Evian Championship 2015: Tee Times, Dates, TV Schedule, LPGA Prize Money
The Evian Championship is the newest addition to the women's golf major schedule. This is only the third year the tournament has been considered a major, and it couldn't be played in a much better window.
As the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs take an idle week, the biggest stars from the LPGA and overseas will tee it up at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, beginning on Thursday.
Hyo Joo Kim is the defending champion, as she held off veteran Karie Webb down the stretch in 2014 to win by a single stroke. Kim is only 20 years old and has proven that wasn't a fluke, sitting in ninth position in the Race to the CME Globe points standings.
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Check out the basic information for the 2015 Evian Championship, along with a general preview with a focus on the top stars to tune in for.
When: Thursday, Sept. 10, through Sunday, Sept. 13
Where: Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France
Purse: $3.25 million (winning share: $487,500)
Race to the CME Globe Points: 625 to the winner
| Thursday, Sept. 10 | 5-8 a.m.; 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| Friday, Sept. 11 | 5-8 a.m.; 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| Saturday, Sept. 12 | 6:30-11:30 a.m. | Golf Channel |
| Sunday, Sept. 13 | 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m. | Golf Channel; NBC |
| 8:18 a.m. | Juli Inkster, Amy Yang, Ilhee Lee |
| 8:18 a.m. | Lexi Thompson, Paula Creamer, Sandra Gal |
| 8:29 a.m. | In Gee Chun, Brittany Lincicome, Ai Miyazato |
| 8:40 a.m. | Lydia Ko, Inbee Park, Stacy Lewis |
| 8:51 a.m. | Michelle Wie, Anna Nordqvist, Cristie Kerr |
| 1:20 p.m. | So Yeon Ryu, Suzann Pettersen, Hyo Joo Kim |
*Complete tee times available at EvianChampionship.com.
Stars to Watch
There are plenty of big names from the United States to break down, but before getting to them, the primary storylines will focus on the likes of Inbee Park and Lydia Ko—the top two players in the world rankings.
Park claimed the Women's British Open last month to cap off the traditional career Grand Slam, but she hasn't won the Evian Championship since it became a major. She can add to her stunning legacy with another win this week, which would be her eighth major title.
Based on what Park had to say after claiming the trophy at Turnberry, it may be difficult for her to summon the strength to be among the leaders at Evian, per espnW.com's Matt Cooper:
"It feels great to finally hold the British Open trophy. I gave it a few cracks and it's just been so hard. This is the birthplace of golf. Scotland is where golf started and this feels like real golf. This is definitely the golfer's most wanted trophy. I set only one goal this year, one and only, and that's winning the British Open. Achieving it feels great.
"
Brilliant as Ko has been in her brief career, ascending to world No. 1 as young as 17 years of age this February, she has yet to win a major. Ko, who's fresh off a win at the Canadian Pacific Women's Open, will have numerous opportunities, but pressure will continue to build until she breaks through.
Golf Channel's Tom Abbott notes how swiftly Ko can flip the narrative with a maiden major triumph come Sunday:
Based on her history at the Evian Championship, one has to fancy Ko's chances to make further history. She finished solo second as a low amateur in 2013 before a tie for eighth last year. Coming off a close call at the last major in tying for third, Ko is bound to be in contention.
Most exciting is that Ko and Park will play alongside each other for the first 36 holes—along with Stacy Lewis.
Despite leading the LPGA in birdies, Lewis has yet to win in 2015, losing in a playoff to Ko in Vancouver. There's no better time than now for Lewis to finally cash in on solid play all season, and she's coming off two top-six finishes in as many recent starts.
The younger U.S. trio of Michelle Wie, Lexi Thompson and Morgan Pressel are all major champions and should always be considered a threat. Pressel is the eldest of the cluster at 27 and hasn't won a major since 2007, but she had three top-five finishes in the first three such events this season.
Brittany Lincicome is the reigning ANA Inspiration winner, while LPGA veteran Cristie Kerr is having a fine year in the top 10 of the points standings. A loaded American contingent is traveling overseas, to be sure, but Ko is the one to watch above all in pursuit of major No. 1.
Note: Stats courtesy of LPGA.com unless otherwise indicated.
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