​Haeran Ryu wrote a historic chapter at the Evian Championship, carding a 60 to finish 11-under par on Saturday and grab a three-shot lead heading into the final round in Evian-les-Bains, France. Her 60, the lowest round ever recorded in a major championship, left her just one stroke shy of a sub-60 round, a feat she realized only after she tallied her score following her final putt. A 30-foot eagle attempt on the par-5 18th hole fell short, but she closed with four birdies over the last five holes to reach 19-under 194 for the tournament so far. The South Korean star, who won last month’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in nearby Chaska, Minnesota, stands three strokes ahead of Japan’s Aki Iwai, who shot a 65 on Saturday, as the field prepares for Sunday’s final round at the Evian Resort Golf Club.
During the third round, Ryu had stood on the cusp of a historic number after a surge of nine birdies and an eagle on the par-4 sixth hole powered her to 60. The achievement places her in rare company in major championship lore, matching the record set by Hyo Joo Kim in 2014 and later equaled by Jeongeun Lee6 and Leona Maguire in 2021 for the lowest 18-hole score in a major. Yet the 25-year-old felt she did not truly know the magnitude of her round until she confirmed the score with her caddie after the final putt had dropped.
Ryu’s performance has positioned her on the brink of her second major title in three weeks. Her late-June victory at the Women’s PGA Championship marked her first major championship win, and she admitted the possibility of adding another major to her résumé in short order would be a dream realized. “Yeah, that is amazing, amazing dream,” she said. “So I just want that one to come true, but we have one more day and Aki is a pretty good player and everybody is so good.” Iwai, who had eight birdies against two bogeys on Saturday, remained in contention, praising the day’s play and acknowledging the formidable challenge posed by her playing partner Ryu. “Yes, today also I had a solid day. I gave many birdie opportunities, so it was really fun. I played with Haeran. She’s on fire, so pretty good,” Iwai commented.
In pursuit of the leaders, Brooke Henderson of Canada fired a 64 that included eagles on the seventh and 15th holes, a performance that helped her climb into a tie for third place at seven strokes behind Ryu. Japan’s Mao Saigo shot a 67 to also sit in that same third-place group. South Africa’s Casandra Alexander vaulted into fifth place with a 63 to finish 11-under, while Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul (67), Japan’s Miyu Yamashita (67), and England’s Lottie Woad (72) were all tied for sixth at 10-under.
The Evian Championship remains a brutal test of precision and nerve, with Ryu’s record-setting 60 adding a dramatic layer as the final round approaches. As the field prepares to chase the leader, all eyes will be on whether Ryu can convert this peak performance into a second major triumph in a remarkably short span. The stage is set for a dramatic Sunday in Evian-les-Bains, where history could well be rewritten once again. This recap originates from coverage affiliated with The Detroit News, chronicling Haeran Ryu’s historic round and the tournament’s evolving narrative.