As the 2025 LPGA season unfolds, the Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains, France, stands as a pivotal battleground for the world’s top female golfers. This year's tournament, commencing on Thursday, July 10, marks the 30th playing of the Amundi Evian Championship and the fourth major of the season. It brings together a compelling mix of seasoned champions and rising stars, all vying for glory on the picturesque par-71, 6,504-yard course overlooking Lake Geneva.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda headlines the field, seeking her first victory of the 2025 season after a remarkable 2024 campaign where she secured seven titles. Despite her dominant form last year, Korda has yet to find the winner’s circle this year, a fact that has surprised many given her strong statistics. Her scoring average in 2025 is actually lower than in 2024—69.67 compared to 70—and she has improved in key metrics such as strokes gained in ball-striking and putting. Yet, the elusive win remains just out of reach.
Korda’s journey to Evian was not without drama. The American star, who has flown Delta throughout her career and enjoys a close partnership with the airline, experienced a luggage mishap en route to Geneva. Her clubs and bags initially failed to arrive, leaving her scrambling for solutions while her contacts were asleep due to the six-hour time difference. Fortunately, with the assistance of an LPGA media official and their industry connections, her belongings arrived by Monday, July 7, allowing Korda to prepare without disruption.
Fresh off a two-week break following the taxing KPMG Women's PGA Championship in Texas, Korda emphasized the importance of rest and balance. She refrained from touching a club for four days and even tried Pilates for the first time. "Sometimes pushing through and practicing harder than you would normally around this time of year is not going to be an advantage because then you're just mentally draining yourself and not going to be as fresh as you want to be when you're competing," Korda explained. Entering her tenth year as a professional golfer, she acknowledged the need to adapt her approach, saying, "I am entering my tenth year as a professional golfer, which makes me feel very old, but you kind of learn this."
The 26-year-old also shared a humorous reflection on the influx of young talent reshaping the tour. "I feel like a grandma out here," she joked, noting that she doesn't recognize half the players on tour this year. "But, yeah, that's the best thing about sports in general, is that you can never stay comfortable where you are because there is a new generation, new talent coming, and they're going to be better and have more knowledge."
Indeed, the LPGA's 2025 season has been historic for its diversity of winners. A record 18 different players have claimed titles so far, a sharp contrast to last year's dominance by the top four players—Korda, Jeeno Thitikul, Lydia Ko, and Ruoning Yin—who collectively won 15 tournaments. This year, only Thitikul and Ko have secured wins, each with one.
Jeeno Thitikul, ranked No. 2 in the world and just 22 years old, is another major contender at Evian. Thitikul is still chasing her first major victory after a strong, yet ultimately fading, performance at the Women's PGA Championship, where she led through the first two rounds before finishing tied for fourth. Her youthful energy and determination present a formidable challenge to Korda’s reign at the top.
Adding to the competition is Minjee Lee, the 29-year-old Australian who recently broke a 20-month title drought by winning the Women's PGA Championship. Lee, a tour veteran, is chasing back-to-back major titles after her Evian Championship win in 2021. "I feel like there is so many that are so young now and that are so good," Lee said. "They're always pushing me and pushing all of us older girls. ... Obviously like I get motivation from that, but I think I'm much more self-motivated at the moment."
Other notable past Evian champions include Canadian Brooke Henderson (2022), South Koreans Jin-Young Ko (2019) and In Gee Chun (2016), and New Zealand's Lydia Ko, who made history by becoming the youngest major champion in 2015 at just 18 years, 4 months, and 20 days. Ko, now 28, won Olympic gold in Paris last year and claimed her 23rd LPGA title earlier this year at the HSBC Women's Championship in Singapore. She has a remarkable record at Evian, with six additional top-10 finishes in 11 starts, underscoring her comfort with the course’s unique challenges.
French golfer Celine Boutier, the 2023 Evian champion and the event’s first French winner, returns with hopes of recapturing her dominant form. "I think every time European swing comes around, I'm very excited just coming back home, seeing my family and some friends and just feeling the energy, the atmosphere, it gives me a little boost and hopefully good energy," Boutier said. "If I can get going those weeks, I know I get some kind of momentum for the rest of the season." Japan’s Ayaka Furue, the defending champion from 2024, is also in the field, having edged out Australia’s Stephanie Kyriacou by a single shot in a thrilling finish last year.
On the rising stars front, Lottie Woad, a 21-year-old English amateur and current world No. 1 in the amateur rankings, is making waves after her dominant six-shot victory at the Women's Irish Open last week. Woad is playing under a sponsor’s exemption at Evian and is on the cusp of securing LPGA Tour membership through the Elite Amateur Pathway, needing just a top-25 finish to earn the qualifying points required. "I'm just trying to carry on the momentum," Woad said. "If that means I can be in contention, that would be great. Just really just trying to look to play good golf and continue what I was doing last week." Woad, who won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2024, has already made significant strides with top-25 and top-10 finishes in major events last year.
Britain’s Charley Hull, a two-time major runner-up and consistent top-25 finisher in recent majors, is also aiming to make her mark. Hull, who finished fourth at the KPMG Women's Irish Open last week, has previously finished tied-third at Evian and is eager to capture her elusive maiden major title. Other British contenders include Bronte Law, Alice Hewson, Cara Gainer, Mimi Rhodes, Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh, Ireland’s Leona Maguire, and Wales’ Darcey Harry, each bringing their own aspirations to the tournament.
The Evian Championship, which became a major in 2013, has a rich history of showcasing emerging and established talent alike. It is renowned not only for its competitive significance but also for its stunning alpine scenery, which adds a unique backdrop to the drama unfolding on the course.
As the tournament kicks off, all eyes will be on Korda to see if she can break her winless streak and reaffirm her dominance. Meanwhile, the threat from Thitikul and other contenders ensures that this year’s Evian Championship promises to be a thrilling showcase of women's golf at its finest.
Sky Sports will provide extensive live coverage starting at 11 a.m. local time on Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. over the weekend, offering fans six hours of live action each day. Highlights will be broadcast nightly, ensuring that supporters worldwide can follow every swing, putt, and dramatic moment.
With a blend of experience, youthful exuberance, and international talent, the 2025 Evian Championship is set to add another exciting chapter to the history of women’s golf majors.
