Houston — Nelly Korda opened the Chevron Championship with a 7-under 65 on Thursday Korea time, using a par 72 layout at Memorial Park Golf Course to take the sole lead by two strokes in the first round of the LPGA Tour's first major of the season.
Korda finished with seven birdies and no bogeys, and four of those birdies came on the par-5 holes. The result matched what the course setup had suggested before play: Memorial Park has five par-5 holes and five par-3 holes, a shape that puts a premium on length and scoring chances.
The lead mattered because Korda arrived with the kind of power that can turn that setup into an edge. She ranked fifth in driving distance this year at 287.20 yards, and on Thursday she made that advantage count while others had to chase her score across a course that rewards aggressive play.
Patty Tavatanakit was the closest pursuer, shooting a 5-under 67 to sit tied for second after the opening round. She carded five birdies without a bogey and shaved three strokes off on par-5 holes, a strong start that kept her within reach of Korda despite ranking 32nd in driving distance this year at 276.43 yards.
The contrast with 2021 underscored how much the long game still shapes this event. Tavatanakit ranked eighth in driving distance that year, and the first round in Houston again showed that the players who can carry the ball farther are the ones best placed to attack Memorial Park.
Ina Yoon's reporting lens is clear in the numbers: the course asked for power, and Korda answered first. The question now is whether anyone in the field can keep pace if Memorial Park continues to reward the longest hitters over the rest of the week.
