Korda’s Early Exit at Evian
Nelly Korda, the top-ranked golfer, concluded her participation in the Evian Championship early, missing the cut after the second round on Friday. This marks an end to her bid for a third consecutive major title and her fifth overall. Korda’s performance at the Evian Resort Golf Club has historically presented challenges, as she has never finished higher than eighth in this particular major.
Korda’s opening round on Thursday saw her post a score of 74, which placed her 11 shots behind the leader. During this round, she recorded a double bogey six on the first hole, which was her tenth hole of play. Despite an improved performance on Friday with a score of 69, her combined total of 1-over left her tied for 67th position, ultimately missing the cut by a single stroke. Her last missed cut occurred at the 2024 Women’s PGA Championship.
This season, Korda had already secured victories in the first two majors: the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open. However, the Evian Championship, which is the fourth of the five women’s majors this year, proved to be a difficult tournament for her to find her best form.
Woad Secures Second-Round Lead
While Korda struggled, English golfer Lottie Woad delivered a strong performance, carding a 7-under 64 to claim a one-stroke lead at the midway point of the tournament. Woad’s impressive round included eight birdies and only one bogey, bringing her overall score to 11 under.
Woad attributed her success to consistent ball striking. She noted that hitting a lot of fairways and greens is crucial on this course, as getting into trouble off the tee can make play very difficult. Her driver was performing well, allowing her to have numerous wedge shots and opportunities for birdies.
First-Round Highlights and Other Contenders
The first round on Thursday saw Japan’s Aki Iwai take an early lead with an 8-under 63. Iwai’s round featured eight birdies and no dropped shots. She birdied three of her last four holes, including the par-5 18th, establishing a two-shot advantage. Iwai maintained her strong play into the second round, posting a score of 69.
Following Iwai in the first round was Perrine Delacour, who shot a 6-under 65. Delacour’s round included an eagle on the par-5 15th, though she also recorded a couple of bogeys towards the end of her play. After the second round, Iwai held a two-shot lead over her countrywoman Mao Saigo and South Korean golfer Haeran Ryu, the winner of the Women’s PGA Championship. Both Saigo and Ryu shot 68 on Friday.
A group of five players finished the first round with 5-under 66s. This group included Haeran Ryu and world No. 5 Charley Hull. Hull, who had been a guest in the Royal Box at Wimbledon earlier in the week, recovered from two early bogeys to finish her front nine at even par, then completed her back nine in 31 shots, capped by an eagle on the par-5 18th. Other players in this group were Mao Saigo, Maja Stark, and Jin Hee Im.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., also had a notable first round, carding an eagle on her final hole to be part of a group at 4 under. Meanwhile, Celine Boutier, the 2023 champion at Evian, faced significant challenges in her first round, starting with a triple bogey 7 on the first hole and later recording back-to-back double bogey 6s on holes 10 and 11, ultimately finishing with a 5-over 76.
The Evian Championship has been recognized as the fifth women’s major since the 2013 edition and currently boasts a prize money fund of $9.1 million.
Read Also
Source: sportsnet.ca
