Lee wins her 1st major after beating Lee6 in playoff

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Australian golfer Minjee Lee won a sudden-death playoff against overnight leader Jeongeun Lee6 to clinch the Evian Championship on Sunday for her first major title.

Lee6 had to take a drop when her second shot on the first playoff hole flew into a pond. Lee’s second attempt, meanwhile, landed near the flag.

Lee6 ended with a bogey to give the 25-year-old Lee three putts for victory and a sixth LPGA title.

She missed the first but made the second and was doused in Champagne by 2015 Evian champion Lydia Ko.

“I’m speechless … been waiting for this for so long. It just feels unreal to have won. In the playoff, and all throughout today, I played really well to get myself in that position,” she said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform. It’s just really nice to have a major title under my belt.”

Her younger brother, Min Woo Lee, has two wins on the men’s European Tour. He won the Scottish Open two weeks ago — also in a playoff and on the first extra hole.

“When we were really little, we used to go down to the driving range with Mom,” she said. “We would just practice.”

Lee is the first Australian to win at Evian since seven-time major winner Karrie Webb in 2006, before it was a major.

“Actually, she did message me straightaway,” Lee said of the 41-time LPGA Tour winner. “She messages me quite a bit. … It’s just really nice of her.”

Lee and Lee6 had finished the fourth round at 18-under-par but in vastly different circumstances.

Lee trailed Lee6 by seven shots overnight but drew level with a superb 7-under 64 in the final round, which included four birdies on the last five holes. After drifting away, Lee6 (71) hit back with three straight birdies to force a playoff.

Teenage American Yealimi Noh (67) finished third at 17-under when she missed a birdie chance on the 18th.

“A lot of positives. It’s been my best major finish,” the 19-year-old Noh said.

Lee and Lee6 teed off strongly in the 18th-hole playoff.

Lee went for a 5-iron on her second shot, but caddie Jason Gilroyed advised her to switch to a 6-iron and was proven right.

“I think the yardage was for 5-iron, but with adrenaline and everything, Gilly was like, ‘Let’s go 6-iron,’ ” she said. “It was 6 feet from the hole. Yeah, it worked out.”

That increased the pressure on Lee6, whose tense shot flew into the water. Her head dropped as she knew her chances of a second major had just gone. She won the U.S. Women’s Open in 2019.