Chevron Championship Starts with Record $9M Purse

The Chevron Championship, the opening major of the LPGA Tour season, begins Thursday at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas, featuring a record $9 million purse and a star-studded field of 132 players vying for the winner's share of $1.35 million.

Organizers announced the purse increase Wednesday, up from $7.9 million last year and nearly $3 million more than the $6 million total when Chevron became title sponsor in 2022. A Chevron representative stated the boost underscores the company's commitment to elevating women's golf and fostering premier competition for players. The tournament, held April 24-27 on the par-72 layout measuring 6,811 yards, marks the event's debut at Memorial Park following three years at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands. The public course, redesigned by Tom Doak in 2019, hosted the PGA Tour's Houston Open last month.

Japan's Mao Saigo enters as defending champion after capturing her first major title last year with a 7-under 281, prevailing in a five-player playoff that included Kim Hyo-joo, Ruoning Yin, Ariya Jutanugarn and Lindy Duncan. Saigo's victory highlighted a trend where five of the past six Chevron winners were first-time major champions,...