Australasian challenge falters at Evian Championship
Lydia Ko in action during round two – image Ladies European Tour / Mark Runnacles
In what has been a disappointing week thus far for the nine-strong Australasian contingent at the Amundi Evian Masters, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko has done best, the former winner of the event in a share of 18th place but seven shots from the lead held by England’s 22-year-old, Lottie Woad.
Queenslanders Cassie Porter and Karis Davidson, at 1 under, were the only others of Australasians to make the weekend, heavyweights Hannah Green and Minjee Lee missing by one and a surprising 12 shots respectively.
Defending champion Sydney’s Grace Kim also missed out on the chance to defend when she missed the weekend by three.
Ko, whose recent form has been mixed with missed cuts and the occasional good week, added a second consecutive round of 69, and while not completely out of calculations to contend over the final 36 holes, she will need something very special if she is to do so.
The event had been a happy hunting ground for Ko earlier in her career, but in recent years she has not performed well, 39th her best in her last three starts, so she has an opportunity to improve significantly on those efforts. Ko won this event in 2015 as an 18-year-old and recorded seven top tens in her first ten starts in the event, including her win.
