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Perth Now
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Ruffels leads Aussie charge towards more major glory
Former tennis ace Gabriela Ruffels leads a trio of Australian stars at the top of the leaderboard as they set their sights on a final-round push for more major glory at the Evian Championship in France. The gifted allrounder Ruffels is joint-leader at 11 under par alongside a fellow tennis-lover, Englishwoman Cara Gainer, going into the last round of the fourth major of the season at the Evian Resort Club. But just a shot behind, amid a four-way tie for third place, are two of Ruffels' Aussie colleagues, Grace Kim and Minjee Lee, who's still in a great position to gun for her fourth major title and her second in just three weeks after her Women's PGA title triumph. In glorious weather at the picturesque course overlooking Lake Geneva, it proved a spectacular moving day for the Australian assault at a tournament where they've enjoyed considerable success, with Minjee Lee having won her first major there in 2021 and Steph Kyriacou finishing runner-up last year. Ruffels, who had started unpromisingly with a bogey, put herself on pole position with six birdies, including a brilliant late burst of four in the last eight holes that pushed her atop the leaderboard alongside Gainer, whose 64 was the second-best round of the afternoon. Lee, who had begun well in Thursday before a second-round struggle, reignited her challenge with a flawless 66, featuring five birdies, while Kim birdied her last hole for a one-under 70. The pair are level with world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul and South Korea's Somi Lee at 10 under for the championship on a quality-packed leaderboard, although world No.1 Nelly Korda was out of the picture after a hugely disappointing 75 left her 10 off the pace. World No.71 Ruffels and No.129 Gainer felt like an unlikely pair to go out last on Sunday but they have plenty in common, with both having dreamed of one day being professional tennis players and having come close to achieving their ambition. Now, they're shooting for the biggest prize of their lives in their adopted sport. American-born, Melbourne-raised Ruffels was once Australia's top junior player before turning her attention to golf at the age of 14, and she's carved out an ever improving career, becoming US Women's Amateur champion in 2019. But she's never turned her back on tennis, having enjoyed a refreshing break with her boyfriend at Wimbledon as a guest of doubles great Todd Woodbridge before setting off for the French Alps. "It was such a cool experience," Ruffels smiled. "It was great to relax and not touch the clubs for a few days and get over jet lag. Seems to have worked this week." The 29-year-old Gainer, too, admits: "Tennis was, I guess, my first love." But she turned to golf at 14 and quickly started playing off scratch. "I do still really enjoy it. I don't really play any more but I love to watch it. Obviously Wimbledon is on this week so that's my evening," she said, as her round finished just before Amanda Anisimova and Iga Swiatek were due to go on court for the Wimbledon Ladies' final. Perth's world No.6 Lee could yet still be the one they have to beat s she seeks to become the first woman since Inbee Park in 2013 to capture back-to-back majors, but Kyriacou looks to be out of the hunt after a 74 left her alongside Korda at one-under.
Canada News.Net
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada News.Net
Nelly Korda in search of first win of season at Evian Championship
(Photo credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images) Since it became the fifth major of women's golf in 2013, the Evian Championship has crowned a litany of highly ranked champions. It's not a tournament where surprises tend to happen. This week, the likes of Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul will try to add their own chapters to this brief history as the championship begins Thursday at Evian Resort in Evian-les-Bains, France. World No. 1 Korda is still searching for her first win of 2025 after collecting seven titles in 2024. Thailand's Thitikul, ranked No. 2 in the world, has yet to win a major and is coming off a frustrating Women's PGA Championship, where she led each of the first two rounds before fading to a tie for fourth. Still, Thitikul is only 22 years old and will have more opportunities. The 26-year-old Korda joked this week that she doesn't recognize half the players on tour this year. 'I feel like a grandma out here,' Korda said. 'But, yeah, that's the best thing about sports in general, is that you can never stay comfortable where you are because there is a new generation, new talent coming, and they're going to be better and have more knowledge.' It's not strictly a young woman's game. Australia's Minjee Lee -- who at 29 qualifies as a tour veteran -- broke a 20-month title drought when she charged past Thitikul on the weekend to win the Women's PGA, her third career major. 'I feel like there is so many that are so young now and that are so good,' Lee said. 'They're always pushing me and pushing all of us older girls. ... Obviously like I get motivation from that, but I think I'm much more self-motivated at the moment.' Lee won her first major at the Evian in 2021. Other big names on the list of Evian winners include Canadian Brooke Henderson (2022), South Koreans Jin-Young Ko (2019) and In Gee Chun (2016) and New Zealand's Lydia Ko (2015). Celine Boutier became the event's first French winner in 2023, when she ran away with a six-stroke win. 'I think every time European swing comes around, I'm very excited just coming back home, seeing my family and some friends and just feeling the energy, the atmosphere, it gives me a little boost and hopefully good energy,' Boutier said. 'If I can get going those weeks, I know I get some kind of momentum for the rest of the season.' Japan's Ayaka Furue, just 24 at the time, pulled out a one-shot win last year. And women even younger than that are making themselves known in the game. Lottie Woad, a 21-year-old from England, is No. 1 in the world amateur rankings and dominated a field of Ladies European Tour pros to win the Women's Irish Open by six shots last week. 'I'm just trying to carry on the momentum,' Woad said. 'If that means I can be in contention, that would be great. Just really just trying to look to play good golf and continue what I was doing last week.' Evian Resort is a par-71, 6,504-yard course that overlooks Lake Geneva. Though perhaps overshadowed by the other majors in women's golf, it is known for its stunning views. 'Hitting bad shots out here is not as bad as hitting it somewhere else,' Korda said.
