The Evian Championship

The Evian Championship
Tournament information
LocationÉvian-les-Bains,
Haute-Savoie, France
Established1994; 30 years ago (1994)
Course(s)Evian Resort Golf Club
Par71
Length6,523 yards (5,965 m)
6,482 yards (5,927 m) (2016)
Tour(s)Ladies European Tour
LPGA Tour
FormatStroke play - 72 holes
Prize fundUS$8.0 million
Month playedJuly (2019-present)
September (2013–2018)
July (2003-2012)
June (1994–2002)
Tournament record score
Aggregate263 Chun In-gee (2016)
To par−21 Juli Inkster (2003)
−21 Chun In-gee (2016)
Current champion
Japan Ayaka Furue
2024 Evian Championship
Evian Resort Golf Club is located in France
Evian Resort Golf Club
Evian Resort Golf Club

The Evian Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as The Amundi Evian Championship,[1] is a women's professional golf tournament in France, played at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains. It was originally held in June, moved to July in 2003, and moved again to September in 2013. It returned to a July date in 2019.

Founded 30 years ago in 1994 on the Ladies European Tour (LET) as the Evian Masters, it is one of two major championships on the LET. Not originally a major on the LPGA Tour, it became an LPGA co-sanctioned event in 2000, which included a significant increase in purse size. The purse was increased from $4.1 million[2] to $4.5 million effective with the 2021 event.[1] The 2022 event saw an increase in the purse to $6.5 million, with the winner earning $1 million.[3]

Originally a mid-June event, it was played in late July from 2003 to 2012, then moved to mid-September in 2013 when it became the final major for both tours. The average elevation of the course is approximately 480 metres (1,575 ft) above sea level and overlooks nearby Lake Geneva to the north.

In July 2011 it was announced that beginning in 2013, the Evian Masters would be renamed "The Evian Championship" and would become the fifth major on the LPGA Tour schedule and move to September.[4][5][6]

After the 2017 Evian Championship was reduced to 54 holes, LPGA commissioner Mike Whan admitted it was a mistake to move the major to a September date and vowed to move it back to summer by 2019. Furthermore, major changes in 2019 for the majors in men's golf, which will now be held in consecutive months – April, May, June, July – means the Evian can be held in August and be the final major in professional golf, men's or women's.[7] Ultimately, the new date for the Evian was set as the last full weekend in July, the week after The Open Championship (men's).[2]

In February 2021, the tournament organizers and French asset management firm Amundi jointly announced that the firm had become the tournament's title sponsor effective with the 2021 event to run for five years.[1]

Course

[edit]

Evian Resort Golf Club – (1994–present)

(a.k.a. Domaine du Royal Club Evian)

Field

[edit]

Prior to 2007, the event included 78 players, about half the size of a full-field LPGA Tour event, and was held over four days without a cut, meaning all players played all four days regardless of their scores. Beginning in 2007, the field was expanded to 90 players and a cut added after the second round. A cut means the players with the lowest 70 scores and anyone tied for 70th place play all four rounds and win prize money based on their final standing in the tournament. The other players are eliminated after the second round. The field was increased to 111 players in 2010[8] and 120 when it became a major in 2013.

Scoring record

[edit]

The tournament scoring record of 263 (−21) was set by Chun In-gee in 2016. The lowest round record is 61, jointly held by Leona Maguire, Lee Jeong-eun and Kim Hyo-joo.

Winners

[edit]

LET and LPGA co-sanctioned major (2013–present)

Year Dates Champion Score To par Margin
of victory
Runner(s)-up Purse
(US$)
Winner's
share
2024 11–14 Jul Japan Ayaka Furue 65-65-70-65=265 −19 1 stroke Australia Stephanie Kyriacou 8,000,000 1,200,000
2023 26–29 Jul France Céline Boutier 66-69-67-68=270 −14 6 strokes Canada Brooke Henderson 6,500,000 1,000,000
2022 21–24 Jul Canada Brooke Henderson 64-64-68-71=267 −17 1 stroke United States Sophia Schubert 6,500,000 1,000,000
2021 22–25 Jul Australia Minjee Lee 68-69-65-64=266 −18 Playoff South Korea Lee Jeong-eun 4,500,000 675,000
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]
2019 25–28 Jul South Korea Ko Jin-young 65-71-66-67=269 −15 2 strokes China Shanshan Feng
South Korea Kim Hyo-joo
United States Jennifer Kupcho
4,100,000 615,000
2018 13–16 Sep United States Angela Stanford 72-64-68-68=272 −12 1 stroke United States Austin Ernst
South Korea Kim Sei-young
United States Mo Martin
United States Amy Olson
3,850,000 577,500
2017* 14–17 Sep Sweden Anna Nordqvist 70-68-66=204 −9 Playoff United States Brittany Altomare 3,650,000 547,500
2016 15–18 Sep South Korea Chun In-gee 63-66-65-69=263 −21 4 strokes South Korea Park Sung-hyun
South Korea Ryu So-yeon
3,250,000 487,500
2015 10–13 Sep New Zealand Lydia Ko 69-69-67-63=268 −16 6 strokes United States Lexi Thompson 3,250,000 487,500
2014 11–14 Sep South Korea Kim Hyo-joo 61-72-72-68=273 −11 1 stroke Australia Karrie Webb 3,250,000 487,500
2013* 12–15 Sep Norway Suzann Pettersen 66-69-68=203 −10 2 strokes New Zealand Lydia Ko (a) 3,250,000 487,500

