Furue Bags First Major Triumph At Evian Championship

Japan’s Ayaka Furue has bagged her first major triumph on the women’s tour at the Evian Championship on Sunday.

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 just kept going on with that quote to win more.”

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.”