Evian-les-bains: Kim Hyo-joo is set to pursue her second career LPGA major title this week in France, twelve years after securing her first victory in the European country. Kim will be among 21 South Korean golfers competing at the Amundi Evian Championship, scheduled from Thursday to Sunday at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France. The participants will compete for a total purse of US$9.1 million, with the champion set to receive $1,365,000.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim, ranked No. 3, is the highest-ranked South Korean player entering this week. She has secured two victories on the LPGA Tour this season, along with two wins on the Korean tour, including a recent triumph at the Lotte Open in Incheon. Kim clinched the Evian title in 2014 as a 19-year-old non-LPGA member, narrowly defeating Hall of Famer Karrie Webb by a stroke. Since then, she has won eight additional LPGA tournaments, though major successes have been elusive, with only two top-10 finishes in 13 majors starting from 2024.
After overcoming a three-stroke deficit to win the Lotte Open, Kim expressed confidence in her game ahead of the Evian Championship. "I got my feel back over the course of the Lotte Open," Kim shared. "It gave me confidence that I can play well at the upcoming major. I am looking forward to playing at the Evian Championship."
Among other South Korean players, world No. 7 Ryu Hae-ran aims for her second consecutive major win following her breakthrough at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship two weeks ago. Her victory there has propelled her past Kim in major statistical rankings for the season, including Player of the Year points and scoring average.
Ryu's win ended a nine-major winless streak for South Korean players at LPGA majors. The last instance of consecutive major wins for South Korea was in 2020, with victories by Lee Mi-rim, Kim A-lim, and Kim Sei-young. Ryu is currently trailing American star Nelly Korda in both key categories. Korda, the world No. 1, has four victories this year, including her fourth career major at the U.S. Women's Open in June. However, Korda has yet to secure a major win outside the United States.
The South Korean contingent at the Evian Championship also includes 2019 champion Ko Jin-young, amateur standout Yang Yun-seo, and leading Rookie of the Year contender Hwang You-min.