The Evian Championship Golf 2025 Betting Tips: Rio to win in France?

The eyes of the golfing world will be fixed firmly on Europe over the next four weeks, as major season draws to a close. It’s to Wales and Royal Porthcawl in three weeks’ time for the Women’s Open, but first the players descend on the Evian Resort in France for the Evian Championship – the fourth women’s major of the season.

Star LPGA golf tipster Jamie Worsley is here with his in-depth preview as usual here at Betfred Insights and he has picked out five players to consider backing. Check out who and why below as we have a look at his Evian Championship 2025 Betting Tips....

*You can bet on the event and check out all the latest Evian Championship 2025 Odds over at betfred.com

TOURNAMENT HISTORY 

The Evian Championship achieved major championship status in 2013, making it the newest of the five majors in women's golf. It was initially a regular Ladies European Tour (LET) event from 1994 to 1999, and then a co-sanctioned LPGA/LET tournament from 2000 to 2012, prior to its upgrade.

Although we had several multiple winners in the pre-major era – with Sweden's Helen Alfredsson claiming a record three victories (1994, 1998, 2008) – nobody has managed to win more than one Evian Championship since 2013. However, it has proven itself to be a truly international major, producing 11 champions from nine different countries.

It is also the event at which then teenage sensation, Lydia Ko announced her talents on the world stage. She finished 2^nd as a 16-year-old amateur to Suzann Pettersen in the first major edition in 2013, but went one better than that just two years later, destroying the field by six strokes to become the youngest ever major winner.

Last five winners:

• 2024

Winner: Ayaka Furue (-19)

Runner-up: Stephanie Kyriacou (-18)

• 2023

Winner: Celine Boutier (-14)

Runner-up: Brooke Henderson (-8)

• 2022

Winner: Brooke Henderson (-17)

Runner-up: Sophia Schubert (-16)

• 2021

Winner: Minjee Lee (-18, playoff)

Runner-up: Jeongeun Lee6 (-18)

• 2019

Winner: Jin Young Ko (-15)

Runners-up: Shanshan Feng, Hyo Joo Kim, Jennifer Kupcho (-13)

Japan's Ayaka Furue won the first major title of her career in last year's renewal, making a brilliant eagle on her final hole to beat Stephanie Kyriacou by one shot. She returns to defend this week, aiming to become the first ever two-time winner in the tournament's major championship history.

THE COURSE

The first nine holes at the Evian Resort Golf Club were designed in 1904 by Willie Park Jnr, who then returned in 1922 to add the other nine. Cabell Robinson altered the venue in 1994 in preparation for the first staging of the Evian Masters, and the course underwent further changes in 2012 at the hands of Dave Sampson of Euro Golf Design, before making its major debut the following year.

Alongside the Evian Championship, it can also be seen hosting the Jabra Ladies Open on the LET – an event that has been won by LPGA winner Linn Grant among others.

The course plays as a par 71 for this event – with the usual par-5 13^th is converted into a par 4 – and it can measure up to 6504yds this week. It possesses 5x par 3s (152-206yds), 9x par 4s (331-437yds) and 4x par 5s (484-550yds).

Situated on the southern shore of Lake Geneva, at the foot of the scenic French Alps, Evian Resort Golf Club is a hilly, rolling and tree-lined course that provides a solid all-round test, and places pressure on every area of the game. This event has twice been reduced to 54 holes – in 2017 and 2013 – but in the nine 72-hole editions since 2023 it averages a winning score of -15.9.

Its sloping, doglegged fairways are narrow and regularly bottleneck. They are protected by strategic fairway bunkering that pinches the already tight landing areas, and although the rough is a little less penal this year – down to 2.5 inches as opposed to 3.5 inches last year – players must still drive the ball intelligently to avoid having obstructed approaches into the greens.

Uneven lies are commonplace and alongside often dramatic elevation changes, iron play into the average-to-large bentgrass/poa greens is tricky. With many of these elevated and undulating putting surfaces – that will play at 11.5 on the stimp – positioned at an angle to the fairway, narrow/shallow in shape, and surrounded by run-off areas and bunkers, there is a premium on quality in approach.

