Venue & Location
Course: Evian Resort Golf Club
Location: Évian‑les‑Bains, France (46.394°N, 6.570°E)
Tours: LPGA Tour & Ladies European Tour co‑sanctioned major
Par / Yardage: Par 71, 6,479 yards
Course Style: Mountain‑lakeside layout overlooking Lake Geneva; tight fairways, sloping greens, and elevation changes create a unique major‑championship test.
Field Size: 132 players, including top‑50 in the world, past champions, major winners, LET qualifiers, and amateur exemptions.
Tournament Dates & Start Time
Dates: July 9–12, 2026
First Tee: 7:00 a.m. CEST / 1:00 a.m. ET on Thursday
Broadcast (U.S.): Golf Channel daily (Thu–Fri 6–11 a.m. ET; Sat–Sun 4–10 a.m. ET)
Broadcast (UK): Sky Sports+ (Thu–Fri 11 a.m.; Sat–Sun 9 a.m. BST)
Weather Conditions
Temperature: Mid‑60s to mid‑70s °F
Wind: Light to moderate breezes off Lake Geneva
Rain: Occasional showers; mountain‑lake microclimate can shift quickly
Impact: Soft morning greens, firmer afternoon conditions; wind direction heavily influences scoring on elevated par‑3s. (This section is an inference based on typical regional climate; no source provided a specific forecast.)
Course Conditions & Playing Characteristics
Major‑caliber setup: Narrow landing areas, sloped greens, and elevation changes reward precision iron play.
Risk‑reward holes: Several short par‑4s and reachable par‑5s tempt aggression but punish misses with run‑offs and deep bunkers.
Greens: Fast, undulating surfaces that demand elite lag putting.
Historical scoring: Evian often produces dramatic swings — birdie runs are possible, but double bogeys lurk on nearly every hole.
Player Matchups & Field Strength
This is one of the strongest LPGA fields of 2026, featuring world No. 1 Nelly Korda, defending champion Grace Kim, and multiple major winners.
Top Contenders (Odds from FanDuel)
Nelly Korda: +440 — World No. 1; four wins in 2026 including the Chevron Championship & U.S. Women’s Open.
Jeeno Thitikul: +1000 — World No. 2; lost last year’s Evian in a playoff; top‑10 in all five majors.
Miyu Yamashita: +1600
Haeran Ryu: +1600 — Won the 2026 Women’s PGA Championship.
Hyo Joo Kim / Ruoning Yin: +2200
Defending Champion
Grace Kim: Won the 2025 Evian Championship in a sudden‑death playoff over Thitikul.
Other Major Threats
Minjee Lee, Brooke Henderson, Anna Nordqvist: All past Evian champions.
Lottie Woad & Charley Hull: English contenders chasing Solheim Cup qualification points.
Tournament History
First played: 1994 (as Evian Masters)
Major status: Became an LPGA major in 2013.
2025 Champion: Grace Kim (playoff over Jeeno Thitikul).
Prize Fund 2026: $9.1 million, largest in tournament history; winner earns $1.365 million.
Recent Player Form
Nelly Korda: Four wins in 2026; chasing career Grand Slam (Evian + Women’s Open needed).
Jeeno Thitikul: Multiple top‑10s in majors; extremely consistent tee‑to‑green.
Haeran Ryu: Entering with major momentum after winning the Women’s PGA.
Grace Kim: Defending champion; strong playoff composure last year.
Minjee Lee / Brooke Henderson: Former champions with strong Evian track records.
Betting Trends & Market Insights
Korda as heavy favorite: Books expect her dominance to continue; Evian is one of two majors she needs for the career Grand Slam.
Thitikul sharp‑money interest: Her playoff loss last year and elite consistency make her a popular pick.
Ryu rising: Major win last month has moved her into the top tier of contenders.
Grace Kim undervalued: Defending champion listed at 100/1, offering longshot value.
Course specialists: Players with strong lag putting and approach play historically outperform at Evian.
