Grace Kim’s amazing finish seals first major title
A very proud Grace Kim enjoys the moment – image Mark Runnacles Ladies European Tour
Sydney 24 year old, Grace Kim, has joined a select group of Australia’s female golfers to win a major golfing championship after her miraculous finish to the Amundi Evian Championship in France to defeat the current world number two, Jeeno Thitikul, of Thailand at the second extra hole of a playoff.
Kim began the final day one shot out of the lead held by her fellow Australian Gabi Ruffels and England’s Cara Gainer but after two early bogeys and a double bogey at her 12th hole the chances of such a breakthrough and career changing win seemed, at best, a remote possibility.
Then came a powerful finish in which Kim birdied the 15th and 16th before a stunning hybrid to 2 feet at the 72nd hole set up an eagle which she converted and, when her playing partner Thitikul could only manage a par, the pair headed for the playoff tied at 14 under. They were one ahead of the brilliant English amateur Lottie Woad and Australia’s Minjee Lee who had also staged a late charge with an eagle of her own at the last to fall one short.
Both players birdied the first extra hole but it was the manner in which Kim had done so that will be long remembered. Her second shot from a similar distance to that in regulation play found the penalty area right of the green and after taking a drop and a one shot penalty she managed to hole her pitch across the green from 35 yards or so for birdie only to be matched by a gutsy up and down by what must have been a shell shocked Thitikul.
After taking a penalty drop Kim holes her pitch across the green at the first playoff hole – image Mark Runnacles LET
At the second hole of the playoff, Kim would again produce brilliance when her hybrid approach finished 12 feet behind the flag and when Thitikul was unable to birdie from left of the green it was left to Kim to finish off by holing the putt for the title.
Kim had therefore played her final six holes of the day in 7 under par to claim the first prize of US$1.2 million, but perhaps more importantly, to join the select group of Jan Stephenson, Karrie Webb, Hannah Green and Minjee Lee as Australian women to have won a major title.
“This is unbelievable,” said Kim. “Didn’t really know I was going to be sitting here this soon. I saw there is a picture of Karrie as you walk into the locker room, walking down 18 as well, so seeing that each day is motivating.
“Obviously, Minjee’s first major was this one and this is now mine as well. Oh, that’s definitely different. I’ll get used to it. (Smiling.) Yeah, I’m not sure when it’ll sink in for sure, but, yeah, this is incredible.
“Obviously, it’s a huge achievement for me. I’ve had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation. I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit.
“So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal. Obviously caught a bit of a cold early this week as well, so I was kind of knowing that I wasn’t 100%. But, again, even if I’m 80% I’ll give my 100% of that 80.
“I definitely struggled, I think, after my win in Hawaii (in her rookie year). You know, I won very early and that was a great result. I was very grateful for that. But I feel like I haven’t quite crossed the line of kind of getting it done. I’ve been in contention a few times now and just being able to get it done wasn’t quite there.
“I think I’ve come to learn that it’s not quite my game technically. It’s more on course just the skills that I have to learn through experience being on the Tour week in, week out.
“Obviously, now it’s a huge topic with the mental aspect of the game. So much doubt has gone through my mind and it kind of snowballed very quickly. I guess it was a bit of a burnout at the start of this year.
“But, yeah, just overcoming that wouldn’t have been possible without my team. I know a lot of the girls know the importance of having a good team around you. Yeah, it’s definitely crucial to have the people to back you, and even in times where you don’t believe in yourself to have those people know that you are capable and they’re here for that ride.
“So, very grateful for them. Yeah, I honestly wouldn’t have done it without them.”
Thitikul would have become the world number one if she had been able to win but she and Kim appeared throughout the round to spur each other on and despite losing the playoff, she was proud of her effort.
“I think I’m so proud of myself on battling out there today, said the runner-up. “I know like it’s going to be a tough day, it’s going to be a long day, but I just want to say I’m so proud of myself and what I did out there.”
Minjee Lee’s near miss on a chance at the playoff was frustrating, but she earns another US$521,000 from the US$8 million purse and will move even higher in the Rolex Ranking than her current 6th place.
“I’m a little disappointed, but I’m still happy with my result,” said Lee. “I felt like I left a lot out there. I didn’t have my best stuff. Just kind of scrambled here and there. Probably didn’t give myself too many birdie opportunities today where I could.
“Super proud of just all the Aussies. I played with Gabi (Ruffels) today, and I think over the years they’ve just gone from strength to strength. I step back and see them as the younger generation.
“Yeah, no, I think it’s really nice for them to be grinding and just trying to make their mark on the LPGA, which is awesome.”
Ruffels finished in a share of 9th after a last round of 72 saw her slip back from the share of the 54-hole lead, but it was still a great week for the former US Amateur Champion.
