HOUSTON — The LPGA Tour’s first major of the year, the Chevron Championship, tees off at a new course this week, so it’s a level playing field for everyone.
The municipal Memorial Park Golf Course is the new home, replacing The Club at Carlton Woods, though it's not unfamiliar to professional golf, with the PGA Tour's Texas Children’s Houston Open having been played there since 2021.
On new grounds, those who are in current strong form should be considered favorites to win. That includes the top three players in the world—Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda and Hyo-Joo Kim—who have already won thi season. Meantime, nobody has won more than Australian Hannah Green, who already has four worldwide victories.
Knowledge of the course will be hampered because of rain on Tuesday, so this will be a real test with limited on-course time to prepare for the major. It's not unlike last year, when rain on Tuesday and Wednesday meant players were limited in their practice.
Rolex Rankings: 21; Chevron starts: 2; Best finish: T-30, 2024; ’25 finish: T-40
The former Vanderbilt star has two top-10s this year and has made five cuts in six starts. She’s looking for her first win on the LPGA Tour. Last year, Mao Saigo won her first event at the Chevron. Kim finished T-2 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship one year ago, so she’s been in contention at a major.
Rolex Rankings: 27; Chevron starts: 5; Best finish: T-4, 2023; ’25 finish: T-40
She has three top-10 finishes, all on the Asia swing and finished T-12 in the Fortinet Founders Cup after a final-round 66. She is a major winner (U.S. Women’s Open in 2020) and will look to put herself in contention again.
Rolex Rankings: 15; Chevron starts: 8; Best finish: T-7, 2020; ’25 finish: T-52
She has three top-10s and has made five cuts in six starts this season. Hataoka has made the cut in all eight starts in this major. She has seven career LPGA wins and is still looking for her first win in a major.
Rolex Rankings: 13; Chevron starts: 8; Best finish: T-6, 2025; ’25 finish: T-6
She leads the LPGA with the most top-10s this season at five. She was in the five-player playoff last year at the Chevron a year ago, so she’d surely like to get another crack at it. . She birdied four of the last five holes at the JM Eagle LA Championship on Sunday and shot 68-66 over the weekend to finish T-5.
Rolex Rankings: 4; Chevron starts: 12; Best finish: T-2, 2016; ’25 finish: MC
Hull has three career wins, but she’s still searching for a major victory. She won the PIF Saudi Ladies International in February and reached a career-high No. 3 world ranking. She made three of four cuts this season with one top-10. She finished inside the top 20 in the two other events. She’s finished in the top 25 in this event nine times, spanning California and Texas. You know she’d do something extra with that pool jump if she won.
Rolex Rankings: 10; Chevron starts: 2; Best finish: T-23, 2024; ’25 finish: MC
The 22-year-old is in her first full season on tour and already has two top-10s and made all seven cuts. She won the ISPS Women’s Scottish Open in her professional debut last year and hopes to channel some of that winning energy in Texas. She comes into this week after firing a third-round 65 and finishing T-36 at the JM Eagle LA Championship.
Rolex Rankings: 8; Chevron starts: 13; Best finish: Won, 2016; ’25 finish: T-52
The Hall of Famer just keeps adding to her impressive resume. She has three top-10s this year and has made all six cuts. She’s looking for her 24th career victory. She won this major in 2016 and has three top-10 finishes here, so we’re sure she’d love to try that jump in the different body of water.
Rolex Rankings: 19; Chevron starts: 1; Best finish: T-30, 2025; ’25 finish: T-30
She has three top-10s this year and made all seven cuts. She tied a course record in the JM Eagle LA Championship with a first-round 63 and finished tied for seventh. She’s looking to add that second career victory. Last season as rookies, Chizzy won her first tournament before twin sister Akie and no doubt she’d love to do that, in all fun, for a first major win as well.