Kick-off, Thursday, September 13, of the Evian Championship, 5th and last Major in women's golf. A field made up of the 120 greatest players in the world for a tournament which, like the season, promises to be particularly hotly contested. Who to succeed Anna Nordqvist on the winners of this 25th edition? Answer Sunday, September 16.

  • Anna Nordqvist - Photo: DR

A few days before the launch of the Major, the final field of the 120 players of the Evian Championship 2018, representing 25 nations, is final, offering the promise of an exceptional show at the end of the women's Grand Slam season. With an endowment raised to $ 3, the second largest this year, the tournament attracts the entire international hierarchy. For several weeks, the fight for the world crown has been in full swing between Korean Sung Hyun Park (850) and Thai Ariya Jutanugarn (000). If Ariya started hostilities by taking the place of No. 2 in the world after her victory at the US Women's Open, it was the young Korean who regained the advantage by fighting back with, too. , a victory in Major, at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. The 24 players each have 22 victories in 1, but at the Evian Championship, the advantage seems to go to Sung Hyun Park, 2nd in Evian in 3, Ariya Jutanugarn only finishing 2018th the same year.

Among the favorites, we also count on the Koreans So Yeon Ryu and Inbee Park, Olympic champion, and on the American star Lexi Thompson, all three in the world Top 5, to print their rhythm. Sweden's Anna Nordqvist, winner of the 2017 Evian Championship, will have a lot to do to keep her title. Especially since this fight for the final victory is coupled with another stake: the Rolex Annika Major Award, a trophy awarded to the champion of the champions who will sign the best performance at the end of 5 Majors of the year. Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg (ANA Inspiration winner) and young Englishwoman Georgia Hall (Ricoh Women's British Open winner - World No.9, 22) are also well placed for the trophy won last year by So Yeon Ryu .

The youth of this world elite echoes the policy initiated by the tournament management to promote the emergence of the champions of tomorrow. Three of the wildcards are awarded to amateurs: the No. 6 amateur in the world, the Swiss Albane Valenzuela (20), the American Rachel Heck (16), Rolex Girls Junior Player of the Year, the youngest amateur to have passed the cut during the US Women's Open 2017 at the age of 15 and the American Alana Uriell (22), elected by her peers during the last edition of the Arnold Palmer Cup played in July in Evian. The 4th exemption was granted to professional player Natalie Gulbis, Evian Masters 2007 champion.

Four other players have the chance to enter the field via the Qualifying events: Astrid Vayson de Pradenne (Fra) and Karolin Lampert (Ger) at the Jabra Ladies Open for Europe, Hae-Ran Ryu (Kor) in Asia and Lauren Coughlin (USA) in the United States.

In total, there are therefore 4 French women in the prestigious field of the Evian Championship 2018: Céline Boutier, Céline Herbin, Camille Chevalier and Astrid Vayson de Pradenne.

First tee times: 7:30 am - from hole 1 and hole 10

To know more : www.evianchampionship.com

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