Evian Celebrates 25th Birthday

Helen Alfredsson in 1994. Helen also won in 1998 & 2008

Wonderful wishes and marvelous memories shared by some Evian Superb Champions from around the Golfing Globe - Happy 25th!

defend her title, winning again in 1996. “I remember being very excited winning my first Evian, then defending the next year, it was a 4-shot win so a bit more relaxed but none the less a great win. I achieved my goal of the year by winning on both sides of the Atlantic.” Fans will remember in 1996 Laura, who is passionate about soccer (she plays annually in the Evian Soccer Match), had a miniature television in her golf bag so she could keep up to date with England’s exploits in that year’s European Football Championships. Not all were pleased, and Laura apologised – and Franck, fond of football too, understood. Sweden’s world-renown Annika Sorenstam won in 2000 and 2002. 2000 became co-sanctioned by the LPGA and increased to a one-million-pound prize fund. Karrie Webb had just taken the No.1 ranking from Annika, but Annika eagled the first play-off hole, hitting a 7-iron 172 yds to 7 feet against Karrie, triumphing at Evian. In 2002, Annika was the dominant female golfer, in regal form winning -19 four strokes ahead of runners-up Maria Hjorth and South Korean Mi Hyun Kim. Annika confirmed, “Evian has always been one of my favorite tournaments. It started out with a quaint feel on the LET. The crowds were small, everyone was dressed up like they I n 1994 Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson flew in from Los Angeles after an urgent call to come play from Franck Riboud in his new tournament. Helen said, “I fell in love with the place from the beginning. I still love it today. An athlete’s dream for a special event; Evian was that. In ‘94 we never thought of it being a Major. We all played golf and loved it, it numbed your soul. I was happy here, and we wanted to share it with our US friends. We did it for women’s golf to create something with Franck and Jacques. All my three victories were so important to me. In 1994 it was so good to have the tournament going. In 1998 after several years of injury and surgery it was great to be back winning here. 10 years later in 2008 it was definitely one of the highlights of my career.” Helen, Evian’s only 3-time winner, for the past five years has conducted Evian golf schools with clients, some TV work, and charity work in Sweden. Turning pro in 1985, Laura Davies, DBE in 2014, won the LET’s Belgium Open shortly thereafter starting her winning streak globally with yearly victories through 2010. The Hall of Famer with over 87 victories, with 4 Majors, recalls winning Evian in 1995, “This is the best golf I’ve played all year. It was a very different event then, but one of our best.” To date Laura is the only person to successfully Story by Susanne Kemper

Dame Laura Davies 1995, 1996

Annika Sorenstam 2000 & 2002

were going to a fancy dinner. What Jacques and Franck have done to grow the event into a world-class LPGA tournament, then into a Major is truly remarkable. It’s a favourite of all the players, caddies, and staff. It’s an honour to go back to Evian each year, to get to stay at the Hotel Royal as a past champion. The views of Lake Geneva and the plush grounds are spectacular and the hospitality for the week from both Evian and Rolex is amazing. “Since the creation of Rolex’s Annika Major Award five years ago it has been fun celebrating the Award at the Evian Championship with galas, special activities. I will miss presenting the Award on 18th after the final round now with the July date.” America’s multiple Solheim Cup Captain World Hall of Famer Juli Inskster finally conquered Evian in 2003. Juli recalls, “Winning Evian was amazing for me. I had my family there, plus friends, and we explored the surroundings of Evian. They still remember all the fun and exciting things we did. Franck and Jacques do a first-class job in making The Evian what it is today. They take great care of their past Champions and it’s a privilege to be one of them. It is ONE tournament that I will never forget. It was an honour to become the first American to win the event, plus on my wedding anniversary too.” Californian legend Juli plays on the LPGA Tour spanning 29 years to date; 7 LPGA Majors, 31 LPGA wins (44 wins total) - ranks second in victories among active LPGA players. In 2005 Paula Creamer said, “The Pink Panther’s win was so special in a number of ways. I was an LPGA rookie that year and it was my second victory as a professional. My goal coming into my rookie year was to play my way, based on points, onto the US Solheim Cup Team. Since it had never been done, I was even more determined. I already had an idea then that I might be a Captain’s pick, but it was really important to me to try to qualify for the US team on my own merit. Winning Evian guaranteed that to happen!

