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Grace Kim with a stunning finish wins Evian Championship for her first major

ABC News's profile
Original Story by ABC News
July 13, 2025
Grace Kim with a stunning finish wins Evian Championship for her first major

Context:

Grace Kim achieved her first major victory at the Evian Championship with an exceptional performance, marked by two eagles, one to force a playoff and another to secure the win. At the age of 24, Kim demonstrated remarkable composure, particularly when her final eagle putt clinched the title over Jeeno Thitikul. Thitikul, who had been leading after birdieing the 17th hole, saw her chances slip away despite strong competition from English amateur Lottie Woad, who aimed to become the first amateur major winner since 1967. Woad led briefly and finished one stroke behind Kim and Thitikul, highlighting the intense competition. Kim's victory is notable in the context of the LPGA Tour's record streak of 18 consecutive tournaments with different winners, as well as being the 13th different winner in the last 13 majors.

Dive Deeper:

  • Grace Kim secured her first major title at the Evian Championship with a spectacular performance, notably forcing a playoff with an eagle on the 18th hole and winning with another eagle in the playoff against Jeeno Thitikul.

  • Kim, a 24-year-old Australian, showed impressive composure, especially when she made a 12-foot eagle putt in the playoff, which not only surprised her but also underscored her ability to perform under pressure.

  • Jeeno Thitikul, who was leading after a birdie on the 17th, found herself in a tense battle with Kim and English amateur Lottie Woad, who was also in contention after recently winning the Irish Women's Open.

  • Lottie Woad, an English amateur, led at one point on the back nine and was attempting to become the first amateur to win a major since Catherine Lacoste in 1967, eventually finishing one stroke behind Kim and Thitikul.

  • The playoff on the 18th hole saw Kim's second shot initially go awry but her recovery, including a penalty drop and a birdie chip-in, kept her in contention, leading to her ultimate victory with an eagle.

  • Thitikul's final effort to extend the playoff with an 8-foot birdie putt was successful, but she was unable to match Kim's final eagle putt.

  • Kim’s win continued the LPGA Tour's remarkable streak of 18 different winners for the 18 tournaments at the start of the season and marked her second LPGA title, with her previous win being in Hawaii two years ago.

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