Itthipat led the Order of Merit after securing his third ADT victory at the season-opening Boonchu Ruangkit Championship on home soil in January. He went on to notch two top-10 finishes in his next five starts to maintain his reign atop the money list.

A tied-32nd place finish at the ADT event in Malaysia last month, however, saw him relinquish his Merit lead for the first time this season to second place as Japan’s Naoki Sekito took over the top spot with his joint runner-up finish.

The 26-year-old Thai, who earned his 2019 Asian Tour card after finishing third at the Qualifying School last December, has been very consistent throughout the season, having not missed a single cut in seven starts on the region’s secondary circuit this year.

Itthipat is set to spearhead the talented field alongside Merit leader Sekito and Joohyung Kim of Korea at the US$75,000 event, which will take place at the highly rated Gunung Geulis Golf and Country Club, located in Bogor, about 50 kilometres from the national capital of Jakarta.

“The course looks beautiful. I felt like I’m playing the course at the Santiburi Samui Country Club in Thailand. It’s really nice out there,” said Itthipat, who is chasing to become the third Thai player, following Pavit Tangkamolprasert (2014) and Pannakorn Uthaipas (2017) to lift the ADT Order of Merit crown.

“I feel well-prepared for this week. I just need to drop some putts. If I can do that, I should be able to play well and enjoy myself out there. It has been a great season so far. The goal is to get better in the remainder of the season.

“Regaining the lead on the ADT Order of Merit with a good result this week will give me a lot of confidence heading into the rest of the season. I am definitely chasing to win the Order of Merit this season,” added the amiable Thai.

Danny Masrin, the highest-ranked Indonesian, will lead the local charge alongside George Gandranata, who holds the honour of being the first Indonesian to win on the ADT in 2016. They will be part of the 33-man strong local contingent vying to become the first Indonesian to win an ADT event on home soil this week.

The Gunung Geulis Golf Invitational supported by Nomura is the Tour’s second stop in Indonesia this season and the Gunung Geulis Golf and Country Club will be hosting an ADT event for the third time since it first opened in 1992.

Reigning ADT Order of Merit champion Miguel Carballo of Argentina, 2017 Order of Merit winner Pannakorn Uthaipas and four-time ADT winner Panuwat Muenlek are also set to feature in the inaugural event this week.

The leading seven players on the final ADT Order of Merit will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2020 season and the winner of the Gunung Geulis Golf Invitational will take home a prize purse of US$13,125.

In addition, Carlos Alimurunghas been named CEO of ONE Esports, and will be responsible for designing ONE Esports’ vision and strategy, setting the company’s goals, and supporting the team to execute and deliver.

ONE Esports will be organizing a series of Dota 2 World Pro Invitationals featuring the top teams in the world. The ONE Dota 2 Singapore World Pro Invitational will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on December 20-22, 2019 and the ONE Dota 2 Jakarta World Pro Invitational will be held at ICE BSD on April 17-19, 2020. Each Invitational will see the world’s best professional Dota 2 teams compete for a prize pool of USD 500,000.

In addition, as part of ONE Championship’s commemorative activities for its 100th event to be held later this year in Tokyo, Japan on October 13, ONE Esports will be hosting the ONE TEKKEN Tokyo Invitational and ONE Street Fighter Tokyo Challenge on October 5 and 6 respectively. Each tournament will give members of the fighting games community to take on 9 top-ranking fighting games esports professionals in a 3 v 3 team format.

ONE Esports will be announcing shortly its packed schedule for 2020 and beyond, featuring some of the world’s biggest game titles with the world’s best teams and players in the coming months.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I am excited to announce ONE Esports’ official launch of Asia’s largest esports world championship series. It is also my pleasure to announce that we have named Carlos Alimurung the CEO of ONE Esports. Carlos is an incredible leader with invaluable business savvy and unparalleled expertise in the esports industry. There is a natural crossover between martial arts and gaming fans in Asia. The opportunity to bring everyone together under Asia’s home of millennial live sports is something that we have worked very hard on. ONE Championship is committed to bringing its same brand of large-scale event production and live broadcast capabilities, unique world-class content production, global media distribution, storytelling expertise, and marketing experience to ONE Esports. With ONE Esports, ONE Championship is without a doubt Asia’s largest producer of millennial sports content.”

Carlos Alimurung, CEO of ONE Esports, stated: “The opportunity to build a multibillion dollar esports business in Asia is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. ONE’s DNA is about celebrating inspirational stories and heroes, which will be instrumental in enriching the region’s entire esports ecosystem of amateurs, pro players, game developers, leagues, organizers, country agencies, and brands. The team is very strong, and I’m excited to incorporate their ideas and energy to execute our strategy.”

Shuntaro Tanaka, Director of Dentsu Content Business Design Center, stated: “We are grateful to be part of the powerful global momentum behind ONE Championship. We intend to leverage our entire Dentsu and Dentsu Aegis network to realize sales and business opportunities for ONE Esports, and make a historic step in the growing esports market in Asia together.”

Before joining ONE Esports as CEO, Carlos served as the Chief Business Officer for Battlefy – the world’s largest open esports competition platform. He held P&L responsibility, and his team handled revenue generation, business development, marketing, and social media.

Prior to Battlefy, Carlos worked at Univision, where his last role was SVP of Corporate Business Development and was responsible for corporate venture investments and new business development. Before Univision, he was the Head of Strategy for LG Electronic’s NA Home Entertainment business and focused on partnering with retailers in innovative ways.

Carlos began his career as a management consultant at Marakon Associates, where he advised clients in the US, UK, Brazil, and Singapore. Before starting his professional experience, he served in the AmeriCorps*NCCC program, helping communities in the US East Coast and Puerto Rico across a wide spectrum of needs.

Carlos is an active investor and mentor in the start-up community. He has mentored companies in the MIT NYC Startup Studio, Kaplan Techstars, and R/GA Techstars accelerator programs.

