
“I am so honored to be the winner,” Furue said. “I didn’t believe that I could get a major win, so I am so happy right now.”
It was only her second title on the LPGA Tour, the other coming at the Women’s Scottish Open in 2022 when she rallied from a four-shot deficit.
The 23-year-old Kyriacou, who birdied the 18th, also secured her best result. Her previous best was a tie for seventh at the Women’s British Open two years ago.
“It sucks not to hold the trophy, but if you’d told me I would come second at the start of the week, I would’ve been happy,” Kyriacou said. “Obviously a lot of stuff worked well for me this week, so just trying to keep the same mindset going forward, and hopefully I can win.”
Top-ranked American Nelly Korda tied for 26th in a group including 2018 champion Angela Stanford of the United States and 2022 winner Brooke Henderson of Canada
.
Scottish delight
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland — Robert MacIntyre screamed so loud when the winning putt dropped that he lost his voice. He still was drowned out by thousands of delirious Scottish fans who celebrated one of their own winning the Scottish Open.
“It’s the one I wanted, and the one I got,” MacIntyre said after making a 22-foot birdie putt that fell on its last turn on the last hole for a 3-under 67 and a one-shot victory over Adam Scott. “I can’t believe it’s happened.”
It’s hard to believe how it happened — a birdie putt he thought was short, a sprinkler head he couldn’t see, and three metal spikes he wears in the front of his shoes.
Two shots behind with three holes to play, MacIntyre was swearing up a storm when he saw his tee shot on the par-5 16th go into grass so deep he figured he would be able to advance it only 100 yards down the fairway.
He took a practice swing. And then he heard a click.
Turns out there was a sprinkler head in the deep grass, and MacIntyre wouldn’t have felt it except for those spikes. He checked with his caddie to make sure it was under his stance. He called for a rules official. He got the break of a lifetime, able to take take a free drop into shorter grass that allowed him to slash a 6-iron from 248 yards that settled 6 feet away.
He made the eagle putt to tie Scott, who closed with a 67. MacIntyre hit pitching wedge into the 18th. He dropped his putter when he saw the ball disappear, delivering a sweeping uppercut and as loud a yell as he could muster. It sounded as though everyone else did, too.
This Open felt like a major to MacIntyre. It was the only tournament he could attend as a kid. And he became the first Scot to win the Scottish Open since Colin Montgomerie in 1999 at Loch Lomond.
First Published July 15, 2024, 12:44 a.m.
