The LPGA continues its 10-week stretch with a month in Europe, beginning at The Amundi Evian Championship.
The Amundi Evian marks the LPGA’s fourth major of the season and the first of two in three weeks, with the championship season concluding at the AIG Women’s Open.
After a sporadic start, schedule wise, to the year, it’s been a busy time for tour players. The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (major No. 2) was contested in late June, followed by a bye week and then the US Women’s Open (major No. 3). The women haven’t stopped since, and there are no scheduled breaks until the week before the Solheim Cup, in late September.
The road runs through Evian-les-Baines, France, where Brooke Henderson is the defending champion, having claimed her second career major title – first since 2016 – by one shot over Sophia Schubert.
From there, the women will visit Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, before heading to Canada. It’s then back to the US for a couple of tournaments before a bye week and then the Solheim Cup in Spain, Sept. 22-24.
For now, here’s a look at the tour’s month-long trip through Europe:
The Amundi Evian Championship
Dates: July 27-20
Defending champions: Brooke Henderson
Courses: Evian Resort Golf Club, Evian-les-Baines, France
Wallet: $6.5 million
Need to know: This is the 10th year the tournament will have been contested as a major championship. The event was co-sanctioned by the LPGA and Ladies European Tour, beginning in 2000, but was deemed a major in 2013 (won by this year’s European Solheim Cup captain Suzann Pettersen).
Freed Golf Women’s Scottish Open
Dates: Aug. 3-6
Defending champions: Ayaka Furue
Courses: Dundonald Links, Ayrshire, Scotland
Wallet: $2 million
Need to know: This is the seventh consecutive year the LPGA has co-sanctioned this event with the LET, continuing a genuine European swing for the women. Dundonald played host the first time, in 2017, and again last year.
AIG Women’s Open
Dates: Aug. 10-13
Defending champions: Ashleigh Buhai
Courses: Walton Heath Golf Club, Surrey, England
Wallet: $7.3 million
Need to know: The final of the women’s five annual majors. Formerly known as the Women’s British Open, this first became a major in 2001, replacing the du Maurier Classic. Six of the last seven winners have made this their first major title, the lone exception being Anna Nordqvist in ’21. Five of those six have yet to win a second major (Ariya Juntanugarn being the outlier).
ISPS Handa World Invitational
Dates: Aug. 17-20
Defending champions: Maja Stark
Courses: Galgorm Castle GC & Castlerock GC, Antrim, Northern Ireland
Wallet: $1.5 million
Need to know: This event features a men’s and women’s 72-hole tournament running concurrently on the same courses. It’s the third time this event has been contested while co-sanctioned by the LPGA, LET and DP World tours. Sweden’s Stark closed in 63 last year to defeat current US Women’s Open champion Allisen Corpuz by five strokes. Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson won on the men’s side.