Three LPGA Golfers to Keep an Eye on at the 2026 Chevron Championship
All roads lead to Houston, Texas, as Memorial Park Golf Course plays host to this year’s edition of The Chevron Championship, the first major of the women’s golf calendar. Mao Saigo, last year’s victor at The Club at Carlton Woods, aims to defend her title, but a new, challenging course and star-studded field lie ahead. The 6,811-yard beast that is Memorial Park welcomes the LPGA’s best to attack it off the tee, but a plethora of challenging pin positions and penalties for errant approach shots will keep most golfers in check this week. Memorial Park’s redesign by Tom Doak and player consultant Brooks Koepka was featured this past March at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. It enabled Gary Woodland to post a 21-under-par total score, including a tournament-best 26 birdies, and coast his way to a five-shot victory; will any golfer in The Chevron Championship’s field replicate Woodland’s dominant showing?
The Frontrunner: Nelly Korda
The golfer in the field with arguably the best chance to post a Woodland-like performance this week at Memorial Park is Nelly Korda, the second-best female golfer in the world according to the Rolex Rankings. While it may seem redundant, it is almost impossible to discount Korda’s presence at any tournament she enters her name into; she tends to be a favorite at almost every one. So far, Korda has proven oddsmakers right this season, finishing in second place in her last three starts and winning her first start of the season at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Only time will tell if oddsmakers are right about The Chevron Championship, but, heading into the tournament, Korda is the favorite at +480.
Despite being in the second spot in the Rolex Rankings, Korda’s statistical profile jumps off the page. The 27-year-old leads the LPGA Tour in total strokes gained, strokes gained tee to green, and strokes gained approach to the green. Korda’s ability to excel from tee to green, particularly on her approach shots, should suit her well at Memorial Park, a place she considers “a second shot golf course.” Korda is also fifth on the LPGA Tour’s average driving distance rankings; her distance will be on full display at one of the longest courses on the tour’s schedule this year. As a past winner of The Chevron Championship and another major, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Korda is well accustomed to prestigious tests of golf and facing the pressure that comes with expectation. With this being the case, she brings a focused and refreshed mindset into the first major of the female golfing calendar. “I am just coming in, trying to play golf, trying to contend,” Korda explained. “I am not really thinking about what other people are thinking of me, what my past results were; everything was different. My expectation is to hit the first shot on Thursday and see where it goes.”
The Pursuer: Auston Kim
Auston Kim enters this season’s Chevron Championship with a relatively unwritten career in professional golf. Since beginning her LPGA Tour career in 2024, Kim has made it to the weekend in 75% of the events she has competed in. In fact, last season, she logged five top-10s, including a runner-up finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Other than a handful of notable finishes in her two complete seasons as an LPGA professional, the 25-year-old American is still searching for the first breakthrough win of her young career.
Lucky for Kim, her current form and statistics have her in a prime position to make a splash at this year’s Chevron Championship. In her six starts of the 2026 season, Kim has only missed one cut. Furthermore, she posted a second-place finish at the HSBC Women’s World Championship and a tied-third finish at the Blue Bay LPGA. Aside from her recent performances, Kim’s ability to drive the ball separates her from her peers. So far this season, Kim is fourth in average driving distance at 290.73 yards and gains 1.51 strokes with the driver in her hand, placing her in 18th amongst her LPGA counterparts. While it is very rare for any golfer to get their first premier tour win at a major, Kim has been playing in majors since 2019; her familiarity with golf’s premier events and complete driving game should enhance Kim’s performance at Memorial Park.
The Outlier: Julia Lopez Ramirez
A peek behind the curtain of Julia Lopez Ramirez’s golf career reveals a dazzling past and a deep repertoire of on-course talents. Despite only being in her second year on the LPGA Tour, Ramirez has established herself as one of the longest hitters in women’s golf and is one of the premier up-and-comers on the LPGA Tour. Prior to bursting onto the scene with a T-19 finish at last season’s U.S. Women’s Open and a tied-third finish at last season’s ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, Ramirez dominated the college ranks while at Mississippi State. Amongst her numerous college victories, Ramirez was also a two-time SEC Golfer of the Year and captured the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings before turning pro after the first three events of her senior year.
The 23-year-old’s dominance of the amateur golfing world makes up for her lack of professional experience, pushing her to where she is now. Currently 75th in the Rolex Rankings and second on the LPGA Tour in average driving distance at 294.07 yards, Ramirez is quickly opening the eyes of many across professional golf. The Spaniard has only missed two cuts in six starts to begin 2026, posting notable T-10 and T-15 finishes at the HSBC Women’s World Championship and Ford Championship, respectively. At a course that welcomes, and even rewards, golfers who beat the ball off the tee, Ramirez should have no problem establishing herself at her first Chevron Championship. However, some “firsts” in professional golf come with nerves; Ramirez will aim to lean on her form and past major résumé to kickstart her journey to the top of the leaderboard.
While Memorial Park Golf Course may seem benign at first glance, no major golf tournament lets the field beat up on the course. Along with an expectedly challenging course setup, Mother Nature also wanted to get in on the action. Prior to round one on Thursday, rain plagued the field’s practice rounds and preparation, toying with the minds of the LPGA’s premier talent before the season’s first major. As the weather and external factors continue to unfold throughout the week, scoring and setup will not be solely dependent on the agronomy team and the LPGA’s agenda. With all of this in mind, Korda, Kim, and Ramirez will be teeing it high and letting it fly at The Chevron Championship, hoping that their elite distance will be enough to capture the top spot.
