"Fangirl" Helen Briem plays strong round at first major as a professional
Helen Briem has been on a steep uphill path for years. Now she is taking part in a major for the first time as a professional. The 19-year-old succeeds in the opening round.
Helen Briem started her first major tournament as a professional with a round of 67. The 19-year-old put in a "very, very solid" performance at the start of the Evian Championship, as she herself put it. Briem's successful opening round confirms her strong form in recent weeks on the Ladies European Tour, where she recently finished second twice and fourth once. She has also already won on the European circuit.
Helens Briem's steep rise
She has now laid the foundations for a good placing at one of the five women's golf majors, where she is competing for the first time as a professional. It wasn't long ago that she was a fan of some of the players she is now playing against in France. "It's just cool to see what's possible in four years," she reflected on her rapid rise after the first round in Evian-les-Bains. "Four years ago, when I played my first Junior Solheim Cup, I took a picture with both Kordas as a little fangirl. And now I'm here in the same field with at least one of them. It's just great to see what can happen in four years, how far you can get in four years. I'm just happy to be playing my first major in my first year as a professional."
Former fan, now opponent
It's no surprise that Briem is now playing against Nelly Korda (her sister Jessica has taken a break from professional golf since the birth of her son in February 2024) and the rest of the world's elite. She also played in the Junior Solheim Cup again in 2023, as well as the Junior Ryder Cup. A year later, the player from Stuttgart's GC Solitude won on the Ladies European Tour. "You always have to go to the next level," she explains her recipe for success, "and then there's another level, another horizon. And that horizon has simply been constantly expanding over the last four years or even before that. Now I'm here at my first major and I'll just see what happens this week."
As the first round of the Evian Championship has not yet been completed, Briem's ranking is not given. At the time of publication, she was in a tie for sixth place.
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Release date
10 Jul 2025
photos
Helen Briem, here at a Ladies European Tour tournament, is playing her first major tournament as a professional at the Evian Championship. (Photo: Imago)
