With a new title sponsor and $5 million prize fund, here’s what you’ve got to look forward to at the first Major of the season, the Chevron Championship.
Formerly the ANA Inspiration, the Chevron Championship is the first of five Major championships in professional women’s golf.
With an impressive field including World Number One Jin Young Ko and last year’s champion, Patty Tavatanakit, you can be sure the weekend won’t be short of entertainment.
Or dramatic leaps into Poppie’s pond.
When and where
The Chevron Championship takes place from 31 March – 3 April on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club.
It will be the 51st time the Californian club has hosted the championship. And under its new title sponsor, the last.
Next year, the Major championship is set to move – both venue and date.
The 2023 Chevron Championship is expected to move to a later Spring date somewhere in the Houston area.
So that means it’s the last time the champion will take the historic winner’s jump into Poppie’s pond; named in honour of former Tournament Director, Terry Wilcox, who is known as Poppie to his grandchildren.
The first champion to take the leap into Poppie’s Pond was Amy Alcott in 1988. And it’s a tradition that is still going strong today.
Who’s playing?
This field at this year’s Chevron Championship is an impressive line-up of who’s who in women’s golf.
World Number One Jin Young Ko heads up a list of ten past champions returning to capture one last Major at Mission Hills. Lydia Ko, Mirim Lee, Pernilla Lindberg, So Yeon Ryu, Brittany Lincicome, Lexi Thompson, Inbee Park, Stacy Lewis and defending champion, Patty Tavatanakit, are all ready and raring to claim another title in California.
Tavatanakit won her first Major in incredible fashion last year. She finished 18 under par and two shots clear of current World Number Three, Lydia Ko. Ko shot a record-equalling final round of 62 as she battled to reclaim the championship.
But there is one big name missing from the field; World Number Two Nelly Korda. She'll miss the first Major of 2022 as she continues to recover from a blood clot in her arm.
Increased prize fund
The prize fund at the Chevron Championship this year is $5 million.
It’s a 60% increase on last year’s purse, but some way off the $11.5 million prize fund of the men's first major of the season, the Masters.
Do I think women should play for the same prize fund? It might sound controversial but, no, I don’t. But I would like to see that pay gap close even more.
Chevron Player Advisory Board
New title sponsor Chevron has introduced a Chevron Player Advisory Board. It’s been created to ensure The Chevron Championship supports tour players and continues to attract leading players to the tournament.
The board help guide plans and future developments of The Chevron Championship.It's made of true legends –past and present – of the game: Amy Alcott, Ariya Jutanugarn, Gaby Lopez, Juli Inkster, Katherine Kirk, Morgan Pressel and Stacy Lewis.
Our picks
Before every Major, the Women & Golf team all place their bets on who they think will be crowned champion.
But this year, we want to know what you think.
Tell us who your money’s on by emailing us at [email protected].
You can catch all the action from the Chevron Championship daily on Sky Sports.
