Nelly Korda faces challenge in Evian opening round...

By Bilal Ahmed — 10 July 2026 — 5 min read

Nelly Korda, the world’s top-ranked golfer, experienced a difficult start at the Amundi Evian Championship, potentially impacting her pursuit of a career Grand Slam and entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame. Her opening round score of three-over 74 at the Evian Resort Golf Club in France places her in a precarious position, with a risk of missing the cut for the first time this season.

The 27-year-old golfer is currently 11 shots behind the leader, Aki Iwai of Japan. Iwai delivered a strong performance, carding an eight-under 63 in Evian-les-Bains on Thursday. Korda’s recent form includes victories in the first two majors of the year, the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open. However, her attempt to secure a third consecutive major win ended at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where she finished tied for eighth place.

Despite her current struggles, Korda has had a successful season overall, securing four tournament wins and achieving nine top-10 finishes. This period marks some of the strongest golf of her career. Should she fail to improve significantly in the second round, it would mark her first missed cut of the season.

Korda’s perspective on the Evian course

Following her opening round, Korda chose not to comment on her performance, with a tour representative speaking on her behalf. Her previous remarks ahead of the tournament offered some insight into her feelings about the course. She stated, “I don’t know. It’s Evian. That’s all I’m going to say.”

Korda further elaborated on the unique challenges of the course, noting, “I’ve hit some really good shots and ended up in some really bad places and hit some bad places and ended up in good places.” She emphasized the importance of patience, explaining, “What I learned every year is that patience is key out here. I’m still figuring it out. Like it’s Year 10. Every year I learn something new about this place. So, yeah, it’s just Evian.”

This particular course has not been a venue where Korda has achieved a major victory, as she has yet to win either of the two majors held overseas. Her comments suggest a continued learning process regarding the course’s intricacies, even after years of competition.

In contrast, Aki Iwai expressed a positive view of the course, stating, “I like the course. It’s kind of like Japanese courses.” This comfort level may have contributed to her impressive opening round.

Iwai’s strong start and contenders

Aki Iwai, hailing from Saitama Prefecture, Japan, established a significant lead after the first round of the 2026 Evian Masters. Her exceptional performance included eight birdies and zero bogeys, with birdies on the fifth, seventh, ninth, 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, and 18th holes. Iwai has one prior victory on the LPGA Tour, which occurred in Portland in 2025, and six professional wins on the LPGA of Japan Tour.

Iwai has previously demonstrated strong showings in majors, with two top-10 finishes. She placed seventh at the 2024 Women’s British Open at St. Andrews and tenth at the 2024 Evian Championship. She was also in contention after the first round of the 2024 Women’s PGA Championship in Seattle, where she was tied for fourth place at -2, two strokes behind the leader, before finishing the tournament in 32nd place.

Currently, Perrine Delacour of Laon, France, holds second place at -6. A group of five players are tied for third place at -5. This group includes Hae-ran Ryu of Geumjeong-myeon, South Korea; Mao Saigo of Funabashi, Japan; Jin Hee Im of Jeju Province, South Korea; Maja Stark of Skurup, Sweden; and Charley Hull of Kettering, England. Among these contenders, Ryu, Saigo, and Stark are major champions, with Saigo winning the 2025 Chevron Championship, Stark the 2025 United States Women’s Open, and Ryu the 2026 Women’s PGA Championship.

Managing a demanding schedule

The current LPGA schedule presents a demanding challenge for golfers, with three majors scheduled within a six-week period. Korda addressed how she manages this intense schedule, emphasizing the importance of rest and recovery.

She explained, “Trying to prioritise sleep and rest. It’s a lot, definitely. The scheduling of three majors in a short amount of time is definitely a lot mentally and physically, and with it being that a week and a half ago we were in Minnesota and then this week we’re in France, and then kind of travelling all over, it can get to be a lot.”

Korda highlighted the necessity of prioritizing physical well-being: “Making sure that you’re prioritising your body, your rest, and not overdoing it. Just when you kind of think you need to go to the gym maybe or wanting to rest, I think that at this point in the season, sometimes resting is actually more beneficial.” The LPGA will have an off week next week before continuing with the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open and the AIG Women’s British Open.

Brooke Henderson of Canada, a past winner of the Evian Championship in 2022, is also participating in the tournament, having achieved her best major result in over two years recently. The Amundi Evian Championship is the fourth of five majors on the calendar.

Korda’s performance in the second round will be crucial to avoid an early exit from the championship.