The Amundi Evian Championship returns with renovated holes, tougher bunkers and a closing par 5 that could flip the major on Sunday.
The Amundi Evian Championship has never been a sleepy major, but the 2026 edition might come with even more bite.
Evian Resort Golf Club’s Champions Course in France has undergone another round of changes, and this time the renovations could seriously alter how the LPGA’s stars attack one of the most dramatic finishing holes in women’s golf.
The biggest shakeup comes at the par-5 18th, the same hole where Grace Kim delivered a clutch eagle in 2025 to force a playoff with then-world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul before eventually winning the major.
That kind of Sunday chaos is exactly what makes Evian fun. With the changes, getting that same kind of eagle chance won’t be quite as simple.
A four-month renovation project added new strategy - and new danger - to three holes on the Champions Course.
Two fresh bunkers were installed on the 18th, including one on the right side of the fairway in a prime tee-shot landing area.
Miss the middle, and players could suddenly lose the green-light opportunity to go for the putting surface in two.
That matters because the 18th has long been a place where players could make one last aggressive move. Now, it’s still gettable, but it’s no longer free.
The best drives will be rewarded. Slight misses could turn into layups, longer approaches or major-championship heartbreak.
The second new bunker sits farther down the left side, creating another decision point.
Players who find trouble early may have to decide whether to challenge the second hazard or play short and accept a tougher wedge into the green.
The renovation didn’t stop there.
At the par-4 first hole, the green was expanded in the back-right section, and a new bunker was added to protect that fresh pin location.
The fairway was also adjusted to match the new shape of the hole.
At the par-3 fifth, the green was enlarged by roughly 25 to 30 feet, bringing the nearby water more into play and adding another layer of early-round tension.
The course still sits around 6,500 yards, so this isn’t about brute length. It’s about sharper decisions, cleaner execution and punishing hesitation.
For a major that has spent the past dozen years evolving since gaining major status from the LPGA Tour, this feels like the next step. Evian wants to be more than scenic. It wants to be demanding.
And in 2026, the Champions Course might finally have the closing-hole drama to match the trophy.
