The Chevron Championship officially has a new home.
On Wednesday, the LPGA and Chevron announced that the first major of the year will be played at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston after being held at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at the Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas, three years ago. This step was first reported by Golfweek in November.
The event, the first of five majors, will be contested April 23-26, one month after Memorial Park hosts the PGA Tour’s Texas Children’s Houston Open.
“The Chevron partnership continues to set the standard for what it means to grow women’s golf — not just as a champion, but as a platform to promote and grow the game,” LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler said in a statement. “Bringing the Chevron Championship to Memorial Park Golf Course reinforces that vision. It brings the event closer to the heart of Houston, connects more fans and communities to our athletes, and helps ensure this premier — a tradition that began in 1972 — continues to stand out as one of the game’s most important divisions.”
Memorial Park hosted the Houston Open 14 times between 1947 and 1963. After the municipal treasure underwent a $34 million renovation led by architect Tom Doak, the tournament returned to Memorial Park in 2020. The Houston Open moved from fall to spring in 2024.
The Chevron Championship was contested at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, Calif., for 51 years before moving to the Club at Carlton Woods in 2023.
Moving the Chevron Championship to Memorial Park should help the LPGA and tournament organizers draw a bigger crowd, the event will be held closer to downtown Houston.
“Hosting the Chevron Championship, the LPGA’s first major of the year, at the City of Houston’s Memorial Park Golf Course underscores our commitment to providing high-quality fans and players who serve the greater Houston community and continue to showcase our great city in the world,” Jim Crane, chairman of the Astros Golf Foundation, which funded Memorial Park, said in a statement on the renovation of the Park. “The Astros Golf Foundation is proud to partner with Chevron and the LPGA to promote this great tournament and help more Houstonians experience world-class events in the heart of the city. This event will highlight the incredible talent of the LPGA, and promote the growth and accessibility of women’s golf – a mission we are proud to support.”
The switch to Memorial Park will give the first major of the year a slightly different feel. With no pond surrounding the 18th green at Memorial Park, it could spell the end of the celebration, which was originally popularized at Poppie’s Pond in California. Last year’s winner Mao Saigo jumped into the pool but struggled to get back to the airport because he is not a strong swimmer.
The decision to move the Chevron Championship fields is the latest in a series of major moves by Kessler, who has been commissioner for less than 200 days. Kessler made a major deal to transform the LPGA’s TV product, brought in Golf Saudi as a new tournament sponsor with a $4 million purse and began restructuring the LPGA program to increase the tour’s ability to attract more attention; On Tuesday, TGL announced that it will launch a women’s league later this year. Now, the first major of the year will head to a municipal course near downtown Houston, which will lead to a bigger crowd and a higher profile.