The finish at the Evian Resort GC is full of excitement and watery danger. It consists of the diminutive 152yd par-3 16^th, on which the small angled green is protected by water short; the 331yd par-4 17^th is a true risk/reward hole, tempting the longer hitters to take on the dogleg of the fairway to get as close to the large, sloping green as possible; and the 484yd par-5 18^th is reachable in two for most in the field, though danger lurks in the shape of a pond to the front of the multi-tiered green.

It's a finish that sets up perfectly for drama and will once again play a pivotal role in deciding the outcome of this year's Evian Championship.

THE WEATHER

There has been some rain in the area in the buildup to this event, with around 4mm falling on Tuesday. Although it is forecast to return on Sunday, the rest of the week looks clear and the players should be able to enjoy largely bright, warm and pleasant conditions in this event, with wind also looking a non-factor.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach/Greens-in-Regulation

Quality iron play has always been a requirement to succeed at this course and last year's renewal certainly emphasised this point.

Ayaka Furue ranked a solid 14^th in approach on her way to winning in 2024 and was also 7^th in greens-in-regulation (GIR). Right behind her, runner-up Stephanie Kyriacou ranked 6^th in approach and 7^th in GIR; 3^rd-place finisher Patty Tavatanakit ranked 1^st in approach and 2^nd in GIR; Lauren Coughlin in 4^th ranked 4^th in approach and 1^st in GIR; and rounding out the top five, Haeran Ryu ranked 3^rd in approach and 16^th in GIR.

Celine Boutier found plenty of greens when she lifted the trophy in 2023, ranking 2^nd in GIR, and she was also reasonably precise in her iron play, ranking 8^th in approach. Of the top seven finishers that year, five ranked inside the top 25 in approach.

2022 Evian Championship winner Brooke Henderson was solid in these areas, ranking 14^th in approach and 7^th in GIR. In 2^nd place, Sophia Schubert ranked 8^th in GIR and each member of the top seven ranked inside the top 25 in approach.

• SG: Off-the-Tee and/or Driving Accuracy

Tougher conditions would cause me to lean more on players with a stellar short game. But with the benign and potentially soft conditions the field will encounter this week, I feel it's necessary to focus more on those who can produce a strong and precise all-round ball-striking performance.

Ayaka Furue is a player who finds plenty of fairways and her nearest challengers all drove the ball well last year: Stephanie Kyriacou ranked 13^th off-the-tee (OTT) and 12^th in driving accuracy, Patty Tavatanakit ranked 3^rd OTT, and Lauren Coughlin ranked 12^th OTT and 3^rd in driving accuracy.

Celine Boutier drove the ball well enough in 2023, whilst 3^rd-place finishers, Yuka Saso and A Lim Kim ranked 2^nd and 10^th respectively. Meanwhile, Brooke Henderson was 8^th with the driver on her way to winning in 2022.

• SG: Putting (bentgrass or bentgrass/poa)

Finally, those who are in control of the long game will be able to create plenty of scoring opportunities and as ever, it will come down to who can best take advantage of those chances on the greens.

Ayaka Furue did just that last year, ranking 1^st in putting to beat away the opposition. In addition, runner-up Stephanie Kyriacou and 5^th-place finisher Haeran Ryu ranked 7^th and 9^th respectively.

Each of the top seven in 2023 ranked 16^th or better with the putter. This includes eventual winner Celine Boutier ranking 9^th. Additionally, 3^rd-place place finishers Gaby Lopez and Celine Borge ranked 1^st and 3^rd.

Brooke Henderson makes it three straight winners of this event to rank inside the top 10 in putting, ranking 9^th in 2022. Runner-up Sophia Schubert ranked 5^th and every player in the top seven ranked inside the top 25.

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship (Palos Verdes Golf Club)

Palos Verdes GC is a hilly, tree-lined course that features frequent elevation changes throughout. Players have to deal with many an uneven lie there, which adds to the difficulty in attacking the elevated and heavily contoured poa/bentgrass greens.

