The Chevron Championship tees off in Texas this week. Here is how to watch and follow the major golf championship.
Media release
It truly is major season, with eyes moving from The Masters to the first women’s major of the year, The Chevron Championship in Texas.
Australia sends nine players into the fold, including major champions Hannah Green and Minjee Lee, as our contingent looks to capture the trophy for the first time since Karrie Webb won her second back in 2006.
Here is all you need to know from TV times, players to watch, the course and more.
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Lilia Vu (US)
PRIZEMONEY: $US5.2 million
LIVE SCORES: www.lpga.com
TV COVERAGE: The Chevron Championship is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
*All times AEST.
Round One: Friday 8am – 11am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo)
Round Two: Saturday 8am – 11am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo)
Round Three: Sunday 4am – 8am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo)
Final Round: Monday 4am – 8am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo)
Gabi Ruffels preview interview (Audio, Video, Transcript) HERE
AUSTRALIAN PLAYER PROFILES
MINJEE LEE
World ranking: 5
Age: 27
Professional wins: 13
Best finish at The Chevron: T3 (2017)
The lowdown: It has been a slightly up and down year for Minjee to date, with a best finish of T4 in China and a solid showing last start at the matchplay. However, when it comes to the majors, the West Australian is a force to be reckoned with.
Winner of The Evian and US Women’s Open, Lee is counted as one of the best ball strikers in golf although it has been her putting in her handful of starts this year where statistically she has been at her best.
As one of the top players in the women’s game, Lee will have set herself for this and as a resident of Dallas will be comfortable in the Texas conditions. Minjee’s place in the game shown by her first round grouping alongside World No.1 Nelly Korda and defending champion Vu.
HANNAH GREEN
World ranking: 16
Age: 27
Professional wins: 11
Best finish at The Chevron: T8 (2022)
The lowdown: Another major winning Aussie, Green added a fourth LPGA Tour win to her record earlier this year on a dramatic final day in Singapore. The West Australian’s putting outstanding so far in 2024.
Missed the cut here last year on her first look at Carlton Woods, but will arrive fresh after skipping the match play and spending time in Texas working on her game ahead of the year’s first major.
Finding the fairways will be the key for Green, who ranks inside the top-10 for scoring average on the LPGA this year and is hitting more than 70 percent of greens in regulation.
GRACE KIM
World ranking: 78
Age: 23
Professional wins: Four
Best finish at The Chevron: MC (2023)
The lowdown: A winner in her rookie year on the LPGA Tour last year, Kim is still learning the ropes of regular major championship starts but would surprise no one of she found herself in the mix.
One of the straightest drivers on Tour, Kim’s strength comes in her consistency of hitting fairways and greens and just needs the putter to heat up to have a good week in Texas.
Still without a home base in the US, Kim has played six times so far this season with a best return of a tie for 25th at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, yet she has a game almost purpose built for the tough tests presented at the majors.
GABI RUFFELS
World ranking: 84
Age: 24
Professional wins: Three
Best finish at The Chevron: T15 (2020)
The lowdown: A rookie on the LPGA Tour this year, the Victorian has already shown just how good she is when finishing T3 at the Seri Pak Championship. That result one of four top-30s already this year.
A straight driver and magnificent putter, Ruffels was the Epson Tour player of the year in 2023 and has already shown her capabilities at the majors despite having only just reached the premier Tour in the women’s game.
Winner of the US Women’s Amateur, a title she nearly defended the next year, Ruffels didn’t play here last year but owns six top-25s at the majors from nine starts.
STEPH KYRIACOU
World ranking: 88
Age: 23
Professional wins: Two
Best finish at The Chevron: T49 (2023)
The lowdown: Made the cut on tournament debut here last year, so clearly the course suits her eye as she continues to chase a first win in America.
Kyriacou’s best finish (T18) came in her last start at the match play in Vegas, with her early season inconsistent form offering little indications ahead of this week due to the Sydneysider’s ability to quickly find her game and birdies in bunches.
