Haeran Ryu carded the lowest round in major championship history on Saturday, finishing with an 11-under-par 60 to take a three-stroke lead entering the final round of the Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains, France.
Ryu nearly finished with a 59 — unbeknownst to her at the time — but her 30-foot putt for an eagle on the par-5 18th hole came up just short. The South Korean finished with her fourth birdie over the final five holes at the Evian Resort Golf Club to move to 19-under 194 at the fourth of this season’s five majors.
The winner of last month’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Chaska, Minn., Ryu resides three strokes ahead of Aki Iwai (65 on Saturday) of Japan heading into Sunday’s final round.
Ryu admitted that she did not know she was on the verge of a sub-60 round until she counted the scorecard after her final putt.
“I don’t (count) my score on the green today, so that’s why I don’t know on the hole 18,” Ryu said.
“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.’ Yeah, I’m so happy right now.”
Ryu recorded nine birdies and an eagle on the par-4 sixth hole en route to her 60 — one stroke better than a trio of other finishes in major championship history — all at the Evian. Hyo Joo Kim set the record in 2014 before Jeongeun Lee6 and Leona Maguire matched it in 2021.
The 25-year-old Ryu now finds herself on the verge of capturing her second major in three weeks. The win at the Women’s PGA Championship on June 28 was the first victory in a major.
“Yeah, that is amazing, amazing dream,” she said. “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.”
Iwai collected eight birdies against two bogeys to remain in contention.
“Yes, today also I made solid day. I gave many birdies, many birdie chances today,” she said. “So, yeah, it was really fun. I play with Haeran. She’s on fire, so pretty good.”
Brooke Henderson (64) of Canada and Mao Saigo (67) of Japan sit in a third-place tie, seven strokes behind Ryu. Henderson recorded eagles on the seventh and 15th holes to highlight her round and help to counter three bogeys.
South African Casandra Alexander elevated into fifth place at 11-under by carding a 63, while Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul (67), Japan’s Miyu Yamashita (67) and second-round leader Lottie Woad (72) of England sit in a tie for sixth place at 10-under.