Paula Creamer 2005

“It truly was an honor to receive the Evian trophy from none other than the great Seve Ballesteros! To this day, I cherish the photo of Seve presenting me the Evian trophy and I even got a kiss on the cheek from Seve. I vividly recall standing on the 18th tee in the final round the last group with Dame Laura Davies. Laura saw that I was a bit fidgety, so she asked me if I was nervous, and I said I was a bit. I’ll never forget what Laura said: ‘Paula, you have an 8 shot lead. You can win this event using your putter if you want. Just go down 18 and enjoy it!!’ Laura’s words of comfort were what I needed; I was able to enjoy every step on that final hole! Evian always holds a special place in my heart, but none more than my week in 2005.”

Karrie Webb 2006 Suzann Pettersen 2013

Australia’s legendary Karrie Webb triumphed finally. “Winning Evian in 2006 was a part of one of the best years in my career. I have been enjoying playing Evian since 1995 when I was a rookie on the LET. I had come close to a win a few times previously and the win in 2006 was really a very special moment for me. “I love this photo because Evian embraces the full world stage that competes in the event and here, they not only let me showcase the beautiful trophy, but the Australian flag, which I am very proud of. This photo hangs in my home.” Norway’s Suzann Pettersen won the inaugural 2013 Evian Championship, the fifth Major, in difficult rainy conditions shortened to 54 holes. At 32 she battled world number one Inbee Park trying to win her fourth Major of 2013, and world number two Stacy Lewis coming off the high of winning St. Andrews’ Women’s British Open. But world number three Suzann’s majestic play at the Solheim Cup and her previous week’s LPGA victory gave her sublime confidence overcoming amateur wonder 16-year-old Lydia Ko by two shots for her second Major title (2007 LPGA Championship) with a final round -3 for a total -10. Suzann shared she was over the moon, “To win the Evian Championship was always on my bucket list of tournaments to win! To now have my name on that trophy among so many other great names is an honour! I’ve always loved coming to Evian, and through the years I’ve had a love / hate relationship with that course. I’ve always wanted to win there so badly but for some reasons it’s not a course that naturally fits my eye! So, to overcome that and win in 2013 was huge for me!” 2015 saw youth triumph with New Zealand’s 18- year-old Lydia Ko in the last 10 holes beating America’s hot Lexi Thompson by 6 shots, plus taking the fifth Major away from Korea’s Inbee Park, who had already won Rolex’s Annika Major Award. As the youngest ever Major winner, Ko shot 8 under Sunday cementing her place in Grand Slam history. Lydia shared, “It is always exciting to be back at The Evian Championship, especially as a past winner. The event has a unique spirit and its prestige is clear from its past champions, like Annika

Lydia Ko 2015

In 2017 Sweden’s Anna Nordquist shot a sizzling 66 to get into a play-off, then won The Evian on the first play-off hole over Brittany Altomare. Anna’s had eight wins, including 2009 Major LPGA Championship and Solheim Cup stalwart, “It was so late, it felt like there was never really a time to soak up the atmosphere. It probably wasn’t until I got back to my hotel room when I saw the replica trophy, a big bottle of champagne, a Rolex, and gifts that I had received that it really began to sink in that I had won - I was still exhausted from the weather. Evian will always be very special to me. When I came back this year, I really got the sense of being very proud of the hard work I’ve put in and the challenges that I have overcome. My name will always be on the trophy and I’ll always be very proud, I’m a winner every time I come here.” Happy Birthday to all the Evian team!

Annika Sorenstam 2000 & 2002 Anna Nordquist 2017

PhotoCredits: Compliments Rolex (Lydia Ko, Anna Nordquist, Annika Sorenstam - Images of Annika with Trophies and Annika award); Evian Championship (Helen Alfredsson); Compliments Karrie Webb (Karrie Webb with flag)

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