The LPGA’s first major championship of the year begins this week, and so far it’s been a season full of big winners. The top five players in the world all won in 2026 and will head to Memorial Park in Houston to start a new tradition at the Chevron Championship.
A new temporary pond has been installed beside the 18th green, leaving fans wondering if the winner will jump.
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10 Players to Watch at the 2026 Chevron Championship
Hannah Green of Australia hits a tee shot on the 13th hole during the final round of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plus Pro at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California on April 19, 2026.
hannah green – Australia’s Green heads into his first major of the year in good form after winning his fourth world title at the JM Eagle LA Championship on Sunday. This was in addition to three successive tournament wins at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, the Australian Open and the Australian WPGA. Green, who currently has eight LPGA wins, including the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA, is looking to turn things around at the new venue after missing the cut in her past three starts at Chevron.
gino titicle – World No. 1 is his best finish on tour after 27 starts and without winning a major title. Titicle’s best finish at Chevron was three years ago when he finished T-4. He has competed in Chebon five times, including as an amateur in 2018, but has yet to finish outside the top 30. Titikul, 23, is an eight-time LPGA champion. Last year, she earned her first LPGA Rolex Player of the Year honor and her second Vale Trophy with a low set scoring average.
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nelly korda – The 2024 Chevron champion has four top-three finishes at this event in his past five starts. Korda, 27, won seven games in 2024 and suffered a shutout loss in 2025. She broke her 14-month winning streak earlier this season at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacation Tournament of Champions, and has since recorded three more runner-up finishes. A two-time major champion and Olympic gold medalist, Korda has 16 total LPGA titles.
Nelly Korda of the United States hits a shot from the 17th tee during the final round of the Ford Championship Presented by Wild Horse Pass 2026 held at Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass on March 29, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Lydia Coe – Ko, the only active LPGA Hall of Fame member on tour, won his second major title at the 2016 ANA Inspiration. Coe, a three-time major champion, electrified the golf world this spring when he shot a 59 at the Ford Championship, ultimately becoming the eighth player in tour history to hit a 60. Coe, 28, is now the winningest player on tour with 23 LPGA titles. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she won bronze (2016), silver (2020) and gold medals, her third medal of her career.
Kim Hyo Joo – The solid Korean beat Korda in quick succession this spring, winning both the Fortinet Founders Cup and the Ford Championship for a total of nine LPGA titles. At Ford, the 30-year-old Kim became the first player in tour history to fire two sub-61s in the same event. In 2014, Kim won her first LPGA title by carding a first-round 61 at the Evian Championship, a major tournament. Last year at Chevron, Kim lost to Mao Saigo in a five-way playoff.
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Minjee Lee – Lee, a three-time major champion, needs a victory at Chevron or the AIG Women’s British Open to complete a career Grand Slam. Lee, 29, an 11-time LPGA winner, won her third major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA last year after revitalizing her career by switching to a long putter. Lee’s younger brother, Min-woo, won his first PGA Tour title last year at the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park.
Charlie Hull – One of the most entertaining players on the LPGA, the 30-year-old Hull moved to a career-high third place earlier this season with her win at the PIF Saudi Ladies International. The aggressive Hull, a three-time LPGA champion, has yet to win a major title, although he has finished runner-up four times. Hull first competed in Kraft Nabisco in 2012 at the age of 16, finishing T-38.
LPGA golfer Charlie Hull lines up his putt on the 14th hole during the final round of the Aramco Championship at Shadow Creek Golf Course on April 5, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Lottie Ward – The 22-year-old British woman won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur two years ago and has been on a rocket rise ever since. The former Florida State player became the first graduate of the LPGA’s LEAP program last summer, one week after winning the LET title as an amateur. She then quickly won her first tournament as a professional at the Scottish Open. Ward will make his third start at Chevron this spring. She has already finished in the top 10 at three major tournaments.
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Auston Kim – The former Purdue player enters this year’s LPGA season as one of the most promising young Americans. The powerful 25-year-old is yet to win on the LPGA, but he had two top-three finishes at the Spring Asian Swing earlier this year. Kim drew attention last year at the KPMG Women’s PGA when she hit the ball for the first time in a fierce wind and tied for second place. This will be Kim’s third start at Chevron.
Mao Saigo – Saigo, a six-time JLPGA champion, achieved his first LPGA victory at the 2025 Chevron Championship by winning the first 5-way playoff in LPGA Major Championship history. Saigo, whose mentor is famous Japanese player Jumbo Ozaki, was the only player to birdie the final par-5 on the first hole of the playoff. The diminutive 24-year-old won the 2024 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year title on the strength of her consistent play.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Chevron Championship Top Players to Watch at the 2026 LPGA Major
