​It would be nearly impossible to recreate the drama of last year’s Amundi Evian Championship, and even the defending champion agrees. Sometimes the most fitting tribute is simply to honor and remember the magical moments that unfolded on the course. Grace Kim, who captured the surprise and intensity of that finish, recently helped honor the memory with a new plaque commemorating her playoff chip-in on the 18th hole at Evian. “I saw it for the first time yesterday and it was really cool,” Kim said of the plaque. “It makes me feel like, you know, a bit after legendary moment, so, yeah, I’m really, really grateful for that.”
If your memory needs a jog, here’s a quick recap of how last year’s championship concluded. Kim eagled the final hole in regulation to force a playoff with Jeeno Thitikul. In the first playoff hole, Kim’s second shot found the water. After a penalty drop, she knocked in an improbable shot from across the pond for birdie, forcing a second playoff hole. There, she sealed her first major title in a gutsy comeback that has since been memorialized with a plaque on the 18th at the Evian Resort Golf Club. Kim expressed appreciation for Evian Resort’s gesture, saying, “It is a very cool thing for Evian Resort to put up for it, so I’m really grateful for it. Hearing those people that come to play Evian and try it out themselves, yeah, kind of makes me feel nice about it.”
As fans and visitors alike try their hand at recreating Kim’s famous shot, the defending champion isn’t chasing the exact replication. She acknowledged that she has been asked to give it a go this week but chose not to, noting, “I ended up not doing it, which I think that saved a lot of their time and mine as well. Maybe I’ll just leave it at that.” The 25-year-old is savoring the moment and the quirks that come with returning as a major champion. From seeing her enlarged image on the course to watching others attempt to recreate the celebrated shot, Kim said the experience has felt surreal, especially given that returning to the scene where her life changed is in itself a remarkable experience.
“I can’t believe it’s already been a year to begin with. But to be back in a place where I have changed my life, it’s super cool to be back,” Kim said. In terms of schedule and confidence, she notes that not much has shifted in her aim or purpose. “Golf can really humble you quite quickly, so in the times where it does get tough, I think I do handle myself a lot better… Just making sure I reiterate the good things my team has put in me—energy and time as well,” she added.
Kim is set to tee off at 6:48 a.m. ET on Thursday, alongside Ayaka Furue and Celine Boutier. The Amundi Evian Championship 2026 will begin on Thursday, July 9, in Evian-les-Bains, France, at the Evian Resort Golf Club. As excitement builds, fans and competitors alike will be watching to see whether the dramatic finish of last year can be matched—though, as Kim’s plaque suggests, some moments become legend simply by lasting in memory.