For Celine Boutier, winning a major championship at home in France carries more value than simply the prize money payout given out for claiming the title. Yes, by closing out her victory on Sunday at the Amundi Evian Championship — extending a three-shot lead to start the day into a six-shot victory with a closing 68 — the 29-year-old earned $1 million from an overall purse of $6.5 million. But more importantly she made history by becoming the first Frenchwoman to win at Evian Resort, an accomplishment that doesn’t come with a price tag.

“It’s honestly been my biggest dream since I started watching golf,” Boutier said. “This tournament has always been very special to me, just even watching as as teenager. Just to be able to hold this trophy is pretty unbelievable.”

Boutier was already the most successful player from her country in LPGA history, claiming her third title earlier this year before grabbing her first career major. She was a commanding figure all week, posting of 66-69-67 in becoming the fifth player in the event’s history to make this championship her first major title, joining Hyo Joo Kim (2014), Lydia Ko (2015), Angela Stanford (2018) and Minjee Lee (2021).

Here’s the prize money payouts for each golfer who made the cut at Evian.

Win: Celine Boutier, -14, $1,000,000
2: Brooke M. Henderson, -8, $585,967
T-3: Celine Borge, -7, $283,278
T-3: Gaby Lopez, -7, $283,278
T-3: A Lim Kim, -7, $283,278
T-3: Yuka Saso, -7, $283,278
T-3: Nasa Hataoka, -7, $283,278
8: Gemma Dryburgh, -6, $158,805
T-9: Atthaya Thitikul, -5, $122,100
T-9: Megan Khang, -5, $122,100
T-9: Su Ji Kim, -5, $122,100
T-9: Rose Zhang, -5, $122,100
T-9: Nelly Korda, -5, $122,100
T-14: Jennifer Kupcho, -4, $95,922
T-14: Esther Henseleit, -4, $95,922
T-16: Stephanie Kyriacou, -3, $81,808
T-16: Morgane Metraux, -3, $81,808
T-16: Linn Grant, -3, $81,808
T-16: Minjee Lee, -3, $81,808
T-20: Min Ji Park, -2, $65,045
T-20: Jin Young Ko, -2, $65,045
T-20: Ashleigh Buhai, -2, $65,045
T-20: Eun-Hee Ji, -2, $65,045
T-20: Hyo Joo Kim, -2, $65,045
T-20: Anna Nordqvist, -2, $65,045
T-20: Angel Yin, -2, $65,045
T-20: Alison Lee, -2, $65,045
T-28: Moriya Jutanugarn, -1, $47,560
T-28: Ariya Jutanugarn, -1, $47,560
T-28: Sarah Kemp, -1, $47,560
T-28: Sarah Schmelzel, -1, $47,560
T-28: Jodi Ewart Shadoff, -1, $47,560
T-28: Johanna Gustavsson, -1, $47,560
T-28: Ryann O’Toole, -1, $47,560
T-28: Wei-Ling Hsu, -1, $47,560
T-36: Amy Yang, E, $35,610
T-36: In Gee Chun, E, $35,610
T-36: Wichanee Meechai, E, $35,610
T-36: Ayaka Furue, E, $35,610
T-36: Peiyun Chien, E, $35,610
T-36: Georgia Hall, E, $35,610
T-42: Aditi Ashok, +1, $27,910
T-42: Linnea Strom, +1, $27,910
T-42: Albane Valenzuela, +1, $27,910
T-42: Hae Ran Ryu, +1, $27,910
T-42: Leona Maguire, +1, $27,910
T-42: Lilia Vu, +1, $27,910
T-48: Daniela Darquea, +2, $22,649
T-48: Mi Hyang Lee, +2, $22,649
T-48: Hye-Jin Choi, +2, $22,649
T-48: Miyu Yamashita, +2, $22,649
T-48: Patty Tavatanakit, +2, $22,649
53: Minami Katsu, +3, $20,530
T-54: Jiyai Shin, +4, $18,607
T-54: Jenny Shin, +4, $18,607
T-54: Pauline Roussin, +4, $18,607
T-54: Elizabeth Szokol, +4, $18,607
T-54: Allisen Corpuz, +4, $18,607
T-59: Angela Stanford, +5, $16,363
T-59: Hinako Shibuno, +5, $16,363
T-61: Cheyenne Knight, +6, $14,758
T-61: Stephanie Meadow, +6, $14,758
T-61: Yan Liu, + 6, $14,758
T-61: Karis Davidson, +6, $14,758
T-61: Sung Hyun Park, +6, $14,758
T-61: Lydia Ko, +6, $14,758
T-61: Min Lee, +6, $14,758
68: Paula Reto, + 7, $13,472
69: Pernilla Lindberg, +8, $13,153
70: Emma Talley, +15, $12,834

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There was a storm surrounding Carlota Ciganda early in the event, but now we are at the business end and Celine Boutier, the local hope, shot a four-under 67 on Saturday to hold a three-stroke lead at 11-under in her homeland’s major championship. A victory for Boutier, 29, would make her the first Frenchwoman to win the Evian. With her consistent 66-69-67 week so far, Boutier doesn’t appear to be wavering with history in sight.

