Not the same major splash as Chevron moves to Texas
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[April 20, 2023]
By Steve Keating
(Reuters) - When women's golf crowns its first major winner of the
season on Sunday at the Chevron Championship it will not make the
same splash it once did.
The sight of winners celebrating with a joyful leap into Poppies
Pond off the 18th green was one of women golf's most recognisable
traditions but a move from its longtime home of Mission Hills
Country Club in Palm Springs to The Club at Carlton Woods near
Houston has effectively ended the ritual.
In a nod to the past, a small wooden dock has been built into the
murky lake that lines the par-five finishing hole at Woodland Hills
and the traditional robe and slippers will be waiting but players
have been non-committal about taking a plunge.
"I'm not really sure," said defending Chevron champion Jennifer
Kupcho. "I think there might be snakes in the water here, so might
be a little interesting."
While a dock can be quickly constructed, it takes years to build
traditions and rarely are they transferable.
But world number one Lydia Ko of New Zealand gave the LPGA and new
sponsor Chevron credit for acknowledging the sport's history and in
some small way honouring the tournament's past.
"I think they're very respectful and understanding of all the
history that we've had," said Ko.
"For them to be understanding of how people remember this
championship and having the jump to Poppies Pond and for them to
kind of bring that back and give players opportunities to do that I
think is really cool."
ELITE FIELD
The first of the season's five majors has attracted an elite field
that includes the world's top 20 ranked players, including Ko, who
won her second and last major at the Chevron in 2016, number two
American Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Nelly Korda and South Korean
Ko Jin-Young, the 2019 champion.
Kupcho is back to defend her crown along with all of last season's
major champions Minjee Lee (U.S. Women's Open), In Gee Chun (Women's
PGA Championship), Brooke Henderson (Evian Championship), and
Ashleigh Buhai (Women's British Open).
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![](../images/042023PIX/sports1.jpg)
Apr 2, 2022; Rancho Mirage, California,
USA; Patty Tavatanakit putts on the ninth green during the third
round of the Chevron Championship golf tournament at Mission Hills
Country Club, Dinah Shore Tournament Course. Mandatory Credit: David
Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports
![](../images/ads/current/graue_lda_4_2021.png)
The field also includes the winners of the first
six events this year won by women from six different countries
Canada's Henderson captured the LPGA Tour's opening event and was
followed to the winner's circle by American Lilia Vu, South Korea's
Ko Jin-young, Frenchwoman Celine Boutier, China's Yin Ruoning and
LPGA Tour rookie Australian Grace Kim, who arrives in Texas riding
the moment from taking her maiden title last week at the LOTTE
Championship.
When play gets underway with the opening round on Thursday at the
Jack Nicklaus designed layout the spotlight will not wander far from
Ko and Korda.
After missing last year's Chevron due to injury, Korda is back to
full fitness with four finishes inside the top six in five starts
this season, including runner-up at last month's HSBC World
Championship.
A win on Sunday would give Ko the two points she needs to become the
youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Apr/20/images/ads/current/ldn_sda_NILA_012823.png)
"It would be pretty cool to get it done in the first major of the
year and be in the Hall of Fame, but that's not what's important to
me," said Ko. "For me I just want to have a good week."
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto, Editing by Ed Osmond)
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