Jun 21, 2024; Sammamish, Washington, USA; Ayaka Furue tees off on hole seven during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports Ayaka Furue captured her first major title in grand style, benefitting from a sizzling finish to win the Evian Championship on Sunday at Evian-les-Bains, France.
Furue overcame a three-stroke deficit with five holes to play by shooting 5-under during that stretch, capped by an eagle on No. 18 at Evian Resort Club. The 24-year-old Japan native carded a 6-under-par 65 on Sunday to finish at 19-under for the tournament, one shot better than third-round leader Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia.
Furue pocketed $1.2 million after capturing her second career LPGA victory. She also won the 2022 Women’s Scottish Open.
Furue joined Chako Huguchi (1977 Women’s PGA Championship), Hinako Shibuno (2019 AIG Women’s Open) and Yuka Saso (2024 U.S. Women’s Open) as the lone golfers from Japan to win a women’s major championship.
“Breathtaking, like incredible and I’m so speechless,” said Furue, who had an eagle and six birdies as well as two bogeys on Sunday.
Kyriacou (67 on Sunday) held a one-stroke lead entering the 17th hole before a chip shot went awry and led to a bogey, dropping her into a three-way tie with Furue and Patty Tavatanakit (63) of Thailand. Tavatanakit, who had an eagle on No. 18 to go along with six birdies, already had finished her round by this time.
Furue found the green on her second shot on No. 18, putting her in position to win the tournament.
“First shot landed on first cut so it was a little bit difficult to hit on the green,” Furue said. “I just made that shot and then got an eagle putt so that was really good for me.”
Kyriacou, 23, made a birdie on the final hole to finish in second place, marking the best result of her professional career. She finished Sunday with five birdies against one bogey.
“Yeah, it was a good week,” Kyriacou said. “Lots of positives to take away. I played great all week. Yeah, I don’t know, it was a good week. (It stinks) not to hold the trophy. If you told me I would come second at the start of the week I would’ve been happy.”
Tavatanakit finished in third place, two shots in back of Furue.
“A lot of positives to take away for sure,” Tavatanakit said. “I feel like, I don’t know, at the beginning of the week I didn’t even think about winning or anything. I just felt really good about my game. I really trusted my process and I enjoyed ever bit of it, even the not-so-good ones.”
Lauren Coughlin was done in by back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 16 and 17. She shot a 69 on Sunday to end up in fourth place at 15-under for the tournament, two strokes ahead of South Korean Hae Ran Ryu (65).
–Field Level Media
