American golfer Nelly Korda carded a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 to take a two-shot lead at the Chevron Championship, the first women’s major of 2026, after the opening round at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas.
England’s Mimi Rhodes made an impressive tournament debut with a five-under-par 69, featuring five birdies and two bogeys, to sit four shots behind the leader and within contention alongside other notable players.
The Chevron Championship, held annually as part of the LPGA Tour schedule, returned to Houston’s Memorial Park Golf Course for the 2026 edition after previous iterations in California and other venues, continuing its rotation as one of the five major championships in women’s professional golf.
Korda, the world No. 2 player, described her round as feeling “really good” despite variable wind conditions through the trees, noting she had to “lock in on a couple of yardages” although maintaining composure throughout her bogey-free performance.
Rhodes, a 24-year-old who won three times on the Ladies European Tour during the 2025 season, expressed feeling “ready” for her major championship debut, citing the benefit of arriving early to familiarize herself with the course layout and conditions.
South Korea’s Somi Lee and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, the 2021 Chevron Championship winner, shared second place at five-under-par 67, while a group of four players including American amateur Farah O’Keefe tied for fourth at four-under-par 68.
England’s Charley Hull, ranked fourth in the women’s world ratings, completed her opening round at level par with three birdies and three bogeys, placing her midway through the field as play prepared to continue into the second round.
The leaderboard after the first round showed ten players tied at three-under-par 69, including Rhodes and fellow Englishwoman Eleanor Cayless Hull, highlighting the competitiveness of the opening day despite Korda’s early advantage.
Korda’s performance marked her second-lowest opening round score at a major championship, surpassed only by her 64 at the 2022 Evian Championship, and continued her strong start to the 2026 LPGA Tour season where she has featured in the final group on Sunday in each of her first four tournaments.
The Chevron Championship purse for 2026 remains consistent with recent years at $5.5 million, with the winner’s share set at $990,000, though official confirmation of the exact figures was not detailed in the available round-one reporting.
Play was scheduled to resume on Friday, April 24, 2026, with tee times beginning in the morning as players aimed to improve their positions ahead of the weekend rounds that would determine the champion of the season’s first major.
For ongoing updates, leaderboards, and complete coverage of the Chevron Championship and other LPGA Tour events, fans can follow official channels including the LPGA website and major sports networks broadcasting the tournament.