Hae-ran Ryu of Geumjeong-myeon, South Korea has won the 2026 Evian Championship in France. In a dramatic major tournament in women’s golf, Ryu hung on to beat Canadian Brooke Henderson in a playoff, as they both had four round scores of -19.
Ryu did not play her best on Sunday. However, it was good enough. In the fourth round, she shot a score of even par. Ryu had one birdie and one bogey. She birdied the 18th hole, and bogeyed the eighth hole. It was interesting that Ryu did not have a single birdie in the first 17 holes in her round, and then delivered a birdie on the 18th hole to force a playoff.
On the 73rd hole in the tournament, Henderson got into trouble as her tee shot went into the rough. Ryu’s tee shot found the fairway, and put herself in striking distance of recording a birdie which she made. Henderson missed her birdie putt and gave Ryu the title.
Aki Iwai, the round one leader, from Saitama Prefecture, Japan, was one stroke back of the lead. Iwai had a four round score of -18.
What is fascinating about the 2026 women’s golf season is that we have had only two major champions after the first four majors. In addition to winning the Evian Championship, Ryu also won the 2026 Women’s PGA Championship. Meanwhile, Nelly Korda of Bradenton, Florida won the 2026 Chevron Championship and 2026 United States Women’s Open.
This was Ryu’s fifth LPGA Tour victory. She also won the 2023 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, the 2024 FM Championship in Boston, and the 2025 Black Desert Championship in Utah.
