Grace Kim wins Evian stunner with eagle-birdie-eagle finish in France

USA Today

13-07-2025

The first time Grace Kim played Evian Golf Club, the course brought her to tears. Two years later, the 24-year-old leaves France a major champion and author of the one of the most extraordinary finishes in major championship history.
It was, in a word, magnifique.
'I couldn't breathe, Tom,' Kim told Golf Channel's Tom Abbott after draining an eagle putt on the par-5 18th to close out the 30th playing of the 2025 Amundi Evian Championship.
For most of Sunday on the picturesque shores of Lake Geneva, the attention centered around Lottie Woad, who looked like she might become only the third amateur in LPGA history to win a major and the first since Catherine Lacoste won the U.S. Women's Open in 1976. Woad held a portion of the lead for much of the afternoon, and after a closing 64 gave her the clubhouse lead, was at the driving range trying to stay loose as the closing groups came down the stretch.
After Kim hit a 4-hybrid from about 190 yards to tap-in range, it became clear that if there would be a playoff on the shores of Lake Geneva, the Florida State senior wouldn't be in it. Still, Woad's share of third secured an LPGA card for the rest of 2025 and all of 2026. Woad said she'll announce a decision about future plans in the coming week.
The Englishwoman's 72-hole score of 271 bests the amateur record at Evian by a staggering 10 shots. It's the second consecutive week she's left a massive check on the table. Minjee Lee finished third alongside Woad at Evian and earned $523,761. That's on top of the nearly $79,000 winner's check Woad didn't receive after winning the LET's KPMG Women's Irish Open last week.
After Thitikul laid up on the 72nd hole, she missed an 8-footer for birdie that would've won it outright. Instead she joined Kim at 14 under and the pair headed back to the 18th in overtime.
Kim lost her 4-hybrid right into a greenside pond on the first playoff hole, and it looked like Thitikul was poised to finally shed the label of best-without-a-major and climb to No. 1 in the world.
The Aussie had played the last four holes in 4 under to get into the playoff, but her momentum disappeared with the ripple of one bad swing.
But then something miraculous happened.
Kim didn't panic. She gathered herself and proceeded to hole the chip shot from across the green for birdie, putting all the pressure back on Thitikul to match her efforts. The talented Thai player answered, pouring in her 8-foot birdie putt.
The pair headed back to the 18th tee for more.
With 4-hybrid back in hand for a third time, Kim hit the green in two, giving herself the advantage with a 12-footer for eagle. Thitikul's second shot went long near a bunker, and after calling over a rules official to check out the ants that had swarmed her ball, she chipped down to 6 feet.
It wouldn't matter, however, as Kim poured in another eagle on the 18th, putting a hand up to her mouth to cover her surprise. She'd played the last six holes – including the playoff – in seven under and earned $1.2 million.
'I've had a lot of doubts early this year,' said Kim. 'I was kind of losing motivation. I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team … had to wake up a little bit.
'So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal."
The doubt, at times, had snowballed into a place where Kim struggled with burnout. In her short time on tour, the Aussie has come to realize that success is less about her technical skill on the range and more about how she handles what comes in the heat of battle.
'You're never going to have the flat and perfect lies on the range and certain wind directions and all that,' said Kim.
No one handled adversity better than Kim this week, including a nagging a cough.
The ever-upbeat Thitikul, who had a front-row seat to all of Kim's Sunday heroics, held her head high through another close call.
"I think I'm so proud of myself on battling out there today," said Thitikul, who now has five top-five finishes at the majors without a win.
The tour's Aussies gathered 'round 18 with champagne and an inflatable kangaroo named Skippy to celebrate a second consecutive major after Minjee Lee triumphed at the KPMG Women's PGA last month. Kim was at Hazeltine six years ago as a guest of Karrie Webb when Australia's Hannah Green won the KPMG. Kim won Webb's scholarship so many times that one year, Webb took Kim on a trip by herself as reward, building memories money can't buy.
'I don't know golf courses very well, but we played Pine Needles – sorry, Pine Valley,' said Kim in her post-round press conference, 'and I didn't quite know the big deal about it. So played Pine Valley. Played Winged Foot. Yeah, it was just an incredible week with her.'
The Evian marks the 18th consecutive event on the LPGA with no repeat winners, a record in the tour's 75-year history.