The fourth women's major of the season takes place at the spectacular Evian Resort Golf Club on the banks of Lake Geneva, where the best players in the world have gathered for The Amundi Evian Championship.
Jeeno Thitikul is among those making an eagerly anticipated return for the 32nd edition of the event. It promises to be another enthralling showcase for women’s golf, where the quality of the action on the course is matched by the magnificent surroundings.
For Thitikul, it is another chance to win a coveted first major title at a venue that carries deep sentimental value. The 23-year-old from Thailand was part of a dramatic conclusion on the Champions Course 12 months ago, ultimately finishing runner-up after Grace Kim delivered an incredible performance on the second play-off hole. That experience has given her extra motivation to prevail at this event, for which Rolex has been the Official Timepiece and a Major Partner since 2000.
"The Amundi Evian Championship has always been my favourite major," Thitikul, a Rolex Testimonee, says. "It is where I made my first cut as a 14-year-old. I would love to win it and came closest last year as everyone knows. It’s just a really special place in my heart and it is great that we get a chance to go back there every year."
(Image Credit: Rolex/J.D. Cuban)
It did not take long for Thitikul to make her mark on the global stage. She made history in 2017 by becoming the youngest player to win a professional golf tournament at the Ladies European Thailand Championship, aged 14 years, 4 months and 19 days, and has since spent a total of 40 weeks at No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. There are striking similarities between the rising talent and New Zealand's Lydia Ko, who won The Amundi Evian Championship in 2015 to become the youngest women’s major winner at age 18. The two Rolex Testimonees share a close bond on tour, with Thitikul often describing Ko as an older sister and role model.
"To see Lydia for the past decade and more is really inspiring for me," Thitikul says. "She is one person that I really look up to. All the hard work that she puts in, not just on the weeks off, but also in the weeks that we play, it’s inspiring. Many people see only the trophy and the success, but I think it’s more than that. We put the work in because we love the sport, we love to grow the game and we want to impact more people. I am learning that from her, and also Annika Sorenstam and the other Rolex Testimonees. I see the road they paved to inspire the next generation."
First played in 1994 and elevated in status to become the fifth women’s major in 2013, The Amundi Evian Championship has grown into one of the standout events in women’s golf, where members of the Rolex family are enthused by the stunning venue and its beautiful backdrop.
"Rolex has been a huge supporter of the event," Ko says. "It is a great week that brings a lot of people together, and I can see a lot of moving parts. Being a Testimonee gives a little bit of added motivation to play well in front of the Rolex family. We have that certain pride when we are representing Rolex - it is like an extra superpower that we get competing there."
Could this be the week when Jeeno Thitikul finally becomes a major champion? There would be no more fitting stage.
