The LPGA gets its “major season” underway when it stages the first of the five tournaments considered major titles in women’s golf, the Chevron Championship at The Woodlands in Texas.
The tournament once known as the Dinah Shore, and more recently the ANA Inspiration, will feature an elite field, all vying for the biggest slice of the $5.1 million purse.
Lilia Vu will defend her maiden major title in The Woodlands, Texas.
Vu, the world No. 2, will be joined by the LPGA’s biggest stars, headlined by world No. 1 Nelly Korda.
Other notables include Lexi Thompson, Lydia Ko, Jin Young Ko, Georgia Hall, Sei Young Kim, Brooke Henderson, and Charley Hull, among others.
As we do each week, here’s a round-up of info and data to prep for the Chevron Championship.
2024 Chevron Championship Preview
The Skinny
Chevron Championship
Dates: April 18-21, 2024
Where: The Woodlands, Texas
Course: Nicklaus Course at Carlton Woods
Distance: Par 72, 7368 yards
Architect: Jack Nicklaus
Format: 72-holes, stroke play
Purse: $5,100,000
Winning Share: $765,000
Defending Champion: Lilia Vu
How to Follow: Chevron Championship
Television: Thu-Fri: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 6-8 p.m. (GOLF/Peacock); Sat-Sun: 2-3 p.m. (Peacock), 3-6 p.m. (NBC)
Links: Website | Leaderboard | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Chevron Championship History
What was originally an event started in 1972 based around the popular entertainer and golf enthusiast Dinah Shore has grown through the years, becoming an LPGA major in 1983.
Shore’s influence was heavily felt, as the tournament was contested on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course and the winner’s trophy carried Dinah Shore’s name. Shore was among those who have participated in one of the event’s most recognizable traditions, a jump into “Poppie’s Pond” beside the 18th green for the champion (and frequently, her caddie and several others.)
In 2022, the tournament was held in Mission Hills for the final time; as part of its new title sponsorship agreement with Chevron Corporation, the championship moved to the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at The Club at Carlton Woods in 2023 to coincide with the company’s move to the Greater Houston area.
Many of the biggest names in the history of women’s golf have been champions of the event through the years, including Annika Sorenstam, Betsy King and Amy Alcott — all three-time winners of the event — and, more recently, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson, Brittany Lincicome (twice), and Lydia Ko.
Tournament Names
2022-24: Chevron Championship
2015-21: ANA Inspiration
2002-14: Kraft Nabisco Championship
2000-01: Nabisco Championship
1983-99: Nabisco Dinah Shore
1982-82: Nabisco Dinah Shore Invitational
1981-81: Colgate-Dinah Shore
1972-80: Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle
Recent Chevron Championship Winners
2022: Lilia Vu (-10)
2022: Jennifer Kupcho (-14)
2021: Patty Tavatanakit (-18)
2020: Mirim Lee (-15)
2019: Jin-young Ko (-10)
2018: Pernilla Lindberg (-15)
2017: So Yeon Ryu (-14)
2016: Lydia Ko (-12)
2015: Brittany Lincicome (-9)
2014: Lexi Thompson (-14)
2013: Inbee Park (-15)
2012: Sun-Young Yoo (-9)
2011: Stacy Lewis (-13)
Chevron Championship Records
72-Hole Scoring
269 (-19) – Dottie Pepper (1999)
54-Hole Scoring
202 (-14) – Pernilla Lindberg (2018)
36-Hole Scoring
132 (-12) – Lindberg, 2018; Sung Hyun Park (2018)
18-Hole Scoring
62 (-10), Lorena Ochoa (Rd 1, 2006)
Margin of Victory
10 – Karrie Webb (2000)
Victories
3 – Amy Alcott (1983, 1988, 1991)
3 – Betsy King (1987, 1990, 1997)
3 – Annika Sorenstam (2001, 2002, 2005)
Chevron Championship Field
Everybody’s going to be there, so this is literally one of those weeks where anything can happen. If there’s one particular aspect that could separate the players, it’s that the length of the Jack Nicklaus signature track, at 6,824 yards, will give an edge to the tour’s big hitters.
“It’s really long, I would say,” said 2022 winner, Jennifer Kupcho, after a practice round. “In the desert (in California), we were hitting pretty short clubs in, all of the par 5s were reachable.
“Most of them are reachable out here, but I think we’re going to have a lot of long irons into the par 4s, and the greens are definitely a lot trickier versus in the desert they were pretty flat and pretty easy.”
“You have to think a little bit more around this golf course,” said Georgia Hall. “You can’t really relax on any hole because there’s always something about a hole that’s very different. Just mostly on the greens, in Palm Springs I thought it was quite simple to read the greens, no grain at all, but now we have the grain, I heard it’s going to be a little bit windy, as well, and a lot of factors come into play.”
Nelly Korda noted that water is more in play around the Nicklaus, which makes it “decidedly harder off the tee.”
Lydia Ko concurred with Korda, “I thought I was going to run out of balls before my [practice] round ended.”
Top-10 Betting Favorites
1. Nelly Korda (5/1)
2. Lydia Ko (20/1)
3. Atthaya Thitkul (25/1)
3. Brooke Henderson (25/1)
3. Jin Young Ko (25/1)
3. Rose Zhang (25/1)
3. Sei Young Kim (25/1)
8. Alison Lee (30/1)
8. Angel Yin (30/1)
8. Akaya Furue (30/1)
8. Hyo Joo Kim (30/1)
8. Lilia Vu (30/1)
8. Leona Maguire (30/1)
8. Minjee Lee (30/1)
8. Patty Tavatanakit (30/1)
8. Xiyu Lin (30/1)
8. Yuka Saso (30/1)
Full Field & Odds
Credits: LPGA Tour Media, Getty Images
