Ex-champion Kim Hyo-joo goes for 2nd LPGA major title at Evian Championship
Kim Hyo-joo of Korea plays her shot from the third tee during the final round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship 2026 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, June 28, in this Getty Images photo. AFP-Yonhap
Kim Hyo-joo will be in pursuit of her second career LPGA major title this week in France, a dozen years after notching her maiden victory in the European nation.
Kim will be among 21 Korean players teeing off at the Amundi Evian Championship, which will go from Thursday to Sunday at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France.
They will vie for the total purse of $9.1 million, with the champion set to take home $1,365,000.
At No. 3, Kim is the highest-ranked Korean player entering this week. She has won twice on the LPGA Tour this season and has also recorded two victories on the Korean tour, including at the Lotte Open in the western city of Incheon on Sunday.
Kim won the 2014 Evian title as a 19-year-old, non-LPGA member, holding off Hall of Famer Karrie Webb by a stroke. Kim has won eight more LPGA tournaments since, but success at majors has proven elusive for the veteran. Since the start of 2024, Kim has managed only two top-10 finishes in 13 majors.
After overcoming a three-stroke deficit to win the Lotte Open on Sunday, Kim said she will travel to France feeling more confident about the state of her game.
"I got my feel back over the course of the Lotte Open," Kim said. "It gave me confidence that I can play well at the upcoming major. I am looking forward to playing at the Evian Championship."
Among other Koreans, world No. 7 Ryu Hae-ran will go for her second straight major victory after enjoying her breakthrough moment at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship two weeks ago.
By capturing her first career major there, Ryu has moved past Kim in major statistical rankings for the season, including the Player of the Year points and scoring average.
Ryu's victory snapped a winless drought by Korean players at LPGA majors at nine. Korea has not seen back-to-back major winners since Lee Mi-rim, Kim A-lim and Kim Sei-young won three in a row in 2020.
Ryu trails American star Nelly Korda in both categories. Korda, world No. 1, leads the LPGA Tour this year with four victories, including her fourth career major at the U.S. Women's Open in June. Korda has yet to win a major outside the United States.
The Korean contingent also includes 2019 Evian champion Ko Jin-young, amateur sensation Yang Yun-seo and leading Rookie of the Year contender Hwang You-min.