HOUSTON – Carlton Woods Golf Club is again host to the Chevron Championship, the opening major of the LPGA’s five major tournaments. Carlton Woods is one of only two golf courses that host a major every year—the other being Augusta National.
The Chevron Championship brings the top LPGA golfers to The Woodlands, including local and two-time LPGA Major Winner Stacy Lewis. Lewis captured the tournament in 2011, back when it was played in California. She also won the Women’s British Open in 2013 and is a two-time LPGA Player of the Year (2012, 2014). She spent 25 total weeks at World No. 1.
Her success and demeanor made her a role model for Houston area junior golfer Syna Nijhawan. Now a high school sophomore at Carnegie Vanguard, Nijhawan is one of the top 400 junior golf players, as ranked by AJGA. In second grade, Nijhawan dressed up as Stacy Lewis for school and presented a project about the champion golfer.
Wednesday, Nijhawan teed it up with Lewis on the 18th tee box in a demonstration on media day.
“It was so incredible,” Nijhawan said. “I’ve looked up to her since 2nd grade, and to have this opportunity to not only meet her, but to play with her was special.”
Lewis was also excited to play with Nijhawan, and she gifted the young golfer with autographed flags from her British Open victory and from the USA Women’s team of the Solheim Cup—of which Lewis is the captain.
“To just see that I made the impact, showing her that she can work her way out here one day is really cool to see,” Lewis said.