Notable correlating form:

Jin Young Ko:

Evian (1^st) / Palos Verdes (2^nd)

Lydia Ko:

Evian (1^st) / Palos Verdes (3^rd)

Hyo Joo Kim:

Evian (1^st, 2^nd) / Palos Verdes (3^rd)

Patty Tavatanakit:

Evian (3^rd) / Palos Verdes (3^rd)

Carlota Ciganda:

Evian (3^rd) / Palos Verdes (5^th)

Nasa Hataoka:

Evian (3^rd) / Palos Verdes (7^th)

Georgia Hall:

Evian (6^th, 8^th) / Palos Verdes (2^nd)

Alison Lee:

Evian (6^th) / Palos Verdes (3^rd)

Megan Khang:

Evian (8^th, 9^th) / Palos Verdes (3^rd)

Arkansas Championship (Pinnacle Country Club)

Host of the Arkansas Championship, Pinnacle Country Club, is another undulating, tree-lined course with lots of changes in elevation. It has similar-sized bentgrass greens and although its fairways are generous in comparison to Evian, they still require a level of strategy off the tee.

Notable correlating form:

Lydia Ko:

Evian (1^st) / Arkansas (1^st)

Inbee Park:

Evian (1^st) / Arkansas (1^st)

Ai Miyazato:

Evian (1^st) / Arkansas (1^st)

Jiyai Shin:

Evian (1^st) / Arkansas (1^st)

Anna Nordqvist:

Evian (1^st) / Arkansas (2^nd, 3^rd)

Minjee Lee:

Evian (1^st) / Arkansas (2^nd, 3^rd)

Celine Boutier:

Evian (1^st) / Arkansas (5^th)

Hyo Joo Kim:

Evian (1^st, 2^nd) / Arkansas (2^nd)

Austin Ernst:

Evian (2^nd) / Arkansas (1^st)

Sung-hyun Park:

Evian (2^nd) / Arkansas (1^st)

So Yeon Ryu:

Evian (2^nd) / Arkansas (1^st)

Sei Young Kim:

Evian (2^nd, 5^th) / Arkansas (3^rd, 3^rd, 5^th)

Nasa Hataoka:

Evian (3^rd) / Arkansas (1^st, 1^st)

Yuka Saso:

Evian (3^rd) / Arkansas (4^th)

Mao Saigo:

Evian (3^rd) / Arkansas (4^th)

Charley Hull:

Evian (3^rd) / Arkansas (5^th)

Atthaya Thitikul:

Evian (5^th, 8^th, 9^th) / Arkansas (1^st)

Haeran Ryu:

Evian (5^th) / Arkansas (1^st)

Pajaree Anannarukarn:

Evian (6^th, 10^th) / Arkansas (8^th)

Meijer LPGA Classic (Blythefield Country Club)

Blythefield Country Club shares many strong form ties with Evian. This tree-lined course is very compact, has subtle but frequent elevation changes throughout, and possess poa/bentgrass mixed greens.

Notable correlating form:

Brooke Henderson:

Evian (1^st) / Meijer (1^st, 1^st)

In Gee Chun:

Evian (1^st) / Meijer (3^rd, 3^rd)

Lydia Ko:

Evian (1^st) / Meijer (3^rd, 4^th, 4^th)

Anna Nordqvist:

Evian (1^st) / Meijer (4^th, 5^th)

Celine Boutier:

Evian (1^st) / Meijer (4^th)

Hyo Joo Kim:

Evian (1^st, 2^nd) / Meijer (5^th, 7^th)

Jennifer Kupcho:

Evian (2^nd) / Meijer (1^st)

So Yeon Ryu:

Evian (2^nd) / Meijer (1^st)

Sei Young Kim:

Evian (2^nd, 5^th) / Meijer (1^st)

Nasa Hataoka:

Evian (3^rd) / Meijer (2^nd, 5^th)

Carlota Ciganda:

Evian (3^rd) / Meijer (1^st, 2^nd)

Atthaya Thitikul:

Evian (5^th, 8^th, 9^th) / Meijer (5^th, 8^th)

Toto Japan Classic (Seta Golf Course – North)

Seta Golf Course's North Course has hosted the Toto Japan Classic – an event co-sanctioned between the LPGA and JLPGA – five times in the last decade: in 2024, 2022, 2021, 2019, and 2018. With its hilly terrain, repeated changes in elevation, narrow tree-lined fairways, and average-to-large bentgrass greens, it looks an ideal comp for Evian – something that is underscored by an abundance of correlating form.

