Golf News

Stanford stars, Augusta National champ lead LPGA major’s 6 wild cards

Rachel Heck, ANNIKA Award winner

The Amundi Evian Championship has announced six wild card selections for this year’s event, slated for July 21-24. The season’s fourth major will be held at the Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France, with an increased purse of $6.5 million and $1 million to the winner.

World No. 1 Jin Young Ko headlines the field along with No. 2 Nelly Korda and last year’s winner Minjee Lee, who won the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles in June and finished runner-up at the KPMG Women’s PGA.

Five amateurs and one professional have been award exemptions this year, including top-ranked amateur Rose Zhang.

A look at the wild cards for 2022:

Rachel Heck

Rachel Heck, ANNIKA Award winner (Darren Reese/Stanford)

Rising Stanford junior won the 2021 Annika Award presented by Stifel on the heels of winning the NCAA Championship. Heck tied for 44th at the 2018 Evian and made the cut at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open at age 15.

Anna Davis

Anna Davis of the United States plays her shot from the third tee during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club on April 02, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Earned her exemption into the Evian by winning the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The 16-year-old Californian is No. 25 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Aline Krauter

Aline Krauter of Germany plays her shot from the third tee during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club on April 02, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

German player helped Stanford win the team title at the 2022 NCAA Championship in May. Winner of the 2020 Women’s British Amateur Championship.

Rose Zhang

Stanford Stanford’s Rose Zhang wins the individual title at the 2022 NCAA Championship. (Photo: Darren Reese/Stanford)

Top-ranked amateur won the 2022 NCAA Championship for Stanford en route to the 2022 Annika Award. Other titles include U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior.

Shot a record-setting 8 under at the 2020 ANA Inspiration for a share of 11th. Placed 58th at 2021 Evian.

Benedetta Moresco

2022 Augusta National Women's Amateur Benedetta Moresco of Italy on No. 12 during round one of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club, Wednesday, March 30,…

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