Inbee Park’s bid for the career Grand Slam got off to a rocky start Thursday.
The world No. 1 mixed four bogeys with three birdies during a 1-over 72 that left her six shots off Lexi Thompson’s clubhouse lead at the Evian Championship.
Park won the Evian Masters in 2012, but that was before the event was elevated to a major. Since then, she has tied for 67th (2013) and finished joint 10th (2014).
Coming off her Women’s British Open victory at Turnberry, Park has now won six of the last 14 majors, and seven Grand Slam titles overall. Her performance in the majors this year has been so dominant that she has already wrapped up the Rolex Annika Major Award.
Playing in the featured group with world No. 2 Lydia Ko and No. 3 Stacy Lewis outside Paris, Park went out in 36 and birdied both par 5s on the back before a bogey on the last sent her to just her third over-par score in her last 21 rounds played. Ko, meanwhile, led the group with a 69, while Lewis shot 73.
