Jeremy Chapman's Evian Championship betting preview, free tips & TV details

Starts 6am Thursday
Sky Sports Golf, 1pm Thursday

All the main-tour Majors were done and dusted by July 21 and only one will be left on any tour by August once this week's two, the Senior Open and the Evian Champion­ship, are completed in this strangest of golfing years.

The Evian, at picturesque Evian-les-Bains close to the France-Switzerland border, is the first in a two-week LPGA Majors visit to Europe, immediately followed by the Women's British Open at Woburn, where out-of-form English rose Georgia Hall defends next week.

The French event has been moved from September to July in search of sunshine and to allow the British Open to be a more fitting climax to the five LPGA Majors.

The chances of another British or Irish winner to follow Shane Lowry are not obvious with Mel Reid, 44th on the world rankings courtesy of her best US finish, a PGA Championship third, now officially the top-rated hope, ahead of Charley Hull (ranked 47).

Europe did have the winner at Evian two years through lofty Swede Anna Nordqvist, but last year it was American veteran Angela Stanford who pulled off a shock first Major success at age 40.

The last two winners suggest experience of the gorgeous 6,523-yard parkland layout is important but it was youngsters Hyo Joo Kim, Lydia Ko and In Gee Chun who carried off the previous three, so this is a course that suits all, although straight is very much a virtue.

The winner is confidently expected to come from two South Koreans Sei Young Kim and Jeongeun Lee6 (the 6 is not a typo, she added it to separate her from the first five Jeongeun Lees), tall American Lexi Thompson and longtime Chinese number one Shanshan Feng.

All four are Major winners. All four have been in terrific form recently. All four have compelling Evian records.

Kim, winner of the Marathon Classic last time out and the Mediheal earlier in the year, is the main bet. One of four runners-up to Stanford last year, she is 2-5-6-11 for the last four Evians, getting closer each year. From second, there is only one place to go.

Lee6 is a more recent arrival having mopped up on the Korean Tour before conquering America by lifting its most glittering prize, the US Open, at the start of June in her first full year there. Lucky 6, as fans call her in South Korea, was sixth on her Evian bow last year.

Florida bomber Thompson, formerly a suspect putter, has that part of her game under control, resulting in a huge performance spike with victory in the Shoprite and seconds at the US Open, Meijer and Marathon. Evian runner-up in 2015 and third two years earlier.

And Feng has just recorded a stunning 29-under-par blitz of the Thornberry Creek Classic, putting a previously disappointing 2019 behind her. Third, fourth and sixth in consecutive Evians from 2015 mean she arrives full of confidence.

Sung Hyun Park, on a roll with victory in Arkansas, a second at the PGA and a last-time-out sixth at Thornberry Creek, is the one most likely to prevail if those four selections fail.

Brooke Henderson, Jin Young Ko, already a Major champion this year, Nasa Hataoka and the two Jutanugarns, Ariya and Moriya, are much respected but a South Korean 1-2 could well ensue.

Recommendations
Sei Young Kim
2pts each-way 16-1 Betway, Hills, Sky Bet
Jeongeun Lee6
2pts each-way 16-1 Betfair, Paddy Power
L Thompson
1pt each-way 16-1 Coral, Ladbrokes, Sky Bet
Shanshan Feng
1pt each-way 22-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Lowdown

Course Evian Masters GC, Evian-les-Bains, France
Prize money $4.1m ($600,000 to winner)
Length 6,523 yards Par 71 Field 120
Course winners taking part Paula Creamer, Inbee Park (2), In Gee Chun, Anna Nordqvist, Angela Stanford
Course records - Old course 72 holes 267 Juli Inkster (2003). 18 holes 63 Helen Alfredsson (2008), Stacy Lewis (2012). New course 72 holes 263 In Gee Chun (2016). 18 holes 63 In Gee Chun, Sung Hyun Park (both 2016)
When to bet By 6am Thursday
Where to watch Live on Sky Sports from 10am Thursday
Time difference France is one hour ahead of UK & Ireland
Last year 1 A Stanford, T2 A Olson, M Martin, S Kim, A Ernst, T6 R O’Toole, J Lee6

Latest form - Marathon Classic 1 S Y Kim, 2 L Thompson, 3 S Lewis, 4 J Lee6, T5 T Joh, P Yoktuan, J Kupcho, C Masson, L Storm

Course overview A tight parkland test that hosted the Evian Masters as an LPGA Tour event from 2000 in a European beauty spot close to the France-Switzerland border. Substantially altered in 2011-12 in line with its upgraded status as a Major and a name change. For Masters, read Championship. All tees modified and fairways reworked with special attention given to the greens, all remodelled and made firmer with large surfaces. More numerous and more ambitious obstacles, in particular water hazards, created and deeper bunkers repositioned

Story of last year Angela Stanford won her first Major at the age of 40. The American’s 12-under-par tally was one too good for the four who tied for second, Amy Olson, Mo Martin, Sei Young Kim and Austin Ernst

Weather forecast Hot and sticky tomorrow (up to 36C), cooling a little on Friday (33C) and back to normal in the mid-20s at the weekend. Rain most likely on Friday, maybe thunderstorms on Saturday but a sunny Sunday

Type of player suited to challenge Still not a long course after the changes, it rewards basic skills over power, particularly now greater demands have been made on position and strategy

Key attribute Accuracy

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