The World’s best female golfers turn their attention to the fourth Major of the LPGA season in this week’s The Amundi Evian Championship.
This is the only Major event for both the men and women to be held within Continental Europe.
Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France plays host and has done so since the event’s inception in 1994.
Although the event has been on-going for 30 years, it has had major status beginning in 2013.
Previously known as the Evian Masters, this co-sanctioned event between the LPGA and LET tours has plenty of history.
This event was previously held as the final Major of the season for the LPGA between 2013-and-2019 but was moved to the penultimate slot in 2019
The Field
As with most majors, there are plenty of storylines to follow this week.
Céline Boutier claimed last year’s edition on home soil, doing so by winning by six strokes over 2022 winner Brooke Henderson.
This was also the site of Lydia Ko’s maiden Major victory as she did so at just 18-years-old, making her the youngest Major winner of all time.
In Gee Chun holds the record for the lowest 72-hole-score not only here but in any LPGA major at -21, doing so in 2016.
World No. 5 Amy Yang is back in action after she claimed her maiden Major title last month at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Washington.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda is set to tee it up this week after she withdrew from the Aramco Team Series event in London citing a dog bite.
World No. 8 Charley Hull withdrew from her last event as well, citing a shoulder injury sustained from a ‘nasty fall.’
Lexi Thompson is the most notable name absent from this event as she recently announced her retirement from the game.
In all, 132 golfers complete the field as they fight for their share of the $8 million purse and a $1.5 million check to the winner.
The Course
The Evian Resort Golf Club is one of the most stunning pieces of golf that the world has to offer.
Located in Evian-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie in southeast France, this stunning venue offers dazzling views of the nearby Alps and Lake Geneva. It makes it one of the most picturesque venues in the world.
This venue ranks as one of the best golf resorts in Continental Europe.
It plays as a Par-72 at 6,693 yards.
The Evian Resort Golf Club underwent a $8 million renovation in 2012-2013, spearheaded by architect Steve Smyers and European Golf Design, enhancing the tees, fairways, greens and bunkers.
The Weather
As of the time of writing this, we can expect some wet conditions in southeast France this week. There is currently a 40-percent chance of precipitation on Thursday and a 60-percent chance of precipitation on Saturday. Friday is currently calling for the worst of it, with a 90-percent chance of precipitation and thunderstorms. Sunday is currently the only day set to be clear, with just a 20-percent chance of precipitation. Winds will be minimal however, ranging from just four-to-six miles-per-hour across all four days. Temperatures will begin at the highest on Thursday at 83-degrees before drastically falling to 71-degrees come Friday and climbing back to 79-degrees for Sunday. In all, expect some wet and slow conditions this week with the potential of some delays.
Key Stats
Average Driving Distance
Greens in Regulation Percentage (GIR%)
Putting Average
Sand Saves Percentage
Scoring Average
Par 5 Scoring Average
Betting Card
Atthaya Thitikul (+1400)
Although Thitikul didn’t have the best showing in the last major at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, she followed that up with a victory at the Dow Championship. Prior to the PGA Championship she also placed T8th at the Meijer LPGA Classic, fourth at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, T6th at the U.S. Women’s Open, T7th at the Mizuho Americas Open and 12th at The Chevron Championship. She is currently fourth on Tour in GIR%, sixth in average scoring, eighth in par five average scoring, 25th in average driving distance, 53rd in sand saves percentage and 81st in putting average. She’ll need to get the putter rolling this week if she hopes to win but if her latest outing has anything to say, is that it will. I’m playing two units on her.
Ally Ewing (+2500)
Ewing is currently one of the hottest golfers in the world coming into this event. She has placed in the top five in four consecutive events coming into this penultimate major. She placed second at the Dow Championship, T5th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, fourth at the Meijer LPGA Classic and T3rd at the U.S. Women’s Open. That run of events also includes two top-fives at the last two majors, including the extremely challenging U.S. Women’s Open. Ewing is currently sixth on Tour in sand saves percentage, tenth in average scoring, 23rd in GIR%, 37th in average driving distance, 41st in par five average scoring and 56th in putting average. I’m playing a unit on her this week.
Hannah Green (+4000)
Green was my first click this week. She too is in some great form coming into this week. Dating back to late April she has not missed the cut in six events, including a victory at the JM Eagle LA Championship and a runner-up performance at the Mizuho Americas Open. She also placed T16th at the U.S. Women’s Open, T18th at the Cognizant Founders Cup, T24th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and T27th at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Green is currently fourth on Tour in average scoring, eighth in GIR%, 28th in putting average, 30th in sand saves percentage, 31st in average driving distance and 41st in par five average scoring. I’m playing a unit on her this week.
Patty Tavatanakit (+6600)
In her last four outings, Tavatanakit has a top ten, two top 15’s and three top 25’s. She placed T7th at the Mizuho Americas Open, T12th at the Cognizant Founders Cup and T24th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. On the season she won the Honda LPGA Thailand and placed T8th at the HSBC Women’s World Championship. Tavatanakit is currently eighth on Tour in par five average scoring, 12th in average driving distance, 13th in scoring average, 15th in putting average, 68th in GIR% and 74th in sand saves percentage. I’m also playing a unit on her this week.
Gabriela Ruffels (+9000)
Although Ruffels missed the cut in her last outing at the Dow Championship, she had made the cut in five consecutive events prior. In those five events she placed third at the Cognizant Founders cup and T3rd at the Mizuho Americas Open. She also placed T17th at the Meijer LPGA Classic and made the cut at both the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open. She also placed T3rd earlier this season at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship. Ruffels is currently 20th on Tour in putting average, 26th in scoring average, 29th in sand saves percentage, 50th in par five average scoring, 55th in average driving distance and 59th in GIR%. I am also playing a unit on her this week.
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