Return

The Amundi Evian Championship 2023, the contenders.

July 02, 2023 | R. Forgues

JOUEUSES

The Amundi Evian Championship, scheduled from 27th to 30th July, is fast approaching. As with every year, this new edition of the major championship will see the leading women golfers in the world compete on the The Champions Course, the famous and challenging course layout at the Evian Resort Golf Club. From Brooke Henderson, last year’s winner here, to Jin-Young Ko, the leader in the Rolex Rankings, along with the French clan and the players on form this season, here is an overview of this year’s main contenders.


1. Brooke Henderson, of course
The 25-year-old Canadian and winner of the 2022 edition, is of course one of the most eagerly-awaited players among the field of 132 who will tee-off from hole 1 on 27th July. Following on from her second major title - after the LPGA Championship 2016 - she had four back-to-back Top 20 finishes at the five tournaments she competed in after her victory in Haute-Savoie. Since then, her inconsistent results show that she sometimes battles with her golf, as her long game stops her from winning as often as she would like. However, this has not stopped the current world number 11 from being one of the most consistent players of recent seasons, making the cut 81% of the time since 2015. In Evian, she will need to find that little something extra again that enabled her to win in 2022. Defending champion Brooke Henderson will certainly be one to keep an eye on.

2. Competing at home
Competing in a major championship in front of a home crowd is undoubtedly one the most exciting challenges for any top-level golfer. So when you are French and are preparing to set down your bags in Evian, you definitely expect to experience a week like no other. The first player has been a French golf icon for many seasons. Céline Boutier, who took her game to new heights in 2023, even making it into the world top 10, seems more equipped than ever to solve the puzzle posed by The Champions Course. Will this be a breakthrough year for the boss of the French tribe? The answer in a few weeks. Eyes will also be on Perrine Delacour. Before a final round 79(+8) at the 2022 tournament followed by a several-month break from the LPGA Tour, Perrine Delacour was having the week of her dreams. She shot the first three rounds in 66-68-70, placing her on 9-under and entitling her to hope of a top-place finish, proof she is capable of playing at the highest level, as is Pauline Roussin.  The former amateur world number 1 also performed well in Haute-Savoie, in particular in 2021 when finished in an honorable 38th place, a few days prior to turning pro. Céline Herbin will be making her grand return, to the delight of the public who always enjoys cheering on the French players. Absent from the 2022 tournament, the former student of Vicente Ballesteros (brother of Seve) will be participating in her fourth major in Evian, after 2016, 2019 and 2021.


3. Jin-Young Ko, obviously
While a status gives no guarantees, victories and longevity undoubtedly do more so. Jin-Young Ko is above all a player who has been admired for such a long time. The South Korean, who was crowned with a new title at the most recent Cognizant Founders Cup, continues year after year to be noticed for her talent, on a straight path that has produced lasting domination despite the competition and the passing of time.  It is obvious that she is one of the favorites. When it comes to her, we need to ask a different question: what will her form be like? Because once the machine is well-oiled, as long as she has that little touch of luck needed for success, Jin-Young Ko is quite simply untouchable. Her still unmatched record of 114 consecutive holes without the slightest bogey during the 2019 season is probably the best example of this. And in fact, that was the year she won The Amundi Evian Championship, to date the last major championship under her belt. So, to add a third Grand slam title to her name, what could be more natural than taking a leap forward where she left off? The world number one will obviously be in the game.

4. On form this season

For those of you who have followed us over the years, you have already heard us talk numerous times of a certain Hyo-Joo Kim. The South Korean and LPGA Tour player since 2015 can create a storm in Evian, as she did the first time she competed here, carding a first-round 61(-10). Fortunately for her, and unfortunately for the others, she comes to Evian carrying confidence and serenity.  In 2023, she has had five Top 10 finishes out of 9 tournaments. Needless to say, she is one to watch out for. In her eight times in Evian, she has never missed the cut and has finished in the Top 20 six times, including last year (T3).

As for Lilia Vu, the amazing 25-year-old- American is experiencing a stellar 2023 season despite her recent subpar performances.  She was victorious at her first tournament of the year on the LPGA Tour at the Honda LPGA Thailand, then won a major title at The Chevron Championship, where her final birdie on the first hole of the play-off rounded off a challenging yet unforgettable week. In Texas (USA), she made an impression with her calm and serenity. Two advantages that will serve her well if she wants to get involved in the last round battle on 30th July.

In the extended family of Americans who have made the golf course their favorite playground, let us not forget Nelly Korda. At the age of 24, the Bradenton (USA) native, she has been firmly settled in the elite of women's world golf for several seaons, and this year will be no exception.  With six Top 6 finishes in 9 tournaments, few and far between are the players who have results like that. If we take a closer look at her latest results, the missed cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship would convince you of the danger the world number 2 represents. But beware of a hasty conclusion, golf is a sport in which form can vary greatly. And for a great champion, as Nelly Korda can be, it doesn't take long to reconnect with that form and take a spot at the top of the leaderboard.


5. Also to watch out for

A major championship inevitably means an extremely high level of play, and there are indeed numerous players who could claim the final victory. We will obviously keep a watchful eye on how Lydia Ko (NZL) is performing, the world number 3 won the event in 2015 and is a regular in the final pairings on Sunday in Evian. Others to keep an eye on include Carlota Ciganda (ESP) who has had a number of impressive results at major championships, with three Top 12 finishes at the past four, including an excellent 3rd place here in Haute-Savoie last season. Or Ruoning Yin (CHN), a Team Amundi Asia player, who recently joined the select club of major winners with a superb performance at the latest KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.


Young Rose Zhang (USA), the winner at her first tournament as a pro, the Mizuho Americas Open, will undoubtedly have something to say, while Atthaya Thitikul (THA), the player with the highest percentage of Top 10 finishes on the LPGA Tour, seems totally capable of claiming the title. A final word on Leona Maguire (IRL) who at the age of 28 has produced one of the best seasons of her career, rewarded a few weeks ago with a win at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give.



# JOUEUSES

News