He was awarded a McKinsey & Company Fellowship during his MBA at MIT Sloan and completed his undergraduate at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated Cum Laude.

Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) is in good shape heading into the second half of 2019. The reigning Champion has 58 points in his pocket, he’s won more than half the races so far and there’s been little sign of many chinks in his armour since his crash out the lead at the Circuit of the Americas. But this is MotoGP™ and the course of racing rarely did run smooth, with Brno next up – the circuit that ended his omnipotent run in 2014 – and there is still a maximum of 250 points up for grabs in the remaining ten races. Can his rivals reset, bounce back and start taking the fight to the number 93?

His closest challenger remains Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) despite a couple of more difficult races for the Italian, and the good news for him is that he won in the Czech Republic last year, in some style. So it’s a good track to begin his assault on the second half of the season, with confidence and good memories nothing to be sniffed at when glory and defeat can be thousandths apart. But Dovizioso’s teammate Danilo Petrucci is now pretty hot on his heels, only six points back, and he could complicate life for the now two-time runner up in the Championship. And ‘Petrux’ knows the bike he’s now on took a 1-2 at Brno last year. Will it repeat the feat in 2019? And if so, in which order?

Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), meanwhile, is the man looking for a little more redemption. After two DNFs in a row, both from near the front, the Suzuki man went into summer on the back foot despite having some serious speed at both races. He’s now 84 points off Marquez and fourth in the Championship, but the upside is Rins now races with much less pressure. He’ll simply want to win and win as much as possible in the remaining ten rounds. He’s already taken a MotoGP™ victory, so why not again?

That’s also true of Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and nine-time World Champion teammate Valentino Rossi, although they arrive the second half of 2019 with very different recent runs of form. Viñales opened his victory account for the year at Assen and then followed it up with a podium, heading into summer looking like a serious threat. Can he start back up where he left off? If yes, it’ll be the first time he’s taken three premier class podiums in a row. For Rossi, it’s the opposite – with three DNFs prefacing an eighth place in Germany, the ‘Doctor’ needs to bounce back and turn it around. But his CV at Brno is a good one, with a win in every category he’s raced there – including five in the premier class. After such a stellar start to the season, can Rossi come back out swinging for round two?

Then there’s the fight for top Independent Team rider. Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) currently leads it by virtue of consistency and that impressive podium earlier in the year, but he’s only three points ahead of rookie sensation Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT). The Frenchman is another looking to bounce back at Brno but only from one mistake in Germany – incredibly, his first DNF caused by a crash – and if his form so far in 2019 hasn’t been quite ominous enough, he’ll now be much more recovered from the arm pump surgery that nevertheless didn’t hold him back from the podium. At full power, Quartararo will doubtless be bothering the field for more than the accolade of top Independent Team rider or Rookie of the Year. Brno, beware.

Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), however, will want to be one of those making that as difficult as possible. The Brit is equal on points with Quartararo and his unforgettable first win came at Brno in 2016 as Crutchlow was impeccable in difficult conditions – so he’s another for whom the Czech venue holds good memories. He also took his second podium of the season in Germany despite recovering from a cycling mishap and is another who will be in much better shape heading into the second half. A podium contender? Don’t doubt it.

The fight throughout the top ten has been tight this year and the likes of Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) will all be gunning to remain key presences in the battle, with all having taken some top finishes in 2019 so far. And what of Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and teammate Andrea Iannone? And they’ll also have someone else to contend with: Stefan Bradl, Honda test rider, who replaces the absent and recovering Jorge Lorenzo at the Repsol Honda Team. The German has put in some solid rides and could cause the odd headache in the fight for Q2 and good points.

As we head for Brno for the 50th time, we’re back in business for 2019, with ten races remaining and 250 points on the table. Healed, reset and fired up to go racing again, the field is deep and gunning for glory…with everything far from decided. Another twist could be just around the corner in Czechia, so tune in on Sunday 4th August for the Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky at the Automotodrom Brno.

Championship standings1 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) – 185

2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) – 127

3 – Danilo Petrucci (ITA – Ducati) – 121

4 – Alex Rins (SPA – Suzuki) – 101

5 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) – 85

Operation domination: can Alex Marquez continue his roll in Czechia?

Since Le Mans, the Championship leader has won every race bar one serious dose of bad luck. Will it continue in Brno?For the first part of 2019, Moto2™ seemed like it was going to be the most unpredictable Championship this season. But then came Alex Marquez’ (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) roll of indomitable form, winning every race since – and including – the French GP, with the sole exception of crashing out the lead in Assen through no fault of his own. And despite that drama, as well as a P24 in Jerez, again through no fault of his own, the number 73 sits eight points clear as we head into the second part of the Championship. “Shoulda woulda coulda” is often something to avoid in racing, but this is a case where it merits the question: how big could that gap have been?

The bad news for the competition is that Marquez has a good record at Brno and has had since he got a first glimpse at the podium fight in his rookie year in the intermediate class. The good news is that no one is ever unbeatable, and he’s never won there. Even more good news for key challenger Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) is that the Swiss rider has. It may have been a shortened race in the wet, but it was an impressive performance nonetheless and the veteran’s CV at the venue doesn’t stop there.

The next man up is Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40) and he could be a key threat, with his incredible step forward in 2019 making it hard to rule him out of a challenge at the front. And he’s now ahead of teammate Lorenzo Baldassarri in the standings, so the man who dominated early on this season has some bouncing back to do. Jorge Navarro (HDR Heidrun Speed Up) will want to be back on the podium and knocking on the door to that first win too, as will Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP), and Mattia Pasini comes in from Brno at Tasca Racing Scuderia Moto2…can the veteran Italian get in the mix? And then, finally, what of Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo)? The South African had a tough start to the year but it appears the Austrian factory are back on track. Will he be a force to be reckoned with at Brno?

Whatever happens, it’s Marquez who arrives with the target on his back. Will he keep it into Austria as the second half of the season comes thick and fast? Find out on Sunday 4th August at 12:20 (GMT +2).

