Lee wins Evian Championship with record-equalling comeback

A record-equalling comeback from Minjee Lee saw the Australian seal her first major title at the Evian Championship on Sunday.

Lee beat Jeongeun Lee in a play-off on the par-five 18th, with the South Korean finding the water to give the 25-year-old three chances to secure victory.

Though she missed her eagle putt, Lee nudged in for a birdie to cap a comeback which matches the previous best in a woman's major.

Lee started the day seven shots off the pace, but carded a brilliant 64 to match Patty Sheehan (at the LPGA in 1983) and her compatriot Karrie Webb (at the 2006 Kraft Nabisco) in the history books.

Her triumph has been one which looked to be coming for some time, with Lee – who birdied four of her last five holes to return to the clubhouse at 18 under par – having come close at the ANA Inspiration and the British Open.

Jeongeun Lee, the 2019 US Open champion, let her lead slip on the front nine, though recovered to have an opportunity to win with an eagle putt, which she failed to take.

American teenager Yealimi Noh missed out on the play-off by a shot, with Japan's Akaya Furue two strokes further back, ahead of Atthaya Thitikul at the Evian Resort Golf Club.

"I never thought about winning while playing, I just tried to make as many birdies as I could, I saw the leaderboard maybe once or twice," a jubilant Lee said.

"I just tried to play to the best of my ability and it’s really great to win a major!"

Lee's triumph came just a couple of weeks after her sister, Min Woo, won the Scottish Open.