English debutant and Aussie contender tied at 11-under as major heads to Sunday finish
England’s Cara Gainer and Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels are tied atop the leaderboard at 11-under-par heading into the final day of The Amundi Evian Championship in France.
Gainer Finds Form in Evian Debut
Gainer, playing in her first Evian Championship, surged into contention with a third-round 64 that featured an eagle on the par-5 7th and six birdies. Her performance has been buoyed by familiarity with the Evian Resort Golf Club, where she finished third earlier this season at the Jabra Ladies Open.
“I made a great par save on the first which really settled my nerves,” Gainer said. “Then I made a great putt on the second for birdie. My eagle on seven was a highlight — a great drive, a hybrid to about ten feet, and I holed the putt.”
For British golf fans, Gainer’s performance marks another milestone in a breakout season that began with her first Ladies European Tour win. The Oxfordshire-born 29-year-old, who only turned professional in 2020, has steadily climbed the ranks with consistent finishes and is now on the cusp of a major championship title — a potential career-defining moment.
Off the course, Gainer has been enjoying morning runs by Lake Geneva and support from her family. A tennis fan, she’s also been keeping up with Wimbledon in the evenings.
Despite playing alongside French favorite Celine Boutier and a large home crowd, Gainer kept her composure. “I want to take it one shot at a time like I’ve been doing all week,” she said.
Ruffels Stays Steady Under Pressure
Ruffels bounced back from an opening bogey with seven birdies, including a stretch that showcased her sharp iron play and clutch putting.
“I’m having so much fun,” Ruffels said. “This is the position you want to be in. I’ve been working so hard, and it’s great to see that pay off. My ball striking and putting have been strong all week.”
Crowded Chase Behind the Leaders
Just one shot back on 10-under are major winner Minjee Lee, Grace Kim, Atthaya Thitikul, and Somi Lee. Lee delivered a bogey-free round, while Thitikul credited her steady tee-to-green game for keeping her in contention.
Japan’s Yuri Yoshida posted the round of the day with an eight-under 63, tying her for seventh with South Africa’s Casandra Alexander at nine-under. Despite an ACL injury earlier in the season, Alexander is only two shots back.
“I played really nicely on the front nine,” Alexander said. “The back nine got tricky, but overall, it was solid. Hopefully, I can finish strong.”
Young Stars and Memorable Moments
France’s Nastasia Nadaud, in her major debut, shot up the leaderboard with a birdie chip-in on 13. Playing alongside Nelly Korda and Minjee Lee was a personal milestone — just a few years ago, she was a junior fan taking pictures with the same players.
Meanwhile, amateur world No. 1 Lottie Woad carded six birdies to sit at five-under overall, tied with former world No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn.
What’s Next
The final round tees off Sunday at 8:10am local time, with the leaders heading out at 10:22am. Fans can follow the action live on @LETgolf across social media and on YouTube and Facebook using #evianchamp.
