EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand posted seven birdies in a 7-under 64 on the Evian Championship on Thursday to take a share of the first-round lead with Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad and Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland.
The 24-year-old Tavatanakit gained her first main on the ANA Inspiration in 2021 and clinched the LPGA Thailand in February for her second title on the LPGA tour.
The trio are one stroke forward of American Lauren Coughlin — who tied for third on the Chevron Championship for her finest end at a serious — 2014 Evian champion Hyo Joo Kim of South Korea; 2015 champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand; South Korean Hye-Jin Choi; Mexican Gaby Lopez and Japan’s Ayaka Furue.
American Nelly Korda posted an erratic 2-under 69 for a share of twenty first place together with defending champion Céline Boutier of France, 2022 Evian champion Brooke Henderson of Canada, Ladies’s PGA Championship winner Amy Yang and a raft of different gamers.
Korda’s spherical included six birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on the sixteenth gap on the picturesque Evian Resort Golf Membership in Evian-les-Bains, nestled between Lake Geneva and the French Alps. It’s a favorite amongst golfers and the fourth of the 5 main tournaments this yr.
Heading into the match, Korda led the tour with $2,943,708 and 6 titles. The Evian winner receives $1.2 million and there’s a whole purse of $8 million.
The No. 1-ranked Korda gained the Chevron Championship in April to clinch a record-tying fifth straight match and a second main title. She is the sister of tennis participant Sebastian Korda. Her finest efficiency at Evian was a tie for eighth place in 2022.
In the meantime, two holes-in-one have been made within the morning.
English golfer Jodi Ewart Shadoff used a 9 iron on the par-3 sixteenth gap to earn herself a automobile from gap sponsor Porsche.
“It’s unbelievable,” the two-time Solheim Cup winner mentioned. “For me, it was clear straight away that I used to be going for the flag if there’s a Porsche at stake. It’s mind-blowing, a really cool second.”
Chun-Wei Wu aced it on the par-3 fifth gap.
“I didn’t see the ball go in,” she mentioned. “First hole-in-one in a serious. I’m so excited.”
