EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Haeran Ryu had no idea the kind of history she was poised to make if her eagle putt on the final green at The Amundi Evian Championship had fallen in the cup.

The Republic of Korea native took the concept of Moving Day to heart on Saturday at the year’s fourth major championship, carding four birdies and an eagle on the front nine to go out in 29 and then making four birdies on the back nine to sit at 9-under through 17 holes at Evian Resort Golf Club.

An eagle three on the closing par 5 would’ve lifted her to just the second 59 in LPGA Tour history, with the first famously being carded on March 16, 2001, by Annika Sorenstam in the second round of The Standard Register PING at Moon Valley Country Club in Phoenix, Ariz.

But Ryu didn’t know how close she was to adding her name to Annika’s when she was standing on the 18th tee box. She walloped her final drive, which bounced down into the fairway after landing in the left rough, and then knocked her second shot on the green, leaving herself approximately 40 feet for what would’ve been a life-changing eagle.

Many might have expected Ryu to show some kind of nervousness standing over her putt, particularly considering how notable even a 60 would be in context of LPGA Tour major championship history.

However, Ryu, just like she had all day up to that point, calmly went through her pre-shot routine with her caddie, Martin Bozek, and stroked the ball confidently, just hoping to add a second eagle to her third-round scorecard without realizing the larger implications of what she could accomplish with a well-rolled putt.

As soon as she hit it, Ryu’s ball began tracking towards the hole, dead on line with the center of the cup, but it stopped just a few revolutions short of the front edge, inches away from an elusive and rare 59.

After tapping in for birdie, the 25-year-old went to look at her scorecard while her fellow competitors putted out. And only when she began counting the circles that she had scribbled down throughout day three did it hit Ryu that she had just nearly tied an over two decades old LPGA Tour record.

“I never know because, I don't know here is par 71,” said Ryu. “I don't my score on the green today, so that's why I don't know on the hole 18. But after the putt, and I counted my score with my caddie, oh, my God, it's 11-under par today. It was so amazing. My caddie says, yep. I'm so happy right now.”

Bozek himself had no idea just how close Ryu was to a 59. It was only when his athlete flashed a hang signal at him that he realized what had just occurred.

“We just kind of kept rolling out there, hole by hole,” said Bozek. “She actually got my attention on the 18th green after she putted out and held like fingers up. I had no idea what it meant, and then she's like, 11-under. I'm like, okay. That's when I found out.”

Ryu’s 11-under 60 is now the lowest round in major championship history, besting the previous benchmark of 61 that had been recorded three times previously at The Amundi Evian Championship by Hyo Joo Kim (first round, 2014), Jeongeun Lee6 (round two, 2021) and Leona Maguire (final round, 2021).

It’s just the 10th round of 60 or better to ever be fired on the LPGA Tour, and it’s the second 60 that’s been shot on the LPGA Tour this season, as Lydia Ko carded a 60 at Whirlwind Golf Club in the first round of the Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass in March. Ryu is the second Korean to have posted a 60 in LPGA Tour competition, joining Jung Yeon Lee, who did so 22 years ago in 2004 in the first round of the Welch’s-Fry’s Championship.

But maybe most significantly in this current moment, the 60 has given Ryu a three-stroke lead over Japan’s Aki Iwai as she pursues her second career major title just a couple of weeks after winning her first at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeline National Golf Club on June 28.

“That is amazing, amazing dream,” said Ryu of contending for another major so soon after winning in Minnesota. “So, I just want to that one come true, but we have one more day, and Aki is pretty good player, and everybody is so good player, so I just doing myself pretty well. So, yeah, that's it.”

If she does pull it out tomorrow, Ryu would be second athlete this season to win back-to-back major championships, as American superstar Nelly Korda took home both The Chevron Championship and U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally titles earlier this season in April and June, respectively. The four-time LPGA Tour winner would be the first Korean to win two consecutive majors since Inbee Park won three straight in 2013, and Ryu would additionally be the eighth Korean to collect at least two major championship victories in their career.

And with a three-shot advantage, it feels like the odds are definitely leaning in Haeran’s favor as Championship Sunday looms large in Evian-les-Bains, France, as Ryu looks to capitalize once again at The Amundi Evian Championship and write another chapter in the major championship history books.

Haeran Ryu Cards Lowest Round in Major History on Day Three of Amundi Evian Championship

Related Articles