Notable correlating form:

Ayaka Furue:

Evian (1^st) / Japan Classic (*1^st, 4th) *JLPGA-sanctioned event

Hyo Joo Jim:

Evian (1^st, 2^nd) / Japan Classic (2^nd)

Minjee Lee:

Evian (1^st) / Japan Classic (3^rd)

Linn Grant:

Evian (*1^st, 8^th) / Japan Classic (3^rd) *Won the Jabra Ladies Open

Jin Young Ko:

Evian (1^st) / Japan Classic (5^th)

Jennifer Kupcho:

Evian (2^nd) / Japan Classic (4^th)

Nasa Hataoka:

Evian (3^rd) / Japan Classic (1^st)

Carlota Ciganda:

Evian (3^rd) / Japan Classic (2^nd)

Yealimi Noh:

Evian (3^rd) / Japan Classic (4^th)

Gaby Lopez:

Evian (3^rd) / Japan Classic (6^th)

Haeran Ryu:

Evian (5^th) / Japan Classic (3^rd)

Pajaree Anannarukarn:

Evian (6^th, 10^th) / Japan Classic (10^th)

Gemma Dryburgh:

Evian (8^th) / Japan Classic (1^st)

THE FIELD

This week's Evian Championship field includes every member of the world's top 25, and 46 of the top 50. Nelly Korda remains winless in 2025 but still manages to hold on to her position as world No. 1, closely followed by No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul and No. 3 Lydia Ko.

Ayaka Furue returns as the defending champion and is one of nine former winners teeing it up this week. She is joined by Celine Boutier (2023), Brooke Henderson (2022), Minjee Lee (2021), Jin Young Ko (2019), Anna Nordqvist (2017), In Gee Chun (2016), Lydia Ko (2015), and Hyo Joo Kim (2014).

Current No. 1 amateur, Lottie Woad of England, is in attendance after her emphatic six-shot win in last week's Women's Irish Open on the LET; each of the top nine on the LET Order of Merit are also in France, headed by another English star, Mimi Rhodes, who has won three times in her rookie season; and the highest ranking non-LPGA player in the field is Youmin Hwang – a three-time winner in her native Korea.

SELECTIONS 

Market leaders (1/5 7 places): Jeeno Thitikul 9/1, Nelly Korda 10/1, Minjee Lee 16/1, Lydia Ko 20/1, Ruoning Yin 20/1

1.75 pts Rio Takeda each-way (1/5 - 7 places) @ 30/1

Rio Takeda has already gone mightily close to securing her major breakthrough this year, finishing 2^nd in the US Women's Open. She's one of the strongest iron players on the LPGA and possessing a particularly encouraging piece of comp form, she can go one better this week.

Takeda earned her tour card after winning the Toto Japan Classic at Seta Golf Course at the end of last year and it didn't take long for her to double her LPGA tally in 2025, winning the Blue Bay LPGA on her fifth start of the season. She added two further top-10s in the Black Desert Championship and Mizuho Americas Open, before recording that excellent runner-up finish to Maja Stark at Erin Hills four starts ago.

The Japanese star ranks 3^rd on tour from tee-to-green this season, and has especially shone with her irons, ranking 2^nd in approach and 2^nd in greens-in-regulation. Her driving is also an asset, marrying her power with a reasonable level of accuracy to rank 21^st off-the-tee, and though the putter may be a weakness, that win at the end of 2024 did come on bentgrass surfaces.

Takeda made her debut in this event last year and appeared to take to the course from the off, shooting a five-under 66 to sit 10^th on day one. Although she couldn't quite maintain that, eventually slipping to 55^th by the end of the week, it was still a performance that showed promise and when we also take into account that win at Seta GC, there is enough evidence to suggest this course – which is not dissimilar to the bulk of venues found in Japan – is an ideal place for her to claim that first major win.

1.5 pts Mao Saigo each-way (1/5 - 7 places) @ 35/1

The Japanese theme will continue throughout these selections, with Mao Saigo up next. She became a first-time major winner at the Chevron Championship back in April and having impressed in the Evian Championship on debut in 2022, she clearly has the game to add a second major win this week.

Saigo performed strongly in her rookie season last year, but ultimately failed to find a first LPGA win. She shed her maiden tag in the best possible way at Carlton Woods, coming out on top of a five-woman playoff to win the Chevron Championship and she’s remained in positive form since – finishing 4^th in the US Women’s Open and 5^th in the Shoprite LPGA Classic across her last three starts.

