STAR-STUDDED FIELD FOR NEXT WEEK'S EVIAN MASTERS

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

By BETHAN CUTLER

Nine of the world’s top ten players, including the world No 1 Yani Tseng, will highlight the list of competitors heading to France next week for the Evian Masters presented by Société Générale.

The co-sanctioned event, which has been designated a major championship on the Ladies European Tour since 1998 and will officially become a major on the LPGA from 2013, returns to Evian Masters Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains for the 19^th staging of the event on 26-29 July.

With a total purse of $3.25 million USD, or 2,496,170 euros, this is by far the biggest prize money event on the Ladies European Tour schedule and ties the US Women’s Open as the LPGA’s highest purse.

World No 1 Tseng, from Chinese Taipei, will be joined by recent US Women’s Open champion Na Yeon Choi of South Korea (No 2), Stacy Lewis of the United States (No 3), defending champion Ai Miyazato of Japan (No 4), LPGA Championship winner Shanshan Feng from China (No 5), Norwegian Suzann Pettersen (No 6), South Korean Amy Yang (No 7), Cristie Kerr of the United States (No 9) and 2010 champion South Korean Jiyai Shin (No 10) in the stellar line-up of competitors.

South Korean Sun Ju Ahn (No 8), who plays primarily on the LPGA Japan Tour, will be the only player from the world’s top ten missing from the field.

All 12 of Europe’s triumphant Solheim Cup team will be in the 111 of the world’s best players starting at the Evian Masters, namely Pettersen (No 6), Azahara Muñoz (No 14), Catriona Matthew (no 27), Sandra Gal (No 28), Anna Nordqvist (No 33), Caroline Hedwall (No 36), Maria Hjorth (No 38), Melissa Reid (No 49), Christel Boeljon (No 51), Sophie Gustafson (No 55), Karen Stupples (No 74) and Laura Davies (No 176).

17 OF WORLD'S TOP 10 WILL BE PLAYING

There are 17 of the world’s top 20 present with the addition of In Kyung Kim (No 11), Sun Young Yoo (No 12), Paula Creamer (No 13), Muñoz (No 14), Brittany Lincicome (No 15), Mika Miyazato (No 17), Angela Stanford (No 19) and So Yeon Ryu (No 20).

Regular Ladies European Tour competitors competing at Evian Masters Golf Club not already mentioned include Frenchwomen Caroline Afonso, Anne-Lise Caudal, Sophie-Giquel Bettan, Gwladys Nocera and Jade Schaeffer, Swedish pair Helen Alfredsson (a three-time winner of the event in 1994, 1998 and 2008) and Pernilla Lindberg, Australians Frances Bondad, Karen Lunn and Lindsey Wright, Scotland’s Carly Booth, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, English pair Felicity Johnson and Trish Johnson, Italians Diana Luna and Giulia Sergas, Switzerland’s Anais Maggetti, Germany’s Caroline Masson, Becky Morgan of Wales, Sharmila Nicollet from India, South African Lee-Anne Pace and Denmark’s Line Vedel.

Other fan favourites will include the 2006 event champion Karrie Webb of Australia and Americans Michelle Wie, Cheyenne Woods and Lexi Thompson, last year’s Omega Dubai Ladies Masters champion who finished second at the 2010 event.

To see the final field of entries, please see attached or click on the link below

http://www.letscoring.com/entries/56821

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