Championship standings1 – Alex Marquez (SPA – Kalex) – 136

2 – Tom Lüthi (SWI – Kalex) – 128

3 – Augusto Fernandez (SPA – Kalex) – 102

4 – Lorenzo Baldassarri (ITA – Kalex) – 97

5 – Jorge Navarro (SPA – Speed Up) – 97

Two points in it as Moto3™ get back on track at BrnoDalla Porta took the lead last time out, can Canet strike back as the second half of the season begins?Germany was a pivotal race in the Moto3™ title fight, with Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) taking over at the top from Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), but it remains tight: just two points separate the two as we head into part two of the year. Can Canet strike back and make it continue to see-saw? Or can one of them start to pull clear at Brno?

Canet has podium form at the Czech track, but Dalla Porta is the man on a consistent run. Bar his mechanical retirement from the race in Barcelona, the Italian has been on the podium in every race since France. The Spaniard, meanwhile, has had a couple of blips: a seventh and a 12th; not the form he’ll want to continue in as the pressure amps up and the races tick down…

Then there are the rivals: John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) is a winner at Brno and a winner already in 2019, as is Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse), currently third in the Championship, on both counts. Marcos Ramirez (Leopard Racing) has a couple of solid finishes at the track, and Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers) is a man who’s taken a big step forward this season. They’re sure to make sure the race, at least, is far from Dalla Porta vs Canet.

There’s also local hero Filip Salac (Redox PrüstelGP) who’ll be aiming to make a mark, and two wildcards: former Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup Champion Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Moto3™ Junior World Championship and Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup challenger Yuki Kunii (Asia Talent Team).

Moto3™ are back in action on 4th August, with everything to play for in the title fight and a huge list of winners this season gunning for more glory. Tune in at 11:00 (GMT +2) local time.

Championship standings1 – Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA – Honda) – 125

2 – Aron Canet (SPA – KTM) – 123

3 – Niccolo Antonelli (ITA – Honda) – 87

4 – Marcos Ramirez (SPA – Honda) – 78

5 – Tony Arbolino (ITA – Honda) – 77

The 26-year-old signed for a closing 4-over 74 at TPC Southwind on Sunday and his four-day total of 10-over 290 was good enough to beat four PGA Tour winners – Sung Kang of South Korea and the American trio of Keegan Bradley, Max Homa and Kevin Tway.

“It was nice, a good experience at a big event,” Poom said. “I was struggling with my driver before arriving but I managed to get it to work and hit a lot better than in the past few weeks. Hopefully this will help build my confidence.”

Brooks Koepka, the current FedExCup No 1 and World No 1, captured his third title of the 2018-19 PGA Tour season by three shots after closing with a 65.

The baby-faced Poom, a three-time Asian Tour winner, was under no illusions about needing to raise his game a few notches if he hopes to go toe-to-toe with the best players in the world.

Power is something Poom realises he needs to generate after ending the week some 40 yards shorter than Koepka in the average driving distance category. He clocked an average 267.4 yards off the tee, while Koepka registered 308.4 yards during a week that saw him claim the Wyndham Rewards Top 10 bonus prize of $2 million after achieving an unassailable lead in the points list.

With one regular season event remaining before the start of the FedExCup Playoffs, Koepka is also in prime position to lift the prestigious FedExCup and bag a whopping $15 million in bonus pay.

“Watching Brooks drive is like watching another step up in playing golf. He’s got all the muscles,” said Poom. “I know I have to improve my distance and be more confident too. The result isn’t good for me, but if I look at my main problems, it was just a few things.”

He said he truly enjoyed his week in the historic city of Memphis, which is the birthplace of the blues, soul and rock ’n’ roll. Poom also got to sample the city’s famous barbecued treats.

“I have a friend studying here and he had a lot of good food recommendations,” added Poom, who will take a three-week break before resuming action on the Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour.

Franck Riboud and Jacques Bungert kisse Jin-Young Ko (Kor) during the final round of LPGA Evian Championship. (LPGA)

Second-year LPGA Tour player Ko entered the final round four strokes behind third-round leader Hyo Joo Kim. Ko steadily went out in a 33 and carded three birdies on the back nine, while Kim slightly dipped in luck and on the leaderboard after a bogey on No. 12 and an unfortunate triple bogey on the par-3 14th. Ko came out victorious after shooting a 4-under 67 in the heavy rain, and a trio of players finished in a tie for second at -13— Kim, Jennifer Kupcho and Shanshan Feng.

“So I played really – not perfect, but a little bit – yeah, little perfect. So I was happy,” said the two-time major winner, laughing at herself. “And then I tried about patient on the course. The weather was bad, raining, and then sometimes thunder, but I thought, ‘This is same condition as other players, so I will try make a birdie.’ Yeah, I had really great week.”

Meanwhile, former world No 1 Ariya Jutanugarn settled at fifth after firing a 68 and a total 11 under, a stroker better than her sister Moriya.

Ko is the first player to win multiple majors in a single season since 2015 and with her win this week, is projected to reclaim the No. 1 spot on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings for the second time this season.

JIN YOUNG KO’S CADDIE PAYS TRIBUTE TO HER CONSISTENCY 

Moments after Jin Young Ko clinched her fifth career victory on the LPGA Tour at The Evian Championship on Sunday – making France the fourth different country in which she has emerged triumphant – her caddie Dave Brooker applauded her “phenomenal” consistency and distance control.

“She can win anywhere,” Brooker said while watching Ko pose for the champion’s photographs alongside her trophy. “The things that impress most about her are her consistency and her ball-striking, as she showed today. She literally didn’t miss a shot in 18 holes. Her management of distance control because she just does not curve the ball. It’s phenomenal. I’ve seen anything like it. Most great players I’ve worked for tend to work the ball one way or the other. She just hits everything dead straight and it seems to pay dividends because we have a lot of looks at birdie. The one shot she missed today was on 12, she just pulled a little bit, didn’t strike it well enough and pulled it left of the green. It was the only green we missed today. She chipped up to 6 feet and just lipped out.”

