We have reached the first major championship of the year, the Chevron Championship. This will be the third time it is played at The Club at Carlton Woods near Houston, after being played at Mission Hills in the Palm Springs area. Here are the five players most likely to win The Chevron Championship:
No. 5 – Haeran Ryu – Haeran Ryu was in fantastic position at the 2024 Chevron Championship, taking a solo lead into the final round. The young player was paired with modern greats Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda and really had trouble closing, an issue she faced a lot in 2024. Now, she has more experience under her belt and won for the second time on tour late last season. She hasn’t been at the same level in 2025, but this is a good chance to get back on track.
No. 4 – Angel Yin – Angel Yin has been at her best since her return from injury last season. She already has five top-20 finishes and a win in 2025, and when she is performing well, there is no weakness to her game. She should feel a lot of confidence heading into this Chevron Championship, as she took Lilia Vu to a playoff in 2023, showing how well she can perform on this course.
No. 3 – Jeeno Thitikul – Jeeno Thitikul may very well be a major championship, if not for a lengthy weather delay and postponement in 2024. She was the leader heading into the second round, but her game stalled in a major way after the delays. Now, she enters as the No. 2 ranked player in the world, one that is almost a guaranteed top 10 finish. In six events, her worst finish is T12.
No. 2 – Lauren Coughlin – After getting so much attention in 2024 for her breakout season, it seems the discussion around Coughlin’s game has been a bit muted this year. There’s no reason for it to be, she has three top-10 finishes and has risen to No. 8 in the world rankings. Coughlin has been particularly great recently, with top-three finishes in the last two events. Her fantastic season really got started here in 2024, finishing in third place, and she enters in 2025 with a lot more confidence and winning experience.
No. 1 – Nelly Korda – While it may seem like Korda has had a disappointing start to 2025, that really is only because of the likely unattainable expectations. She has two top-10 finishes and has been right in the middle of the competition heading into Sunday every stroke play event. This is a good chance to get back in the winner’s circle at a course she clearly loves. She won here in 2024 and may have won here in 2023 if not for an ice cold putter. Dating back to the days at Mission Hills, she has finished top three in her last four appearances at this event.
