The LPGA's first major championship of the year gets underway this week, and so far, it's been a season of big winners. The top 5 players in the world have all won in 2026, and they're headed to Houston's Memorial Park to start new traditions at the Chevron Championship.
With a new temporary pond constructed by the 18th green, fans are left to wonder, will the winner jump?
Hannah Green – Australia’s Green comes into the year’s first major on a hot streak after earning her fourth title worldwide the JM Eagle LA Championship on Sunday. This in addition to victories at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, the Australian Open and Australian WPGA in three consecutive starts. Now an eight-time winner on the LPGA, including the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA, Green looks to turn things around at a new venue after missing the cut in her last three Chevron appearances.
Jeeno Thitikul – The world No. 1 is the best on tour without a major title after 27 starts. Thitikul’s best finish at the Chevron came three years ago when she finished T-4. In five Chevon appearances, she has yet to finish outside the top 30, including an appearance as an amateur in 2018. Thitikul, 23, is an eight-time winner on the LPGA. Last year she won her first LPGA Rolex Player of the Year honor and second Vare Trophy for lowset scoring average.
Nelly Korda – The 2024 Chevron champ has four top-3 finishes at the event in her last five starts. After winning seven times in 2024, 27-year-old Korda was shut out in 2025. She broke a 14-month winless streak earlier this season at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacation Tournament of Champions and then rattled off three more second-place finishes. A two-time major winner and Olympic Gold Medalist, Korda has 16 career LPGA titles.
Lydia Ko – The only active LPGA Hall of Fame member competing on tour, Ko won the 2016 ANA Inspiration for her second major title. A three-time major champion, Ko got the golf world buzzing when she flirted with a 59 earlier this spring at the Ford Championship, ultimately becoming only eighth player in tour history to shoot 60. Ko, 28, is currently the winningest player on tour with 23 LPGA titles. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she won her third career medal, completing the set with bronze (2016), silver (2020) and gold.
Hyo Joo Kim – The steady South Korean took down Korda in back-to-back events this spring, winning both the Fortinet Founders Cup and Ford Championship, giving her nine career LPGA titles. At the Ford, 30-year-old Kim became the first player in tour history to shoot a pair of 61s in the same tournament. In 2014, Kim’s maiden LPGA title came at a major, the Evian Championship, after she carded an opening 61. At last year’s Chevron, Kim lost to Mao Saigo in a five-way playoff.
Minjee Lee – A three-time major winner, Lee needs either a victory at the Chevron or AIG Women’s British Open to complete the career grand slam. An 11-time winner on the LPGA, 29-year-old Lee picked up her third different major title last year at the KPMG Women’s PGA after a switch to the long putter reinvigorated her career. Lee’s younger brother, Min Woo, won his first PGA Tour title last year at the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park.
Charley Hull – One of the most entertaining players on the LPGA, 30-year-old Hull rose to the highest ranking of her career, No. 3, earlier this season after a victory at the PIF Saudi Ladies International. A three-time winner on the LPGA, the aggressive Hull has yet to win a major title, though she has four runner-up finishes. Hull made her first start at the Kraft Nabisco in 2012 at age 16, when she finished T-38.
Lottie Woad – The 22-year-old Englishwoman won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur two years ago and has since been on a rocket-like ascension. The former Florida State player became the first to graduate from the LPGA’s LEAP program last summer, one week after claiming an LET title as an amateur. She then promptly won her first tournament as a professional at the Scottish Open. Woad will make her third start at the Chevron this spring. She already has three top-10 finishes at the majors.
Auston Kim – Former Purdue player came into this year’s LPGA season one of the most promising young Americans. The powerful 25-year-old has yet to win on the LPGA but put together a pair of top-3 finishes earlier this year on the spring Asia swing. Kim turned heads last year at the KPMG Women’s PGA, where she tied for second, with her premiere ball-striking in brutal winds. This marks Kim’s third start at the Chevron.
Mao Saigo – A six-time winner on the JLPGA, Saigo broke through with her first LPGA victory at the 2025 Chevron Championship by surviving the first five-way playoff in LPGA major championship history. Saigo, who counts famed Japanese player Jumbo Ozaki as a mentor, was the only player to birdie the closing par 5 on the first playoff hole. The petite 24-year-old won the 2024 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year title on the strength of consistent play.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Chevron Championship 2026 top players to watch at LPGA major