England’s rising star Mimi Rhodes has positioned herself as a serious contender at the Chevron Championship, even as world No. 2 Nelly Korda seized control of the tournament, the first women’s major of the 2026 season. Korda’s flawless round of 65, seven under par and free of any bogeys, marked her best opening performance at a major in four years and placed her two strokes ahead of Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit and South Korea’s Somi Lee. Amateur Farah O’Keefe, playing out of the United States, was part of a four‑way tie for fourth place after carding an opening 68.
Meanwhile, LPGA rookie Mimi Rhodes, making her debut at the Chevron, posted a respectable 69, which landed her in a ten‑player tie for eighth. Rhodes reflected on her preparation, saying, “I felt ready. Arriving on Sunday gave me the chance to walk the course a bit more and get a feel for it.
I was comfortable with my bearings and had done as much preparation as possible, so I could commit to my shots with confidence.” Rhodes also drew on the confidence she gained at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, where she finished six under par and tied for 10th. She explained that the invitation to that event, which had no cut, allowed her to play with a freer mindset: “When there’s no cut you can relax and play your natural game.
I’ve taken that mental freedom and applied it here, especially in the first round when confidence and commitment are key.” Looking ahead, Rhodes emphasized her strategy for the remaining three majors of the year. “I try to strip away the pressure,” she said.
“If I trust my swing, commit to each shot, and don’t obsess over the leaderboard, I usually produce my best golf. This is the first major of the season, and there are three more to go, so I’m aiming to stay relaxed and not over‑think it.” In contrast, fellow Englishwoman and world No.
4 Charley Hull opened her campaign with a level‑par 72, leaving her five strokes behind the leader and tied for 26th after round one. Hull, who was runner‑up at the Chevron in 2016, is still chasing her inaugural major title after missing the cut in Texas the previous year. She posted a clean front nine of 35, highlighted by a birdie on the third hole, but three bogeys on the back nine kept her from climbing higher on the leaderboard. Patty Tavatanakit delivered a bogey‑free round, tallying five birdies in her first 18 holes, while Somi Lee recorded six birdies before a late‑round stumble cost her a shot.
China’s Yan Liu also featured early, posting a four‑under 68 and briefly joining the leaders before Rhodes settled into a three‑under group. Rhodes’ round began aggressively, with two birdies in her first three holes.
A setback arrived on the fourth hole, where she made a bogey‑five, but she quickly recovered, adding three more birdies to reach the turn in 32 strokes. The only blemish on her back nine was a solitary bogey at the 11th, leaving her round at 69. Beyond the on‑course action, the tournament is set against a broader backdrop of the 2026 LPGA and Ladies European Tour schedules, with fans able to stream coverage via NOW, follow Sky Sports on WhatsApp for updates, or tune into the Sky Sports Golf Podcast for deeper analysis. Defending champion Mao Saigo, who clinched the 2025 title in a dramatic playoff, returns to defend her crown, adding another layer of intrigue to the competition.
As the second round approaches, Sky Sports will continue live coverage from Friday at 4 p.m. on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event, with streaming options available without a contract. Golf enthusiasts can also explore booking tee times at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland through the platform’s search tool, although recent attempts to locate specific courses returned no results. In summary, while Korda’s dominant start places her firmly in the lead, Rhodes’ confident debut and Hull’s steady, if unspectacular, play illustrate the depth of talent vying for the Chevron Championship.
The tournament promises further excitement as the field navigates the challenging Houston layout, and fans can look forward to seeing whether Rhodes can maintain her momentum, whether Hull can find a breakthrough round, and if Korda can convert her early advantage into a major victory.