The 2014 champion Hyo-Joo Kim lined up a five metre birdie putt on the last and tapped in for a par in torrential rain to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Evian Championship, just in the nick of time before a thunderstorm moved in.
World No.18 Kim, who holds the course record following her first-round 61 in the 2014 event, completed a third-round of 65 to jump to the top of the leader board on 15-under-par, ahead of world No.1 Sung Hyun Park.
It’s a true battle of major champions at the 2019 Evian Championship, with Sunday’s final two groups holding a combined 12 major championship titles between them. Jin Young Ko and Inbee Park are tied for third on 11-under-par, while Shanshan Feng and Mi Hyang Lee, the lone player in the top six without a major title, are a shot back in equal fifth.
“I definitely have good memories of this tournament because of my win,” said Kim, who birdied four of her closing six holes to take the lead. “Today was really fun to play with Sung Hyun and Mi Hyang, players that I have known for really, really long time. I think that helped to be comfortable. We were sharing food and just talking together.”
The third to last group will contain Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall (68), who sits alone in seventh place on nine-under-par, Ariya Jutanugarn, who shot the round of the day with a 7-under 64, and American Megan Khang, both at eight-under, alongside Chella Choi and Moriya Jutanugarn.
Kim has the opportunity to become the first multiple winner of the Evian Championship since it became a global major in 2013. She could barely recall the winning feeling of five years ago, when she won as a member of the KLPGA.
“When I won in 2014, I was a little bit nervous. It seems like this year I’m in the same position,” said Kim. “Obviously winning is on my mind a lot, but I’ve won before, and so that will help my confidence for tomorrow. I just need to be focused, and it would be really nice if I played well tomorrow.”
Only seven players have won the Career Grand Slam, which is victories in four different majors, and only two other players have three different major titles. Sung Hyun Park has already won the U.S. Women’s Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and should she emerge victorious on Sunday at the Evian Championship, she would come one step closer to joining that elite group of dominating players.
“I’m satisfied with the way I played the first three rounds. I think that my putts are getting better,” said Park, who finished her third-round 66 moments before torrential rains hit Evian Resort Golf Club. “Of the three days, I think today was the best day with my shots.”
Park and Kim swapped the lead throughout Saturday’s third round, with Park ultimately ending the day one stroke behind her Korean compatriot. She is no stranger to come-from-behind major wins. Park was four strokes back heading into the final round during her KPMG victory, and notched her U.S. Women’s Open win off a three-stroke deficit.
So how does the No. 1 player prep for what is sure to be a difficult major battle? It’s simple. “I don’t really do anything. I just lie on my bed and read comics,” she said with a smile.
Jin Young Ko would take her second major of 2019, joining the ANA Inspiration; the last time a player won multiple majors in one season was 2015, when Inbee Park won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the AIG Women’s British Open.
Inbee Park would become the first player to win both the Evian Masters and the Evian Championship; she won the Evian Masters in 2012, the last year before it became a major.
Caroline Hedwall, a six-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, is looking for her first major championship title. She shot 62 in the final round to win the 2018 Lacoste Ladies Open de France and will be looking for the same again to challenge for the trophy.
“That’s probably what I’m going to need to do, but the thing is I feel like I’m just going to try to enjoy it out there, and then whatever happens, happens. I’m having a good time and that’s the main thing. I haven’t played this well for a long time, so I’m just going to try to enjoy that and not stress it too much.”
Hedwall made an excellent start to her third round with three consecutive birdies, but made a good bogey save at the fourth after hitting a brilliant recovery shot back to the fairway from deep vegetation right off the tee.
She kept the momentum going by holing an enormous left to right breaking putt for bogey on 13, then birdied 15 and 16 which kept her within six strokes of the lead.
“I was hitting my irons close and got three birdies in a row, so that was a nice start. I felt like I was playing alright. On the back nine I just had a couple of longer clubs coming in, so it was playing tougher. I enjoyed playing. It was a lot of fun. Hopefully I can just put a good number on there tomorrow.”
ROLEX WOMEN’S WORLD GOLF RANKINGS PROJECTIONS
Two players have a mathematical chance to overtake Rolex Rankings World No. 1 Sung Hyun Park based on their finish at The Evian Championship. NOTE: There may be additional possibilities with tie scenarios and separate projection scenarios would need to be run to check.
- Rolex Rankings No. 2 Jin Young Ko
- Win and have Sung Hyun Park finish solo third or worse
- Solo second and have Sung Hyun Park finish solo 44th or worse and Inbee Park does not win
- Rolex Rankings No. 7 Inbee Park
- Must win and have Sung Hyun Park finish solo fifth or worse
