Will Lexi Thompson Play Amundi Evian Championship for the Last Time After Consistently Missing Its Last Editions?

After taking a break for a week, the LPGA Tour will make a stop at the Champions Course at the Evian Resort Club in France. The 132-player field, comprising top LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour stars, will compete in the 12th edition of the Evian Championship as a major. Among many notable faces, will 11-time LPGA Tour winner Lexi Thompson be present?

The 2024 Amundi Evian Championship might be the last edition of the major for Thompson, as she has announced her retirement after the 2024 season concludes. However, recent reports indicate that the 2-time major winner’s participation in the third women’s major of the year seems uncertain.

Will Lexi Thompson miss the Evian Championship fifth year in a row?

Surprisingly, Lexi Thompson has not played in the Amundi Evian Championship since the summer of 2020. In previous seasons, Thompson’s absence could be attributed to an injury or other reasons. Unfortunately, this season as well, the 29-year-old may not participate in the Evian Championship.

According to the field report by the LPGA Tour, Thompson’s name is not listed in it. So far, there has been no announcement from the pro explaining her absence or committing to the event. Is Thompson missing from the field because she could not qualify? The Amundi Evian Championship has a few criteria for pros to qualify: they must be a past champion, an LPGA Tour winner, or a golfer in the top 50 of the Rolex Rankings. Currently, the 2-time major winner stands 33rd in the world ranking and has won many LPGA Tour events, although she has not won the Evian Championship in her career. Yet, Thompson could still qualify via two criteria.

So, her absence from the 2024 field at the Amundi Evian Championship remains uncertain. With a looming retirement, it would have been the only chance for fans to watch Thompson play at the Evian Resort Club’s Champions Couse. But fret not, Thompson has hinted that the retirement plan might not be as certain as everyone has perceived.

Though at the Amundi Evian Championship, the 29-year-old is not the only one whose name is missing from the field. Another top-ranked golfer of the LPGA Tour might not tee up at the Champions Course.

World no. 4 may miss the Amundi Evian Championship

In the last three years as a pro on the LPGA Tour, Ruoning Yin has played the Amundi Evian Championship only once, in the 2023 season, where she finished T61 after carding 7 over 295 in the four rounds. Now, heading into the 2024 edition, world no. 4 has great momentum, having won the Dow Championship with Atthaya Thitikul.

The pair shot 22 under 258 over four days of foursomes and fourballs, clinching their first team title at the Midlands CC in Michigan. Despite this remarkable performance, the Chinese pro may not play the third major of the year, as her name is missing from the 132-player field for the Evian Championship.

However, there is still hope. With 10 days remaining until the Evian Championship starts on July 11th, there might be a chance that both Yin and Thompson will commit to the event, joining the likes of Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and more.