The putter has been the biggest weapon in her armoury this season, ranking 12^th. That being said, the long game looks under control, ranking 38^th in approach, 45^th in driving accuracy and 52^nd in greens-in-regulation – a combination that should serve her well this week.

Saigo produced a scintillating weekend display in 2022, firing rounds of 65 and 64 to finish 3^rd. She did miss the cut the following year, but again looked solid in 2024, finishing 35^th and with a 4^th-place finish in Arkansas on her C.V, she has a handy piece of comp form to boot.

1.25 pts Akie Iwai each-way (1/5 - 7 places) @ 40/1

Akie Iwai is amassing an extremely likeable major record, missing just one cut in her 10 starts in these premier events. She’s appeared well at ease at this level in her rookie season and after finishing 10^th at Evian on debut last year, I’m expecting another bold showing this week.

Iwai has twice finished 2^nd on the LPGA in 2025 – in the Honda LPGA Thailand and JM Eagle LA Championship. She’s also made the cut in the first three majors of the year and arrives having produced her best performance of the three in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, finishing 29^th at PGA Frisco.

She ranked 17^th in approach there and it’s with the irons that she is excelling in 2025, ranking 6^th in approach and 7^th in greens-in-regulation. That is complemented by a strong driving game, ranking 36^th off-the-tee and as a perfectly solid putter, her profile fits this challenge.

Iwai shot a one-over 72 in the opening round in 2024 but must’ve learned plenty from that, as she responded with a superb six-under 65 in round two, securing a 10^th-place finish after a closing 68. She also finished 7^th on her debut in the Meijer LPGA Classic a few weeks ago – an event that has often pointed to potential Evian performers.

1 pt Nasa Hataoka each-way (1/5 - 7 places) @ 66/1

Nasa Hataoka had every chance of winning this event when I put her up in 2023, though ultimately had to settle for a 3^rd-place finish. She was a 25/1 shot that week and with her tee-to-green game looking in excellent shape this year, this six-time LPGA winner looks fantastic value at over 40-points larger this time around.

Hataoka has only missed two cuts in 12 starts this year and has recorded eight top-25 finishes. Her standout result came in the JM Eagle LA Championship, finishing 6^th and she produced her best major finish of the season on her latest start, finishing 36^th in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

She ranks 8^th from tee-to-green, showcasing a similar level of quality across each of the three areas. Approach play has been the main asset, ranking 17^th and her precise long game is further enhanced by rankings of 15^th in driving accuracy and 23^rd in greens-in-regulation. Meanwhile, it is also a positive to witness the putter behaving better in Texas, where she ranked 21^st in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Nasa has played here on five occasions, recording eye-catching finishes of 3^rd, 15^th and 16^th alongside two missed cuts. Her comp form increases optimism of a good showing here, as she’s a two-time winner in Arkansas, a one-time winner at Seta Golf Course, and has finished 2^nd in the Meijer LPGA Classic.

1 pt Sara Kouskova each-way (1/5 - 7 places) @ 200/1

Last up is Czech golfer Sara Kouskova, who has enjoyed an excellent season on the LET in 2025. She earned her breakthrough victory on that tour at the Evian Resort in the Jabra Ladies Open less than two months ago, and hitting the ball with the required precision – whilst also looking sharp on the greens – I see no reason why she can’t threaten the top of the leaderboard at this higher level.

Kouskova is a former #26 amateur, therefore it has been no surprise to see her look well at home on the LET since her rookie season in 2023. She started this year well, finishing 4^th and 6^th in two events in Australia, but she blew that form out of the water four starts ago, beating Shannon Tan by two strokes to claim the Jabra Ladies Open. She then went back-to-back, winning the Tenerife Women’s Open two weeks later and was rock-solid at home on her latest start, finishing 13^th in the Czech Ladies Open.

The long game is in fine shape, ranking 13^th in greens-in-regulation and 20^th in driving accuracy. She’s been dialled with her irons, ranking 4^th in approach for that victory in Tenerife and putting extremely well on these greens in the Jabra Ladies Open, ranking 7^th, there is nothing to discourage me statistically.

Kouskova will make her belated major debut this week but she no doubt has the pedigree to be an LPGA-level player. With confidence riding high, especially as she returns to the scene of her first LET victory, she is well worth chancing at this price with the large amount of places on offer.

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