LPGA, Chevron unveil big purse enhance for season’s first main

The LPGA’s first main championship of the 12 months is getting a large facelift.

The Chevron Championship, now contested at The Membership at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas, will now have a handbag of $7.9 million in 2024, a large enhance from the $4.8 million purse this occasion had three years in the past.

As well as, Chevron will stay the title sponsor of this occasion by 2029, demonstrating the expansion of the ladies’s skilled recreation.

“From the start of our partnership with Chevron and now with this extension, elevated purse, and enhanced assist for athletes, the evolution of The Chevron Championship is an emblem of our collective dedication to advancing ladies’s sports activities and driving the sport towards fairness,” mentioned Mollie Marcoux Samaan, the LPGA commissioner.

Photograph by Christian Petersen/Getty Photos

“We look ahead to persevering with to develop this historic main championship on all ranges and shaping a particularly shiny future for generations of women to return. It goes with out saying, however we couldn’t be extra grateful for our partnership with Chevron.”

This newest purse enhance implies that the 2024 majors will award $45.4 million, a 97% enhance from the purse dimension simply three years in the past. In February, the USGA introduced a brand new partnership with Ally Monetary, consequently growing its purse on the U.S. Ladies’s Open.

“It’s not simply concerning the golf event. It’s about every little thing that surrounds it. I feel it’s actually cool. Having the attitude of 24 years out right here, I feel it’s actually cool to look at Chevron not solely embrace the golf a part of it however the neighborhood a part of it,” mentioned American Angela Stanford. Her finest end at this occasion got here in 2011 when she tied for third. Stanford’s solely main win got here on the 2018 Evian Championship.

“They’re so concerned, and each little factor issues. I feel when you’ve got a sponsor and a companion who cares concerning the small issues and the small print, the large issues are going to be even higher.”

Photograph by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Photos

As well as, ESPN+ will stream greater than 40 hours of featured group protection all through the week, which is able to absolutely embody Nelly Korda, who will attempt to win her fifth straight occasion on the LPGA.

If she does so, Korda can be the primary girl to win 5 straight LPGA occasions since Nancy Lopez in 1978. Amazingly, Lopez completed that feat in her rookie season, a 12 months through which she gained 9 occasions.

Korda has acquired additional consideration, together with an look on ESPN’s SportsCenter, because of the prospect of her matching historical past.

“In the event you’re enjoying good golf and also you’re competing properly and folks see how a lot love you’ve got for the sport or how a lot work you set in day in and day trip, I feel every little thing comes with outcomes,” Korda mentioned.

“In the event you don’t have outcomes, you’re not going to get alternatives. On the finish of the day, every little thing is about outcomes.”

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. You should definitely try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.