Brooker is one of the most experienced caddies on the LPGA Tour and has now tasted five major championship victories during his career (two as caddie for Jin Young, two with Lorena Ochoa and one with Grace Park), but he was reluctant to make comparisons about who ranked as the best ball-striker.

“It’s very difficult to say because they all have different styles,” said Brooker. “Grace was very dynamic, along the same lines as Lorena. Lorena was just making eagles and making birdies at will and hitting shots that other people couldn’t. Whereas Jin Young is more in the Annika (Sorenstam) mold with consistency and accuracy. It’s very difficult to compare one to the other but she’s definitely up there with the greats.”

CRAZY WEEK FOR ROOKIE JENNIFER KUPCHO

LPGA rookie Jennifer Kupcho picked an incredible week to have two of the best rounds of her brief professional career. After opening with a first-round 66 at the Evian Championship, Kupcho shot another 66 on Sunday and jumped into a tie for second in just her eighth event as a Member of the LPGA Tour. A gutsy play saw her go for the final green in two and birdie the 72nd hole to put pressure on leader Jin Young Ko.

“As soon as I walked up to it there wasn’t a question in my mind that I was going to go for it,” said Kupcho of that decision to aim for the green in two, a new wrinkle to the tournament after that hole was changed from a par 4 to a par 5 this year.

Kupcho lit up the golf world earlier this year when she won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur and this week came just two strokes short of adding a major professional victory to that amateur one. While standing over her putt on 18, Kupcho admitted to being more nervous than she was over her winning putt at Augusta. “I’d definitely say over that putt on 18 I was kind of freaking out. I had to take a couple deep breaths as I was lining it up, so…” she said with a laugh.

With the second-place finish also comes a major paycheck and now with $380,237 in season earnings, Kupcho has firmly added her name to the roster of leading LPGA players.

“It’s crazy. I definitely played really well this week, and it’s exciting to see that I can compete where my game is right now,” said Kupcho. “Excited for the rest of the season.”

LORENA OCHOA RECEIVES FIRST EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP PRIZE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

Former Rolex Rankings No. 1 Lorena Ochoa made an emotional return this week to Evian-les-Bains where on Saturday night she was the recipient of a very special award, the inaugural Evian Championship Prize for a Better Tomorrow presented by Rolex, in honor of the humanitarian work achieved by her foundation for underprivileged children in Mexico.

To read Mark Lamport-Stokes’ full story, click here: https://www.lpga.com/news/2019-lorena-ochoa-receives-first-evian-championship-prize-for-a-better-tomorrow

Rolex Rankings No. 2 Jin Young Ko (65-71-66-67)  

• Ko’s 54-hole score of 202 is her lowest 54-hole score of The Evian Championship; her previous best was 212 in 2015 where she went on to finish 28th
• Ko’s first-round 65 is the lowest round in her four Evian appearances; her previous best was a 68 in the fourth round in 2018 and the first round in 2016
• She hit 13 of 13 fairways and 17 of 18 greens, with 31 putts
• Ko is in her second season on the LPGA Tour; she has four career victories, including the 2019 Bank of Hope Founders Cup and 2019 ANA Inspiration
• This was Ko’s 15th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she won the 2019 Bank of Hope Founders Cup and 2019 ANA Inspiration and has five other top-10 finishes
• She competed in her fourth Evian Championship; she tied for 26th in 2018, tied for 39th in 2016 and finished 28th in 2015

CME GROUP CARES CHALLENGE – SCORE 1 FOR ST. JUDE

The CME Group Cares Challenge is a season-long charitable giving program that turns aces into donations. CME Group will donate $20,000 for each hole-in-one made on the LPGA Tour in 2019, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $500,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

No holes-in-one were made this week at The Evian Championship.There have been 18 made prior to the week and a total of $360,000 has been donated thus far in 2019.

LEADERS TOP 10 COMPETITION

The LEADERS Top 10 competition awards a $100,000 bonus to the LPGA player with the most top-10 finishes through the completion of the event held immediately prior to the CME Group Tour Championship. In the event of a tie in total top-10 finishes, the award will go to the player with the most official wins, followed by most second-place finishes, third-place finishes, etc., until the tie is broken.

With a runner-up finish, Hyo Joo Kim leads the competition with nine top-10s this season and with her win this week, Jin Young Ko joins Danielle Kang, Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda for a tie for second with eight top-10 finishes. Ariya Jutanugarn moves into a tie for sixth with Eun-Hee Ji and Lexi Thompson with seven top-10s.

TOURNAMENT SCORING RECORDS*

18 holes: 61, Hyo Joo Kim, First Round, 2014

36 holes: 129, In Gee Chun, 2016

54 holes: 194, In Gee Chun, 2016

72 holes: 263, In Gee Chun, 2016

*Since becoming an LPGA major championship in 2013

It was the second major success for the 19-year-old rising star five days after winning a historic gold in the mixed team event.

The two-time world junior champion thus made amends for his loss in the final to Lakshya Sen of India in the championships 12 months ago in Jakarta.

The teenager, however, has to recover quickly for the Toyota Thailand Open, which starts at Hua Mark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok on Tuesday. He plays the first qualifying match against Soong Joo Ven of Malaysia.

The two-time Major champion shot six birdies with an eagle on the 18th hole for a flawless round and became the best Thai player going to the Sunday’s final round.

“Today my putting work pretty well so I make a lot the putt. Yesterday I miss a lot fairway, but today much better with my tee shot. yesterday I try to go to bed early because I have early tee time, so just try to rush her because she do everything so slow,” said Ariya in search for her first title this season.

“After I make eagle on No. 18 I feel much better. Because after like 4-under, so I feel, okay, being maybe today is going to be good day. (For the final round)I don’t need to shoot anything. I just want to go out and have fun and have good commitment,” the former world No 1 said.

Hyo Joo Kim (LPGA Photo)

It’s a true battle of major champions at the 2019 Evian Championship, with Sunday’s final two groups holding a combined 12 major championship titles. Leading the charge is 2014 Evian champion Hyo Joo Kim, who carded a third-round 65 to jump to the top of the leaderboard at -15. Kim already owns the 18-hole scoring record with her first-round 61 in 2014 and should she take the win, she would become the first player to win multiple Evian titles since it was elevated to major status in 2013.

“I definitely have good memories of this tournament because of my win,” said Kim, who birdied four of her closing six holes to take the lead. “That year I was able to go out on the LPGA Tour because I got my card, so I definitely have good memories. I’m going to keep that going into tomorrow and forget everything else.”

Just moments before torrential rains hit Evian Resort Golf Club, two-time major champion Sung Hyun Park made a birdie at No. 18 for a third-round 66 and pulled within one stroke of her Korean countrywoman. Lee and Park will be joined in Sunday’s final group by 2019 ANA Inspiration champion Jin Young Ko, who is tied for third at -11 with seven-time major winner Inbee Park. Park will play in the penultimate group, alongside 2012 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Shanshan Feng and Mi Hyang Lee, the lone player in the top six without a major title. Feng and Lee are tied for fifth at -10.

Ariya Jutanugarn shot the round of the day with a 7-under 64 and jumped from a tie for 31st into a tie for eighth at -8. The Thai star will play in the third-to-last group with Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall (-9) and American Megan Khang (-8).

PAST CHAMP HYO JOO KIM HAS WINNING ON THE MIND 

The heavy rain held off until the final group arrived on the 18 green and rain started to fall while Hyo Joo Kim was standing over her 5-meter birdie putt. Wanting to avoid the rain, Kim made her putt without a practice swing and ended up two-putting for par. 

“I start worrying about the rain on No. 17. We were able to tee off on the last hole and it didn’t start until I was getting ready to putt, so I am very, very happy that I was able to finish the round before the rain started to pour really bad,” said Kim, who carded a third-round 6-under 65 and leads by one stroke heading into the final round. “I just wanted to finish as quick as possible. With the onset of thunder, yeah, just came a lot quicker than I thought. Tried to make [my putt] as quick as possible.”

Kim won the 2014 Evian Championship as a member of the KLPGA Tour. The win earned Kim full status on the LPGA Tour for the 2015 season. She will take that experience into the final round Sunday as she plays alongside Rolex Rankings No. 1 Sung Hyun Park and 2019 ANA Inspiration winner Jin Young Ko.

“When I won in 2014, I was a little bit nervous. It seems like this year I’m in the same position,” said Kim. “Obviously winning is on my mind a lot, but I’ve won before, and so that will help my confidence for tomorrow. I just need to be focused, and it would be really nice if I played well tomorrow.”

SUNG HYUN PARK COULD JOIN ELITE LIST OF MAJOR MASTERS

Only seven players have won the Career Grand Slam, which is victories in four different LPGA majors, and only two other players have three different major titles. Sung Hyun Park has already won the U.S. Women’s Open and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and should she emerge victorious on Sunday at the Evian Championship, she would come one step closer to joining that elite group of dominating players.

“I’m satisfied with the way I played the first three rounds. I think that my putts are getting better,” said Park, who finished her third-round 66 moments before torrential rains hit Evian Resort Golf Club. “Of the three days, I think today was the best day with my shots.”

Park and Hyo Joo Kim swapped the lead throughout Saturday’s third round, with Park ultimately ending the day one stroke behind her Korean compatriot. She is no stranger to come-from-behind major wins. Park was four strokes back heading into the final round during her KPMG victory, and notched her U.S. Women’s Open win off a three-stroke deficit.

So how does the No. 1 player prep for what is sure to be a difficult major battle? It’s simple. “I don’t really do anything. I just lie on my bed and read comics,” she said with a smile.

WITH A WIN…

Hyo Joo Kim would earn the fourth win of her LPGA Tour career and her second win at the Evian Championship, joining her victory in 2014

Kim would become the first player to win multiple Evian titles since it became a major in 2014; Helen Alfredsson (1994, 1998 and 2008), Laura Davies (1995, 1996) and Annika Sorenstam (2000, 2002) won multiple Evian Masters titles, conducted prior to the tournament being elevated to major status

With the $615,000 winner check, Kim is projected to move from 96th to 78th on the All-Time Money List with $4,129,750 and become the 84th player in LPGA Tour history to cross the $4 million threshold 

Sung Hyun Park would earn the eighth win of her LPGA Tour career and become the first three-time winner of the 2019 season

Park would earn her third major title, joining the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship; she now needs wins at the ANA Inspiration or AIG Women’s British Open to complete the Career Grand Slam and victories at both to complete the Super Career Grand Slam (only seven players have completed the Career Grand Slam and only Karrie Webb has completed the Super Career Grand Slam)

With the $615,000 winner’s check, Park is projected to move from 65th to 56th on the All-Time Money List with $5,656,213

Jin Young Ko would take her second major of 2019, joining the ANA Inspiration; the last time a player won multiple majors in one season was 2015, when Inbee Park won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the AIG Women’s British Open

Inbee Park would become the first player to win both the Evian Masters and the Evian Championship; she won the Evian Masters in 2012, the last year before it became a major

ROLEX WOMEN’S WORLD GOLF RANKINGS PROJECTIONS

Two players have a mathematical chance to overtake Rolex Rankings World No. 1 Sung Hyun Park based on their finish at The Evian Championship. NOTE: There may be additional possibilities with tie scenarios and separate projection scenarios would need to be run to check.

• Rolex Rankings No. 2 Jin Young Ko (T6 through 36 holes)
  • Win and have Sung Hyun Park finish solo third or worse
  • Solo second and have Sung Hyun Park finish solo 44th or worse and Inbee Park does not win
• Rolex Rankings No. 7 Inbee Park (T2 through 36 holes) 
  • Must win and have Sung Hyun Park finish solo fifth or worse

Top-Ranked American

With a win, Nelly Korda (T47) and Jessica Korda (T24) have an opportunity to pass Lexi Thompson in the Rolex Rankings to become the highest-ranked American.

PLAYER NOTES

Rolex Rankings No. 18 Hyo Joo Kim (69-64-65)

• Kim’s 54-hole score of 198 is her best 54-hole score of this event; she previously shot a 2016 in 2014 en route to her victory
• Her 36-hole 133 ties her best 36-score of the event; she previously shot a 133 in 2014 where she went on to win the event
• She hit 11 of 13 fairways and 11 of 18 greens, with 23 putts
• Kim is in her fifth season on the LPGA Tour; she is a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour. Her most previous win came at the 2016 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic
• This is Kim’s 12th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she has three top-5 finishes and five top-10 finishes with a best finish of T2 at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G
• She is competing in her seventh Evian Championship; she won the event as a non-member in 2014 and earned Category 3 LPGA status for the 2015 season while a member of the KLPGA
• Kim shot the lowest round ever in a major championship, 10-under 61, in the first round of the 2014 Evian Championship

Rolex Rankings No. 1 Sung Hyun Park (67-66-66) 

• Park’s 54-hole score of 199 is her second-lowest 54-hole score in her four Evian appearances; her best was 198 in 2016 where she went on to finish T2

• Park’s second round 66 is the second-lowest round in her four Evian appearances; her best was a 63 in the first rounds in 2016 and 2017
• Her 36-hole 133 is her second-lowest 36-hole score at The Evian Championship; she previously shot a 131 in 2016 where she finished in a tie for second
• She hit 10 of 13 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, with 29 putts
• Park is in her third season on the LPGA Tour; she has seven career victories, including two major victories at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
• This is Park’s 13th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she won the 2019 HSBC Women’s World Championship and 2019 Walmart NW Arkansas presented by P&G and has three other top-10 finishes
• She is competing in her fourth Evian Championship; she missed the cut in 2018, she tied for 26th in 2017 and tied for second in 2016

Rolex Rankings No. 2 Jin Young Ko (65-71-66)  

• Ko’s 54-hole score of 202 is her lowest 54-hole score of The Evian Championship; her previous best was 212 in 2015 where she went on to finish 28th
• Ko’s first-round 65 is the lowest round in her four Evian appearances; her previous best was a 68 in the fourth round in 2018 and the first round in 2016
• She hit eight of 13 fairways and 13 of 18 greens, with 26 putts
• Ko is in her second season on the LPGA Tour; she has four career victories, including the 2019 Bank of Hope Founders Cup and 2019 ANA Inspiration
• This is Ko’s 15th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she won the 2019 Bank of Hope Founders Cup and 2019 ANA Inspiration and has five other top-10 finishes
• She is competing in her fourth Evian Championship; she tied for 26th in 2018, tied for 39th in 2016 and finished 28th in 2015

Rolex Rankings No. 7 Inbee Park (65-68-69)  

• Park’s 54-hole 202 is two strokes better than her previous best; in 2018, she shot a 204
• Park’s 36-hole 133 is her best 36-hole score of The Evian Championship; she previously shot a 137 in 2018 where she went on to finish T8
• Park’s first-round 65 is the second-lowest round in her 10 Evian appearances; she shot a 64 in the second round en route to victory in 2012
• She hit 11 of 13 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, with 30 putts
• Park is in her 13th season on the LPGA Tour; she has 19 wins, including the 2012 Evian Masters, and seven major wins, most recently at the 2015 AIG Women’s British Open
• This is Park’s 12th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is a tie for second at the Kia Classic
• She is competing in her 10th Evian Championship; she won the 2012 Evian Masters and has three other top-10 finishes, including a tie for eighth in 2018

QUICK HITS

• 20 players in the top 20 represent six different countries (Republic of Korea, China, Sweden, Thailand, Spain, England)

Mooklada roared away from second place on a wet grid, riding a Honda CBR600RR for Thailand’s AP Honda team for the third year at the 5.8-kilometre Suzuka Circuit. She quickly dropped to third but then cut through the field to claim the lead by the fourth lap. After 55 minutes she pitted and handed the bike to Piyawat with an 8.2-second lead.

He swiftly stretched it to 21.8 seconds over their nearest rivals, from Indonesia. By the end of the second hour, the rising star from Honda’s “Race to the Dream” project had cemented a 1-minute lead.

Back in the saddle, Mooklada performed flawlessly on the slippery track to put the Thai team a full two laps ahead.

The wet conditions then caused a serious accident that saw marshals halt the race after two hours and 40 minutes. With rain still lashing the track, the race was called off and the AP Honda duo named winners after 360km covered.

The 19-year-old Thai, with six birdies against three bogeys, emerged the best Thai challenger after 36 holes following a two-day total of six under-par-136.

“It was a great day out there. I’ve been hitting very well. Missed couple putts, but I’m still really happy with my game. My putting has really definitely helped me a lot,” said Pajaree whose best run this year was at tied 12^th in the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational and the Lotte Championship.

For the weekend game plan, she said: “I will try to hit the fairway. That’s definitely my No. 1 goal. Just try to stick to my game plan. Pretty much just try to stay focused and then commit to every shot that I can”

Mi Hyang Lee

A quartet of players from the Republic of Korea lead the field through 36 holes of The Evian Championship, led by Mi Hyang Lee at -10 after a second-round 67. Lee pulled atop the leaderboard with birdies on No. 16 and 17 and cemented her lead after making an eagle putt on No. 18.

“I think I missed a lot of greens today but I was trying to think simple and just [take it] shot by shot,” said Lee, a two-time winner on the LPGA. “I think I had a little luck also. Yeah, it was good.”

