As In Gee Chun of South Korea broke a major championship in France today, Australia's Sarah Jane Smith crept quietly up the Race to CME Globe rankings with a top-30 finish.
Chun won her second major championship and shot 21-under for the Evian Championship with a closing 69, beating the previous women's record of 19-under in a major (and 20-under for men). She was imperious, proving again that she is a force in majors. Both her big wins in LPGA Tour events have been majors.
Smith, who has had her most consistent season yet, finished tied-30th at one-under par, the best of the Australians. With $US195,000 of earnings this year the woman from the Sunshine Coast of Queensland is 52nd in the points tally for the season, putting herself in position to reach the Tour Championship which is for the top 72.
Of the other Australians in France, Su Oh finished 61st, Minjee Lee 67th and Karrie Webb missed the cut.
But Chun, who closed with a 68 in wet conditions, won by four shots and was never threatened. “I knew 19-under par is tied record before the final round,'' the Korean said. "It was more pressure for me, but I tried to think about it as a really good experience. I tried to more enjoy it.''
Asked how she responded, Chun said: “I don't know because I feel like I'm dreaming now. Without nerves, I feel bored. Nothing, bored. I had a lot of pressure on the course, but I enjoyed my game. I tried my best to keep to my game plan possibly, I think so I might win this time.”
The tour moves to Asia now before returning to America for the Tour Championship in November.