Grace Kim with a stunning finish wins Evian Championship for her first major
Kim, whose 2-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th in regulation gave her a 4-under 67, looked to be just as surprised as everyone else when she rolled in a 12-foot eagle putt to win the playoff. The 24-year-old Australian calmly placed her hand over her mouth and stood still before doubling over and breaking into a wide smile.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Lottie Woad makes a big impression and already is the talk of women's golf
The Women's Scottish Open wasn't the first time Lottie Woad made an immediate impression. Florida State coach Amy Bond had been recruiting the English girl with a strong work ethic, limited to chatting online and studying the swings Woad posted on social media because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When travel restrictions loosened, Bond headed to Carnoustie for the British Girls Amateur. 'The first hole I saw her, she made birdie. I knew we were going to have a great relationship," Bond recalled with a laugh. Woad went on to a 7-and-6 victory on the links reputed to be as tough as any. The next week she arrived on the Florida State campus for the first time to begin a distinguished college career. Woad won five times, set the school record for career scoring average, reached No. 1 in the women's world amateur ranking and finished in the top 10 in 25 of her 30 tournaments. What first brought her acclaim was a Saturday at the home of the Masters, where Woad birdied three of her last four holes to win the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Now she is the talk of women's golf, winning the Women's Scottish Open in her professional debut with such precision the 21-year-old Woad made it look routine. 'I guess that's a pretty good first week at work,' Woad posted on social media. Next up is the Women's British Open this week at Royal Porthcawl in Wales. Woad has been a professional for all of two weeks, and BetMGM Sportsbook already lists her as the favorite at +650, followed by Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul, Nos. 1 and 2 in the women's world ranking. This could be the spark that women's golf needs. Korda is winless this year, surprising after her seven-win season in 2024. Rose Zhang, who also won an LPGA title in her pro debut in 2023, is trying to play and finish her degree at Stanford. LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler seized on Woad's big moment by getting the final round of the Women's Scottish Open — available on streaming and then tape delay — live coverage on linear TV (CNBC). 'It's fun that everybody gets to see what I saw,' Bond said. She saw a player with a relentless work ethic who would often take an Uber to the course in the morning. Woad said she wanted to buy a car with her first check — $300,000 from the Women's Scottish Open — only to reveal Sunday she first needs a U.S. driver's license. She appears to be on the superhighway to success. It started earlier this month when Woad won the Women's Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour by six shots over Madelene Sagstrom, who earlier this year won the LPGA Match Play at Shadow Creek. The next week, she was leading in the final round of an LPGA major when Woad failed to birdie the par-5 18th at the Evian Championship and wound up missing a playoff by one shot. But a tie for third gave her the final point she needed in the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway program to get an LPGA card, and it made sense for her to turn pro. Bond posted a series of photos when Woad decided to turn pro two weeks ago, including the day she signed with the Seminoles and when she first set foot on campus. She was with Woad in France and couldn't help but notice that she looked 'eerily comfortable.' 'Sometimes it can be a hard transition from amateur golf to professional golf,' Bond said. 'But she has great people around, her parents, her swing coach Luke Bone, who is phenomenal. You've got to have that for the ease of things to work out.' Ease was an appropriate description, for that's how it looked at Dundonald Links. Woad is plenty long off the tee. She is renowned for her elite wedge play, which Bond says she honed the last two years at Florida State. 'She keeps track of all that stuff every day,' Bond said. 'We have a set routine for different yardages, and she writes down everything. If she's trying to hit it 65 yards and hits it 68 or 72, she's writing it down to see if she can get it close.' Most remarkable about her win at the Women's Scottish Open — beyond making only three bogeys over 72 holes — was the composure she showed while playing the first two rounds with Korda and the high-charged Charley Hull. Staked to a two-shot lead in the final round, Hyo Joo Kim made a charge to tie for the lead. Woad eased on the accelerator and pulled away with four birdies on the last six holes. Pretty good first week at work. That's how it looked at the end. Woad rapped in a final birdie, took the ball out of the cup and slid it into her pocket, offering a polite wave to the gallery. It had the look of someone who had been there before. Woad is 55-under par in her last three tournaments, a scoring average of 67.4. She now is No. 24 in the women's world ranking. She has the look of someone just getting started. ___ On The Fringe analyzes the biggest topics in golf during the season. More AP golf:
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Lottie Woad makes a big impression and already is the talk of women's golf
The Women's Scottish Open wasn't the first time Lottie Woad made an immediate impression. Florida State coach Amy Bond had been recruiting the English girl with a strong work ethic, limited to chatting online and studying the swings Woad posted on social media because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When travel restrictions loosened, Bond headed to Carnoustie for the British Girls Amateur. 'The first hole I saw her, she made birdie. I knew we were going to have a great relationship,' Bond recalled with a laugh. Woad went on to a 7-and-6 victory on the links reputed to be as tough as any. The next week she arrived on the Florida State campus for the first time to begin a distinguished college career. Woad won five times, set the school record for career scoring average, reached No. 1 in the women's world amateur ranking and finished in the top 10 in 25 of her 30 tournaments. What first brought her acclaim was a Saturday at the home of the Masters, where Woad birdied three of her last four holes to win the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Now she is the talk of women's golf, winning the Women's Scottish Open in her professional debut with such precision the 21-year-old Woad made it look routine. 'I guess that's a pretty good first week at work,' Woad posted on social media. Next up is the Women's British Open this week at Royal Porthcawl in Wales. Woad has been a professional for all of two weeks, and BetMGM Sportsbook already lists her as the favorite at +650, followed by Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul, Nos. 1 and 2 in the women's world ranking. This could be the spark that women's golf needs. Korda is winless this year, surprising after her seven-win season in 2024. Rose Zhang, who also won an LPGA title in her pro debut in 2023, is trying to play and finish her degree at Stanford. LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler seized on Woad's big moment by getting the final round of the Women's Scottish Open — available on streaming and then tape delay — live coverage on linear TV (CNBC). 'It's fun that everybody gets to see what I saw,' Bond said. She saw a player with a relentless work ethic who would often take an Uber to the course in the morning. Woad said she wanted to buy a car with her first check — $300,000 from the Women's Scottish Open — only to reveal Sunday she first needs a U.S. driver's license. She appears to be on the superhighway to success. It started earlier this month when Woad won the Women's Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour by six shots over Madelene Sagstrom, who earlier this year won the LPGA Match Play at Shadow Creek. The next week, she was leading in the final round of an LPGA major when Woad failed to birdie the par-5 18th at the Evian Championship and wound up missing a playoff by one shot. But a tie for third gave her the final point she needed in the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway program to get an LPGA card, and it made sense for her to turn pro. Bond posted a series of photos when Woad decided to turn pro two weeks ago, including the day she signed with the Seminoles and when she first set foot on campus. She was with Woad in France and couldn't help but notice that she looked 'eerily comfortable.' 'Sometimes it can be a hard transition from amateur golf to professional golf,' Bond said. 'But she has great people around, her parents, her swing coach Luke Bone, who is phenomenal. You've got to have that for the ease of things to work out.' Ease was an appropriate description, for that's how it looked at Dundonald Links. Woad is plenty long off the tee. She is renowned for her elite wedge play, which Bond says she honed the last two years at Florida State. 'She keeps track of all that stuff every day,' Bond said. 'We have a set routine for different yardages, and she writes down everything. If she's trying to hit it 65 yards and hits it 68 or 72, she's writing it down to see if she can get it close.' Most remarkable about her win at the Women's Scottish Open — beyond making only three bogeys over 72 holes — was the composure she showed while playing the first two rounds with Korda and the high-charged Charley Hull. Staked to a two-shot lead in the final round, Hyo Joo Kim made a charge to tie for the lead. Woad eased on the accelerator and pulled away with four birdies on the last six holes. Pretty good first week at work. That's how it looked at the end. Woad rapped in a final birdie, took the ball out of the cup and slid it into her pocket, offering a polite wave to the gallery. It had the look of someone who had been there before. Woad is 55-under par in her last three tournaments, a scoring average of 67.4. She now is No. 24 in the women's world ranking. She has the look of someone just getting started. ___ On The Fringe analyzes the biggest topics in golf during the season. More AP golf:
