Chevron Championship preview: In-form Georgia Hall among leading contenders along with Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda

The Masters may now have passed but we didn’t have to wait long for the next major of the golf season. This time it’s the turn of the women as they get their major campaigns underway at The Chevron Championship.

It is one of five majors on the women’s circuit, along with the US Women’s Open, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, AIG Women’s Open, and The Evian Championship.

American Jennifer Kupcho will arrive this week hoping to defend the title she won last year at the long-time venue, Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs, California.

This year sees the tournament move away from the west coast and into Texas where The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands plays host for the first time. A star-studded field has assembled in the Lone Star state hoping for their chance at major glory.

Speaking ahead of the event, world No. 2 Nelly Korda offered her thoughts on the change of venue.

“It’s been great,” she said. “Obviously I can’t lie and say I don’t miss Palm Springs just because I’ve been going there for so long and the history of the place, but so far, my time here has been amazing.

“They’re treating us really well. It’s amazing to see a company like Chevron step up and support women’s golf. I think we’re all extremely grateful for it.”

Forty-two of the world’s top 50 will be competing, including world No. 1 Lydia Ko, Ireland’s Leona Maguire, Maja Stark from Sweden and England’s in-form Georgia Hall, who recorded another top-10 finish at last week’s LOTTE Championship.

The Englishwoman commented on the state of her game ahead of teeing it up on Thursday.

“I don’t think I have a weakness in my game at all, and I think that’s partially why I’ve been very consistent. I think my mentality is the strongest part of my game, and that’s the key to why I play well.

“But yeah, I think it’s just a combination of the last year or two of hard work and stepping it up another level, and now it’s just coming all together very nicely, and I’m glad the hard work is paying off.”

Europe’s best shot this week, according to the world rankings anyway, is France’s Celine Boutier. The current world No. 8 recently picked up her third career victory on the LPGA a few weeks ago at the LPGA Drive On Championship, where she beat her friend, and Solheim Cup team-mate, Hall in a play-off. The win saw her become France’s most successful golfer of all-time.

Boutier, 29, recorded her best finish in the Chevron Championship with a T4 last year and with the event now being held in her home away from home, having lived in Texas for the best part of six years, the Frenchwoman should feel somewhat comfortable as she aims for her maiden major.

There is one notable absentee this week, however, and that is the name that was on everyone’s lips last year, Linn Grant.

The top-ranked Swede and world No. 22 has been unable to compete in the US since the NCAA Championship in May 2021 due to her Covid-19 vaccination status. The 23-year-old has played across the globe already this season on the Ladies European Tour, including in Morocco and Japan, but the young star, who also holds an LPGA Tour card, will have to wait until US entry requirements are loosened further if she is to compete across the pond.

There hasn’t been a European winner of this event since Pernilla Lindberg in 2018 and only two in 18 years, so this year’s European contingent will be looking to change that pattern and cement themselves in major history.