Canada Standard
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Canada Standard
Nelly Korda in search of first win of season at Evian Championship
(Photo credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images) Since it became the fifth major of women's golf in 2013, the Evian Championship has crowned a litany of highly ranked champions. It's not a tournament where surprises tend to happen. This week, the likes of Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul will try to add their own chapters to this brief history as the championship begins Thursday at Evian Resort in Evian-les-Bains, France. World No. 1 Korda is still searching for her first win of 2025 after collecting seven titles in 2024. Thailand's Thitikul, ranked No. 2 in the world, has yet to win a major and is coming off a frustrating Women's PGA Championship, where she led each of the first two rounds before fading to a tie for fourth. Still, Thitikul is only 22 years old and will have more opportunities. The 26-year-old Korda joked this week that she doesn't recognize half the players on tour this year. 'I feel like a grandma out here,' Korda said. 'But, yeah, that's the best thing about sports in general, is that you can never stay comfortable where you are because there is a new generation, new talent coming, and they're going to be better and have more knowledge.' It's not strictly a young woman's game. Australia's Minjee Lee -- who at 29 qualifies as a tour veteran -- broke a 20-month title drought when she charged past Thitikul on the weekend to win the Women's PGA, her third career major. 'I feel like there is so many that are so young now and that are so good,' Lee said. 'They're always pushing me and pushing all of us older girls. ... Obviously like I get motivation from that, but I think I'm much more self-motivated at the moment.' Lee won her first major at the Evian in 2021. Other big names on the list of Evian winners include Canadian Brooke Henderson (2022), South Koreans Jin-Young Ko (2019) and In Gee Chun (2016) and New Zealand's Lydia Ko (2015). Celine Boutier became the event's first French winner in 2023, when she ran away with a six-stroke win. 'I think every time European swing comes around, I'm very excited just coming back home, seeing my family and some friends and just feeling the energy, the atmosphere, it gives me a little boost and hopefully good energy,' Boutier said. 'If I can get going those weeks, I know I get some kind of momentum for the rest of the season.' Japan's Ayaka Furue, just 24 at the time, pulled out a one-shot win last year. And women even younger than that are making themselves known in the game. Lottie Woad, a 21-year-old from England, is No. 1 in the world amateur rankings and dominated a field of Ladies European Tour pros to win the Women's Irish Open by six shots last week. 'I'm just trying to carry on the momentum,' Woad said. 'If that means I can be in contention, that would be great. Just really just trying to look to play good golf and continue what I was doing last week.' Evian Resort is a par-71, 6,504-yard course that overlooks Lake Geneva. Though perhaps overshadowed by the other majors in women's golf, it is known for its stunning views. 'Hitting bad shots out here is not as bad as hitting it somewhere else,' Korda said. --Field Level Media
San Francisco Chronicle
27-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Stand-alone Women's Australian Open golf tournament set for March 2026 in Adelaide
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — The Women's Australian Open will make its return as a stand-alone tournament in 2026, officially ending Golf Australia's attempts at playing both men's and women's events at the same time. After sharing the tournament with the men in a mixed and alternate-tees format from 2022 to 2024, the women's event to be co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour will move from December to March 12-15 at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide. Golf Australia said Friday that Adelaide, the South Australian state capital, will host the tournament for the next three years. While the 2026 LPGA Tour schedule has not been announced, the U.S.-based circuit typically plays co-sanctioned events in Asia in February and March. That could result in greater opportunities for international players to travel to Australia from the Asia region, including recently-crowned Women's PGA champion Minjee Lee, Australia's top women's player. Last month, Golf Australia announced that Rory McIlroy will headline the men's Australian Open this year at Royal Melbourne from Dec. 4-7. This year's Masters champion is also contracted to play at nearby Kingston Heath, another Melbourne sandbelt course, in 2026.
Winnipeg Free Press
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Stand-alone Women's Australian Open golf tournament set for March 2026 in Adelaide
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — The Women's Australian Open will make its return as a stand-alone tournament in 2026, officially ending Golf Australia's attempts at playing both men's and women's events at the same time. After sharing the tournament with the men in a mixed and alternate-tees format from 2022 to 2024, the women's event to be co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour will move from December to March 12-15 at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide. Golf Australia said Friday that Adelaide, the South Australian state capital, will host the tournament for the next three years. While the 2026 LPGA Tour schedule has not been announced, the U.S.-based circuit typically plays co-sanctioned events in Asia in February and March. That could result in greater opportunities for international players to travel to Australia from the Asia region, including recently-crowned Women's PGA champion Minjee Lee, Australia's top women's player. Last month, Golf Australia announced that Rory McIlroy will headline the men's Australian Open this year at Royal Melbourne from Dec. 4-7. This year's Masters champion is also contracted to play at nearby Kingston Heath, another Melbourne sandbelt course, in 2026. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP golf:
