Maria Verchenova of Russia and Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark have qualified to play in this year’s Evian Championship, the fifth Major, taking place on 15-18 September 2016.
Verchenova, from Moscow, shot rounds of 71 and 69 over the two-day European qualifier on the tournament course at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains for a total of one-under-par 141 to finish two strokes ahead of Koerstz Madsen, who had rounds of 72 and 71.
The potential Olympians are the first two players to qualify and will be joined by two more qualifiers from the United States Symetra Tour and one player from the Korean Dream Tour.
“I played really well in the first round despite the awful conditions but I made a double bogey on the last hole and I thought, ‘I need a super second round score’,” said Verchenova. “I played very consistent and made a lot of birdie putts but I was back in the clubhouse and thought, ‘there’s no way I’m going to make it! I last played in Evian at the Evian Masters five years ago so it feels amazing to be going back and I’m glad that my game came together.”
Madsen, who finished third in last year’s European qualifier missing out by one spot, will be playing in her first Evian Championship and she was also surprised to qualify. She said: “I wasn’t pleased with my score but it ended up being enough to qualify. I played well but had a few loose shots which punished me but I also had five birdies and an eagle, so it was enough and I was on the fairway most of the time.”
The Evian Championship is the only Major in continental Europe and the final women’s Major of the year.