Twice an LET winner, Kyriacou has shown comfort at the majors, including two top-10s in 2022, and has missed only one cut from 10 appearances. Still only 23, if Kyriacou makes birdies early in her round a very low number, major or not, is on the cards.
HIRA NAVEED
World ranking: 106
Age: 26
Professional wins: One
Best finish at The Chevron: Debut
The lowdown: Yet another West Australian making a name for themselves on the world stage, Naveed will make her major championship debut this week in Texas after a runner-up finish in her last start.
Making just her second LPGA Tour appearance this year, and fourth overall, Naveed was second at the Ford Championship after weekend rounds of 65-66 with the putter propelling the one-time Cactus Tour winner’s performance.
From the same Mount Lawley Golf Club nursery as Hannah Green, Naveed will surely have lent on her clubmate for some tips ahead of this week.
SARAH KEMP
World ranking: 139
Age: 38
Professional wins: 12
Best finish at The Chevron: T66 (2012)
The lowdown: Highly experienced, Kemp has been playing the best golf of her career in recent years as she continues to relentlessly chase a first LPGA Tour winner, one which no one would begrudge coming at a major.
With a best finish of T31 in Thailand this year, it has been a slow start to the year for the New South Wales product, however, Kemp’s short game has been a strength over the past 18 months, a trait that bodes well for this week.
Three LPGA top-10s to her name in 2023, Kemp was likely happy to see a venue change last year after never gelling with Mission Hills.
KARIS DAVIDSON
World ranking: 191
Age: 25
Professional wins: One
Best finish at The Chevron: T56 (2023)
The lowdown: Another of the Aussies to make the cut at Carlton Woods last year, Davidson is still learning the ropes of the professional game in America after starting her career in Japan.
The Queenslander’s best result so far in 2024 was a share of 27th at the Seri Pak Championship a few weeks back. However, despite no standout statistical performance so far this year, Davidson has managed to keep her scoring average under par in a positive reflection on her short game and scrambling skills that are so important at the majors.
ROBYN CHOI
World ranking: 282
Age: 26
Professional wins: None
Best finish at The Chevron: Debut
The lowdown: Making her tournament debut, and with only two major starts to her name, Choi is perhaps the unknown quantity of the Aussies this week in Texas.
The winner of the LPGA Tour school last year after agonisingly missing her card at the final Epson Tour event, Choi has plenty of game and was T16 in her first start of the year despite a final round of 77.
Will hit plenty of fairways and limit mistakes, a good combination for major championship golf.
THE COURSE
Home to two courses, The Club at Carlton Woods plays host to this event for the second time this year, with the Jack Nicklaus signature designed 18 holes again welcoming the LPGA Tour.
Heavily tree-lined in parts, water plays a role throughout the course that opened in 2001 and Nicklaus himself ranks among his top-18 designs created over a vast course design career.
Renovated immediately after last year’s Chevron Championship to “modernise” the course and improve irrigation, firmer and faster greens are expected this week at the par-72 where 10-under was the winning total in 2023.
Bunker work was carried out during the renovation, with the hazards moved closer to greens on numerous holes to enhance the test where 65 was the low score of the week in 2024. Koreans A Lim Kim and Amy Yang recording scores of seven-under during the second and third rounds respectively.
The best holes are to be found on the back nine, with the par-3 12th and long par-4 15th among the course’s best, while the par-3 17th and par-5 18th provided plenty of excitement, including Vu’s closing pair of birdies on Sunday in 2023.
HEADLINERS
Nelly Korda, World No.1 and four-time winner in 2024
Lilia Vu, Two-time major champion and four-time winner in 2023
Lydia Ko, 20-time LPGA winner and two-time major champion
Patty Tavatanakit, 2021 winner and Honda LPGA Thailand champion
Angel Yin, 2023 runner-up
Allisen Corpuz, T4 2023 and U.S. Women’s Open winner
Celine Boutier, 2023 Evian Championship winner and World No.3
Ruoning Yin, 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner
Charley Hull, 26 major top-25s, including two runners-up in 2023
Jin Young Ko, Two-time major winner
Brooke Henderson, Two-time major winner
Ashleigh Buhai, 2023 Australian Open winner
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