“I feel like the past three rounds have really been three different weather conditions, and so the fact that I’ve been able to keep my game solid for the past three days is very positive,” Boutier said.

The three-time LPGA winner has discussed throughout the week about her attempt to improve the way she handles the pressure of trying to win the French major. Despite her success in her LPGA career, Boutier’s best finish in seven starts at the Evian Resort Golf Club is T-29.

The focus to overcome the additional stress this week has Boutier aiming toward not getting ahead of the current moment. That task’s difficulty is amplified with the extra fanfare in Evian-les-Bains, France, with notable roars rolling through the hills when Boutier hits a good shot. However, the most-successful French player in tour history has been able to put down thinking about the major by spending time with her family at a house 15 minutes away from the course.

In second place at eight-under is Nasa Hataoka, who looks to play the major foil once again after shooting a Saturday 66. The 24-year-old from Japan was in the final group at the LPGA’s most recent major, the US Women’s Open, where she held a one-stroke lead before losing to Allisen Corpuz. Hataoka has two major playoff losses in her career at the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and 2021 US Women’s Open.

Hataoka could shed the unwanted title of most wins on tour (six) without a major, which she shares with Jessica Korda.

“Tomorrow is another new day, and I want to enjoy the next 18 holes,” Hataoka said.

The last Amundi Evian champions, Brooke Henderson (2022) and Minjee Lee (2021), are four back of Boutier, both contending for their third career major titles. Henderson, 25, stormed the front nine, setting a major record by going out in a six-under 29, including four straight birdies from Nos. 6 through 9. A 10-under day would have tied the all-time 18-hole major score, but instead the Canadian stalled after a double-bogey on the 12th. Henderson’s four-under total puts her T-3, placing her in a position to turn around a season with only one top-10 finish, a victory at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January.

Lee, 27, could further separate herself from her peers during the LPGA’s recent run of major parity with a victory. Over the tour’s last 21 majors, dating back to the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the Australian is the only multiple major winner (2021 Evian, 2022 US Women’s Open). In addition, the she could become the No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings with some help. It’ll take Lee winning plus Korda finishing outside the top 21 and Jin Young Ko, the current top player, with a 20th place or worse result. Ko is T-30 and Korda is T-5.

Korda gave herself a late birthday present with a bogey-free seven-under 64 on Saturday, the day after turning 25. Korda’s lowest round of the 2023 season puts the No. 2 player in the world four back from her second career major title. It’s a notable bounce back from her last few LPGA performances, Korda having missed two cuts before a T-67 at the US Women’s Open where Korda closed with an 80. She regained her footing with her victory on the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Series — London two weeks ago, boosting the American’s confidence heading into the Evian. Korda’s potential reward for a strong week, beyond a possible second major title, is a return to the top of the world rankings. The LPGA noted at the start of the Evian that there are numerous ways for her to return to the top of the Rolex rankings since Korda and Ko are neck and neck.

Yuka Saso, 22, bogeyed her last two holes to fall five behind with an even-par 71 to join Korda at six under at T-5. Saso maintains her recent run of title contention on the LPGA, finishing runner-up at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and T-3 at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational last week.

While overcoming a five-stroke deficit is typically a daunting Sunday task, at the Evian, three of the last five titles have been won by someone five or more back, most recently Lee’s seven-stroke comeback victory in 2021. The Evian Championship is set to continue its winning formula of winners emerging from the top of the world rankings. Eight of the major’s nine victors were in the top 20 in the world when they won, and only Saso (No. 27) is outside the top 20 from those within five of Boutier. All that’s left is to see who will add their name to the esteemed list of Evian Championship winners.

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In the wake of being told she was receiving a two-shot penalty for breaching the LPGA Tour’s Pace of Play Policy (and then having her appeal of the decision heard and denied), the 33-year-old LPGA veteran refused to add the two shots to her final hole. By signing for a one-over 72 at France’s Evian Resort Golf Club rather than a three-over 74, she knew the consequences — disqualification for signing for a score lower than she shot — but chose to do it anyway.

According to an LPGA statement, Ciganda’s group, which included Anna Nordqvist and Celine Herbin, received a warning that they were out of position on the seventh hole, (their 16th of the day). Still out of position after the conclusion of the hole, the group was timed starting on the eighth hole. On the ninth hole, LPGA officials said that Ciganda’s shot times prompted a penalty for slow play.

Ciganda was playing in the event for the 10th time in her career, finishing T-3 a year ago, and her frustration with the situation was evident later as she took to Instagram and explained her side of the story.

“I got a few messages about the DQ from yesterday,” she wrote in an Instagram story. “I want to be very clear and the reason I did not sign a 7 on the last hole is because I don’t think I took 52 seconds like the Rules Official said. I had a 10 footer on the last hole, last put [sic] and the group behind they were not even on the tee on a par 5. Very poor performance from the LPGA rules official, they don’t understand what professional golf is about, they only look at their stopwatch like if 20 seconds is going to make a difference. I had family and friends watching and they all said it was impossible I took that long to hit that putt!

