Yu Hae-ran wins Amundi Evian Championship for back-to-back major titles

Yu Hae-ran smiles and holds the trophy after winning the 2026 Amundi Evian Championship on the LPGA Tour on Sunday (local time). [AP]

Yu Hae-ran has achieved the rare feat of winning consecutive LPGA Tour major championships.

Yu defeated Brooke Henderson of Canada in a playoff Sunday (local time) to win the Amundi Evian Championship, the season's fourth major, at the Evian Resort Golf Club (par 71) in Évian-les-Bains, France. The tournament carried a purse of $9.1 million.

Yu carded an even-par 71 on the final day to finish tied with Henderson at 19-under-par 265, then made birdie on the 18th hole (par 5) in the playoff to edge Henderson, who could only manage par.

Yu had won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship — the season's third major — last month, and lifted another major trophy just two weeks later, taking home the winner's check of $1.4 million.

A Korean player winning two or more majors in a single season has happened only twice before: Park In-bee in 2013 and Ko Jin-young in 2019. Yu's achievement is the first in seven years.

Yu also became the fourth Korean player to win the Evian Championship since it was elevated to major status in 2013, following Kim Hyo-joo (2014), Jeon In-ji (2016) and Ko Jin-young (2019).

Of the four majors completed this year, Nelly Korda of the United States swept the Chevron Championship and the US Women's Open, while Yu claimed the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Evian Championship. The only major remaining this season is the AIG Women's Open, which tees off July 30.

Yu Hae-ran tees off during the Amundi Evian Championship at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France, on Sunday (local time). [AFP]

Yu began the final round in the same group as Iwai Aki of Japan, leading her by three strokes and Henderson by seven, making a comfortable victory seem likely. But Yu struggled, recording only one bogey while making no birdies, as Iwai and Henderson mounted a fierce charge.

By the 16th hole, all three players in the final group were tied for the lead in a tense three-way battle. Henderson dropped a stroke with a three-putt on the 17th hole (par 4), but holed an eagle putt on the 18th hole (par 5), set at 461 yards. Yu made her first birdie of the round on that same 18th hole to force a playoff. Iwai missed a short birdie putt and was eliminated from contention.

In the playoff on the 18th hole, Yu hit her second shot from the fairway onto the green and calmly two-putted for birdie. Henderson drove into the rough off the tee, and her third shot also came to rest in the rough around the green. Her chip shot aimed at birdie fell short of the hole, handing the title to Yu.

In her post-round interview, Yu said the putting had been a struggle. "My putts weren't dropping and it was really tough," she said. "I missed every putt, but I'm grateful to God that I made the last one in the playoff."

Im Jin-hee shot a 6-under final round to climb to a tie for fourth at 15-under-par 269. Lee So-mi fired a 7-under round to finish at 11-under-par 273, tying for 10th.

Yu has emerged as a strong rival to Nelly Korda, who had already won two majors this season — the Chevron Championship and the US Women's Open. Korda, who has four wins on the season, leads the LPGA Tour's Player of the Year points, the Annika Major Award standings and the Vare Trophy race for lowest scoring average. Yu sits second in both the Annika Major Award and the scoring average standings, closing in on Korda.

The final major of the season is the AIG Women's Open, which begins July 30 in England.

yjc@heraldcorp.com