Full Breakdown
2026 Chevron Championship: Houston Debut, $9 Million Purse, and Ongoing Identity Debate
4/24/2026, 12:12:24 PM
The Tournament Returns to Houston: Dates, Venue, and Broadcast
The 2026 Chevron Championship, the LPGA’s first major, runs Thursday, April 23–Sunday, April 26, at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas. NBC and Peacock will air live coverage, with Thursday and Friday split between morning (11 a.m.–3 p.m.) and evening (6 p.m.–8 p.m.) windows, Saturday’s third round on NBC (1–3 p.m.) and Peacock (3–6 p.m.), and the final round at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Background: Relocation and Major Identity
After three years at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at Carlton Woods, the event moved to the municipal Memorial Park course, also used for the PGA Tour’s Houston Open. Commentators note the shift aims to boost attendance but underscores an “identity crisis” for the Chevron Championship, which has yet to secure a distinctive major-tournament brand comparable to the men’s Masters.
Field, Purse, and Points
The field of 132 players includes every top-10 golfer in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, such as world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko and Mao Saigo. The LPGA set the purse at $9 million, with $1.35 million (15 %) for the winner and 650 Race to the CME Globe points. Missed-cut players receive a $10,000 stipend, up from $5,000.
Official Statements & Responses
The LPGA called the purse increase “a sign of the growing value of women’s professional golf” and said the champion’s post-victory plunge will stay, noting a player survey that “many wanted it kept alive.” NBC said its “bells and whistles” production will showcase the Tom Doak-designed course and create “major tension.”
Criticism & Opposition
Golf analysts say Memorial Park’s lack of iconic status makes it “hard for a non-iconic course to take root as a standalone major venue.” They also note the tournament’s identity remains “at a crossroads,” and the temporary plunge pool—15 ft × 10 ft × 4½ ft, costing about $60,000—may not fully replicate tradition.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Early reports listed the purse as $8 million and the winner’s share as $1.2 million; later announcements raised the total to $9 million with a $1.35 million champion’s share. The full payout beyond the winner’s share remains unreleased.
Verbatim Quotes
- “has found itself at a crossroads,” — Josh Schrock, GOLF
- “needs the Chevron Championship, or a different tournament, to be something similar.” — Josh Schrock, GOLF
- “15 feet by 10 feet and 4 1/2 feet deep,” — Sports Business Journal
- “What was I impressed with? Overall everything,” — Nelly Korda, LPGA player
What’s Next
The final round on Sunday will decide the season’s first major champion, award 650 Race to the CME Globe points and a five-year LPGA Tour exemption. The result will affect the early-season points race and discussions about the Chevron Championship’s long-term role on the LPGA calendar.
