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Ten players to keep an eye on at The Amundi Evian Championship 2024 (2/2)

July 07, 2024 | R. Forgues

COMPETITION

As the days go by, we are getting closer to the moment we all eagerly await: the launch of The Amundi Evian Championship 2024. To continue immersing you in the competition, we will take a closer look at 10 of the 132 competitors who will tee off this Thursday, July 11. This selection features those who have shone this season, many of whom are favorites for this 30th edition of the Major. From Nelly Korda to Jin-Young Ko, and including the French players Céline Boutier and Adela Cernousek, here are ten players to watch at The Amundi Evian Championship 2024.

Lilia Vu

Away from the fairways since mid-April due to a back pain that became too severe to ignore, the world number 2 made a resounding return to competition. At the recent Meijer LPGA Classic, the American claimed her fifth title on the LPGA Tour after a spectacular final round. The night before, Lilia Vu was outside the top 10, hoping for a great final day, but perhaps not daring to dream of such an outcome. Finishing her final round with a scorecard of 65(-7) decorated with seven birdies, including four in the last six holes, Lilia Vu entered a playoff with Lexi Thompson and Grace Kim. The double major winner emerged victorious with an ultimate birdie on the third playoff hole. Her eighth career professional win was followed the next week by a splendid second place at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. The comeback is sensational, and the future looks exciting.

In short: She had already made a big impact in 2023 with four wins, including two Majors (The Chevron Championship, Women's British Open). One wonders what level she could have achieved if she hadn't had back pain earlier this year. The competition should be worried.

Amy Yang

Eighteen years of waiting to finally achieve the ultimate goal. After 21 top-10 finishes in Majors, the experienced South Korean finally inscribed her name on one of the five most prestigious trophies in women's golf. At the recently concluded KPMG Women's PGA Championship, on the beautiful Sahalee Country Club course, Amy Yang held her nerve to finally achieve her dream. This victory, which felt like a release, is the culmination of a career spent traversing fairways and greens. With 75 Major appearances, her first win on the Ladies European Tour at age 16, and 86 top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour, her resume is overflowing. And yet, this may be just the beginning of a new story for a player who will now play free from the burden that haunted her.

In short: For Amy Yang, the first step was certainly the hardest. Now that she has taken it, why not dream bigger? After all, golf is anything but rational…

Hannah Green

Turning pro in 2016, the current world number 7 made her mark on the public in 2019. That year, when Jin-Young Ko dominated the sport, Hannah Green made her breakthrough by claiming her first career win, a Major no less. The 2019 KPMG Women's PGA Championship revealed to the golfing world the character of a confident player, even preventing Sung Hyun Park from defending her title. This triumph marked the start of years of hard work and dedication, allowing her to establish herself among the confirmed members of the LPGA Tour. The Amundi Evian Championship is currently the only Major where she has not achieved a top-20 finish; perhaps her time has come.

In short: Balancing experience and enthusiasm, high-level performances and steady nerves, the Australian has proven again this year that she is a contender.

Ayaka Furue

Renowned as one of the richest talent pools in the world, Asian golf continues to place its best players at the top of the Majors and the Women's World Ranking season after season. Ayaka Furue, a young 24-year-old Japanese player, is one of those who has benefited from this meticulous work to refine all aspects of her game and become one of her country's great hopes. Like many, she started her career on the LPGA Japan Tour before competing with the best on the American circuit. While Asian players may be discreet in life, they certainly make their mark on the course. In Evian, Ayaka Furue will compete in her 17th Major, her 4th in Haute-Savoie. She has already achieved eight top-10 finishes this season and has not missed a single cut.

In short: Undoubtedly one of the most consistent and in-form players on the circuit this season. She leads in six of the twenty individual statistical categories tracked by the LPGA Tour.

Adela Cernousek

In the shadow of an internationally brilliant Céline Boutier, young French talents with great potential are working hard to make their way into the elite. Such is the case for Adela Cernousek. A student at Texas A&M University, she is currently one of the best amateurs in the world, ranking 10th in the global standings. She owes this position to years of hard work and the experience gained despite her 20 years. She played in the Juniors Cup and The Amundi Evian Showcase in 2018 and recently won the individual NCAA Championship (the first Frenchwoman to do so since Kristel Mourgue d’Algue in 1995). She continued this momentum at the recent US Open at the end of May, carding a 69(-1) on Thursday, placing her in the top three after the first round. Although she finished 67th in the event, this performance rightly earned her praise from the global press, highlighting her ability to already perform at a very high level.

In short: French golf has a bright future. For her first The Amundi Evian Championship, Adela can count on the support of the French public to showcase her talent.

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