“Yesterday was tough out there with windy conditions and difficult pins and I wish everyone gets treated the same and they don’t pick on the same players all the time! That’s all!”

Conditions indeed were more challenging during Friday’s second round, with the field average jumping to 74.7 compared to 71.75.

Ciganda’s reference to picking on the same players likely stems from the fact that while it’s rare officials hand out stroke penalties for slow play on the LPGA Tour, she has received one before. At the 2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play event, she initially thought she won the 18th with a birdie and, in turn, the match with Sarah Schmelzel. After the round, she was notified of a bad time, turning the hole and match from a victory to a loss due to the penalty.

Had Ciganda signed for a 74, it would have been added to the 74 she shot in the first round, and she would have missed the cut at Evian by two strokes. But instead of taking the MC, she chose the DQ.

Ciganda has played on the LPGA Tour since 2013 and is a two-time winner, both victories coming in 2016. She’s also a member of the Ladies European Tour, where she’s won five times, including most recently last month at the LET Aramco Team Series event at Trump International in Florida. Ciganda is on track to qualify for her sixth European Solheim Cup team when the event is play this September in her native Spain.

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On a day when home hope Celine Boutier took the halfway lead by one over Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit and Japan’s Yuka Saso, it was a Spaniard who turned the heads at the Amundi Evian Championship.

Carlota Ciganda’s one-over-par 72 in the second round in France on Friday, the 33-year-old Spaniard left the scoring tent without signing her card following a failed appeal of a two-stroke slow-play penalty on the ninth hole. In turn, Ciganda was disqualified from the major in a bizarre turn of events over a rules violation.

An LPGA spokesperson emailed a statement that read, in part: “Group 14 … received a warning on No. 7 after being out of position. The group failed to make up time through the seventh hole, therefore the group was timed starting on No. 8. On the ninth hole [the group’s last hole of the day after starting on No. 10], Carlota Ciganda’s shot times prompted a two-stroke penalty per the LPGA Tour’s Pace of Play Policy. Ciganda was allowed an appeal with the advance and lead rules officials before returning her scorecard, which was heard and denied. Therefore, a two-stroke penalty was upheld. Ciganda opted not to add the two-stroke penalty to her signed scorecard. She was told that leaving the official recording area with a signed score lower (without the penalty strokes) would lead to disqualification, and left on her own accord.

“Rule 3.3b(3) states that if a returned score is lower than the actual score, the player is disqualified from the competition. The exception to this Rule does not apply because Ciganda was aware of the penalty strokes received and upheld before signing her scorecard and leaving the recording area.”

Ciganda played with Anna Nordqvist and Celine Herbin. The difficult, windy conditions during the second round moved the field average from under par at 71.75 in the first round to 74.7 on Friday. The two-stroke penalty would have moved Ciganda to six over for the championship, likely keeping the Spaniard outside the cutline for the weekend.

This is not the first slow-play penalty Ciganda has received. At the 2021 Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play event, she initially thought she won the 18th with a birdie and, in turn, the match with Sarah Schmelzel. After the round, she was notified of a bad time, turning the hole and match from a victory to a loss due to the penalty.

Ciganda came into her 11th career start at the Amundi Evian Championship in solid form. She finished in the top 25 over her last five starts, including a T-3 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June. She also had recently won the Ladies European Tour Aramco Team Series event at Trump International in Florida. The last of her two career LPGA victories came at the 2016 Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

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Soaking in the picturesque views of glistening Lake Geneva from the hillside Evian Resort Golf Club during the Amundi Evian Championship never gets old. Paula Reto, a 33-year-old making her fifth career Evian start, carded a seven-under-par 64 to claim a two-stroke lead with an eye toward the serene water.

“I had so much fun,” Reto said. “This golf course is so fun, and the views and everything, it’s just awesome to be here.”

As the South African who won the 2022 CP Women’s Open last August for her maiden LPGA title sits atop the leaderboard, a number of past tour winners are lurking after Day 1. New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the 2015 Evian champ, and France’s Celine Boutier, a three-time LPGA winner, are two behind. Major champions Eun-Hee Ji and Yuka Saso are three back. The previous two Evian winners, Minjee Lee and Brooke Henderson, trail Reto by five strokes.

With drama already starting to bubble, here are our three takeaways from the first round of the Amundi Evian Championship.

Alison Lee. Stuart Franklin

Beware the golfer missing her luggage

Alison Lee might be going through a nightmare travel week, but it didn’t stop her from getting into contention with a five-under 66 on Thursday. That score matched a her career-best major round, coming previously at the Evian in 2015. Lee tweeted on Tuesday that her luggage was stuck in Detroit for 40 hours and shared that she is still waiting for her clothes to arrive after her first round.

“I’m going to go track my suitcase [this afternoon] and make sure everything is there,” Lee said. “Maybe take a little nap. I slept through the night last night so I might not have to do that. But I’m going to send Delta a pretty nasty email.”

In Evian and my suitcase has been stuck in DTW for 40 hours and counting. Have been on the phone with @delta countless times but have not been able to speak to someone in Detroit directly. Pls pls help. pic.twitter.com/9YaeEAKkLh

— Alison Lee (@alisonlee) July 25, 2023

Lee, 28, credited her success at the Evian Resort to increased confidence on the greens. After last month’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where she finished T-52, her team noticed she was 15th on tour in strokes gained/tee to green but struggled with her flat stick. The American is 131st on tour in putting average this season. Lee hired a putting coach before the US Women’s Open, focusing on her mental approach over putts, speed and feel.

Despite dealing with nerves from seeing her name near the top of the leaderboard, Lee delivered with 25 putts and seven birdies on Thursday, matching her season’s best putting performance. “Making a few good putts gave me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the round,” Lee said. “Every time I had a birdie chance, I really looked at it as if I can make this. That’s what I said to myself.”

Celine Boutier. Stuart Franklin

The local who’s taking a foreign approach

Celine Boutier’s five-under 66 is the best score in the first round by three strokes for the Frenchwoman at the Evian in seven career starts. Boutier sees the most significant difference this time around coming not from any technical change she made with her game but rather a mental one. Boutier purposely altered her mindset for her homeland’s major this time, insisting she look at it as just another week rather than giving it more weight.

“You play mind games with yourself,” Boutier said. “You just tell yourself you’re not at home.”

The new, more relaxed approach has Boutier sitting T-2, a jump compared to her past performances. In Boutier’s six previously Evian starts, her best finish is T-29, done in 2014 and 2021. The Evian is the only major Boutier has not had a top-10 finish in her seven-year LPGA career.

Expectations for Boutier, 29, increased this year when she became the most successful French player in LPGA history with her third career victory in March at the Drive On Championship. She delivered with a consistent Thursday, hitting 15 greens in regulation and carding only one bogey to begin the championship.

There are, however, benefits to playing in a home major. Boutier felt the support of the local fans in Evian-Les-Bains, France, enjoying the additional cheering compared to a typical week on the LPGA. Boutier’s family is watching this week, with her twin sister Christie attending for just the second time.

“I definitely feel like I haven’t performed my best in the past at this tournament, so I’m just really eager to like try to change that this year,” Boutier said.

Lydia Ko. Stuart Franklin

Star turns in her best round of 2023

When you’re the No. 3 player in the Rolex Women’s World Ranking, a bogey-free five-under 66 shouldn’t necessarily be a surprise. The same holds true if you’ve had seven top-10s in nine starts at the Evian. Yet Lydia Ko’s year has been anything but predictable, as she’s posted just one top-10 (back in February) after being the LPGA’s Player of the Year in 2022.

Returning to a familiar course let Ko lean on positive thoughts, which translated into Ko shooting her lowest score of the year and her first major round in the 60s.

“I think the longer you play at a golf course you realise you make so many different memories, whether it’s good or bad, and I think I try and draw on the good memories,” Ko said.

Ko credited numerous par saves, such as a 10-footer on the 17th, to maintain her momentum. But it wasn’t with her usual flat stick, as to her husband’s surprise, Ko took her old Scotty Cameron putter out before the US Women’s Open.

Ko’s renowned short game remains immaculate, as she posted a clean card despite only hitting 11 greens in regulation and six of 13 fairways. The performance puts her in contention for her third major title, which in turn would lock up the last two points she needs to earn her spot in the LPGA’s Hall of Fame.

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Suzann Pettersen Wins First Edition As A Major
Six years after winning her first major championship, Suzann Pettersen held off a rising star in then amateur Lydia Ko to win the Amundi Evian Championship. It was the first time the event was staged as a major championship and marked the first major in women’s golf to be held in continental Europe. Ko, then just 16 years old, came up short of her bid to become the youngest major champion and settled for a second-place finish.

Hyo Joo Kim Makes Major History
In her debut major, Hyo Joo Kim opened with a 10-under 61 at Evian Resort Golf Club. Kim never looked back as she added rounds of 72-72-68 to wrap up her maiden major title and earn Membership on the LPGA Tour. Her opening round of 61 remains the lowest score recorded by a male or female in major championship history.

In Gee Chun Goes Record Low
Already a major winner at the 2015 US Women’s Open, In Gee Chun wasted no time adding another major to her resume, winning the Evian the very next season. It was there that Chun finished at 21-under with rounds of 63-66-65-69 to set the record for the lowest winning total in the history of major championships.

Lydia Ko. Harry How

Lydia Ko Gets Another Major Milestone
Just two years after her bid to become the youngest major champion in women’s golf came up short in France, Ko accomplished the feat with her victory in 2015. At the age of 18 years, four months, and 10 days she eclipsed the record previously held by Morgan Pressel to become the youngest player to win a major title. Ko won by six strokes over Lexi Thompson for her first major victory.

Jin Young Ko Bookends Season With Major Titles
In 2019, when Jin Young Ko arrived in Evian-les-Bains for what was then scheduled as the final major of the season, she had a chance to do something that hadn’t been done since 2015: capture two majors in a single season. The last to do so was Inbee Park in 2015. Ko had won the first major of the year at The Chevron Championship and went on to win the final major of the season to match Park’s record. Ko remains the last player to win two majors on the LPGA Tour in a single season.

Minjee Lee. Sarah Stier

Minjee Lee Makes Major Come-From-Behind Run
Long considered one of the best players who had yet to win a major, much was expected from Minjee Lee when she arrived at the Evian in 2021. In a bid to win her first major title, she proved there was no hurdle too big to clear, carding a final-round 64 to overcome a seven-stroke deficit on the final day and force a playoff with Jeongeun Lee6. Lee’s come-from-behind victory matched the record for the largest chasing win in a major championship.

Angela Stanford Gets Elusive Major Title
In her 76th major championship start, Angela Stanford captured her maiden major title at the Evian in 2018. Stanford became the second-oldest player to win a major with the victory at the age of 40 years and 11 months.

Anna Nordqvist. LET

Mother Nature Is No Match For Anna Nordqvist
Before the Evian was moved to its current spot on the schedule in July, the championship had been staged for several years during the month of September which led to some questionable weather. In 2017, scores for the first round of the championship were cancelled due to a weather suspension, and the championship was reduced to 54 holes. Weather once more threatened the final round in which Anna Nordqvist went on to win in a torrential downpour and hailstorm after defeating Brittany Altomare on the first playoff hole to capture her second major title.

Major Wait Ends For Brooke Henderson
Six years came between Brooke Henderson’s first and second major victories on the LPGA Tour. But in 2022, at the Evian, the Canadian made her much-anticipated return to the major winner’s circle with a thrilling birdie on the 72nd hole. With her victory, Henderson became the first player to win with back-to-back rounds of 64 over the course of the championship.

The post The best moments in 10 years of the Amundi Evian Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Swedish rookies Stark and Grant, ranked first and second on the LET Race respectively, are looking to add to a sensational first season on tour with a maiden major trophy at Evian Resort Club in France, while the Race itself is nip-and-tuck. Victory at the Evian is worth 675 points on the Race to Costa del Sol Rankings and there are only 292 points separating the pair. Fellow Swede Johanna Gustavsson is also in the mix as she has a mathematical chance of leapfrogging Stark with a win.

All three Swedes played in the Jabra Ladies Open at Evian Resort in late May, on the same golf course, albeit on a different set-up.

Linn Grant

Stark, who has won the Women’s New South Wales Open and the Amundi German Masters so far this year, said: “I’m excited about playing in a tournament again. I haven’t really thought about it as a different competition to any of the other LET events. It’s a bigger, stronger field, but I’ve played at the course before.

“I’ve had a good season and I’m always expecting the best from myself, hopefully being up there in contention and hoping that it’s enough, this week. I’m always aiming for the win. I haven’t been training a bunch at home on this week off, I just felt like I needed the time off to re-set my brain a bit. I’ve only practised when I felt like it and I think it’s been good for me.

“The shots are there and I know what to work on and what happens when I’m not hitting the ball very well. Last week was more about sustaining what I have and not practising anything new.

“The Jabra Ladies Open went well but I think the course is slightly different. It feels a bit longer than it was at the Jabra and the greens are softer now than they were then. The rough is a bit longer but for sure it’s nice to have played it before because it’s a very tricky course, both strategically and just knowing where to hit around the greens. In some places, you can end up with an almost impossible shot if you’re not careful, so it’s really good to have been here before and to have started to figure the course out and it’s nice that it was pretty recent that we played here.”

Grant, who has won the Joburg Ladies Open, the Belgian Ladies Open and the Scandinavian Mixed, where she became the first female winner on the DP World Tour in the co-sanctioned event with the LET, is also aiming high.

“I’m really looking forward to this week and the course looks amazing,” she said. “I’m super excited about going to test my game against the very best.

“I’ve only played in the British and US Opens, so it will be my first time at the Evian, which I am very excited about.

“I do have high expectations. I’ve played all right in the majors before and I like the major feeling. Courses are longer and tougher. The greens are faster so you need to have more patience with your game and I think that suits me, so I pretty much expect to play well.

This year’s field of 132 players includes past champions such as world No. 2 Minjee Lee (2021), No.1 Jin-Young Ko (2019); Angela Stanford (2018), Anna Nordqvist (2017), In Gee Chun (2016), Lydia Ko (2015) and Hyo Joo Kim (2014), as well as world No. 3 Nelly Korda and No. 5 Atthaya Thitikul.

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Since then the Swedish star has shone consistently and has occupied the top 50 of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings for large portions of
her career, including several spells in the top 10.

Notching a further six LPGA wins in the meantime, it wasn’t until 2017 when Nordqvist added a second major to her tally by winning the Evian Championship.