Three major winners sits one stroke behind Lee at -9 – Rolex Rankings No. 1 Sung Hyun Park, LPGA Hall of Famer Inbee Park and Hyo Joo Kim, who made her own closing eagle to pull within one shot of the lead. Park won the 2012 Evian Masters prior its elevation to major status in 2013. Kim took the 2014 major title as a non-member and earned her LPGA Tour card for the 2015 season. Kim holds the record for the lowest round ever in a major championship after shooting a 10-under 61 in the first round of her 2014 victory.

Play was suspended at 4:40 p.m. due to lightning in the area but resumed at 5:45 p.m. with temperatures that had dropped 15 degrees and wind gusts up to 30 mph. First-round leader Paula Creamer struggled after the weather suspension and shot a +6 on the back nine. She is -2 through 36 holes, tied for 25th.

ADJUSTED STARTING TIMES FOR SATURDAY THIRD ROUND 

Due to forecasted thunderstorms and rain on Saturday afternoon, third-round starting times will begin at 7 a.m. off the first and 10th tees.

MI HYANG LEE THANKFUL FOR EVIAN MEMORIES

The end of both nines provided Friday fireworks for Mi Hyang Lee, who started the second round at the Evian Championship just one stroke off the lead. The 23-year-old from the Republic of Korea made a double-bogey at the par-5 ninth, but more than balanced out that mid-round hiccup with consecutive birdies at 16 and 17 an eagle-3 at No. 18 for a 4-under 67. She heads into the weekend at -10, one stroke clear of her countrywomen Hyo Joo Kim, Sung Hyun Park and Inbee Park, a group that holds a combined 10 major titles.

“Yesterday I missed the fairway on hole No. 9 then made par and today, I hit the fairway but I missed my second shot to the right. I didn’t expect a birdie, but also didn’t except the double either,” said Lee, who has two career LPGA victories and finished a major-best T2 at the 2019 ANA Inspiration. “I thought I could make the par but it was worse to make the double, so my mental is so mad at myself. Try to think just I have nine holes left and two more rounds left. I try keep thinking more positive and just keep going. Then was good.”

Lee is making her sixth consecutive start of The Evian Championship but it was her very first start of the event in 2013 that turned her career around. That year, prior to the week in Evian, she had made just seven cuts in her 15 starts, with $33,553 in earnings. She entered the field from the reserve list and managed to finish T19, more than doubling her season’s earnings with $35,628.

“Evian is always a place where I have a lot of good memories. I always seem to play well here. Even when I’m not feeling good, on tournament days it seems to turn around,” said Lee, who has three top-10s here. “I think that Evian has always meant a lot to me, ever since my rookie year. With my finish that year, I would’ve had to go back to Q-school so if I had to go back, I don’t think if I would be in this position now. That year, I entered the field to fill in some more spots so I’m very thankful for that opportunity.”

AMY OLSON RETURNS TO SCENE OF 2018 HEARTBREAK

The 18th hole at Evian Resort Golf Club may have changed from a par-4 to a par-5, but it is still a bittersweet place for Amy Olson. In 2018, the North Dakota native stepped to the 18th tee on Sunday with a one-stroke lead. She walked off the green with a double bogey, losing her first major title to Angela Stanford by just one stroke. While Olson has moved on from that heartbreak, thoughts of what could have been understandably still resonate.

“I always say after a missed cut it takes me about 45 minutes to just settle down. That one took me a good two days,” said Olson. “I’m not going to say it still doesn’t hurt. I would still love to go back and change things. You can’t, and that’s just part golf. Just nice to be here again and playing well.”

A year later and Olson is firmly in contention to salve last year’s wounds. After a first-round 70, Olson gathered steam on Friday, carding seven birdies, including on that infamous No. 18, to just two bogeys and enters the weekend tied for sixth.

“Just nice to make some birdies and bounce back. I had a couple bogeys out there, so always good to see some putts fall,” said Olson. “Seemed like if I missed, other than a couple them, I was missing in the right spots to where I could kind of salvage it, and then threw some darts.”

HEALTHY HEDWALL IN CONTENTION AT EVIAN

“I guess I haven’t played this well since 2013.”

Those are welcome words to hear from Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, who shot a 7-under 64, tied for Friday’s low round, to jump into a tie for seventh at -6. Hedwall enjoyed a decorated amateur career before joining the LPGA Tour in 2011 and played well her first few seasons. She tied for fifth at the 2012 Kia Classic and took a starring role for Team Europe at the 2013 Solheim Cup, where she became the first player in Cup history to go 5-0-0 in a single match. She also notched four Ladies European Tour (LET) titles in 2011 and added a fifth to her roster in 2012.

But that success was derailed by a wrist injury she sustained while picking up a piece of luggage in 2014, which sent Hedwall’s game spiraling. She also spent a full season unable to hit driver due to a ganglion cyst that was surgically removed from her wrist. Once 21st in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, Hedwall fell as low as 211.

“(It’s) been a struggle. I feel like, yeah, I just haven’t got what I want out of my golf,” said Hedwall, the 2010 NCAA national champion for Oklahoma State University. “I know I can do better. It’s just on a struggle and definitely been tough on my confidence.”

Hedwall has shown flashes of her old game over recent seasons, splitting her time between the LPGA and the LET. A breakthrough came in September 2018, when she won the LET’s Lacoste Ladies Open de France. With a berth on the 2019 European Solheim Cup roster on the line, perhaps this week in Evian could finally be the true turnaround she so desperately wants.

“This is one of those tournaments that I remember watching on TV when I was young. I always wanted to come here. Now I think this is my eighth time here,” said Hedwall, who tied for 12th at her debut here in 2011. “I love coming here. It’s such a beautiful city and the course. It’s just a great venue. I love it being a major as well.”

