England’s rising star Mimi Rhodes put herself in the mix at the Chevron Championship, while world No. 2 Nelly Korda seized the early advantage in 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 score at a major in four years and placed her two strokes clear of Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit and South Korea’s Somi Lee.
Amateur Farah O'Keefe, representing the United States, posted a solid 68 to share a four‑way tie for fourth place. Meanwhile, LPGA rookie Rhodes, playing her first major, recorded a 69 that left her in a ten‑player tie for eighth. "I think I felt ready," Rhodes said after her round. "Getting here on Sunday was probably a benefit to me that I was able to see the course a bit more and just be on site a bit more.
I feel a bit more comfortable getting my bearings around. I did as much prep as I could and, yeah, felt comfortable coming into this round. So, it was just about committing and being confident out there, which I think I did." Rhodes reflected on the confidence she gained from her performance at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, where she finished six under par and tied for 10th. "It was quite different mentally because I had an invite and there was no cut, so I could play more freely," she explained.
She added that she had learned to strip away excess emotion: "I tend to play well in the first round if I’m confident in myself, if I’m committing to shots, if I’m not worried about the cut line. That’s what I came here to do – play relaxed golf, enjoy the first major of the year and not put too much pressure on myself. There are four more majors to go." Charley Hull, Rhodes’s compatriot and world No.
4, began her quest for a maiden major title with a level‑par 72, leaving her five strokes behind Korda and tied for 26th after the opening round. Hull’s front nine was flawless, a tidy 35 that included a birdie on the third hole, but she stumbled after the turn, recording three bogeys before finishing strongly with two birdies in the closing three holes. Tavatanakit delivered a bogey‑free round, carding five birdies in her first 18 holes, while Lee managed six birdies before a late‑day slip on the final hole.
China’s Yan Liu, after a four‑under 68, briefly joined the early leaders before Rhodes settled into a group tied at three under. Rhodes’s round started explosively with two birdies in her first three holes, but a bogey on the fourth hole slowed her momentum. She rebounded with three more birdies to reach the turn in 32 strokes, and the only blemish on her back nine was a solitary bogey at the 11th. Hull, by contrast, kept her front nine pristine but could not maintain that level, yet she managed to claw back with two late‑day birdies.
Hull, who was runner‑up at the Chevron in 2016, continues to chase her first major victory after missing the cut in Texas the previous year. Defending champion Mao Saigo entered the tournament after a dramatic playoff win in 2025, adding further intrigue to the field. The Chevron Championship will continue to unfold over the next week, with live coverage on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event beginning at 4 pm on Friday for the second round.
Fans can also stream the event without a contract through the network’s online platform. Beyond the tournament, golfers and enthusiasts can take advantage of Sky Sports’ broader golf offerings, including the now‑on‑demand Sky Sports Golf Podcast and the ability to stream additional golf content via NOW. For those looking to play the sport themselves, Sky Sports provides a booking service that offers competitive rates at more than 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland. Users can simply enter a course name, city, or postal code to find available tee times, although occasional searches may return no results if slots are fully booked.
As the competition progresses, the question remains: who will ultimately claim the Chevron Championship crown? With Korda already demonstrating formidable form, Rhodes gaining confidence, and Hull striving to break through, the final rounds promise high drama and compelling storylines for golf fans worldwide.