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The LPGA headed to Evian-les-Bains, France for The Evian Championship. The fourth of five major championships on the LPGA tour took place on the Evian Resort Golf Club. Covering 72 holes on a par 71 layout of 6523 yards, the ladies played for a purse of $4.5 million and 625 points towards the Race to the CME Globe.

Founded in 1994 as an event on the Ladies European Tour, the Evian Championship became an official event on the LPGA Tour in 2000 and the fifth major as of 2013. Jin Young Ko entered as the defending champion, winning in 2019 by two shots over Jennifer Kupcho, Hyo Joo Kim, and Shanshan Feng for her fifth career victory.

First Round

Yealimi Noh cruised to a tie for the lead with a six-under par round of 65 that included an eagle on the par 4 1st. PajareeAnannarukarn of Thailand joined Noh with three birdies on the last five holes. Five players were a shot back, including Jeongeun Lee6 and AtthayaThitikul. Ariya Jutanugarn, coming off a win with sister Moriya last week, eagled her last hole to get into a group at four-under. Joining her was Sarah Kemp and Hyo Joo Kim. On a day when scoring was excellent, a large group was bunched at three-under par including Minjee Lee, In Gee Chun, Lydia Ko, Moriya Jutanugarn, and amateur Pauline Roussin-Bouchard. Among 16 with rounds of 69 were Brooke Henderson, Sophia Popov, So Yeon Ryu, and Austin Ernst. Inbee Park, who recorded a double bogey 7 on the 18th, was at even along with Sei Young Kim, Gerina Piller, and Amy Yang.

All told, 53 players broke par. Among those that struggled were Jin Young Ko at one-over, Jessica Korda at two-over, Nelly Korda at three-over, and Ally Ewing at five-over.

Second Round

Jeongeun Lee6 cruised around the course to six-under par after the first nine, and eight-under par after 12. She recorded a 61 for the day and bolted to the lead at 15-under par. Ariya Jutanugarn eagled the 18th in her round of 63 which put her just three shots back, along with PajareeAnannarukarn, who posted a 65. Lydia Ko got into the mix after posting a score of five-under par on the back nine. She joined Nealimi Noh at nine-under par. Ayaka Furue of Japan was alone at eight-under par. Inbee Park rebounded from a mediocre first round with a 64 and joined Hyo Joo Kim, Lauren Stepenson, and AtthayaThitikul. Mina Harigae led a group of four at six-under par. Matilda Castrin and Minjee Lee. Notables include Brooke Henderson at four-under, Leona Maguire and Sophia Popov at three-under, Moriya Jutanugarn at two-under, Nelly Korda at one-under, along with Jin Young Ko.

Third Round

Although not as dominant as in the second round, Jeongeun Lee6 made enough birdies and an eagle to post a 68 to lead at 18-under par. Her cushion was five over Nealimi Noh, who birdied the last three holes. Lydia Ko was six off the pace after a round of 68. Minjee Lee ran off four consecutive birdies to post a 65. She was in a tie at 11-under with Ayaka Furue and PajareeAnannarukarn. Ariya Jutanugarn struggled to a bogey and double bogey in her round of 73. She was along in 7th at 10-under par. Charley Hull vaulted up the leaderboard after a round of 66 put her at nine-under. Excellent scoring continued through the field with rounds of 65 from Brittany Altomare and Maria Fassi. Matilda Castrin, AtthayaThitikul and Georgia Hall posted rounds of 66. Notbales include Brooke Henderson at five-under after a round of 71, Moriya Jutanugarn at four-under, Nelly Korda at three-under, Sei Young Kim at one-over, and Jin Young Ko at four-over par.

Final Round

The round of the day was posted by Leona Maguire, who posted a 61 with 10 birdies without a bogey. She climbed the leaderboard, finishing tied for 6th at –13 along with Georgia Hall, In Gee Chun, and Lydia Ko. AtthayaThitikul’s 65 included an eagle on the ninth. She finished 5th at 14-under par. Ayaka Furue finished with a final round of 67 and was in 4th place at 15-under par. Yealimi Noh finished an impressive week with four rounds in the 60s and was in alone in 3rd at 17-under par. Jeongeun Lee6 and Minjee Lee tied for the top spot after 72 holes at 18-under par. It was Lee, who birdied four of the last five holes in regulation, that took the win. She birdied the par 5 18th, while Lee6 took a bogey after putting her approach shot in the water. The win for Lee was her sixth on the LPGA Tour and first major.

Amy Yang and PajareeAnannarukarn rounded out the top 10, tied at 11-under par. Nelly Korda finished in the top 20 after a poor first two rounds. She was tied at 7-under along with five others, includ Ariya Jutanugarn, who struggled to a final round of 74. Notables include Brooke Henderson at 6-under par, Celine Boutier at 5-under par, Sei Young Kim and Jessica Korda at 3-under par, and Jin Young Ko at 2-over par.

Coming Up

The top players will be heading for Tokyo for the Olympic Games, July 28 through August 1. For those not competing in the Olympics, the LPGA Tour heads to Northern Ireland for the inaugural ISPS Handa World Invitational. The event is a 72-hole format on a par 71 layout of 6453 yards. The purse is $1.5 million with the winner receiving 500 points towards the CME Race to the Globe.