ROLEX WOMEN’S WORLD GOLF RANKINGS PROJECTIONS

Two players have a mathematical chance to overtake Rolex Rankings World No. 1 Sung Hyun Park based on their finish at The Evian Championship. NOTE: There may be additional possibilities with tie scenarios and separate projection scenarios would need to be run to check.

• Rolex Rankings No. 2 Jin Young Ko (T6 through 36 holes)
  • Win and have Sung Hyun Park finish solo third or worse
  • Solo second and have Sung Hyun Park finish solo 44th or worse and Inbee Park does not win
• Rolex Rankings No. 7 Inbee Park (T2 through 36 holes) 
  • Must win and have Sung Hyun Park finish solo fifth or worse

Top-Ranked American

With a win, Nelly Korda (T47) and Jessica Korda (T24) have an opportunity to pass Lexi Thompson in the Rolex Rankings to become the highest-ranked American.

PLAYER NOTES

Rolex Rankings No. 37 Mi Hyang Lee (65-67)  

• Lee’s 36-hole 132 is her best 36-hole score at The Evian Championship; her previous best was 133 in 2015 where she went on to finish T4
• Lee’s first-round 65 is the lowest round in her seven Evian appearances; her previous best was a 66 in the second round in 2018 and the first round in 2015
• Her 65 is the lowest round of her 2019 LPGA Tour season; her previous best was a 66 in the fourth round of the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic
• She hit nine of 13 fairways and 11 of 18 greens, with 25 putts
• Lee is in her eighth season on the LPGA Tour; she has victories at the 2014 Mizuno Classic and the 2017 Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open
• This is Lee’s 18th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is second at the ANA Inspiration
• She is competing in her seventh Evian Championship; she has three top-10 finishes, with a best finish of a tie for fourth in 2015

Rolex Rankings No. 18 Hyo Joo Kim (69-64)

• Her 36-hole 133 ties her best 36-score of the event; she previously shot a 133 in 2014 where she went on to win the event
• She hit 11 of 13 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, with 26 putts
• Kim is in her fifth season on the LPGA Tour; she is a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour. Her most previous win came at the 2016 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic
• This is Kim’s 12th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she has three top-5 finishes and five top-10 finishes with a best finish of T2 at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G
• She is competing in her seventh Evian Championship; she won the event as a non-member in 2014 and earned Category 3 LPGA status for the 2015 season while a member of the KLPGA
• Kim shot the lowest round ever in a major championship, 10-under 61, in the first round of the 2014 The Evian Championship

Rolex Rankings No. 1 Sung Hyun Park (67-66) 

• Park’s second round 66 is the second-lowest round in her four Evian appearances; her best was a 63 in the first rounds in 2016 and 2017
• Her 36-hole 133 is her second-lowest 36-hole score at The Evian Championship; she previously shot a 131 in 2016 where she finished in a tie for second
• She hit 10 of 13 fairways and 13 of 18 greens, with 27 putts
• Park is in her third season on the LPGA Tour; she has seven career victories, including two major victories at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
• This is Park’s 13th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she won the 2019 HSBC Women’s World Championship and 2019 Walmart NW Arkansas presented by P&G and has three other top-10 finishes
• She is competing in her fourth Evian Championship; she missed the cut in 2018, she tied for 26th in 2017 and tied for second in 2016

Rolex Rankings No. 7 Inbee Park (65-68)  

• Park’s 36-hole 133 is her best 36-hole score of The Evian Championship; she previously shot a 137 in 2018 where she went on to finish T8
• Park’s first-round 65 is the second-lowest round in her 10 Evian appearances; she shot a 64 in the second round en route to victory in 2012
• She hit 11 of 13 fairways and 16 of 18 greens, with 31 putts
• Park is in her 13th season on the LPGA Tour; she has 19 wins, including the 2012 Evian Masters, and seven major wins, most recently at the 2015 AIG Women’s British Open
• This is Park’s 12th event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; her best finish is a tie for second at the Kia Classic
• She is competing in her 10th Evian Championship; she won the 2012 Evian Masters and has three other top-10 finishes, including a tie for eighth in 2018

QUICK HITS

• Jasmine Suwannapura withdrew prior to the second round due to illness
• 72 players made the cut at +2 or better
• 23 players in the top 10 represent eight different countries (Republic of Korea, China, Sweden, USA, Thailand, Switzerland, England, Spain)

TOURNAMENT SCORING RECORDS*

18 holes: 61, Hyo Joo Kim, first round, 2014

36 holes: 129, In Gee Chun, 2016

54 holes: 194, In Gee Chun, 2016

72 holes: 263, In Gee Chun, 2016

*Since becoming an LPGA major championship in 2013

The 24-year-old Prachin Buri province native enjoyed a formidable start with an opening birdie followed by an eagle to shoot a 67 for a three-day total of nine under-par-207 on the par-72 6,545-yard course. She beat last year’s Thai LPGA No 1 Arpichaya, who too signed off with a 67 in the final round for a total seven-under-par 209.

“I started well when I hit a birdie in the first hole and then hit an eagle on the second,” said Kusuma, who turned pro in 2012. “I hit good shots and putted really well. The overall score was okay, but I think I should have hit a lower score. I made some mistakes that I shouldn’t have.”

Kusuma’s last victory was in 2017 when she won the Singha All Thailand Tour in Khon Kaen.

Friday’s win made her Bt142,500 richer.

“I haven’t won a tournament in four years, managing only second and third-place finishes here and there. It’s a relief to get my hands on a trophy after a long time,” added Kusuma, whose plan is to concentrate on the China LPGA Tour and Thai LPGA Asian Tour events.

First-round leader Arpichaya bounced back from a second-round 76 to sit two shots behind the winner. She earned Bt96,285 for her runner-up finish, while Ploychompoo Wilairungrueng, with a 67, settled for third with a total of 210.

The eighth circuit of the Thai LPGA Tour will be held at the Water Mill Golf and Resort in Nakhon Nayok province from August 7-9.