How Do The First Majors in Golf Compare?

Two down, seven to go. The first two majors of the golf year are complete, with drastically different outcomes. For one champion, we watched him earn his dream deferred. The other, took down four opponents in a bizarre five-player playoff. The Masters, which is truly in a league of its own, the creme de la creme of golf tournaments. What Formula 1 has in the Monaco Grand Prix, is what we have with the Masters and Augusta National. It’s the gold standard, the blueprint, to how our game should operate. So, how does the Chevron Championship, a tournament that's in its infancy under new guidance at a new venue, compare?

But first, let’s set some ground rules for what constitutes a “major”. If you type in what makes a major a major into Google this is what pops up: “in professional golf, a major is primarily defined by its prestige, history, and the quality of competition it features.”

We’ll take it a step further and add venue, fan and media participation into the mix as well. A major tournament is only as big as the place it's held and if we, the people, are bought in.

Though men’s and women’s majors can be like apples and oranges and difficult to compare, our rubric remains steadfast. For arguments sake, and on the basis of our rubric, the Masters will be our grading standard and key. It’s everything a major should be. That said, let’s break down what the LPGA/Chevron did well and what needs to be done to take it to the next level.

It’s important to note that it takes time for a major to develop its sea legs. We’re on the 88th edition of the Masters, so obviously it has time on its side for traditions and prestige to settle in. As for the Chevron Championship, it became a major in 1983 under the name the Nabisco Dinah Shore. But the tournament history actually dates back to 1972, when actress and singer Dinah Shore and the CEO of Palmolive David Foster took the lead on establishing a women’s golf tournament outside of Palm Springs, California.

From left to right: Mickey Wright, Dinah Shore, and David Foster (Image from Getty).

At its inception, Chevron followed the recipe. They found a beautiful, yet skillfully challenging course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Ca. A green oasis that sits in the heart of the desert. They had a big name (Shore) attached to the tournament to help pull in patron attraction, creating spectacle. And they had financial backing of a major company, together a perfect recipe for pulling in the best players to compete in the field.

With Shore’s celebrity and connections, the event grew. From her dinner parties to the pro-ams, over the years, folks knew to come back to Palm Springs each spring for a premier event. It was a constant in the women’s game. Fans and players alike were bought in, and little customs began to form (i.e. players leaping into Poppie’s Pond signifying victory). Shore’s legacy was riddled all over the place. No matter the presenting sponsor name, it was still “Dinah’s place” and folks would return just to feel her presence. It all boils down to the concept of giving people a reason to care. People will show, they just need a little nudge.

Despite the adoration for the event and its developing history, part of growing prestige is maintaining a reputation that feels immovable. So seven years ago, when the first iteration of the Augusta National Women's Amateur was being announced, and it had conflicting dates with Chevron, someone had to bow out—and it wasn't going to be Augusta National. That's how revered that place is.

For years, Chevron was the first major on the schedule. It didn't have the Augusta cloud looming over it—but when the partnership of Chevron was introduced in the fall of 2021, proposing a solution to the ANWA problem, TV times, and bringing in more cash flow—that’s not exactly a conversation you ignore or turn down.

The women’s game has also long been under-funded, and under-presented. From a business standpoint, I can understand the move from California's Mission Hills to The Woodlands in Texas. As a golf fan? It was hard to get on board. I knew what to expect at Dinah’s Place. Certain holes stood out. I could recount specific shots—much like watching the Masters—you know when a player has placed themselves into a good spot to seal the deal, or cost themselves the championship.

The Club at Carlton Woods, despite being a formidable Jack Nicklaus designed course, just doesn't have the juice. It's dauntingly long. It poses its challenges—but it's not fan-friendly. The course is far too spread out. Spectators are forced to choose between committing to the long haul and following a group all day, or posting up between the hospitality zones near the ninth and 18th holes.