* Reduced to 54 holes due to rain

LET and LPGA co-sanctioned event (2000–2012)

Year Dates Champion Score To par Margin
of victory
Runner(s)-up Purse
(US$)
Winner's
share
Evian Masters
2012 26–29 Jul South Korea Inbee Park 71-64-70-66=271 −17 2 strokes United States Stacy Lewis
Australia Karrie Webb
3,250,000 487,500
2011 21–24 Jul Japan Ai Miyazato 68-68-67-70=273 −15 2 strokes United States Stacy Lewis 3,250,000 487,500
2010 22–25 Jul South Korea Jiyai Shin 68-70-71-66=274 −14 1 stroke South Korea Choi Na-yeon
United States Morgan Pressel
United States Lexi Thompson
3,250,000 487,500
2009 23–26 Jul Japan Ai Miyazato 69-66-70-69=274 −14 Playoff Sweden Sophie Gustafson 3,250,000 487,500
2008 24–27 Jul Sweden Helen Alfredsson 72-63-71-67=273 −15 Playoff South Korea Choi Na-yeon
Brazil Angela Park
3,250,000 487,500
2007 26–29 Jul United States Natalie Gulbis 72-69-73-70=284 −4 Playoff South Korea Jang Jeong 3,000,000 450,000
2006 26–29 Jul Australia Karrie Webb 67-68-69-68=272 −16 1 stroke England Laura Davies
United States Michelle Wie
3,000,000 450,000
2005 20–23 Jul United States Paula Creamer 68-68-66-71=273 −15 8 strokes Mexico Lorena Ochoa
United States Michelle Wie
2,500,000 375,000
2004 21–24 Jul Australia Wendy Doolan 68-68-69-65=270 −18 1 stroke Sweden Annika Sörenstam 2,500,000 375,000
2003 23–26 Jul United States Juli Inkster 66-72-64-65=267 −21 6 strokes South Korea Han Hee-won 2,100,000 315,000
2002 12–15 Jun Sweden Annika Sörenstam 68-67-65-69=269 −19 4 strokes Sweden Maria Hjorth
South Korea Mi-Hyun Kim
2,100,000 315,000
2001 13–16 Jun Australia Rachel Teske 71-68-66-68=273 −15 1 stroke Sweden Maria Hjorth 2,100,000 315,000
2000 14–17 Jun Sweden Annika Sörenstam 70-68-70-68=276 −12 Playoff Australia Karrie Webb 1,800,000 270,000

LET event (1994–1999)

Year Dates Champion Score To par Margin
of victory
Runner(s)-up Purse
(£)
Winner's
share
Evian Masters
1999 9–12 Jun Sweden Catrin Nilsmark 69-70-72-68=279 −9 2 strokes England Laura Davies 689,000 102,500
1998 3–6 Jun Sweden Helen Alfredsson 70-69-73-65=277 −11 4 strokes Sweden Maria Hjorth 500,000 75,000
1997 18–21 Jun Japan Hiromi Kobayashi 69-67-69-69=274 −14 Playoff England Alison Nicholas 425,000 63,750
1996 19–22 Jun England Laura Davies 72-69-65-68=274 −14 4 strokes Sweden Carin Koch 375,000 56,250
1995 7–10 Jun England Laura Davies 68-67-69-67=271 −17 5 strokes Sweden Annika Sörenstam 270,000 40,630
1994 9–12 Jun Sweden Helen Alfredsson 71-73-73-70=287 −1 3 strokes England Lora Fairclough
Australia Sarah Gautrey
232,500 34,875

In 2017 Nordqvist won with a bogey 5 on the first extra hole. In 2009 Miyazato won with a birdie 4 on the first extra hole. In 2008 Alfredsson won with a birdie 4 on the third extra hole, Park having been eliminated when the other two players made birdies on the first extra hole. In 2007 Gulbis beat Jang with a birdie 4 on the first extra hole. In 2000 Sörenstam beat Webb with an eagle 3 on the first extra hole. In 1997 Kobayashi beat Nicholas with an eagle 3 on the first extra hole.

Multiple winners

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Amundi Becomes Title Sponsor of The Evian Championship, Renamed The Amundi Evian Championship" (Press release). LPGA. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b "The Evian Championship Makes Date Change, Increases Purse" (Press release). LPGA. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  3. ^ "The Amundi Evian Championship Increases its Prize Purse to $6.5 Million". LPGA. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  4. ^ "LPGA Adds The Evian as a Major Championship in 2013" (Press release). LPGA. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Evian Masters to be 5th major in 2013". ESPN. Associated Press. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  6. ^ "The Evian Championship". LPGA. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  7. ^ Inglis, Martin (8 November 2017). "LPGA commissioner takes blame for major gaffe". bunkered.
  8. ^ "2010 Evian Masters - final leaderboard". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  9. ^ "Coronavirus & golf: LPGA Evian Championship in France cancelled". BBC Sport. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
[edit]

46°23′38″N 6°34′12″E / 46.394°N 6.570°E / 46.394; 6.570