It may be a new golf course, but Golf Town Athlete Brooke Henderson is just as motivated to win the first major championship of the season.
This year’s Chevron Championship is heading to Houston, Texas after 50 years as a staple in Palm Springs, California at the Dinah Shore Course at Mission Hills Resort. It was an emotional send-off for the event, which had long been part of the LPGA Tour’s fabric and had produced plenty of thrilling final-round moments – all of which were topped by a leap into the famed Poppies Pond.
A highlight, of course, is when Canadian Sandra Post won the event in back-to-back years! She captured the title in a playoff in 1978 and repeated the next year, winning by one.
Brooke, meanwhile, never had a chance to make the leap. Her best result was a tie for second in 2020.
“I am a bit sad that we moved from Palm Springs. It was such an iconic venue, and the fans were always amazing and there was a sense of tradition there and it was one of a kind, really,” said Brooke. “But coming into Houston this year, I’m excited. The purse is up, and I feel there’s a chance to start fresh, in a way and create new traditions there!”
Indeed, the 2023 Chevron Championship – while still the first major championship of the LPGA Tour schedule – will instead to be contested at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at The Club at Carlton Woods. The purse has been bumped to $5.1 million (U.S.)
The stage is set for the stars to arrive tomorrow 😍
⭐️ #thechevronchampionship #starsarebrighthere pic.twitter.com/9rDEt5nSWC— The Chevron Championship (@Chevron_Golf) April 16, 2023
Brooke says it’s set to be a busy three weeks. She played the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii before heading straight to Houston. She’ll arrive in Texas on Sunday, and her and sister Brittany will do all their prep from Monday-Wednesday on the new golf course.
“Being a course we’ve never seen before and haven’t heard too much about, it’ll be a lot of hard work those first few days to get a good feel for it,” said Brooke.
“We’ll try to get a plan together so then we can beat this golf course and try to put ourselves in good positions when the pressure is on. And it’s nice, too, that Dad will be there which will be really beneficial. Another set of eyes and he’s great at giving strategies and make sure we’ll be in good spots.”
Brooke never missed the cut at the Chevron Championship while it was played in Palm Springs and finished as Low Amateur in 2014. In fact, Brooke had just one finish outside the top 20 as a pro at the Chevron. She finished tied for 13th last year.
Jennifer Kupcho will head to Texas as the defending champion after topping Jessica Korda by two shots to win her first major at the 2022 Chevron Championship.
“To be a major winner is really special, and to be the last person here at Mission Hills to jump into Poppie’s Pond… it’s all really special,” said Kupcho in 2022.
Brooke, meanwhile, will look to find the winner’s circle at a major championship for the second year in a row, having captured the Evian Championship last summer. She’s already won once on the LPGA Tour this season, capturing the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions to start 2023.
“Getting off to a quick start and being in contention on the weekend is the goal,” said Brooke. “That would be a great way to start off this major championship!”