Latest news with #JeenoThitikul
CNN
14-07-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Grace Kim produces improbable late comeback at Evian Championship to clinch first major
Grace Kim produced one of the most remarkable comebacks you are ever likely see as she clinched the Evian Championship to become just the fifth Australian woman to win a golf major. The 24-year-old was three shots off the lead with four holes left to play in Sunday's final round, but closed with birdie, birdie, par and eagle to draw level with Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul at the top of the leaderboard and force a playoff. However, the comeback looked like it would end early as she hit her second shot on the first playoff hole into the pond by the 18th green. But remarkably, Kim chipped in from where she had taken a drop to force the playoff to a second hole, where she sunk a 20-foot eagle putt to seal the most improbable of major triumphs. 'Obviously, it's a huge achievement for me,' Kim said, per Reuters. 'I've had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation. 'I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit. So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal.' Kim, who battled a cold throughout the tournament, has struggled on the LPGA Tour since winning the Lotte Championship in Hawaii in 2023, her rookie season. She had recorded just one top-10 finish in her last 11 appearances, per Reuters, and earlier this year slipped down to world No. 100. But after securing her second LPGA Tour title, Kim has now joined exclusive company in Australian women's golf. Fellow Australian Minjee Lee, also a major winner, was watching from the side of the green as Kim sunk the winning putt, before running on to spray her with champagne. Seven-time major winner Karrie Webb and three-time winners Jan Stephenson and Hannah Green also make up the exclusive club. 'I saw there is a picture of Karrie as you walk into the locker room, walking down 18 as well, so seeing that each day is motivating' Kim said. 'Obviously, Minjee's first major was this one and this is now mine as well.'
CNN
14-07-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Grace Kim produces improbable late comeback at Evian Championship to clinch first major
Grace Kim produced one of the most remarkable comebacks you are ever likely see as she clinched the Evian Championship to become just the fifth Australian woman to win a golf major. The 24-year-old was three shots off the lead with four holes left to play in Sunday's final round, but closed with birdie, birdie, par and eagle to draw level with Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul at the top of the leaderboard and force a playoff. However, the comeback looked like it would end early as she hit her second shot on the first playoff hole into the pond by the 18th green. But remarkably, Kim chipped in from where she had taken a drop to force the playoff to a second hole, where she sunk a 20-foot eagle putt to seal the most improbable of major triumphs. 'Obviously, it's a huge achievement for me,' Kim said, per Reuters. 'I've had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation. 'I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit. So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal.' Kim, who battled a cold throughout the tournament, has struggled on the LPGA Tour since winning the Lotte Championship in Hawaii in 2023, her rookie season. She had recorded just one top-10 finish in her last 11 appearances, per Reuters, and earlier this year slipped down to world No. 100. But after securing her second LPGA Tour title, Kim has now joined exclusive company in Australian women's golf. Fellow Australian Minjee Lee, also a major winner, was watching from the side of the green as Kim sunk the winning putt, before running on to spray her with champagne. Seven-time major winner Karrie Webb and three-time winners Jan Stephenson and Hannah Green also make up the exclusive club. 'I saw there is a picture of Karrie as you walk into the locker room, walking down 18 as well, so seeing that each day is motivating' Kim said. 'Obviously, Minjee's first major was this one and this is now mine as well.'
