HOUSTON — The LPGA Tour’s first major of the year feels like it’s starting over at The Chevron Championship. From a California desert pond to a Houston pool, what remains is the most memorable tradition — the winner’s leap into water.
That water used to be Poppie’s Pond, which surrounds the 18th green at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California, the tournament’s home since 1972. But when Chevron became the title sponsor in 2023, the event moved to Houston’s Memorial Park.
With no natural water feature at Memorial Park’s 18th, officials built a temporary pool — 15 feet long, 10 feet wide and 4 feet deep — to the right of the green. It’s officially a “temporary immovable obstruction,” creating the unusual situation where a player could hit into water and get free relief.
Corny? Maybe.
But the LPGA isn’t letting this tradition go, even if the pool doesn’t have a name yet.
“If you go back on our history, we really don’t do a very good job with tradition at all,” said Stacy Lewis, whose 13 career victories began with a leap into Poppie’s Pond in 2011.
The LPGA’s major championships have changed repeatedly since 1955 — from four majors to three, then two, back to three, then four and now five. Eight different tournaments have served as majors over the years.
“We’ve really lost a lot of traditions over the years. This is probably one of the only ones we have,” Lewis said. “Is it a little bit different this year? Yes. Does it look great? I mean, it’s up for debate, right?
“But somebody is still going to jump in there. When we look back in 10 years we’re going to put all these jumps together and they’re all going to look the same. So I just think we got to get through this year, but it has to continue.”
The plan for Memorial Park is to add a more natural water feature down the right side of the 18th hole next year.
Contenders Ready to Make a Splash
The field is stacked with potential champions ready to take the plunge.
Hannah Green and Hyo Joo Kim have each won twice on tour this year, and both already have major championships on their résumés. Jeeno Thitikul has been No. 1 in women’s golf since August, though she’s still seeking her first major — only the second top-ranked player ever without one.
Nelly Korda might be playing the best golf right now. She won the weather-shortened season opener and finished runner-up in her other three starts. Korda has been in the final group of all four tournaments she’s played, suggesting she’s trending toward reclaiming the No. 1 ranking.
She won The Chevron two years ago during her record-tying streak of five consecutive victories. That was at Carlton Woods, the tournament’s first Houston-area home, where the 18th hole had a lake — complete with snakes — for the champion’s leap.
Korda isn’t dwelling on past results.
“Just coming in trying to play golf, trying to contend. I’m not really thinking about what other people are thinking of me, what my past results were,” Korda said. “Is my confidence higher from the finishes that I’ve had? I was in every final group so far this year on Sunday, which I’m very proud of because I’ve put in a lot of work.
“But when it comes to my expectations of this week, my expectation is to hit the first shot on Thursday and see how it goes.”
At 23, Thitikul carries the weight of trying to win her first major as the world’s top-ranked player. She came close at last year’s Evian Championship, losing in a dramatic playoff to Grace Kim.
“If you were in contention every week, you saw your name on the top in every week, it means your game is there and then just matter of time,” Thitikul said.
Both Thitikul and Korda skipped last week’s tournament in Los Angeles to prepare for the season’s first major. Korda arrived Sunday night and played 18 holes Monday before rain moved in. She barely noticed the pool.
“Maybe some people don’t like it that it’s at a different golf course,” Korda said. “I still give props to Chevron, to the LPGA, for wanting to keep that tradition alive. I know there is a bigger plan for it to be a better jump into Poppie’s Pond. But at the end of the day, if I’m hoisting the trophy, like I’m going to jump in.”
