It took Amy Yang 75 major championship starts to finally nab one at the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA. The celebration on the 18th green at Sahalee Country Club said as much about the person as it did the feat, but at long last, her name was permanently removed from any future best-player-without-a-major list.
Such lists can be arranged any number of ways, of course. Based on totality of career, for example, or number of regular season wins. It could be based purely on potential or, in the case below, on current world ranking. Of the top 25 players in the world who play full-time on the LPGA, 11 have yet to hoist a major championship trophy.
Since the Amundi Evian became a major championship 11 years ago, there’s been plenty of talk about whether or not the event deserved such a distinction, with most concerns centering around the mountainous course. But, make no mistake, Evian Resort Golf Club has done its part in identifying great champions.
Suzann Pettersen won the first major championship edition in 2013, followed by a promising youngster named Hyo Joo Kim and another teen in Lydia Ko. There’s not one fluke in the bunch.
With that in mind, here’s a list of top-ranked players hoping to join Yang as first-time major winners this season:
8. Rose Zhang
Rose Zhang of the United States looks on while playing the 14th hole during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club on June 21, 2024 in Sammamish, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Zhang collected her second career title earlier this season at the Cognizant Founders Cup in May. She tied for ninth at the Evian event last year.
9. Charley Hull
Charley Hull of England tees off on the 15th hole during a practice round prior to the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 09, 2024 in Evian-les-Bains, . (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
After being forced to withdraw from the LET’s Aramco Series event last week in London due to a shoulder injury, Hull returns to action this week in France. The Englishwoman tied for third at this event in 2022.
12. Atthaya Thitikul
Stephanie Kyriacou of Australia and Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand react on the eighth tee during the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer at Seaview Bay Course on June 09, 2024 in Galloway, New Jersey. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
Over the past three years at the Evian, Thitikul leads all players in strokes gained total per round. She partnered with China’s Ruoning Yin two weeks ago to win the Dow Championship for her third career title.
15. Xiyu Lin
Xiyu Lin of China plays her shot from the 17th tee during the second round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club on June 14, 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
China’s Lin has only one top-5 finish in 45 major championship starts. She has yet to win on the LPGA.
16. Ally Ewing
Ally Ewing of the United States hits a tee shot on the 17th hole during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club on June 21, 2024 in Sammamish, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
With a pair of top-5 finishes in her last two major championship starts, Ewing looks primed to find the winner’s circle. Across the U.S. Women’s Open and KPMG Women’s PGA combined, Ewing is tied for first in strokes gained total and ranks second in strokes gained tee to green.
18. Megan Khang
Aug 27, 2023; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Megan Khang tees off on the sixteenth hole during the final round of the CPKC Women’s Open golf tournament at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Khang broke through with her first LPGA victory last summer and now looks to add a major to her resume. She has two career top 10s at the Evian, including a share of ninth last year.
20. Maja Stark
Maja Stark of Sweden looks on while playing the 13th hole during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club on June 21, 2024 in Sammamish, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The entertaining Swede has yet to make a cut at the Evian but did post her best major championship finish earlier this season with a runner-up showing at the Chevron. She followed it up with another second at the LA Championship but has since cooled off.
21. Ayaka Furue
Ayaka Furue of Japan tees off on the 1st hole during a practice round prior to the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 09, 2024 in Evian-les-Bains, . (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
The Japanese player finished fourth at the Evian in 2021, before becoming a member of the LPGA. She tied for sixth at the 2024 USWO and finished T-19 at the recent KPMG.
22. Alison Lee
Alison Lee of the United States plays her shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the Cognizant Founders Cup at Upper Montclair Country Club on May 09, 2024 in Clifton, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Lee’s best finish in a major championship came at the Evian in 2015 when she tied for sixth. She’s had only one more additional top-10 finish in a major since then. The 29-year-old American has yet to win on the LPGA but has finished runner-up four times.
24. Nasa Hataoka
Nasa Hataoka of Japan plays her shot from the ninth tee during the third round of the Dow Championship at Midland Country Club on June 29, 2024 in Midland, Michigan. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
A six-time winner on the LPGA, Hataoka has twice lost in playoffs at major championships. She tied for third at the Evian last year.
25. Haeran Ryu
Haeran Ryu of South Korea tees off on the first playoff hole on day three of the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards at Shadow Creek at Shadow Creek Golf Course on April 05, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Ryu already has a par of top-10 finishes at the majors in 2024. She sits only behind Minjee Lee in most strokes gained approach at the majors this season among players with at least six rounds.