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
PGA Tour ends regular season in Carolina. LPGA wraps up major season with Women's British Open
PGA Tour WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP Site: Greensboro, North Carolina. Course: Sedgefield CC. Yardage: 7,131. Par: 70. Prize money: $8.2 million. Winner's share: $1.476 million. Television: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS). Defending champion: Aaron Rai. FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler. Last week: Kurt Kitayama won the 3M Open. Notes: This is the final tournament of the regular season that decides which 70 players advance to the FedEx Cup playoffs. ... Scottie Scheffler already has clinched the $10 million bonus for leading the regular season in points. ... Jordan Spieth has added this tournament to his schedule to boost his FedEx Cup standing and help his Ryder Cup cause. ... Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley is the only player from the top 10 in the field. But this week is more about the FedEx Cup. Only seven players between No. 31 and No. 70 are skipping the event. The top 50 after the first playoff event get into all the signature events. Wyndham Clark (No. 48) and Min Woo Lee (No. 49) are among those not playing. ... Last year Aaron Rai went from No. 53 to No. 25 by winning the Wyndham Championship. He made it to the Tour Championship for the first time. ... Robert MacIntyre of Scotland, at No. 15, can earn Ryder Cup points this week. Next week: FedEx St. Jude Championship. Online: ___ LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour AIG WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN Site: Porthcawl, Wales. Course: Royal Porthcawl GC. Yardage: 6,580. Par: 72. Television: Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (USA Network); Saturday-Sunday, 7 a.m. to noon (USA Network), noon to 2 p.m. (NBC). Prize money: $9.5 million. Winner's share: $1.425 million. Defending champion: Lydia Ko. Race to CME Globe leader: Jeeno Thitikul. LET Order of Merit: Mimi Rhodes. Last week: Lottie Woad won the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open. Notes: This is the fifth and final major of the year on the LPGA. ... The LPGA has played 19 tournaments with a different winner, the longest it has gone without a multiple winner in its 75-year history. ... Royal Porthcawl has hosted the Senior British Open three times and the British Amateur seven times. It also is where Great Britain & Ireland defeated a U.S. team with Tiger Woods in the 1995 Walker Cup. ... Lottie Woad has won twice and missed a playoff by one shot in a major in her last three tournaments, two of them as an amateur. ... Nelly Korda has gone 12 tournaments this year without a win. She is still No. 1 in the women's world ranking and No. 6 in the Race to CME Globe. ... The LPGA has gone 13 consecutive majors with different winners. ... This is the 25th year the Women's British Open has been a major on the LPGA. It replaced the du Maurier Classic in Canada in 2001. Next week on the LET: PIF London Championship. Next LPGA tournament: The Standard Portland Classic on Aug. 14-17. Online: and ___ Korn Ferry Tour UTAH CHAMPIONSHIP Site: Ogden, Utah. Course: Ogden Golf & CC. Yardage: 7,045. Par: 71. Prize money: $1 million. Winner's share: $180,000. Television: Thursday-Saturday, 6-9 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 7-9 p.m. (Golf Channel). Previous winner: Karl Vilips. Points leader: Johnny Keefer. Last week: Johnny Keefer won the NV5 Invitational. Next week: Pinnacle Bank Championship. Online: ___ European Tour Last tournament: Scottie Scheffler won the British Open. Next week: Nexo Championship. Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy. Online: ___ LIV Golf League Last week: Joaquin Niemann won LIV Golf UK. Next week: LIV Golf Chicago. Points leader: Joaquin Niemann. Online: ___ PGA Tour Champions Last week: Padraig Harrington won the Senior British Open. Next week: Boeing Classic. Charles Schwab Cup leader: Miguel Angel Jimenez. Online: ___ Other tours Epson Tour: Four Winds Invitational, South Bend CC, South Bend, Indiana. Previous winner: Yahui Zhang. Online: Japan Golf Tour: Richard Mille Charity Tournament, Noto CC, Ishikawa, Japan. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: Challenge Tour: Farmfoods Scottish Challenge, Schloss Roxburghe, Heiton, Scotland. Previous winner: Brandon Robinson Thompson. Online: PGA Tour Americas: Osprey Valley Open, TPC Toronto (Heathlands), Caledon, Ontario. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: Legends Tour: Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, Trump International GL, Aberdeen, Scotland. Defending champion: Robert Coles. Online: Korea LPGA: Aurora World Ladies Championship, Aurora Golf Resort, Wonju, South Korea. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: ___ AP golf:
