Evian-Les-Bains Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Amundi Evian Championship: Brooke Henderson didn’t make it easy on herself, but still wins second major

Golf Digest Middle East — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 05:55:03 +0000

By Keely Levins
A year ago, Jeonguen Lee6 saw a five-shot final-round lead slip away at the Amundi Evian Championship, the South Korean ultimately losing the tournament in a playoff to Minjee Lee. On Sunday, at the Evian Resort Golf Club, it looked like history was repeating itself.

Brooke Henderson opened with rounds of 64-64-68 and had a two-shot edge, but started Day 4 in France with a bogey on the first hole and a double-bogey on the sixth (thanks to a four-putt). Suddenly, the leaderboard surged around her, the 24-year-old Canadian needing to fight from behind on the back nine. But that’s where this year’s drama changed. With birdies on three of her final five holes, including a 12-footer on the par-5 18th, Henderson rallied to win by one shot.

[parone_video_player campaign=”337″ defaultlang=”en” feed=”51-all-videos”/]

“It was definitely an interesting day. Not the start that I wanted, but I stayed pretty patient, as patient as I could under those circumstances,” said Henderson, who ultimately finished with an even-par 71 on Sunday for a 17-under 267 total. “Then going into the back nine, you know, the saying is that majors are won on the back nine on Sunday, so I just tried to keep that frame of mind, and knew I was still in it if I could have a solid back.”

A MAJOR SELFIE.
CONGRATS BROOKE. @LPGA #EvianChamp pic.twitter.com/AWemhD5tnN

— The Amundi Evian Championship (@EvianChamp) July 24, 2022

While experienced players such as major champions Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko and Jin Young Ko all made charges on Sunday, it was the No. 283 player in the world who became Henderson’s greatest challenger. Sophia Schubert, a 26-year-old LPGA rookie from Tennessee, was having an out-of-nowhere performance at the Evian.

In a season where she had missed five cuts in 11 starts, Schubert was cruising around the Evian Resort Golf Club. A closing three-under 68 allowed the former University of Texas All-American to finish at 16-under. She then had to watch to see if it was enough to force a playoff with Henderson, at 16-under herself when teeing off on the reachable-in-two par-5 18th.

Henderson’s tee shot found the left rough, causing her to lay-up back in the fairway with her second. She hit her approach from 107 yards to about 12 feet, the same distance Schubert missed a birdie try from moments earlier.

The putter seemed to be the issue for Henderson on Sunday. Despite hitting 15 greens, the No. 10 ranked player in the world had 34 putts. But Henderson buried her final putt, making all of those she misses obsolete.

Afterward, Henderson looked a little shocked, mouthing what looked like ‘Oh my God,’ to her sister, Brittany, who’s also her caddie. The win, her second in 2022 (to go with the LPGA Classic in June) is Henderson’s 12th on the LPGA Tour, further cementing her as the most accomplished Canadian golfer in history. And it was her second major, to go with a win at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA, making her the first Canadian golfer, male or female, to be a multiple major winner.

The financial spoils for the victory were nice, too. The record $1 million winner’s cheque pushes Henderson past the $10 million threshold for her career, making her just the 24th player in LPGA history to break eight figures.

“In 2016, winning the first major changed my life,” Henderson said. “My world ranking shot up, and I just received a ton more attention from fans and media. It also made me feel like I really belonged out here and that I could contend for big, major championships and compete against the best in the world, which is an amazing feeling,” Henderson said. “It has been a long time, and getting off to a fast start early this week, it just felt great to be at the top of the leaderboard at a major. I just tried to take that excitement as far as I could.”

It has been a long time, but Henderson said this one was definitely worth the wait.

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Charley Hull on the charge at Amundi Evian Championship as Ayaka Furue leads Nelly Korda in France

Matt Smith — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 07:19:36 +0000

By Matt Smith
Charley Hull is lurking just behind the leaders at the Amundi Evian Championship as the Kettering star seeks her first major.

The 26-year-old shot an opening five-under 66 to sit three behind first-round leader Ayaka Furue of Japan at Evian Resort Golf Club in France on Thursday.

Canadian Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda of the United States are tied for second, while fellow American Cheyenne Knight lies in solo fourth.

Hull feels refreshed after three weeks spent at home “chilling”.

“It’s the English summer at the moment and a heatwave, so I would have missed out if I hadn’t taken a break,” said the Rolex Rankings No. 38. “I went for a lot of walks to get in my 15,000 steps per day and also had some enjoyable time in pub gardens.”

Hull started at the 10th and birdied the par-3 14th, the par-4 17th and the par-5 18th, before picking up three further shots at the par-3 second, the par-4 third and the par-4 sixth hole.

She said: “I played pretty solid all day, but it’s a Major and there are three more rounds, so anything can happen.”

This is her ninth appearance in the championship and she feels that she has the experience to navigate the sloping fairways and undulating greens.

“This course can be tricky to score around, but after eight or nine years you start to figure it out. I don’t really think too much, because the course where I grew up, Kettering Golf Club, is pretty much as slopey as this on the fairways, so I’m lucky I don’t have to think too much about adjusting, I’ve always automatically adjusted (to playing side hill lies).”

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Amundi Evian Championship: Round 1 timings and pairings

Matt Smith — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 09:28:30 +0000

By Matt Smith
The cream of women’s golf arrive at Evian-les-Bains for the year’s penultimate major this week, the Amundi Evian Championship, as the likes of Maja Stark, Linn Grant, Hyo-Joo Kim, Jeongeun Lee6, Leona Maguire, Minjee Lee, Jin Young Ko, Anna Nordqvist, In Gee Chun, Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda and Atthaya Thitikul vie for the record $6.5 million purse.

Jin Young Ko

Here are Thursday’s full tee times and pairings
Hole 1
07.15
Agathe Laisne (FRA)
Sophia Schubert (USA)
Jennifer Chang (USA)
07.27
Lauren Stephenson (USA)
Gemma Dryburgh (SCO)
Wichanee Meechai (THA)
07.39
Alana Uriell (USA)
Ruixin Liu (CHN)
Chella Choi (KOR)
07.51
Wei Ling Hsu (TPE)
Benedetta Moresco (ITA)
Bronte Law (ENG)
08.03
Eun-Hee Ji (KOR)
Sophia Popov (GER)
So Yeon Ryu (KOR)
08.15
Jodi Ewart Shadoff (ENG)
Jasmine Suwannapura (THA)
Cristie Kerr (USA)
08.27
In-Kyung Kim (KOR)
Sarah Schmelzel (USA)
Andrea Lee (USA)
08.39
Jennifer Song (USA)
Charlotte Thomas (ENG)
Angel Yin (USA)
08.51
Frida Kinhult (SWE)
Stephanie Kyriacou (AUS)
Yealimi Noh (USA)
09.03
Janie Jackson (USA)
Magdalena Simmermacher (ARG)
Yuna Nishimura (JPN)
09.15
Yu Liu (CHN)
Lee-Anne Pace (RSA)
Amanda Doherty (USA)

Maja Stark

Hole 10
07.15
Pornanong Phatlum (THA)
Yaeeun Hong (KOR)
Jeongeun Lee 5 (KOR)
07.27
Isi Gabsa (GER)
Valery Plata (COL)
Emma Talley (USA)
07.39
Rose Zhang (USA)
Albane Valenzuela (SUI)
Sung Hyun Park (KOR)
07.51
Lizette Salas (USA)
Maja Stark (SWE)
Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DEN)
08.03
Brooke M Henderson (CAN)
Jessica Korda (USA)
Sei Young Kim (KOR)
08.15
Jin Young Ko (KOR)
Anna Nordqvist (SWE)
Lydia Ko (NZL)
08.27
In Gee Chun (KOR)
Jennifer Kupcho (USA)
Minjee Lee (AUS)
08.39
Rachel Heck (USA)
Atthaya Thitikul (THA)
Tiia Koivisto (FIN)
08.51
Morgane Metraux (SUI)
Anna Davis (USA)
Sanna Nuutinen (FIN)
09.03
Min Ji Park (KOR)
Manon De Roey (BEL)
Mizuki Hashimoto (JPN)
09.15
Mel Reid (ENG)
Aditi Ashok (IND)
Cheyenne Knight (USA)

Moriya and Ariya Jutanugarn

Hole 1
12.15
Gina Kim (USA)
Amy Olson (USA)
Haeji Kang (KOR)
12.27
Su Oh (AUS)
Brittany Altomare (USA)
Amy Yang (KOR)
12.39
Ashleigh Buhai (RSA)
Paula Reto (RSA)
Maude-Aimee Leblanc (CAN)
12.51
Madelene Sagstrom (SWE)
Na Rin An (KOR)
Lilia Vu (USA)
13.03
Pajaree Anannarukarn (THA)
Ally Ewing (USA)
Xi Yu Lin (CHN)
13.15
Allisen Corpuz (USA)
Ariya Jutanugarn (THA)
Moriya Jutanugarn (THA)
13.27
A Lim Kim (KOR)
Marina Alex (USA)
Jenny Shin (KOR)
13.39
Jeongeun Lee6 (KOR)
Caroline Masson (GER)
Stephanie Meadow (NIR)
13.51
Lauren Coughlin (USA)
Esther Henseleit (GER)
Sarah Kemp (AUS)
14.03
Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)
Ryann O’Toole (USA)
Georgia Hall (ENG)
14.15
Jenny Coleman (USA)
Mao Saigo (JPN)
Meghan MacLaren (ENG)

Nelly Korda

Hole 10
12.15
Alison Lee (USA)
Peiyun Chien (TPE)
Annie Park (USA)
12.27
Megan Khang (USA)
Kelly Tan (MAS)
Aline Krauter (GER)
12.39
Pauline Roussin (FRA)
Johanna Gustavsson (SWE)
Jess Baker (ENG)
12.51
Hannah Green (AUS)
Ayaka Furue (JPN)
Hyo-Joo Kim (KOR)
13.03
Patty Tavatanakit (THA)
Gaby Lopez (MEX)
Hinako Shibuno (JPN)
13.15
Nelly Korda (USA)
Celine Boutier (FRA)
Yuka Saso (PHI)
13.27
Angela Stanford (USA)
Inbee Park (KOR)
Linn Grant (SWE)
13.39
Hye Jin Choi (KOR)
Mina Harigae (USA)
Leona Maguire (IRL)
13.51
Carlota Ciganda (ESP)
Charley Hull (ENG)
Nasa Hataoka (JPN)
14.03
Pia Babnik (SLO)
Perrine Delacour (FRA)
Jensen Castle (USA)
14.15
Lindsey Weaver-Wright (USA)
Olivia Cowan (GER)
Matilda Castren (FIN)

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Ladies European Tour: Aramco Series team champ Hillier joins hole-in-one party at Jabra Ladies Open in France

Matt Smith — Sat, 21 May 2022 08:13:36 +0000

By Matt Smith
Whitney Hillier joined the hole-in-one party at the eighth hole of the Evian Resort Club to take the lead in the Jabra Ladies Open.

The Australian became the fourth player in two days to ace the hole, and is now in the driving seat to follow up her Aramco Team Series — Bangkok success with another victory, this time in France.

Hillier, who led her side to the team title in Bangkok last week, used her 8-iron to hole out from 140 yards on a warm and windy afternoon in Evian-Les-Bains.

Earlier, Amy Boulden, Felicity Johnson and Aditi Ashok all holed hrom the tee on the eighth in the same tournament.

Hillier held on to post a level-par round of 71 for a 36-hole total of four-under-par and takes a one-stroke lead into the final round of the tournament, where the winner will earn a place in The Amundi Evian Championship.

The recent South African Women’s Open champion Lee-Anne Pace and the first-round leader Carmen Alonso share second position.

A stroke further back in a tie for fourth, Maggie Simmermacher had the round of the day – a five-under-par 66 – to sit alongside Tiia Koivisto and Johanna Gustavsson.

.@WhitneyHillier aced the par-three eighth hole at the Jabra Ladies Open today, which gives us an excellent excuse to wheel out this old gem ?

Mike Dean certainly enjoyed that one! ?#RaiseOurGame | #JabraLadiesOpen pic.twitter.com/ja8Dfvo19B

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) May 20, 2022

But Hillier was all smiles on the second day.

She said: “I’ve just been laughing all day long with George, my caddie.

“This was my fifth hole-in-one, so it was pretty special. I saw that two players had already made hole in ones this morning so it was in my head and then it just happened.

“I’ve had two holes-in-one this year already, one in Melbourne: crazy.

Hillier won the Team element of the Aramco Team Series — Bangkok at the weekend, but is yet to taste an individual victory on the LET.

While former Order of Merit winner Pace has 11 LET titles on her resume, Alonso is also gunning for her first win on Tour.

She said: “The beginning was OK, it wasn’t windy and the sun was out, but the last ten holes were hard with the wind, and on this course it’s really tough.”

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Ladies European Tour: Carmen sings at Jabra Ladies Open in France

Matt Smith — Fri, 20 May 2022 06:30:10 +0000

Carmen Alonso. LET

By Matt Smith
Spaniard Carmen Alonso took a one-stroke lead in the Jabra Ladies Open at Evian-Les-Bains in France on Thursday thanks to an opening five-under 66.

Alonso, 25th on the Ladies European Tour Race to Costa del Sol, had a poor start on the 15th after a shotgun start, but a birdie-par-eagle run before the turn got her in her stride and she added further birdies on the third and seventh holes before carding a second bogey on the eighth and then made further gains at the 10th and 14th.

“This course is really challenging, so you have to focus all the time. If you miss a shot, you don’t have too many chances to recover, so I’m really happy with the round,” said Alonso, now in her 18th year on the LET.

She was helped by fellow LET professional Maria Beautell on caddie duties, the pair having achieved a tie for 13th in the Comunidad de Madrid Ladies Open a fortnight ago.

“This year, I’m hitting the ball the same as in previous years but Maria is helping me around the greens, especially with the breaks,” Alonso said. “She is always positive, telling me that I am always doing a good job, so I follow her rules and it’s working.”

The winner of this week’s tournament will earn a place in the $6.5 million Evian Championship, the only Major in continental Europe, to be played in July at the same venue, and so there is fierce competition for the first prize.

Australian Whitney Hillier, who won the Team competition in last week’s Aramco Team Series— Bangkok signed for a four-under-par 67 to lie in second place alongside LET rookie Gabrielle Macdonald from Scotland.

Hillier said: “It was a pretty hot start, to be honest. I took advantage of the pure greens and just had fun out there. The course is in great condition and the weather is very nice, so I’m enjoying myself.

Johanna Gustavsson, Karolin Lampert, Carolin Kauffmann, Billie-Jo Smith and Leonie Harm are a stroke further back in a tie for fourth on three-under-par 68.

Gustavsson, who has recorded three second-place finishes already this season, commented: “I played quite solid. I hit some tee shots well and feel like I could have holed some more putts, but overall it was a nice, stress-free day.”

A win on Saturday would be a double cause for celebration for the Swede, as she will be going home to get married next weekend.

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Johanna Gustavsson aiming for early wedding present at Jabra Ladies Open in France

Matt Smith — Wed, 18 May 2022 13:14:53 +0000

Johanna Gustavsson. LET

By Matt Smith
Johanna Gustavsson has had a fantastic start to the 2022 Ladies European Tour — but despite consistently finding herself at the right end of the leaderboard, she is still hunting that first piece of silverware of the campaign.

The Swede already has three second-placed finishes and several top-10 placements is year, with her most recent runners-up spot coming at the Aramco Team Series – Bangkok last week, where she finished three shots behind champion Manon De Roey in Thailand. She also has second-place finishes at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International and Women’s NSW Open earlier this year.

Next up is the Jabra Ladies Open at Evian-Les-Bains and Gustavsson is confident that the win will come sooner rather than later.

“I’m playing quite solid at the moment, and I’m looking forward to being in France and just keep working on the putting,” she told the LET.

“The putting has been decent I would say. I holed a lot of putts in the middle of my final round in Thailand, which was nice. I thought I got through it pretty nicely and I’m proud of that and happy with it.”

Gustavsson is second in the Race to Costa Del Sol rankings heading into this week’s event, as she trails compatriot Maja Stark by 323.50 points.

And with her wedding scheduled for next weekend, and what better way to celebrate than with a victory in France?

“I am excited,” she said. “We do look forward to it, spending some with family and friends as well, and just have a nice day celebrating love.”

Last week in Bangkok also saw Ana Pelaez continue her impressive form, as she backed up her victory at the Comunidad de Madrid Ladies Open with a T5 finish in Thailand.

After a roller-coaster couple of weeks, which saw her make last minute plans to play in Thailand after her victory in her homeland, the Spaniard is eager to continue her good form at a place that she knows well.

“Evian stole my heart when I played the Young Masters so I’m super-excited to come back and play the Jabra Ladies Open,” she said.

“Last week in the final round I looked up at the scoreboard and really wanted to finish in the top ten, so I got my stuff together.

“I was just patient and stuck to the plan that I had at the time, and it worked. I started to read the putts better so they started to go in so that helped a lot.”

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