EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Aki Iwai shot an 8-under 63 for a two-stroke lead on Thursday in the first round of the Evian Championship, the fourth women’s golf major of the season, as top-ranked Nelly Korda struggled.
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The 24th-ranked Iwai had eight birdies and no dropped shots in the sun-splashed lakeside town that three weeks ago hosted the G7 summit of world leaders .
Japan’s Iwai made birdies at three of the last four holes, including the par-5 18th, and led by two shots from Perrine Delacour, whose 6-under 65 included an eagle at the par-5 15th and a pair of bogeys toward the end of her round.
A group of five players with 5-under 66s included the winner of the Women’s PGA Championship two weeks ago, Haeran Ryu , and world No. 5 Charley Hull, who started the week as a guest in the Royal Box at Wimbledon .
Hull had two early bogeys before making the turn at level par, then came home in just 31 shots capped by an eagle at the par-5 18th. Also on 5 under were Mao Saigo, Maja Stark and Jin Hee Im.
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It was a tough day at Evian Resort Golf Club for Korda, who won the first two majors this season — the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open .
Korda was 11 shots back with a 3-over 74, including a doubly bogey six at the first hole, which she played as her 10th.
Celine Boutier, the 2023 champion at Evian, had a bigger problem at No. 1. She started with a triple bogey 7 and later made back-to-back double bogey 6s on Nos. 10 and 11. Boutier birdied the 18th to card a 5-over 76.
The Evian Championship has been the fifth women’s major since the 2013 edition and now has a $9.1 million prize money fund.
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