Nelly Korda etched her name in the history books at the 2026 Chevron Championship. She became just the seventh American female golfer to win three majors before turning 28. Korda dominated Memorial Park Golf Course, hosting the Chevron Championship for the first time, since day one. Eventually, she won by a whopping six shots ahead of Ruoning Yin and Patty Tavatanakit.
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As a winner, she will pocket $1,350,000, thanks to title sponsor Chevron’s increase in purse size. This year’s tournament boasted a $9 million purse, which is $1 million more than last year and almost $6 million more than when Chevron U.S.A. Inc. became the title sponsor in 2022. Players who miss the cut still receive a $10,000 stipend, making it one of the most player-friendly policies on tour. Prize money is paid out to 65 positions, with second place earning $848,931 and 10th place getting $188,239.
In addition to the prize money, the winner earns 650 Race to CME Globe points, a five-year LPGA Tour exemption, and automatic spots in future majors. Here is the complete 2026 Chevron Championship prize money breakdown:
| Position | Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,350,000 |
| 2 | $848,931 |
| 3 | $615,837 |
| 4 | $476,398 |
| 5 | $383,446 |
| 6 | $313,730 |
| 7 | $262,605 |
| 8 | $230,071 |
| 9 | $206,830 |
| 10 | $188,239 |
| 11 | $174,291 |
| 12 | $162,669 |
| 13 | $152,445 |
| 14 | $143,151 |
| 15 | $134,784 |
| 16 | $127,347 |
| 17 | $120,847 |
| 18 | $115,267 |
| 19 | $110,618 |
| 20 | $106,899 |
| 21 | $103,186 |
| 22 | $99,463 |
| 23 | $95,750 |
| 24 | $92,026 |
| 25 | $88,776 |
| 26 | $85,526 |
| 27 | $82,265 |
| 28 | $79,010 |
| 29 | $75,759 |
| 30 | $72,972 |
| 31 | $70,179 |
| 32 | $67,392 |
| 33 | $64,605 |
| 34 | $61,812 |
| 35 | $59,493 |
| 36 | $57,168 |
| 37 | $54,849 |
| 38 | $52,519 |
| 39 | $50,194 |
| 40 | $48,338 |
| 41 | $46,481 |
| 42 | $44,625 |
| 43 | $42,758 |
| 44 | $40,901 |
| 45 | $39,507 |
| 46 | $38,109 |
| 47 | $36,715 |
| 48 | $35,321 |
| 49 | $33,927 |
| 50 | $32,534 |
| 51 | $31,608 |
| 52 | $30,677 |
| 53 | $29,741 |
| 54 | $28,821 |
| 55 | $27,885 |
| 56 | $26,954 |
| 57 | $26,028 |
| 58 | $25,097 |
| 59 | $24,171 |
| 60 | $23,241 |
| 61 | $22,778 |
| 62 | $22,305 |
| 63 | $21,847 |
| 64 | $21,384 |
| 65 | $20,911 |
Nelly Korda came to Houston in 2026 with one thing missing: a major win. She already had a title from the weather-shortened Tournament of Champions and three straight second-place finishes at the Aramco Championship, Ford Championship, and Fortinet Founders Cup. With $1,350,000 up for grabs at the Chevron Championship, the real question isn’t if Korda deserved to lead, but if she could finally hold on through Sunday.
After four rounds at Memorial Park, she has made her answer clear. She shot 65-65 at Memorial Park, setting a new record for the lowest 36-hole score in Chevron Championship history and marking her best halfway total in a major. She made only one bogey in 36 holes. That lead ballooned to six by the 72nd hole as she drained the final putt.
“That was a hard weekend,” the 27-year-old said. “Honestly, having that big of a lead, it’s not easy. It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to do mentally. … Just happy to get it done.”
Before play began, the betting market had already made its decision. Korda stood out as the clear favorite at +500. She became just the third player since 1980 to start a season with four or more top-two finishes, a list that includes Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam. Both Webb and Sorenstam went on to win the first major in those years.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, with eight career wins and the current LPGA Player of the Year title, entered at +1200 but failed to make the cut after rounds of 74 and 73. Hannah Green, at +1600, arrived in Houston with four recent wins, including the HSBC Women’s World Championship and the Women’s Australian Open.
Lydia Ko and Minjee Lee enter every major with more than just odds on their side. Ko, already a three-time major winner, still needs the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship or the U.S. Women’s Open to complete her career Grand Slam. Lee, with major titles at the Evian, U.S. Women’s Open, and Women’s PGA, is chasing either the Chevron or the AIG Women’s Open to complete her set. Both failed to make the cut in Houston. Meanwhile, Korda arrived at the Chevron Championship without a finish worse than second in her previous four starts.
Korda’s consistency puts her in rare company. Since 1980, only Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam have started a season with four or more finishes of first or second. In contrast, Thitikul entered Houston with recent results of T31, T14, T50, and T17 in her last four events.
“I think there is a power in knowing it’s okay to make a mistake and just bounce back.”