EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France -- Haeran Ryu birdied the first hole of a playoff with Brooke Henderson to win the Evian Championship on Sunday for a second straight major title in the space of three weeks.
The South Korean golfer backed up her victory at the Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club on June 29, but it didn't come easy after giving up a three-shot overnight lead and then making a birdie on No. 18 to force the playoff.
"Before these three weeks, I didn't have a major championship -- now two in a row," said the 25-year-old Ryu, who shot 60 on Saturday for the lowest round at an LPGA major. "I am so happy, I can't believe it."
A day after rolling in nine birdies and an eagle to set the scoring record for women's majors, Ryu couldn't make a putt at Evian Golf Resort and found herself teeing off on the par-5 18th in a tie for the lead with Japanese golfer Aki Iwai and with Henderson -- a two-time major winner and 2022 Evian champion -- a shot back.
With Henderson hitting her second shot to 8 feet, Ryu needed to make birdie -- her first of the day -- from further out to ensure being in a playoff and a putt finally dropped to complete a level-par 71. Iwai missed her birdie putt to fall out of contention but Henderson curled in for eagle to take the championships to extra holes.
It was the third eagle of the round for Henderson, whose 64 included a hole-in-one at No. 8 after finding the middle of the green and seeing her ball roll all the way in.
Ryu and Henderson went back up No. 18 in separate golf carts. Ryu found the middle of the fairway, while Henderson drove left into the rough and had to lay up.
Ryu hit her second onto the green and left an eagle putt 3 feet short. That proved to be the distance needed for the win after Henderson could only make par, and Ryu made no mistake.
"This is just a dream right now," said Ryu, drenched in champagne and cradling the trophy in her left arm.
For the first time in women's golf, there have been double major winners in the same year.
No. 1-ranked Nelly Korda won the first two majors of 2026 -- the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women's Open.
Henderson was looking to be the first repeat winner of the Evian Championship since it became women's golf's fifth major in 2013.
"Obviously very exciting to get into the playoff," the 28-year-old Canadian said. "Wish I had played a little bit better, but Haeran has been playing great. Congrats to her."
Iwai wept as she fell short of winning her first major title and becoming the fifth major champion from Japan since the start of 2024.
Still, third place was her best finish in a major.
"I got a little confidence," she said, fighting back tears. "I never give up."
The year's final major -- the Women's Open Championship -- is at Royal Lytham & St. Annes starting July 30.