Matt Cooper is backing Lottie Woad to bag her first major in the Evian Championship. Get his preview, picks and analysis.
- Favourite Nelly Korda has a poor course record
- Jeeno Thitikul has good course record by yet to win a major
- Lottie Woad can contend again after near-miss in 2025
Golf betting tips: Evian Championship
2pts e.w. Lottie Woad at 25/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4,5)
1pt e.w. Somi Lee at 40/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6)
1pt e.w. Jennifer Kupcho at 66/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral 1/4 1,2,3,4,5)
1pt e.w. Kyorim Seo at 125/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral 1/4 1,2,3,4,5)
Perched on the edge of Lake Geneva with the Alps rising behind it and the Swiss city of Lausanne across the water, the spa town of Evian-les-Bains is undoubtedly one of the great destinations on the LPGA Tour schedule.
During Evian Championship week the players wander the lakeside walkways before settling down outside the bistros, cafes and restaurants that line the pedestrianised streets of the little town.
It all combines to create a wonderful vibe and the world number one Nelly Korda enjoys it. At least, that is, until she makes the journey up the hill with her clubs.
Alas, the unique nature of the layout – with its awkward shaping, sloped fairways, tucked greens and clumsy elevation changes – is the kind that often acts as Kryptonite to elite drivers of the ball.
Korda has played the course eight times and has only twice finished in the top 10 with a best finish of just eighth. She’s good enough to win there, but will need a week of great mental strength to overcome persistent frustration at what the test presents her on the tee.
Jeeno Thitikul is in a different position. The Thai golfer likes the course (four top-10s in six starts) but she’s still looking for a first major championship win. There’s no doubt this is a great chance for her to change that, but she’s poor value given her difficulties in the big ones.
Thitikul was close last year, but denied by Grace Kim’s sensational finale. The Australian needed an eagle-three on the last to tie the lead and she found one. On the first extra hole, her approach shot found water, but she chipped in for birdie to extended the play off and a second eagle proved the difference between her and Thitikul.
For sheer drama, to play a par-five three times in an hour in five-under-par with just two putts, will take some beating, but here’s hoping.
First pick is LOTTIE WOAD who finished one shot outside last year’s play off in her final start as an amateur.
It was an exceptional performance in which she ranked third for both Greens in Regulation and Putting Average. Even allowing for the limitation of old style stats, the ability to find plenty of these greens is impressive, as is the capacity to frequently one-putt.
She ought, too, to be encouraged by her form. She won the Kroger Queen City Championship in mid-May and lost a play-off in her penultimate start in the Meijer LPGA Classic.
Lack of experience has tripped her up in the last two majors, but she has no such concerns this week. 25/1 is more than fair.
Next up is SOMI LEE who has impressed in her last two visits to Evian, finishing T17 in 2024 and T14 last year.
She made a slowish start two years ago before moving through the field, and last year she was the one shot 36-hole leader and still just one blow off the lead heading into the final round.
That latter performance came off a good run of form that included victory in the pairs event and a good effort in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. This year she was third on defence of the pairs contest and has also been T4, T10 and T19 in her last five starts.
After that T4th in the ShopRite Classic she said: "It’s my third year out here on the LPGA, and I’ve learned that if you play safe you can never win a tournament. My focus tomorrow is to play aggressive. Even if it does not work, I will play aggressive tomorrow."
Lee got closer to the lead with that attitude so is learning lessons.
Her ball-striking stats were good at Evian in 2024 and she putted brilliantly last year. Marry the two she can make a bold run at the title. We’ll take the 40/1.
JENNIFER KUPCHO impressed on her debut at Evian back in 2019 spending all week in the top 10 before threatening to win with a final round 66 that grabbed second.
Since then she has never missed a cut and her last three results read: T14, T22, T11. She also tied the first-round lead last year and was still third at halfway. She’s unfazed by the course, saying last year that her growing knowledge of its slopes helped her contend.
This year Kupcho overcame a slow start to finish T12 in the Chevron Championship, was T8 in the US Women’s Open and briefly contended on her penultimate start at the Meijer Classic. 66/1 is widely available.
A Lim Kim is in good form and has finished third at Evian, but she typically struggles tee to green on the course, putting the lights out when third. Germany’s Helen Briem has struggled at this level, but is an Evian winner (on the LET) so this is a great chance for her to grab LPGA points.
And Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki was also tempting. Her last five JLPGA starts include two wins and three T4s while she was T14 in the US Women’s Open and T24 last time out in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
But preference is for South Korea’s KYORIM SEO who is over twice the price of Kuwaki. The 19-year-old is entirely raw in Europe and at this level (it is her major championship debut) but her last 21 starts include six top-three finishes including two wins (which have both come in her last five starts).
The first of those wins was at Seongmunan Country Club which has elevation changes, odd angles and mountain views. That sounds familiar and her Instagram suggests she likes castles, lakes and mountains. If that’s true, she’ll love this week (and the range especially which features all three). We’ll chance her at 125/1.
Posted at 15:25 BST on 07/07/26
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