HOUSTON – Later this April, the Chevron Championship returns to Houston—this time at a new home, Memorial Park Golf Course—transforming the public course into the global stage for one of women’s golf’s most prestigious majors.
But beyond the leaderboard, this year’s tournament is about something more enduring: tradition, reinvention, and a deliberate investment in the future of women’s sport.
For more than five decades, the championship has helped shape the landscape of professional women’s golf, its rise unfolding alongside the broader momentum of Title IX. Now, in Houston, it enters a new phase—one that feels less like a relocation and more like a statement of intent.
Designing a Tradition—On Purpose
At a recent media preview, Chevron Championship Executive Director, Glenn Weckerlin, outlined plans for a future renovation: a pond along the 18th fairway, expected by 2027.
It’s not just a course upgrade. It’s something far more intentional.
For decades, the defining image of this championship has been the winner’s leap into water—a moment of release, joy, and triumph that became one of the most iconic traditions in women’s golf.
By choosing to build that moment into Memorial Park, Chevron isn’t just honoring history.
It’s enshrining it.
Because the pond jump isn’t incidental. It’s cultural. It’s symbolic. It’s distinctly women’s golf.
And recreating it here sends a clear message: that this tournament—and the traditions that define it—deserve permanence, visibility, and investment.
A Tournament That Expands the Definition of Sport
The move from The Woodlands to Memorial Park also signals a shift in experience.
Where access once felt like a barrier—particularly with parking—this year’s tournament has been designed with ease in mind. More parking, greater accessibility, and a location embedded within the city itself create a more open, more inclusive atmosphere.
But what’s most striking is how far the event now extends beyond competition.
There are spaces to learn: a First Tee learning lab, LPGA-led lessons, a Girls Golf STEM Academy.
Spaces to engage: a swing zone, a media lab, career panels.
And spaces to simply enjoy: custom boot design activations, daily giveaways, curated food trucks in partnership with the Houston Astros Foundation, and on-site merchandise.
Even the competition carries a broader purpose.
On the 15th hole, the Chevron Challenge ties performance to philanthropy—birdies trigger donations, while a hole-in-one could result in a $1 million contribution to community initiatives.
It’s a subtle but powerful shift: the tournament becomes not just something to watch, but something to participate in—and give back through.
Stacy Lewis and the Space Beyond the Game
For Stacy Lewis, the championship lands at a moment of personal transition.
A Houstonian and one of the most accomplished players of her generation, Lewis is stepping away from professional golf after nearly two decades defined by discipline, performance, and expectation.
When asked what retirement looks like, her answer is immediate.
“Not playing golf.”
Then, with a clarity that reframes the statement:
“I love golf, but it has been my job for the past 17 years.”
It’s not a rejection of the game—but a release from it, at least for a while.
In its place: something more personal.
Lewis and her husband, Gerrod Chadwell—whom she met on a blind date through mutual friends—are preparing to welcome their second daughter, expanding a family that now defines her next chapter as much as golf once did.
The Weight of What Came Before
The Chevron Championship has long existed at the intersection of sport and cultural progress.
From its early association with Dinah Shore—who helped elevate women’s golf into the national spotlight—to its evolution alongside broader movements for equity in athletics, the tournament carries a legacy that is both quiet and profound.
It is, in many ways, a reflection of how far women’s sport has come—and how much further it continues to go.
Planning Your Visit
For those looking to attend:
- Any-day tickets are available through April 10
- After that, only single-day tickets will be sold
- Beginning April 20, ticket prices will increase
Tickets and more information are available here: