In-Gee Chun wins Evian Championship with major record-setting total

In-Gee Chun set a new bar for major championship scoring on Sunday at The Evian Championship, the LPGA’s fifth and final major of the year, in France.

Chun won her second major title, following her 2015 U.S. Women’s Open win in Pennsylvania, winning by four shots over So Yeon Ryu and Sung Hyun Park at 21-under-par 263 at Evian Resort Golf Club. That’s the best-ever four-round total shot in relationship to par in a major championship. The previous LPGA record was 19 under par, shot by five different players in Tour history, most recently coming when Inbee Park shot the number to win the 2015 Women’s PGA Championship. Jason Day held the overall record with a 20-under-par total in the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

“I just cannot believe I won the Evian Championship,” said the 22-year-old Korean after her win, the second of her LPGA career. “I made 21 under par. I’m not dreaming, right?”

The result is quite a turnaround for Chun, who missed the cut in this event last year. For the week, Chun only dropped four shots to par on three holes, including a double-bogey 7 on the par-5 ninth in the third round. Chun locked up the major scoring record with an unconventional par on the final hole. She drove her ball to the right, chipped out to set up a layup on the finishing hole, which found the green. Needing a 10-footer to lock up her record total, Chun calmly sank the putt for a final round of 2-under 69 and the win.

World No. 1 and defending champion Lydia Ko wasn’t a factor from the outset, finishing in a tie for 43rd place, 23 shots behind Chun.

Ariya Jutanugarn, vying for her sixth win on the second and second major in a row, finished tied for ninth place along with Brooke Henderson, who won the Women’s PGA Championship this year, and American Gerina Piller.