Her impressive career includes seven Solheim Cups with a winning record that places her among Europe’s all-time elite, a position reinforced by a third major title secured at the AIG Women’s British Open just days before a fourth Solheim Cup victory was achieved with Team Europe.

The 34-year-old returns to the Middle East in November where she will be in action competing in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International (November 4-7) and Aramco Team Series – Jeddah (November 10-12) at the prestigious Royal Greens G&CC, Saudi Arabia.

We caught up with the Arizona-based Swede ahead of the Ladies European Tour double-header in King Abdullah Economic City and started by returning to her glorious week at the British Open.

● ● ●

GD: Reflecting on your AIG Women’s British Open victory, what stands out from that week?
AN: It still feels unreal that I won the British Open at Carnoustie, and as a European, there’s nothing bigger to win. To do it at such a historic venue and being so close to friends and family of both my husband – who grew up 20 minutes away – and caddie, who all came to watch and support, I can’t see it getting any better.

● ● ●

Where does it sit among all your professional achievements?
It’s definitely the biggest victory of my career. I’m extremely proud of the achievement and of all the hard work that I’ve put in over the last couple of years, especially when I haven’t seen that hard work pay off in my results. I’m extremely happy and I think when this season ends, I’ll have more time to process it, but I’m very proud.

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What does it mean to be part of the European Solheim Cup Team?
For me, Solheim Cups have been the biggest events I’ve played in my career. I remember going down to Barsebäck [Golf & Country Club, Sweden,] in 2003 and watching it with my family. I’d played golf for just three years at that time and could only dream of playing in an atmosphere like that.

When I think of that girl now, having played in seven… that really blows my professional goals out of the park.

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How has your role within the team changed since your first Solheim Cup?
In my first team, as a rookie in 2009, I was fortunate to compete alongside so many golfers I admired growing up. I played with Laura Davies, Suzann Pettersen, Helen Alfredsson, Sophie Gustafson, Maria Hjorth, basically all the women I grew up watching. That experience was very special but obviously now having played in quite a few myself, I’m one of the more experienced players and help look after the rookies. It’s surreal when I think about it. I’m extremely proud and honoured to have had an opportunity to represent Europe and be part of so many amazing teams, with so many other players.

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You’ve won in Europe twice and the U.S. twice. Does winning on home or away soil feel better and why?
I just love the Solheim Cup wherever it is; there’s something very special about it. The atmosphere, walking up to the first tee, hitting the first tee shot – something I was charged with at this last Solheim Cup – these are moments I live for. I just love it.

Winning is always special. It doesn’t compare with anything else. It’s perhaps a little more special to win on U.S. soil, probably because we’re underdogs and have the majority of the crowd against you. That said, in 2019 at Gleneagles, my whole family were there cheering me on, screaming, shouting and dressing up. It’s such a big week for my family and those are the few weeks in my career when they all come to watch me play and we all get such a fun week out of it, so they’re all special but 2019 was maybe the most special because of just how much I could share it with my family.

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Nordqvist finished in a share of 11th place at last year’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International

You played in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International in 2020, which, as you know was a watershed moment for Saudi Arabia as it was one of the first professional female sports events in the Kingdom. Why do you think it’s good for golf to be played at an elite level in new and emerging destinations?
To have been part of the first women’s professional golf event in Saudi Arabia last year is very cool. Meeting young girls there and women who’ve excelled in the Middle East has been awesome. It’s important to play all over the world to show this is a sport without limits, without borders and that as a professional golfer it’s great to travel the world, not only to show you can compete anywhere but also to experience different cultures.

I have always loved my time in Saudi Arabia. On my first trip, I met a lot of amazing people from all walks of life and it’s inspirational to see how other people have accomplished their dreams. I’m looking forward to coming back this year and I know there are plans in place to make the event even better this year. There was a young girl I met last year in the Pro-Am, and I’m looking forward to seeing her again and understanding how she’s been getting on in pursuing her own goals and ambitions.

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The Ladies First Club was launched at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International and welcomed 1,000 Saudi women who signed up to free access to golf. What do you think of initiatives like this?
I know not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to golf courses and equipment, but for 1,000 women to be provided with free access to the sport in a safe and comfortable environment is remarkable. I know those spots filled up very quickly, so there’s clearly an interest and I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s been going for those women in the last year.

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The Aramco Team Series will have visited London, Sotogrande, Spain and New York by the time it reaches King Abdullah Economic City for the season finale

Besides your playing experiences in the region, you now have strong ties with the Middle East through your ambassadorial roles with Golf Saudi and the Aramco Team Series. What made you want to be an ambassador for those brands?
Initiatives like the Ladies First Club and seeing how Aramco and Golf Saudi are looking to grow the women’s game was what touched me most and made me want to be an ambassador. What I’m most passionate about is creating opportunities for women, especially young girls, to be able to pick up golf.

I’m very proud to be an ambassador for Golf Saudi and the Aramco Team Series because they are trying to grow the game in places where we can’t really take women’s golf, or even women’s sports, for granted.

Aramco and Golf Saudi’s initiative to sponsor five tournaments has made a massive difference to the [Ladies] European Tour and women’s golf in general. By coming up with new, fun ways of including women and amateur golfers like they do in the Aramco Team Series, and broadcasting around the world really helps demonstrate how many great personalities there are on the LET.

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Is being a role model or ambassador important to you?
I think it’s very important to be an ambassador for the game of golf and especially for young girls all over the world. I always said to, ‘be the change you wish to see’ and I think if I didn’t have amazing role models growing up like Annika [Sörenstam] and other players from Sweden playing at the highest level, it would have been hard for me to make the same dreams. Sharing experiences and seeing first-hand what it’s like you can see the potential, and I feel that by being an ambassador, if I help someone take up the game, or believe in themselves, or be proud of being a young girl with big dreams, I think we’re on a good track. I think it’s very important to use your voice as a professional golfer and be an ambassador and role model for young girls to pursue their dreams. It doesn’t necessarily have to be golf. Travelling around the world and playing in lots of different countries enables us to be role models to young people and help them dream maybe a little bigger.

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The innovative format for 2020’s Aramco Saudi Ladies Team International has been adopted and re-energised as the Aramco Team Series, which is played four times per year in four global cities. What do you like about the Aramco Team Series?
I can honestly say it’s a fun tournament I really look forward to. It’s something different from what we normally do every week. Getting to pick a teammate is nice, but then having another pro randomly paired with you also gives you the opportunity to meet other girls on tour you might not meet otherwise. It’s really great to have the amateurs playing too, and it’s so much fun when they contribute to the team, or just make a good shot, but we also give them advice through the tournament and when they have success following giving them advice – that’s really rewarding. It’s also just lovely to get to know other people from around the world that I might not otherwise spend time with. It’s a great week where you can enjoy the team atmosphere and probably relax a little more than usual weeks. It’s fun to see how well-received it’s been from both amateurs and pros.

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Global Game Changer

The inaugural Aramco Saudi Ladies International marked a new dawn for women’s golf in the kingdom last year. That success has led to ‘Get Into Golf’ initiatives being replicated globally.

Following its successful inauguration in 2020, the Aramco Saudi Ladies International (ASLI) returns to Royal Greens G&CC in King Abdullah Economic City from November 4-7.

Won last year by Dane Emily Kristine Pedersen (pictured above), the European Solheim Cup star’s victory helped her claim the 2020 Race to Costa del Sol, the Ladies European Tour’s season-long competition to crown Europe’s No.1 player.

Sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour (LET), the event offers a prize fund of $1M, which – now alongside the new Aramco Team Series – makes Aramco the single most significant supporter of the LET.

As part of ‘Vision 2030’ – Saudi Arabia’s transformative economic and social reform blueprint opening up the Kingdom to the world – the Quality of Life Program endeavours to expand the horizons of many sectors that directly impact citizens, including sports, culture and entertainment.

High profile golf events are a feature for Saudi Arabia’s golf strategy; designed to inspire next generations and showcase the natural beauty of the nation.

Ladies First Club
Within just four days of its launch by Golf Saudi in 2020, a phenomenal 1000 women and girls signed-up to play and receive regular lessons via the Ladies First Club. With the goal of getting more females playing golf, the Ladies First Club is a hands-on, experience-led initiative that helps get women and girls with club in hand and learning more about golf and getting a better taste of the game. Thanks to its success in Saudi Arabia, the Ladies First Club initiative has gone international with help from the Aramco Team Series, which has sought to replicate its impact at every venue the innovative tournament series is played.

The post Anna Nordqvist  is determined to make her ambassadorial role for Golf Saudi count, in the kingdom and beyond appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Paisley
Jeongeun Lee6 wrapped up her opening round at the Amundi Evian Championship on Thursday by birdieing four of her last five holes for a 66, and yet she walked off disappointed. She mentioned issues with her backswing, something she’s been working on since last month’s U.S. Women’s Open. It’s hardly the frame of mind you’d think would propel someone to a major championship record less than 24 hours later.

That said, the 25-year-old former U.S. Women’s Open champion did birdie four of her last five holes, so something was going right. And that showed Friday when Lee6 returned to the Evian Resort Course and shot a bogey-free 10-under 61 to tie the all-time lowest score in major history. The round matched the 61 shot by Hyo Joo Kim at the Evian in 2014, and pushed Lee6 to the top of the leader board with a 15-under 127 after 36 holes.

Surprisingly, Lee6 still wasn’t entirely satisfied with her performance. “I didn’t feel my best,” Lee6 said Friday. “My swing is still not perfect, but I tried to focus on one shot at a time and my backswing shape and rhythm. I focus on just process. I didn’t dwell on the results.”

Talk about your harsh critic.

Conversely, her caddie, David Buhai, noted a different air about Lee6 on Friday as they shared a breakfast of scrambled eggs and bread before getting out to the course. “To me, she seemed more focused than she’s been all year,” Buhai said. “It was incredible to watch.”

