Two weeks after her first major title, the Korean is three clear at Evian and one round away from back-to-back major wins.
Haeran Ryu shot 60 at Evian Resort Golf Club on Saturday, the lowest round in major championship history, to take a three-shot lead into the final day of the Amundi Evian Championship.
The 25-year-old Korean, who won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship a fortnight ago, moved to 19 under par. She also matched the 54-hole scoring record of 194 set by In Gee Chun at Evian in 2016, and now has a second major in as many starts within reach.
Eleven under, and a putt from 59
Ryu birdied the second and the fifth, where she came close to an ace, then holed out for eagle at the sixth. Further birdies at the seventh and ninth took her out in 30, and she picked up another at the 10th before back-to-back gains at the 14th and 15th.
A birdie at the 17th left her needing an eagle at the last for a 59. Her putt pulled up short, and she tapped in for 60.
“I didn’t know. I just hit, so I didn’t know on hole 18, but after the putt I counted my score with my caddie and said oh my god, it’s 11 under par today,” Ryu said.
She described the sixth as a hole she had been content to par: a hybrid off the tee, then a 7-iron from 141 metres that disappeared.
Ryu said her first major title had changed how she plays. Chasing one, she found, was the stressful part.
Iwai in pursuit
Japan’s Aki Iwai is the closest challenger, three back on 16 under after a 65 built on eight birdies and two bogeys. She missed the cut here last year and said she had come back wanting to put that right. Playing alongside Ryu, she called the Korean an inspiration.
Brooke Henderson and Mao Saigo share third on 12 under. Henderson, the 2022 champion, signed for a 64 that included two eagles, six birdies and three bogeys, both eagles coming from chip-ins at par fives.
“There’s still a lot of ground to make up, but definitely happy to climb the leaderboard as much as I did today,” Henderson said.
Alexander charges, Woad in touch
Casandra Alexander, the LET Order of Merit leader, produced the day’s other low round, a 63 that carried her to outright fifth on 11 under. The South African made nine birdies, four of them in a row from the 13th, and dropped only one shot, at the 17th.
“Putter was on fire. Every putt I looked at looked like it was going in,” she said. “I’m pretty chuffed.”
Jeeno Thitikul, Miyu Yamashita and England’s Lottie Woad are tied sixth on 10 under, with Jin Hee Im ninth. Cara Gainer is among four players on eight under, alongside Auston Kim, Anna Nordqvist and Hinako Shibuno.
Leaderboard here
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