Grace Kim’s Playoff Magic Delivers One of Golf’s Greatest Major Finishes originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Sometimes, golf delivers moments so perfect they feel scripted. Grace Kim’s victory at the Amundi Evian Championship on Sunday was one of those rare occasions when reality outdid fiction, producing what might have been the most thrilling major championship finish in years.
The 24-year-old Australian came to the 72nd hole needing an eagle to force a playoff with world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul. Standing in the fairway at 12-under, two shots behind, Kim pulled out her 4-hybrid and delivered the shot of her life — a laser that settled just one foot from the pin. The tap-in eagle sent the French crowd into a frenzy and forced extra holes with one of today’s elite female stars.
What followed was playoff golf at its finest. On the first extra hole, Kim’s approach found the water, giving all indications that Thitikul was about to win her first major. But in a moment that defied belief, Kim, after taking her drop, pitched her fourth shot into the cup for birdie. The roar from the gallery was deafening.
An unshaken Thitikul, showing nerves of steel, answered by chipping her third shot close, burying her 10-foot birdie putt and extending the playoff.
Back at the 18th tee, Kim split the fairway, much like she did in regulation. Her approach settled about 20 feet from the pin, leaving her with a very makeable eagle opportunity. Thitikul’s second shot again went long, leaving her with an awkward downhill lie in the greenside bunker. To make things even more interesting, a swarm of ants was scurrying around her golf ball.
Despite the bizarre circumstances, Thitikul knocked her chip to about six feet, keeping the pressure squarely on Kim. After waiting through the ant ruling, Kim and her caddie, Drew Ernst, carefully read her putt for eagle, knowing exactly what a make would mean. When the eagle putt dropped moments later, Kim instinctively brought her hand to her mouth in complete disbelief.
“I couldn’t breathe,” Kim told NBC’s Tom Abbott afterward. “I couldn’t really see. I was like, ‘Is it dead straight?’ ‘Yeah.’ I’m hitting the putt. Glad it went in the hole.”
The victory made Kim the fifth Australian to win a major championship and capped off one of the most memorable finishes in recent major championship history. The combination of clutch shot-making under extreme pressure, dramatic momentum swings, and pure theater not only made for compelling television but reminded us all why golf’s biggest moments are so very special.
Even with a great storyline or a deserving winner, a major championship that lacks drama often leaves fans feeling a little bit of a letdown. Kim and Thitikul delivered something truly extraordinary in the French Alps this past weekend and to say it was a dramatic finish would be a significant understatement.
The 2025 Evian will be replayed for years to come and stand as one of the best finishes in major championship history.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
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