CNN
14-07-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Grace Kim produces improbable late comeback at Evian Championship to clinch first major
Grace Kim produced one of the most remarkable comebacks you are ever likely see as she clinched the Evian Championship to become just the fifth Australian woman to win a golf major. The 24-year-old was three shots off the lead with four holes left to play in Sunday's final round, but closed with birdie, birdie, par and eagle to draw level with Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul at the top of the leaderboard and force a playoff. However, the comeback looked like it would end early as she hit her second shot on the first playoff hole into the pond by the 18th green. But remarkably, Kim chipped in from where she had taken a drop to force the playoff to a second hole, where she sunk a 20-foot eagle putt to seal the most improbable of major triumphs. 'Obviously, it's a huge achievement for me,' Kim said, per Reuters. 'I've had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation. 'I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit. So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal.' Kim, who battled a cold throughout the tournament, has struggled on the LPGA Tour since winning the Lotte Championship in Hawaii in 2023, her rookie season. She had recorded just one top-10 finish in her last 11 appearances, per Reuters, and earlier this year slipped down to world No. 100. But after securing her second LPGA Tour title, Kim has now joined exclusive company in Australian women's golf. Fellow Australian Minjee Lee, also a major winner, was watching from the side of the green as Kim sunk the winning putt, before running on to spray her with champagne. Seven-time major winner Karrie Webb and three-time winners Jan Stephenson and Hannah Green also make up the exclusive club. 'I saw there is a picture of Karrie as you walk into the locker room, walking down 18 as well, so seeing that each day is motivating' Kim said. 'Obviously, Minjee's first major was this one and this is now mine as well.'
Reuters
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Amazing Grace: Kim becomes fifth Australian woman to claim a major
July 14 (Reuters) - A career that appeared stuck in second gear took a dramatic turn on Sunday as Grace Kim produced a stunning finish to become Australia's fifth major winner in women's golf at the Evian Championship. The former Youth Olympics champion was three shots adrift of the lead after 14 holes at Evian-les-Bains in the French Alps but went birdie-birdie-par-eagle to force her way into a playoff with Thai world number two Jeeno Thitikul. Kim's charge looked over when she dunked her approach to the 18th into a green-side pond in the first extra hole. Instead, she chipped in for birdie over the same pond to force another hole, then drained a 20-foot eagle putt to deny Thitikul and claim one of the great wins in major golf. In her third season on the LPGA Tour, Kim had been treading water with only one top-10 finish in her previous 11 starts but said she had come to Evian-les-Bains with a different mindset. "Obviously it's a huge achievement for me. I've had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation,' said the 24-year-old, whose only previous win was in Hawaii in 2023. "I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit. "So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal." Australian women's golf is in a good spot. Kim's win comes weeks after compatriot Minjee Lee won the Women's PGA Championship, shrugging off a lean period for her third major. Lee watched as Kim holed the winning putt on Sunday and bolted onto the green to spray her with champagne. Kim joins a select list of Australian major winners in women's golf, the others being seven-times champion Karrie Webb, three-times winner Jan Stephenson and Hannah Green. "I saw there is a picture of Karrie as you walk into the locker room, walking down 18 as well, so seeing that each day is motivating," said the Sydney native. "Obviously Minjee's first major was this one and this is now mine as well."
CNA
14-07-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Amazing Grace: Kim becomes fifth Australian woman to claim a major
A career that appeared stuck in second gear took a dramatic turn on Sunday as Grace Kim produced a stunning finish to become Australia's fifth major winner in women's golf at the Evian Championship. The former Youth Olympics champion was three shots adrift of the lead after 14 holes at Evian-les-Bains in the French Alps but went birdie-birdie-par-eagle to force her way into a playoff with Thai world number two Jeeno Thitikul. Kim's charge looked over when she dunked her approach to the 18th into a green-side pond in the first extra hole. Instead, she chipped in for birdie over the same pond to force another hole, then drained a 20-foot eagle putt to deny Thitikul and claim one of the great wins in major golf. In her third season on the LPGA Tour, Kim had been treading water with only one top-10 finish in her previous 11 starts but said she had come to Evian-les-Bains with a different mindset. "Obviously it's a huge achievement for me. I've had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation,' said the 24-year-old, whose only previous win was in Hawaii in 2023. "I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit. "So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal." Australian women's golf is in a good spot. Kim's win comes weeks after compatriot Minjee Lee won the Women's PGA Championship, shrugging off a lean period for her third major. Lee watched as Kim holed the winning putt on Sunday and bolted onto the green to spray her with champagne. Kim joins a select list of Australian major winners in women's golf, the others being seven-times champion Karrie Webb, three-times winner Jan Stephenson and Hannah Green. "I saw there is a picture of Karrie as you walk into the locker room, walking down 18 as well, so seeing that each day is motivating," said the Sydney native.
