Fourth Major Appearance at the Amundi Evian Championship
2014 Major Champion Returns to the "Promised Land"
Condition Checked at Lotte Open, Back Injury a Variable
Hyoju Kim has consistently demonstrated strong performances at the Amundi Evian Championship on the LPGA Tour.
She became a major champion at this tournament in 2014, setting a course record with a 61 in the first round. She finished tied for second in 2019, tied for third in 2022, tied for 20th in 2023, and tied for 12th last year. She has made a strong impression at golf courses with mountainous terrain, similar to those in Korea.
Hyoju Kim challenges for victory at the major tournament Amundi Evian Championship. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
Hyoju Kim is aiming for her second major victory. She will compete in the Amundi Evian Championship, which begins on July 10 (local time) at the Evian Resort Golf Club (par 71, 6,504 yards) in Evian-les-Bains, France, with a total purse of $8 million. This tournament, along with the Chevron Championship, is one of the five major championships in women's golf that is held on the same course every year. Among the 132 players in the field, there are 21 Korean golfers, including Hyoju Kim.
Hyoju Kim is also having a solid season this year. She has played in 11 LPGA Tour events, finishing in the top 10 four times, including a win at the Ford Championship in March. In mid-May, she successfully defended her title at the Ladies European Tour Aramco Korea Championship held in Korea.
However, last month, she withdrew from the major KPMG Women's PGA Championship due to a back injury and took some time to recover. She returned to Korea to focus on rest and rehabilitation, and finished tied for 18th at the Lotte Open, a domestic tournament, last week. After regaining her short game touch, which had been dulled by back pain, she arrived at Evian. Hyoju Kim said, "My physical condition is still not perfect," but added, "Since this is a major championship, I will give it everything I have."
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