Grace Kim has produced probably the most astonishing {golfing} fightbacks in historical past to affix Australia’s illustrious group of main champions.
Kim recovered from 4 photographs behind in a dramatic closing spherical to clinch victory over world quantity two Jeeno Thitikul on the second play-off gap on the Evian Championship in France.
“I do not know the way it occurred, actually,” stated the incredulous Kim after her astounding eagle-birdie-eagle end landed her the crown within the fourth main of the yr.
With three eagles in a loopy final-round 67, Kim prevailed with a 14-under-par 270 profitable complete to affix Karrie Webb, Minjee Lee, Hannah Inexperienced and Jan Stephenson as solely Australia’s fifth feminine main winner.
Thitikul appeared on observe to herself seize her maiden main after the trio of Aussies, Kim, Lee and Gabriela Ruffels, faltered down the stretch on the Evian Resort Membership on Sunday.
Ruffels had shared the lead whereas fellow 24-year-old Kim and triple-major-winning nice Lee have been only one shot behind getting into the ultimate spherical within the lovely French Alps, close to Lake Geneva.
However after a loopy day of twists and turns, Kim discovered herself in a play-off with Thitikul after delivering a contender for shot of the yr for a spectacular eagle on the closing par-5 18th gap.
Thitikul nonetheless had the prospect to win however missed a brief sliding downhill putt earlier than Kim tapped in for an eagle to pressure the play-off.
The Thai then regarded sure to win on the primary additional gap when Kim hit her second shot into the hazard.
However the Sydneysider miraculously chipped in for a birdie to increase the play-off, earlier than prevailing on the second additional gap when Thitikul erred once more and couldn’t match Kim’s eagle.
Grace Kim remarkably chipped in for a birdie to maintain the play-off alive. (Getty Pictures: Paul Devlin)
However earlier within the day, Kim felt she had missed the boat after she double-bogeyed the twelfth gap.
“I assumed I used to be out of it,” she stated. “However I simply stated to myself and to my caddy, ‘I’ve received nothing else to lose.'”
It was the cue for her to play virtually as if in a trance over the clutch late holes and within the play-off.
What was she considering when she stood over the eagle putt to make historical past on that second play-off gap?
“Simply regarded straight on the gap. That is what my caddie instructed me to do and I did it,” she stated.
Kim’s epic victory secured Australia a second-straight main after Lee gained the Girls’s PGA Championship solely three weeks in the past.
After closing with a 67 to submit a four-round 14-under-270 complete, Kim finally solely edged out Lee — who closed with a 68 — by one shot.
For Kim, a four-time winner of Webb’s scholarship, which has given her the prospect to study from Australia’s best champion, it was a probably life-changing win.
“It is an enormous achievement for me,” she stated.
“I’ve had lots of doubts early this yr. I used to be sort of dropping motivation. I sort of needed to get some exhausting conversations completed with the crew. Yeah, sort of needed to get up just a little bit.
“So to be sitting right here subsequent to this trophy is unquestionably surreal.”
AAP
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