​Lottie Woad charged into the lead at the Evian Championship by birdieing five of her last eight holes to shoot a seven-under 64, placing her sole on top of the leaderboard. The 22-year-old battled through the French venue, the same track where she earned her LPGA Tour card and chose to turn professional last year. She turned in three under for the day, and after her first bogey at the 10th, she caught fire, running off five birdies in succession to leap to 11 under, one shot clear of first-round leader Aoi Iwai.
“I hit a lot of fairways and greens, which is definitely the key around here. If you get in trouble off the tee, it can be pretty difficult,” Woad said. “The driver is clicking, I’ve been very good off the tee. If you do that you can have a lot of wedges and chances.” Her performance underscores the importance of accuracy off the tee on this course, where a well-groomed drive can set up multiple birdie opportunities.
In pursuit of a maiden major, Charley Hull, another English player in the mix, posted a 70 to sit five strokes back in a share of fifth on six under. The field features several contenders, each hoping to seize the moment at Evian and claim a breakthrough major title.
On a contrasting note, world No. 1 Nelly Korda failed to advance to the weekend, missing the cut by a single stroke after a late birdie putt narrowly would have qualified her. Korda, who has already claimed two majors this year, signed for a 69 and an over-par total, ending her run at Evian earlier than she would have hoped. The early exit marks Korda’s first missed cut in two years, a rare setback for the dominant American star.
The Evian Championship continues to unfold with Woad setting the pace, Hull trying to close the gap, and Korda watching from the sidelines as challengers push for a breakaway win in the season’s marquee event. With the field tightly packed behind Woad, spectators can anticipate another day of high drama as the leaderboard evolves and new stories emerge on the famous French course. For fans and followers of the LPGA Tour, this week’s Evian coverage offers a compelling snapshot of rising talent intersecting with established stars as the race to major glory intensifies.