In Defense of A 'Fake Major'

With stunning views of Lac Leman, delicious French pastries, and natural fresh water from the mountainside, what’s not to love about Evian-les-Bains, France, home to the Amundi Evian Championship, the fourth of five majors on the LPGA schedule? 

Ever since former LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan decided to vault the Evian Masters to major status in 2013, the Evian has been marked with criticism and frustration. Some in the golf world have dubbed it a “fake major,” a tournament undeserving of the same recognition as the others. It hasn’t been the easiest decade-plus for the Evian Championship, but lately I’ve come to believe it’s more of a major than at least one, if not two, of the other four in the women's game. Before I try to defend my apologist view, I think it's best to start with how we even got here in the first place. 

Both Franck Riboud, former chairman of the Danone corporation, and Jacques Bungert started the Evian Masters in 1994 to show off the Riboud family's lakeside retreat and create a premier sporting event and experience in Europe for women, with hopes of becoming the “European Masters.” Through the years, the event grew, and an elite field of top players would flock to the French countryside each summer for one of the richest purses in women's golf. When the announcement was made in 2011 to elevate the Evian Masters to a major for the 2013 season, it already matched the highest purse of any event, majors included, alongside the U.S. Women's Open at $3.25 million. The tour was struggling at that time, and Whan was left with a tough decision: Do you let one of the LPGA’s most generous sponsors walk with the tour on life support? Money alone (cough, Chevron) doesn't make a tournament a major, but an elite field and legacy can. 

Two key issues developed after the major move in 2013. A golf course renovation by Steve Smyers to add length and dimension drew some criticism from established players accustomed to the simplicity of what was there prior. Even worse, the new September date moved the tournament out of a better summer season and into one of the wettest months of the year in Evian. In its first year as a major, rain shortened the tournament to 54 holes. Then, in 2017, a controversial first-round cancellation after play had already started once again shortened the event to 54 holes, which brought on some deservedly heavy criticism from players and golf media alike. Top players opted not to make the journey to the event, and some were quite vocal with their frustrations over the state of the event. That led to calls from some to strip its major designation. Call it the lost era of the Evian. The damage was largely done. But in 2019, the Evian was thankfully moved back to the summertime, and greater effort in agronomy practices produced better conditions. Subtle changes to the course and its setup have helped quell frustrations over the last few years. Players (and caddies like myself) started to see why veterans came here and praised the sunny French town.   

Great golf on the side of a mountain is difficult, and Evian Resort Golf Club isn't by any means perfect. But looking more at the venue itself as a whole, I have started to come around on the Evian Championship’s place in the women's game. It can test all parts of the golfer's game we all actively want to see some of the best women golfers navigate. Tight hole corridors place a premium on driving accuracy. Rolling, sloped fairways create a myriad of uneven lies throughout the round. Small, undulating greens demand precision and strategy on every shot and putt. It might not be the longest major championship venue, and under-par scores often win, but it’s not trying to be like the U.S. Women's Open. The quirky rerouting of the last four holes allows for exciting finishes, as we saw with Grace Kim last year. For me, it’s the feature that adds a little charm and creates annual memories of the tournament. Yes, it leaves some players frustrated, but isn't that (to some degree) the mark of a great major test? 

The Amundi Evian Championship possesses all the qualities we seek in a major. There's a built-in legacy and a history of elite fields and great champions since the tournament was founded in 1994. Consistently one of the biggest purses in women's golf, this week’s Evian will surpass the $100 million mark in total prize money awarded since becoming an LPGA event, “by far the most of any sponsor in tour history,” according to Grant Boone. Evian’s commitment to the women’s game has fueled a bit of an arms race among the other majors to keep boosting purses. Throw in the non-quantifiable setting alongside the French mountainside, and the intimacy and feel of the tournament make the Evian stand out as more than just a regular, run-of-the-mill tournament. Sounds major if you ask me.