The GIST: The Amundi Evian Championship — the LPGA’s fourth major of the season — teed off yesterday from the stunning French Alps, where history is on the line for world No. 1 Nelly Korda. Unfortunately, a nightmare start means the 27-year-old has quite the mountain to climb.
😓 Korda’s struggles at Evian continue: Her best result at the event (which is always hosted at the Evian Resort Golf Club) is an eighth-place finish in 2022. And this course is as tricky as they come: The unpredictable greens and sneaky Alpine winds consistently cause chaos. This year it resulted in Korda carding a three-over 74 in yesterday’s first round, placing her 102nd among the 132 golfers.
- Topping the leaderboard on Sunday will be a tall task, even for the comeback queen, especially with the pressure of two career-defining moments looming. Korda could complete the career grand slam (four different major wins) and earn a spot in the LPGA’s Hall of Fame with a win.
🔝 So, who is atop the leaderboard?: That would be No. 24 Aki Iwai, who had a stellar opening round and owns a two-shot lead over No. 116 Perrine Delacour, a Frenchwoman swinging to cash in on the comforts of home. There’s also a trio of perennial contenders hot on their heels: No. 5 Charley Hull, No. 7 Haeran Ryu, and the 2022 Evian Championship winner, Canadian Brooke Henderson.