Aki Iwai Torches Evian With Opening 63

Aki Iwai didn’t ease into the 2026 Amundi Evian Championship as much as she lit the fuse.

The 24-year-old from Japan carved up Evian Golf Resort with a bogey-free 8-under 63 on Thursday, taking a two-shot lead after the opening round of the LPGA major.

MORE: Rory McIlroy Fires 65 As Open Warning Shot

Iwai, already an LPGA Tour winner, looked completely at home on a tricky course that can make even clean ball-striking feel like survival.

Birdies at Nos. 5, 7 and 9 got her moving. Then she stacked back-to-back birdies at 11 and 12, added another pair at 15 and 16, and closed with one more at the last. 

“I was able to have a good focus on my golf and stay committed,” Iwai said. “I prepared a lot around the green with chipping and putting. I was driving well, but honestly everything was good.”

That last line basically explains the whole round. When Iwai’s driver is working, she’s dangerous.

She said, “I like driver,” and added that consistency off the tee helped unlock the course. She also compared the layout favorably to courses back home in Japan, saying, “I like this course, it’s similar to a course in Japan.”

France’s Perrine Delacour gave the home crowd plenty to roar about, firing a 6-under 65 - her best round in a major championship - to sit alone in second.

She started on the back nine, birdied No. 10, eagled 15, and added birdies at 17 and 18 before grinding through a wild second side.

“It was definitely a lot of fun,” Delacour said. “My caddie helped me to stay patient and enjoy the round of golf.” She called her 3-wood into 15 “awesome,” then joked she nearly had a hole-in-one at 16 — which apparently would’ve meant cutting her caddie’s hair.

Even better for Delacour, she’s doing it in France with family watching.

“It’s for sure a lot of fun playing in France, but playing great in France is even better,” she said.

Charley Hull, Maja Stark, Haeran Ryu, Jin Hee Im and Mao Saigo sit at 5-under, three shots back. Hull’s 66 had some chaos early, but she finished with serious bite, including an eagle at the last.

“I didn’t start too great, but I fought back,” Hull said, crediting a mid-round ice cream moment from her caddie. “It’s not shy kids don’t get sweets, it’s shy caddies don’t get ice cream.”

Stark went bogey-free and said Evian’s demanding tee shots keep her on edge in the best way. “Every tee shot here freaks me out,” she said, but added, “I love competing at this course.”

MORE: Scottie Scheffler's Self-Deprecating Birthday Joke Is Pure Gold

Cara Gainer and Lottie Woad are part of the group at 4-under after rounds of 67. Gainer called her day “very solid,” while Woad said she stayed in the fairway, hit greens and finished strong with an eagle.

Round two begins Friday at 7 a.m. local time, with the cut falling to the top 65 players and ties. Iwai has the lead, but at Evian, nothing stays calm for long.