Haeran Ryu shot an 11-under 60 on Saturday at the Evian Championship, shattering the scoring record for LPGA majors and seizing a commanding three-shot lead heading into the final round. The South Korean player's historic performance at Evian Golf Resort in Evian-les-Bains, France also set another LPGA major record: she's now at 18-under 194 after three rounds.
This isn't Ryu's first major breakthrough. Two weeks earlier, she won her first major at the Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Now she's chasing something rarely achieved: back-to-back majors in a single season, a feat that would place her alongside Nelly Kord, who won two majors this year (though Kord missed the cut at Evian).
Ryu's round included nine birdies and an eagle, with four of those birdies coming on her last five holes. She nearly tied the LPGA scoring record of 59 but settled for a two-putt birdie on the closing hole. When she counted her scorecard with her caddie, the reality hit her. "Oh my God, it's 11-under par today. It was so amazing," she said, still processing what she'd accomplished.
A Record That Stood for Years
Ryu's 60 broke the previous LPGA major record by one stroke. That mark had been set by three different players: Leona Maguire and Jeung-eun Lee6, who both shot 61 at the Evian Championship 5 years ago, and Hyo Joo Kim, who matched that score 12 years ago. The Evian Championship itself only became an LPGA major 13 years ago, in 2013.
For context, men's golf has never seen a round this low in a major championship. The men's record stands at 62, a score shared by four players: Branden Grace at Royal Birkdale during the 2017 British Open (9 years ago), Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler at the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club (3 years ago), and Schauffele again alongside Shane Lowry at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla (2 years ago).
Ryu's eagle on the par-4 sixth hole exemplified her precision. She hit a 7-iron from 155 yards and watched it find the cup. "That hole is a little tricky because it's narrow and the green is a little hilly," she explained. "So I just want to make par on that hole. I hit 7-iron there and then it's pretty good shot there. I just walking towards the green and it's going in. So I was so happy and surprised there."
The Challengers Behind
Aki Iwai of Japan sits three shots back after shooting a 65. Brooke Henderson trails by seven shots following a 64, while Mao Saigo of Japan is also seven shots behind after a 67. Lottie Woad of England, who held the lead entering the third round, shot 72 and fell nine shots off the pace.
Iwai spoke about her own momentum heading into Sunday. "Last year I missed the cut, and so I want revenge," she said. "Really optimistic tomorrow. I just keep going."
The Road to History
Ryu's path to this moment wasn't straightforward. She underwent minor back surgery after finishing as a runner-up at the Kroger Queen City Championship, then returned just over a month later to claim her breakthrough major at the Women's PGA. That kind of resilience—competing through physical recovery and then immediately contending at the sport's highest level—speaks to her determination.
Now she faces the final hurdle. When asked about the possibility of winning back-to-back majors, Ryu acknowledged both the dream and the reality. "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 pretty good player and everybody is so good player, so I just doing pretty well."
Historically, the odds aren't in her favor. Of the three previous players to shoot 61 at the Evian Championship, only Hyo Joo Kim went on to win the tournament. But Ryu's record-breaking round suggests she's playing at a level few can match.
Why This Matters:
Ryu's historic round represents a watershed moment for women's professional golf. Her 60 demonstrates that the sport's elite female players are capable of performances that match or exceed the technical mastery displayed by men at the highest levels of competition—a fact that historically receives far less media attention and sponsorship investment. The LPGA major championship has grown into genuine sporting theater only in recent years, and records like Ryu's help establish that women's golf deserves equal prominence in sports discourse. Beyond the record itself, Ryu's journey from runner-up finishes through back surgery to winning a major and now chasing a second title in the same season reflects the structural barriers women athletes must overcome—shorter off-seasons, less financial security, and fewer resources for recovery. Her success matters not just as a personal achievement but as evidence of what women golfers can accomplish when given the platform and support to compete at their highest level.