Watching it on TV, you get a bit lost at what whole they're even on—it's redundant, and honestly drags a bit. To it's credit, the 18th hole—is a great finishing hole. With a big ole tree that's in play off the tee, players have to place their ball in the perfect spot to finish low. There's water to the left, and you'll be rewarded if you go for it. The grandstand backboard is definitely something that needs to be re-worked, but every golf fan can appreciate a finishing par 5.

While time and tradition aren't necessarily controllable, the venue is, and this one is a pain point. Chevron's headquarters are in Houston, so I can understand the desire to be close to home. But between the course layout, and the weather forecast (which was a major storyline last week)—it may be worth reconsidering a location change. The answer doesn't rest solely on going back to Mission Hills, but a discussion should be considered.

Nevertheless, it’s clear that Chevron is adding in monetary support and manpower. In case you missed it, the social and content team for Chevron was up there with the Masters. They invested in it, and it was obvious. From live leaderboard updates and highlights to creating cinematic storytelling to emphasize on the moment—it was well executed. I even turned on my post notifications just to stay up to date.

They're pulling inspiration from the Masters and honing in on little details—like promoting the champions dinner. Something that started at Mission Hills but has really elevated over the last two years or so. They teased Nelly Korda’s menu creating social buzz much like the Masters menu each year.

Glenn Weckerlin, the executive director of the Chevron Championship, told Golfweek "I mean, to be fair, I look at a lot of what the Masters did over the years. The traditions they have today didn't exist in year one, and I'll guarantee you they didn't know what they were going to make. And so, they continue to grow things."

Chevron and Weckerlin are attempting to bridge the gap between new and old. Among the newest traditions? Handmade boots for all winners (umm...slay), and something Weckerlin told Golfweek, "makes more sense in Texas than it would have in California."

We can appreciate the art of trying, and give two snaps for the boot idea!

As the title sponsor, Chevron has it's work cut out for them. From a tour and organization perspective, the LPGA must (and quickly) identify some more stars/personalities on LPGA and amplify. (The same goes for the bigger names, we need to see more of their personalities.)

This was a final round where no major stars were really in the mix besides one (Lexi Thompson) and she quickly fell out of contention. It was a prime opportunity for the media to find some context and give people someone to root for. The fact that it was a zillion player playoff and that didn't stop the presses whatsoever, sucks. It was a five-way playoff, for the record.

How do we do better?

Let's go back in time for a moment. Remember that partnership with tennis star Naomi Osaka’s media company Hana Kuma? A partnership between the tour and the company was mentioned at the tale end of 2023, and then we never heard about it again. What happened? Can we bring that conversation back?

If not, is there another media or production company that can help bolster the stories of these women? Not in a coverage perspective, but in a way to help them grow personal branding, find ways to market themselves and get fans to buy into them as the world-class athletes they are but also who they are as people.

Apparel company Rhone has stepped up to bridge the gap in apparel sponsorships on the LPGA Tour, we need more brands like this to step up and to for the greater good in the women's game. The women's game has seen exponential growth at the ground level in the last few years and it's time those gains are shown at the professional level as well.

This past week at Chevron, we saw glimpses. We had fun little moments with Nelly and her Legos.

Lexi Thompson and her brother Curtis kept it light.

But I want to hear more from the rookies! How are they adjusting to LPGA life? Are there any bestie duos that would do a fun YouTube series? Why haven’t we given Jeeno Thitikul and Ronni (Ruoning) Yin a camera crew to capture their dazzling friendship on tour (think Kim and Kourtney take Miami vibes)? Give the people what they want, and that’s an opportunity to connect with our favorite players!

Getty Images

Once again, we circle back to the idea of giving people a reason to care. The women's golf product has always been elite. These are wildly talented athletes, but we just don't know enough about them and enough of them to commit to following them week end and week out.

Chances are, casual fans are going to tune into the majors at best, so make it worth their while. Exaggerate the majors—especially the first one—and poor in your all. Do the heavy lifting and create a demand. There's no right answer, but there are certainly things that do not and have not worked.

Chevron was fine, but it could be so much more, and the fans want more! The desire is there and so is the blueprint, now you have to execute.