LPGA’s last major hopes to weather the storm
The Evian Championship will bid farewell to September, and hopefully its bad weather, when the final women’s golf major of the season starts today.
It’s the final edition of Evian before it reverts to its former July slot in 2019, a move that players hope will avoid more weather-hit days like last year’s opening round, which was wiped out by a severe storm.
However, rain and possible thunderstorms are forecast for the first round at the picturesque hillside course in EvianLes-Bains, France, overlooking Lake Geneva, after Wednesday’s final practice was held in sunshine and 83-degree heat.
“It deserves to be played in great conditions,” defending champion Anna Nordqvist said Wednesday. “It’s really one of the best events we have all year.”
Nordqvist won her second career major last year in a playoff through a hailstorm that was chilling even to a native Swede.
“Everyone who has grown up in Europe knows that September can be a little sketchy. July is going to be great,” she said.
The 2017 edition saw Thursday’s round stopped because of the storm before all scores were struck and a Friday restart was ordered. Twice in its five years as a major, Evian became a 54hole event.
Evian is also the last chance for the United States to win a women’s major this season. The previous four went to Europe or Asia: The ANA Inspiration to Pernilla Lindberg of Sweden, the U.S. Women’s Open to second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, the U.S. Women’s PGA to top-ranked Sung Hyun Park of South Korea, and a crowd-pleasing English win for Georgia Hall at the British
Women’s Open.
FATHER PEREZ >> Pat Perez will never win as many majors as the 18 by Jack Nicklaus. Until the resurgence in his career the last two years, Perez had only played in 18 majors. But he’ll have one thing in common with Nicklaus, who was famous for fainting at the birth of his five children.
“Passed out when they put in the epidural,” Perez said. “They had to bring the smelling salts.” Perez withdrew from the final round of TPC Boston and got home in plenty of time for the Labor Day birth of their daughter, whom they named Piper. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR >> The ballots won’t be due until after the Tour Championship, but Aaron Wise would appear to be a lock for PGA Tour rookie of the year. The 22-year-old Californian, who was born in South Africa, is the only rookie to reach the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake. That’s been the voting pattern, such as in 2015 when Daniel Berger reached the Tour Championship and won the award over Justin Thomas, who missed East Lake by a shot.
The last rookie award for a player not at East Lake was Chesson Hadley in 2014. He won the Puerto Rico Open that year. The last player to win rookie of the year without getting to East Lake or winning a tournament was Rickie Fowler in 2010. Wise goes to East Lake at No. 21 in the FedEx Cup. He has a victory in the AT&T Byron Nelson and a runner-up finish at the Wells Fargo Championship. His other two top 10s were at a WGC event and a FedEx Cup playoff event.
NOTES >> Ten players who have yet to win a tournament this season will be at the Tour Championship. That includes Tiger Woods, who had never made it to the Tour Championship without having won a PGA Tour event . ... Rory McIlroy will start next year on Maui for the Sentry Tournament of Champions . ... Sungjae Im, with $550,645, has been atop the Web.com money list for a record 25 consecutive weeks.