The LPGA Tour headed to Rancho Mirage, California for The Chevron Championship. The first major of the LPGA Tour season was played at Mission Hills Country Club. This 72-hole event was played on a par 72 layout of 6763 yards. Last year, LPGA Tour rookie Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand became a major champion after posting a final round of 68 to finish at 18-under par. She joined Juli Inkster as the only LPGA Tour players to win a major in their rookie season. The tournament had a large purse of $5 million with 625 points towards the Race to the CME Globe for the winner.
First Round
Jennifer Kupcho entered play looking for her first LPGA Tour title after joining the tour in 2019. She vaulted to the lead after a round of 66 that included nine birdies and three bogeys. She held a three-shot cushion over Minjee Lee and four over Patty Tavatanakit, who recorded seven birdies and two bogeys. A group of six players lurked just two shots back which included Lydia Ko and Anna Nordqvist. Lexi Thompson was a big name in a group of six at three-under par. Scoring was very good in round one with 11 more players at two-under par which included notables Hannah Green, Sei Young Kim, and Celine Boutier. A logjam of 21 were just five shots back, including Ariya Jutanugarn, Jessica Korda, Nasa Hataoka, Charley Hull, Madelene Sagstrom, and Nana Koerstz Madsen. Those with solid rounds of even and still in the mix were Leona Maguire, Gaby Lopez, and Brooke Henderson. Notables at the projected cut line of one-over par included Stacy Lewis, Moriya Jutanugarn, and Danielle Kang, who bogeyed the last three holes.
Second Round
After a second round of 70, Kupcho was overtaken for the lead by Hinako Shibuno, who posted a round of 66 that included seven birdies. Tied with Kupcho in second were Annie Park and Patty Tavatanakit. Sei Young Kim and Hyo Joo Kim both recorded rounds of 67 to pull within two of the lead with 36 holes to play. Nana Koertz Madsen got into the mix after a round of 67, while Lexi Thompson, Celine Boutier, and Minjee Lee were among five players only four shots back. Jessica Korda had a roller coaster round of seven birdies and four bogeys and was at four-under par. A group of nine led by Amy Yang’s 68 were at three-under par. Among a large group of 19 players at two-under par included AtthayaThitikul and Jin Young Ko, who both bounced back after opening rounds of 74. Notables at one-under par and safely in for the weekend were Ariya Jutanugarn, Lizette Salas, and Brooke Henderson. Inbee Park and Perrine Delacour finished at even, along with Moriya Jutanugarn. Sticking around for the weekend right on the cut line of one-over par were Yuka Sasa, Nasa Hataoka, and Sophia Popov. Notables to miss the cut included Gaby Lopez, Stacy Lewis, Megan Khang, Jeongeun Lee6, and Yealimi Noh.
Third Round
Jennifer Kupcho got off to a hot start by recording four consecutive birdies from holes 2 through 5. Her round of 64 gave her a commanding six-shot cushion after 54 holes. Patty Tavatanakit was the nearest competitor after a round of 70. Jessica Korda moved into sole possession of third after posting a round of 67. Annie Park struggled to one-over par 73 and was nine shots back. Those at six-under par included Hannah Green, Brooke Henderson, and Lexi Thompson. Yuka Saso led a group of ten players at five-under par after a round of 66. Also in that group were AtthayaThitikul, Lydia Ko, and Celine Boutier. Hinako Shibuno shot herself out of the tournament after a round of 77 dropped her from first to a tie for 21st at four-under par. Notables at three-under par included Anna Nordqvist and Moriya Jutanugarn, while Inbee Park and Ariya Jutanugarn were at two-under. The surprise of the tournament was Jin Young Ko, who was 16 shots back after a round of 74.
Final Round
Hinako Shibuno rebounded from a third-round 77 with a round of 66 to finish tied for fourth with Lexi Thompson, Celine Boutier, and Patty Tavatanakit at ten-under par. Pia Babnik equaled Shibuno’s 66 for lowest round of the day and finished third at 11-under par. Jennifer Kupcho got to 18-under par before suffering six bogeys over her final 11 holes. Fortunately, her cushion was larger and her final round 74 was still good enough to hold off Jessica Korda for the win. Korda posted a round of 69 and finished two shots back. For Kupcho, it was her first major championship and her first LPGA Tour victory. Her previous best was a tie for second at The Evian Masters in 2019. Alison Lee’s 68 bolted her from 28th to a tie for 8th along with Hannah Green, Hyo Joo Kim, and Nana Koerstz Madsen. Minjee Lee and Georgia Hall both posted rounds of 69 and finished at seven-under and six-under, respectively. Also at six-under were Brooke Henderson and Anna Nordqvist. Among the eight at five-under par included Danielle Kang, AtthayaThitikul, Yuka Saso, and Sei Young Kim. Lydia Ko was a notable at four-under, while Inbee Park led a group of four at three-under. Other notables included Leona Maguire (two-under), Moriya Jutanugarn (one-under), Jin Young Ko and Ariya Jutanugarn (even), and Anna Nordqvist (two-over).
Coming Up
The ladies of the LPGA Tour head to the Hoakalei Country Club in Ewa Beah, Oahu, Hawaii for the Lotte Championship. The event started in 2012 and is played over 72 holes on a par 72 layout of 6397 yards. Lydia Ko entered the final round of last year’s event with a one-shot lead over Nelly Korda. After failing to hold a lead at the 2020 Marathon Classic, Ko finished the deal this time around with a 65 on the final day. Her 28-under par total earned her 16th career LPGA Tour win and her first in three years. The purse for this year’s tournament is $2 million with 500 points towards the Race to the CME Globe for the winner.
