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Golf Monthly

Sport

Ben Roberts

Chevron Championship 2026 Preview: New Venue, New 'Pond' And Big Names To Watch

Chevron Chevron Championship (Organization) Charley Hull Jeeno Thitikul Nelly Korda Championship (Event) Mao Saigo Major Ariya Jutanugarn Ruoning Yin

A new-look Chevron Championship gets the women’s Major season underway this week.

The tournament has moved location to Memorial Park Golf Course in downtown Houston, venue for the Texas Children’s Houston Open on the PGA Tour. Chevron and the LPGA announced the move from The Woodlands at Carlton Woods in January, with the new venue closer to Chevron’s headquarters in Houston.

The course was redesigned by renowned course architect Tom Doak in 2019, with the par 72 layout rated as one of the top municipal courses in Texas.

Chevron took over from ANA in 2022 as the sponsor of the historic event. The tournament itself has existed since 1972, but only became a Major in 1983.

Since 1988, there has been a long-standing tradition of the winner of the tournament jumping into the pond surrounding the 18^th green.

With no water in play on the 18^th at Memorial Park, tournament organizers have installed a makeshift pool to the right-hand side of the green to prolong the tradition this week.

A first look at this week's temporary pool at the Chevron Championship 👀It measures 4-1/2 feet deep and sits to the right of Memorial Park's 18th green. pic.twitter.com/9kvJy5dKiwApril 20, 2026

Last year’s edition was an enthralling spectacle, as there was a five-way tie atop the leaderboard at seven-under-par after 72 holes.

The quintet of Lindy Duncan, Ruoning Yin, Kim Hyo-Joo, Ariya Jutanugarn and Mao Saigo were forced into a playoff on the par-5 18^th at Carlton Woods.

Saigo clinched the title and her first Major with a birdie after Yin three-putted from around 15 feet to squander the chance of victory. Jutanugarn also lipped out for birdie.

Key Players to watch at the Chevron Championship

Nelly Korda has had a remarkably consistent opening to her 2026 season. The 27-year-old won in her first start at the Tournament of Champions.

The American has then followed that up with three consecutive second-places, meaning she has not finished outside the top two in four starts.

After going winless for the entirety of 2025, she looks to be trending back towards her best and did win this Championship two years ago. Korda has just two Majors to her name, but with her incredibly high ceiling, she is anticipated and expected to increase that total imminently.

World No.1 Jeeno Thitikul is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders as she has yet to etch her name onto a Major Championship trophy. The 23-year-old from Thailand has eight LPGA Tour titles, with six coming in the last three years, but has yet to get over the line in a Major.

Thitikul has nine career top-tens in Majors, including a T4 at the 2023 Chevron.

Surely it is only a matter of time before she jumps that hurdle in the big event, and it could be this week. She won in her native Thailand back in February, the first time her mother saw her win, which must be motivating her to success in Texas.

Hannah Green is perhaps the most in-form player in the women’s game right now.

She is coming off a win at the JM Eagle LA Championship, her fourth worldwide win in the last two months.

Two of those were back home in Australia, and she chased down Sei Young Kim to win via a playoff last Sunday. The 29-year-old won the Women’s PGA Championship back in 2019, with her best Chevron result coming four years ago with a tie for eighth.

Charley Hull is another who has been at the top of the women’s game for the best part of a decade.

The Brit has four second-places in Majors, including one at the Chevron ten years ago. Ranked fourth in the world, Hull has recorded one top ten in four appearances so far this season at the HSBC Women’s World Championship.