The fourth major of the calendar season commences in women’s golf on Thursday with the 2025 Evian Championship. Here are five of the top storylines.
1) Could an amateur win?
Twenty-one-year-old Lottie Woad of Farnham, England is gaining a lot of attention at the moment as she has significant momentum. This past weekend Woad was simply sensational at the KPMG Irish Open. She posted a score of -21 and beat her nearest opponent, Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden by six strokes. Woad became the first amateur to win on the Ladies European Tour in three years. In 2022, Jana Melichova of Prague, Czech Republic won the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open with a score of -14. She beat Klara Spilkova of the Czech Republic and Nicole Brock Estrup of Denmark by one stroke each. Woad finished in 10th place at the 2024 Women’s British Open, and made golf headlines a year ago by winning the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
2) Nelly Korda still looking for first win in 2025.
Korda is number one in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, and is a two-time major champion. However, she has not been in the winner’s circle in 2025 yet this year. Korda’s major titles came at the 2021 Women’s PGA Championship and the 2024 Chevron Championship. Korda was a seven-time winner in 2024, with her last win coming at a tournament what is simply called “The Annika”, named after Swedish sensation Annika Sorenstam, and took place near Tampa, Florida, this past November.
3) American drought.
The Evian Masters became a major in 2013. In 11 years, an American has only won the tournament once. That was Angela Stanford of Fort Worth, Texas who was victorious in 2018. This was Stanford’s only major title of her career. Seven years ago she posted a score of -12, and beat four players by a stroke. Ironically, three of the players were American. They were Amy Olson, Mo Martin, and Austin Ernst. The other second place player at the Evian Masters in 2018 was Sei-young Kim of South Korea.
4) Who won’t be competing?
Of the 50 golfers in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, 46 golfers will be competing at the Evian Masters. Four golfers are not. They are 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship winner Lexi Thompson of Coral Springs, Florida (no. 43), South Korea’s Ye-Won Lee (no.30), two-time British Open champion Jiyai Shin of South Korea (no. 39 won her major titles in 2008 and 2012), and Hyun-jo Yoo of South Korea (no. 47).
5) Who is the betting favourite?
It is a toss up between Korda and Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul. Both players are at +900. Thitikul won the Mizuho Americas Open two months ago, finished fourth at the Women’s PGA Championship, and is the world number two.