Lee6 started on the 10th and made two birdies over her first three holes but faced a test that in hindsight was a turning point in making history. On the par-4 13th hole, her tee shot on the 13th landed near a lip in a fairway bunker. All she could do was pop the ball out of the fairway and try to scramble from there. She hit what Buhai describe as an “OK” wedge but it spun off the green, leaving her a lengthy putt that Lee6 buckled down to hole for a par.

“From there,” Buhai said, “I think just built the momentum, kept the momentum going.”

With two birdies on the 17th and 18th holes, Lee6 turned in four-under 32, then made another birdie on the first. She had makeable birdie looks from inside 10 feet on the second and third holes, only to miss them both, but turned it on again to close her round, birdieing five of her last six and making every birdie putt she had the rest of the day. She also got a little lucky, holing a chip-in from 70 feet on the 167-yard par-3 eighth.

Jeongeun Lee6 ?

This chip in was her 9th of 10 birdies on the day ? pic.twitter.com/NjJbD0ztSG

— LPGA (@LPGA) July 23, 2021

Lee6 knew coming down the ninth, her final hole, she could tie Kim’s all-time 18-hole score with a birdie. She missed the fairway on the par 5 off the tee, laying up for a wedge. She hit her third to 20 feet, setting up a left-to-right breaker to join Lorena Ochoa, Mirim Lee, Minea Blomqvist, Kim, and Lydia Ko with the all-time major scoring record in relation to par (10 under). Lee6 drew confidence to close from her 60 at the 2017 Se Ri Pak Invitational on the KLPGA, the lowest round in the tour’s history.

After the putt dropped, Lee6 fist pumped with her right hand and hugged Buhai as the accomplishment sunk in.

“What an honour,” Lee6 said. “It’s amazing.”

Ten birdies.

Jeongeun Lee6 etched her name into history today.

Watch her lights out second round highlights ? pic.twitter.com/9viwIhIi3G

— LPGA (@LPGA) July 23, 2021

It’s the second 10-under-par score in a major on the LPGA in 2021, with Ko carding a blistering 62 at the ANA Inspiration.

Lee6’s historic round doesn’t come without the effort she has been putting in off the course to work through issues she has had of late with her swing. This year, Lee6 has had two top-10 finishes, a pair of seventh-place finishes at the Hugel AIR-PREMIA LA Open in April and the Volunteers of America Classic less than a month ago. It’s a drop off from her impressive 2019 season, in which she won the Women’s Open, had 10 top-10 finishes and was the LPGA Rookie of the Year.

Stuart Franklin
Lee6 and her caddie David Buhai talk during the record round at the Evian Resort Course.

Buhai, who started caddieing for Lee6 this year, took a moment in his post-round interview to acknowledge her drive.

“She just every week made a baby step in the right direction. That’s just through all her hard work and dedication. She really puts in the hours. Her coach being in Korea there has been a lot of challenging times for her personally. Her perseverance is incredible. Just never gives up the fight. We’ve had rounds where really haven’t been on the planet and she manages to shoot level par and it’s an incredible feat.

“For a round like this today is just the cherry on top of the season so far because all that hard work is finally paying off for her.”

The post Jeongeun Lee6’s 61 ties major championship scoring record … and it could have been lower appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
On the eve of the Amundi Evian Championship, Nelly Korda, the top-ranked female golfer in the world, was asked how she planned to manage her time in the coming weeks with a schedule that included a trip to France for the year’s fourth major, then on to Tokyo for the Olympics.

“I bought a gaming laptop, so I am gaming a little, just to try and keep my mind off of things,” Korda, 22, explained. “You kind of need a way to kind of escape a little sometimes, so I was like, hmm, may as well try it out.”

After a frustrating round Thursday at Evian-Les-Bains, Korda potentially might take out some of her disappointment playing Call of Duty. A month removed from rounds of 70-63-68-68 to win her first career major at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Korda stumbled to a three-over 74 that left her tied for 99th, nine off the pace of leaders Yealimi Noh and Pajaree Anannarukarn.

Increasing the disappointment was the way Korda played her final hole, the par-5 ninth. Her second shot reached a greenside bunker but stopped tight against the back bank. When she went to play her next shot, the club hit the turf outside the bunker, which caused her to miss the ball in her follow through, a whiff that counted as her third shot.

Yikes! Nelly Korda just missed the ball entirely out of a bunker on her last hole, hitting the bank first on a difficult shot. pic.twitter.com/C50Uy3am8Q

— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) July 22, 2021

Attempting to regroup, Korda played her fourth out sideways the ball settling in the fringe of the putting green. She’d two-putt from there for a final-hole bogey 6, a fairly impressive score considering the circumstances that led to it.

The 74 was the first over-par round Korda has posted since missing the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open in June. She’ll have work to do on Friday if she wants to avoid missing the cut (top 70 and ties) in France as well.

The post Nelly Korda whiffs a bunker shot en route to an opening 74 at the Amundi Evian Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.