Evian may be the youngest major, but it holds just as much weight. The 2025 Amundi Evian Championship is here, and it’s not just another tournament. Scheduled from July 10 to 13 at the iconic Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France, the major returns to its long-time home course overlooking Lake Geneva and the Alps. This year’s edition brings a hefty $8 million purse, with $1.2 million waiting for the champion, setting the stage for four days of intense action. Add to that Rolex celebrating 25 years with the championship and some fresh new fan experiences like exclusive tickets and live gear fittings, 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting chapters in the tournament’s history.

With the stakes this high, it’s no surprise that the world’s best are teeing it up in France. The field is stacked with major champions, but five players stand out as the top bets to lift the trophy this year.

1. Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko is back at the Evian Championship, and this one’s personal. The New Zealander sits at Rolex Ranking No. 3 and returns for her 12th career start at this major. Ko’s history here is rock solid: seven top-10s, including that unforgettable 2015 win, and a T-3 finish in 2022. This course suits her game, and she knows how to score here. No surprise it’s where she became the youngest major winner at 18 and officially arrived as one of the sport’s brightest stars.

She’s shown flashes of brilliance this season, too. Ko has three top-10s, including a win at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, plus T-6 finishes at both the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and the Ford Championship. Her best major finish so far in 2024 is a T-12 at the Women’s PGA. While the career Grand Slam chase is on pause till next year, Evian could be the perfect spot for win No. 24. Will she write another chapter where it all began?

2. Ayaka Furue

Her 2024 season has had its ups and downs. She’s posted three top-10s but also missed the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA. Still, she’s been solid in majors overall, with five top-10s in her career. The question now is simple: can Furue bottle up that final-round magic one more time?

3. Minjee Lee

The Aussie comes into Evian ranked No. 6 in the world and riding high after her third major win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She held the lead heading into Sunday and closed it out with total control, finishing at four-under, three shots ahead of the nearest challengers. It was calm, calculated, and classic Minjee.

This will be her 10th start at Evian, and she’s already had success here, winning in 2021 with sharp iron play and smart course management. While she finished T-49 last year, the track suits her strengths. With 12 top-10s in majors and three different major titles, only one piece of the Grand Slam puzzle remains. Could Evian be the next stop in another dominant summer run?

5. Nelly Korda

Nelly Korda is still chasing her first win of the season, but she’s coming in with something to prove. Her closest call came at the U.S. Women’s Open, where she tied for second, just two shots behind Maja Stark. She also opened the year with a runner-up at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Across the season, Korda has posted four top-10s and has quietly put together a steady major run.

She’s finished inside the top 25 at all three so far. That loss at the U.S. Open still stings, and maybe that’s the fuel she needs right now. Korda enters the week ranked World No. 1. She’s playing in her eighth Evian, and her best result was a T-8 in 2022.

She’s been close, she’s been sharp. Is Evian finally where it all comes together?

4. Jeeno Thitikul

Atthaya Thitikul has been one of the most consistent players all season, and her game keeps trending upward. She picked up a win at the Mizuho Americas Open and has stacked up strong finishes throughout the year. Thitikul has stayed in the mix across multiple events, with solid ball striking and a putter that showed serious promise at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The Texas heat caught up with her there, but she’s had momentum for weeks now.
She also has eight career top-10s in majors, showing how close she’s been. She enters Evian ranked World No. 10 and has a great track record here. This will be her fourth start, and she’s finished in the top 10 each of the past three years. She’s just 22, already has 48 top-10s, and seems ready to make that next leap.

But in a field this deep and a course this demanding, whose story out of these 5 takes the spotlight next?