​Haeran Ryu came tantalizingly close to a historic moment at the Evian Resort, finishing with an 11-under 60 after a 60-pace round that left major championship lore buzzing. She had already made a bold statement on the 18th hole, tapping in to shave inches off the 30-foot eagle putt that would have pushed her into a 59, but a par on the final hole left her at 60 and cemented her place in LPGA history as the only woman to shoot a 60 in a major. The record-setting score followed a dramatic day in France, where Ryu, just 25 and from Korea, embraced the moment with a reaction that went viral on Golf Channel as fans watched her tally her card in disbelief. “I was shocked,” she admitted after signing for the 60 that stands as the lowest score ever in a major championship.
Coming into Evian, Ryu had already etched her name into major lore by winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National just two weeks earlier, her first major victory. Now, after three rounds in France, she sat at 19-under par, three strokes ahead of Japan’s Aki Iwai. Brooke Henderson and Mao Saigo trailed in a tie for third, seven shots behind. Much of the scoring occurred while viewers in the United States were still asleep. Ryu began slowly, one under after four holes, but then caught fire, going four under over the next three holes and delivering a sensational seven-iron start to the back nine with an eagle on the sixth hole, holed out from the fairway. A birdie on the ninth left her with a 29 on the front nine.
The back nine provided more drama. After an even start on the back four holes, she rattled off four birdies in the last five holes to post a 31 on the back and finish 60. The moment she secured birdie on the 17th from five feet signaled a potential 59, a score that would require an eagle on the par-5 18th, a feat rarely achieved at Evian and last year accomplished by Grace Kim to win. Ryu’s tee shot on 18 sprayed left, clipped a tree, and bounced back into the fairway, leaving her a 30-foot second shot. She rolled the putt to within a few inches and, for a moment, the golf world held its breath.
Ryu’s performance invokes comparisons with LPGA icon Annika Sörenstam, the sole player in LPGA history to shoot a 59, accomplished in 2001 at the Standard Register Ping event in Phoenix. Yet Ryu’s accomplishment at Evian was marked by the sentiment of a day that would be remembered for years: a performance that was as much about the story behind the score as the score itself. “It was an amazing day,” she said, though she quickly reminded everyone that there was one more day to play and one more round to conquer.
With Nelly Korda’s presence looming at the start of the week, the globe watched as Ryu, currently ranked No. 7 in the world, shifted the landscape. Korda had claimed the first two majors of the season and stood on the cusp of a career Grand Slam, with a path toward the LPGA Hall of Fame. Yet a missed cut for Korda in Evian opened the door for Ryu to seize the moment. The win at Hazeltine gave Ryu momentum, and Evian’s 60 offered another chapter in a breakout year for the American-style, international force in women’s golf.
What matters most to Ryu in those moments after signing her scorecard is simpler: happiness. “I’m so happy now,” she said, her face still lit with the smile that had become her signature on this memorable day. Even though she did not realize the historical significance of her 60 until after the fact, the record book will remember her round as a landmark moment in major championship history, and it was clear that the magic of Evian produced something extraordinary from a player who has already proven she can win at the highest level.
As Evian winds toward its final day, Ryu’s towering round remains the headline, a testament to talent, composure, and a fierce pursuit of greatness. She has shown that a major title, a sequence of rounds, and a moment of realization can converge to redefine what is possible on the biggest stages in tournament golf. Whether she catches Korda for Player of the Year honors or claims another major title this year, Haeran Ryu’s name is now etched alongside the most memorable scores in major championship history, and her 60 at Evian will be recalled as a turning point in a remarkable season.