'The Force' Propels Furue to Maiden Major Title

Evian-les-baines, France: Japan's Ayaka Furue took inspiration from the Star Wars movie franchise en route to claiming her maiden Major title at The Amundi Evian Championship, playing her last five holes in five-under-par including an eagle at the 18th hole.

The diminutive Furue, who stands only five feet tall, shot a closing 65 at Evian Resort Golf Club for a 19-under-par 265 total. The 24-year-old claimed her second LPGA Tour victory by one shot over third round leader Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia, who closed with a 67.

“I didn't believe that I can get the Major win. I'm so happy right now,” said Furue, who had four top-10 finishes in Major championships before this victory.

“I became a Star Wars fan like a month ago, and I love the sentence: ‘May the force be with you!' The sentence came up in my mind, and I just kept going on with that quote,” she added.

Furue played in the first two editions of the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific, finishing tied 11 in 2018 at Singapore's Sentosa Golf Club and tied seventh in 2019 at The Royal Golf Club in her native Japan. 

It was a rivetting final round for the 30th anniversary edition of The Amundi Evian Championship, which fittingly took place on Bastille Day, France’s national day.

At the par-five closing hole, Furue was tied on 17-under-par with Kyriacou and Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit, both also Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific alumnae. Playing two groups ahead of the leaders, Tavatanakit signed for a superb closing 63 to set the clubhouse target.

Kyriacou's tee shot at the 18th tee veered left, forcing her to lay up her second shot, while Furue found the fairway with her drive and reached the green in two shots. The Japanese player nailed the eagle putt from 15 feet to claim her first LPGA Tour win since her maiden triumph at the 2022 Women’s Scottish Open.

Furue is the fourth Japanese player to win a women’s Major, joining Yuka Saso who captured this year’s US Women’s Open presented by Ally, Hinako Shibuno (2019 AIG Women’s Open) and Chako Higuchi (1977 LPGA Championship). Joint runner-up at the inaugural Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in 2018, Saso also won the 2021 US Women’s Open while representing the Philippines.

“I didn't imagine this at all because I didn't get any Major titles in Japan, and I didn't really think about doing this on the LPGA. I feel so honoured to be the winner of a Major championship, but I feel like I put every effort to win every tournament,” said Furue, who has won eight titles on the Japan LPGA Tour.

Kyriacou’s last-hole birdie earned her solo second place on 18-under, one shot ahead of Tavatanakit. American Lauren Coughlin, who led for much of the final round until bogeys on 16 and 17, settled for fourth place on 15-under.