H.J. Kim shoots 61 at Evian Championship for lowest-ever major round
Until Thursday, no player had ever shot less than 62 in major-championship history. Hyo Joo (H.J.) Kim changed that, however, in the first round of the game's youngest major championship.
Kim fired 10-under 61 the Evian Resort Golf Club in the Evian Championship to land a four-shot lead over Karrie Webb in the LPGA Tour's final major of the season. Kim made five birdies on each side, not dropping a shot, en route to toppling the former LPGA record for lowest round in a major. Minea Blomqvist set the mark in 2004 at England's Sunningdale Golf Club in the third round of the Women's British Open, its fourth year recognized as a major championship. Two years later, Lorena Ochoa matched the score at Mission Hills Country Club in the first round of the Kraft-Nabisco Championship.
On the men's side, 26 rounds of 63 have been shot in major-championship history. The last to pull off the feat was Jason Dufner at the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
Played in France, the Evian Championship is in its second year as a major. A year ago, torrential rains forced the tournament down to 54 holes, with Suzann Pettersen besting a then-amateur Lydia Ko by two shots.
