Korea Dominates Evian Opener with Six in 'Top 10'... Furue Surprises as 8-Under Par Leader

Major Amundi Evian Championship Day 1: Koda and Henderson Tied 2nd, Ko Jin-young Tied 5th, Jeon In-ji and Park Min-ji Tied 10th

Number 1 Ko Jin-young is smiling brightly after finishing the first day of the Amundi Evian Championship with 5 under par, tied for 5th place. Evian-les-Bains, France = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] South Korea did not find success at the Amundi Evian Championship (total prize money $6.5 million), a major on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour.

Since its establishment in 1994 as part of the Ladies European Tour (LET) and its incorporation into the LPGA Tour in 2000, the tournament has seen a combined total of five wins by Korean players. Considering the dominant status of Korean women in the global golf scene, the number of championship trophies was somewhat lacking. Shin Ji-ae won in 2010, and Park In-bi (both aged 34) claimed the title in 2012. After the tournament was elevated to major status in 2013, Kim Hyo-joo (27) in 2014, Jeon In-ji (28) in 2016, and Ko Jin-young (27) in 2019 proudly waved the Taegeukgi at the Evian Championship.

The Evian Golf Club (par 71, 6,527 yards) in Evian-les-Bains, France, where the Evian Championship is held, closely resembles Korean golf courses. It is situated on a hill overlooking Lake Geneva in the Alps. Being in a mountainous area, the fairways are narrow and the undulation is severe. The greens are also small. Renovations in 2013 added more distinguishing features. The course length is similar to domestic venues. It is a course where one can aim for victory without long driving power, but strangely, Korea has struggled here.

On the first day of the 2022 season's fourth major, the Amundi Evian Championship, which ended on the 22nd (Korean time), Korea made a fresh start. As many as six players made it into the ‘Top 10,’ increasing the chances of winning. World No. 1 Ko Jin-young swept up five birdies without a bogey to sit tied for 5th place. Her precise shots, missing the fairway and green only four times each, stood out. This is an opportunity to quench the thirst for victory that has lasted four months since winning the HSBC Women’s World Championship in March.

‘Flying Dumbo’ Jeon In-ji (28) made four birdies and is tied for 10th place. After the third major, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (total prize money $9 million) last month, she laid the groundwork for back-to-back major wins. Jeon In-ji created new history at the 2016 Evian Championship with records such as the lowest 54-hole score in a major (194 strokes), the lowest 72-hole score (263 strokes), and the most under par in men’s and women’s majors (21 under par). Of her four LPGA Tour wins, three are major victories.

Park Min-ji (24), the ‘domestic No. 1’ making her first appearance on the LPGA Tour held abroad, recorded one eagle, four birdies, and two bogeys. She joined the tied 10th group along with Park Sung-hyun (29), Ji Eun-hee (36), and Yoo So-yeon (32). Kim Se-young (29) is tied for 19th at 3 under par, and Kim Ah-rim (27) is tied for 39th at 1 under par. On the other hand, Choi Hye-jin (23) and Lee Jeong-eun 6 (26) are tied for 64th at even par, and Park In-bi, who is challenging for the ‘Career Super Slam,’ is tied for 84th at 1 over par.

Rookie Ayaka Furue is teeing off at the 13th hole on the first day of the Evian Championship. Evian-les-Bains, France = Getty Images / Multivitz

Ayaka Furue (Japan) surged with an 8-under-par to dominate the top of the leaderboard. She is a rookie who entered the U.S. stage this year after finishing 7th in last year’s LPGA Q-Series. Her personal best is runner-up at the Bank of Hope Match Play. ‘No. 3’ Nelly Korda (USA) and Brooke Henderson (Canada) are tied for 2nd at 7 under par, and Lydia Ko (New Zealand) performed well in a tie for 5th. Defending champion Minjee Lee (Australia) is tied for 39th, and ‘3-win champ’ Jennifer Kupcho (USA) is tied for 64th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.