San Francisco Frontiers - Furue summons up force of Star War to clinch first major at Evian Championship

NYSE - LSE

RYCEF	1.65%	21.15	$
CMSC	0.05%	21.35	$
RBGPF	1.9%	69.89	$
VOD	-1.03%	15.965	$
GSK	-0.81%	51.65	$
NGG	-0.76%	80.56	$
RIO	-1.92%	104.8	$
RELX	-1.4%	35.385	$
AZN	-2.44%	165.62	$
BTI	1.93%	57.58	$
CMSD	-0.52%	21.15	$
JRI	-0.21%	12.454	$
BP	-0.34%	42.715	$
BCC	-1.05%	80.195	$
BCE	-0.58%	23.455	$

Furue summons up force of Star War to clinch first major at Evian Championship

SPORTS 14.07.2024

Furue summons up force of Star War to clinch first major at Evian Championship / Photo: © AFP

Japan's Ayaka Furue relied on a famous quote from Star Wars to help bag her first major triumph on the women's tour with an eagle putt on the last hole at the Evian Championship on Sunday.

Text size:

The 24-year-old had led at the midway stage then went into the fourth round trailing Stephanie Kyriacou by two shots.

But a superb closing 65 gave her a 19 under par total of 265 and a career landmark win in the fourth of five majors on the women's tour.

"I became a Star Wars fan like a month ago, I love the sentence 'May the force be with you'," revealed Furue.

"Then on the 15th hole the sentence came up in my mind and I was just keep going on with that quote."

Australia's Kyriacou took second, one shot adrift, with Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit third a further shot behind.

"Breathtaking, like incredible and I'm so speechless" beamed Furue, who becomes Japan's third women's major winner after Hinako Shibuno, winner of the 2019 Women's (British) Open, and Hisako Higuchi, winner of the 1977 LPGA Championship.

"I didn't believe that I can get the major win so I'm so happy right now," she added.

"I feel so honoured to be the winner of a major championship, but I feel like I put every effort to win every tournament. I feel very comfortable with this win."

Reflecting on her last-hole heroics she said: "First shot landed on first cut so it was a little bit difficult to hit on the green.

"I just made that shot and then got an eagle putt so that was really good for me."

Kyriacou was split with emotion having got so close to the win.

"It was a good week. Sucks not to hold the trophy. If you told me I would come second at the start of the week I would've been happy," she said.

Behind the front three came American Lauren Coughlan, two shots shy of Tavatanakit, with Korean Ryu Hae-ran the same distance back to complete the top five.

B.Turner--SFF

Featured

American Moll wins women's pole vault at Zurich city event

American Hana Moll cleared a personal best of 4.90 metres to win the women's pole vault at the Zurich Diamond League, held as a city event in the main train station on Wednesday.

Veteran promoter Warren says it's Joshua's job to agree Fury fight

Anthony Joshua has the fate of a long-awaited 'Battle of Britain' clash with fellow former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury in his hands, according to veteran promoter Frank Warren.

UEFA 'likely' to drop threat to boycott FIFA tournaments: source

UEFA is "likely" to withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA tournaments as the two conditions it was seeking from world football's governing body following president Gianni Infantino's failed attempt to sell off stakes in the World Cup have been met, a source told AFP on Wednesday.

Ex-champ Wawrinka gets last-minute wildcard to US Open

Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka has been granted a last-minute wildcard to compete in US Open singles next week, organizers announced Wednesday, following controversy over the 2016 champion's omission.