Chevron Championship quick hits: Pool jump worked, crowds were improved

Nelly Korda’s scheduling likely played a key role in her run to the crown at last weekend's Chevron Championship in Houston, where she pulled away early and cruised to her third major title.

Korda opted to skip last week’s event in L.A. to get in earlier and avoid an awkward Sunday redeye. Instead, she played an early 18 on Monday and got her first look at Memorial Park before storms interrupted practice the next two days. She was refreshed after a two-week break.

But while Korda's victory in the Memorial Park debut of the LPGA major was significant, there were also victories for the circuit, which saw more robust galleries and easier access to the course than at the Club at Carlton Woods, which hosted the event for the previous three years.

A few parting thoughts …

Overall, the crowds were better here than The Woodlands. Feel like it could be substantially better with more marketing in the area and cross-promotion with the PGA Tour’s Houston Open (perhaps sell combo tickets for both events?).

The course was… pic.twitter.com/P0xXEDyYsl

— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) April 27, 2026

Younger crowds on hand at Chevron

And not only were there more people at the major, but there were also younger people on site, which was a bonus.

Crowd here in Houston definitely seems younger than the typical LPGA fan base. Quite a few ANWA logos too. pic.twitter.com/rv8EKsCx8s

— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) April 25, 2026

Pool jump at Chevron went off well

Also, there was skepticism about the temporary plunge pool to the right of the 18th green, which Korda dove in with her team.

As soon as play wrapped up at this year’s Texas Children’s Houston Open on March 29, work began on digging the pool, which was 15 feet by 10 feet and 4 1/2 feet deep. The cost of the new temporary addition: roughly $60,000.