The LPGA’s Chevron Championship opened Thursday — the first of five major tournaments throughout the season.

The tournament, played at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, since its inception in 1972, has moved to The Club at Carlton Woods in the Woodlands this year.

“We’ve done a lot of things through the years to get in a position to be able to host a major,” Carlton Woods General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Steve Salzman told The Dallas Express. “Had numerous conversations with various entities about particular things, but a lot of things have to fall in place for a major to be available.”

“We’re very proud and look at this as the beginning of many great things ahead.”
Salzman and his group are eager to provide the competitors with exceptional hospitality, which has been noticed by participants.

“I’ve talked to a few of the people that are from this golf club, and they’re super excited to have us here,” World No.1 golfer Lydia Ko told the media earlier this week. “And it’s nice to come to a place where people are excited that the LPGA are here. We’re excited that we’re here, and it’s a good championship golf course, so I’m excited for how this tournament is going to start here in the Woodlands this year and just continue to grow over the next few years.”

Many other elite golfers will participate in the event, including top U.S. golfer Nelly Korda and defending champion Jennifer Kupcho — who broke the Chevron Championship record for best score in her victory.

“I think it was just like a relief,” Kupcho said as she reflected on her win. “I had come so close in multiple tournaments [a] couple of years before. To finally get the job done and win a tournament, let alone a major, it was really special. It jump-started the really good rest of the season.”

Kupcho has been a professional golfer since 2019 and earned her first career win in the Chevron Championship last March. She won two more tournaments the rest of the season but has yet to win in 2023.

This year’s Chevron Championship field also includes four Texans, including The Woodlands native Stacey Lewis. The others are Angela Stanford (Saginaw), Cheyenne Knight (Aledo), and Lindsey Weaver-Wright — who is originally from Ohio but lives in the DFW area.

The Chevron Championship began Thursday morning with 132 golfers competing in groups of three. The event will continue through all four rounds this weekend, with the champion being crowned on Sunday.

The tournament’s purse is $5.1 million, with $765,000 going to the winner.

Peiyun Chen leads the field partway through the first round with a score of 5-under-par 67.