Jeeno Thitikul Aims for First Major at Chevron Championship

World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul enters the 2026 Chevron Championship seeking her first LPGA major title, viewing the challenge as a natural progression in her career rather than a source of pressure. The 23-year-old Thai star, who captured her eighth LPGA Tour victory at the Honda LPGA Thailand just weeks ago, sees the major championship pursuit as the next step in her development.

Thitikul, competing in her 91st career start and 28th major appearance, draws inspiration from Karrie Webb’s career path, noting that Webb also faced questions about major wins early in her career before breaking through. “Obviously I think it just another challenge of my career,” Thitikul said. “I recognize what I have on like in my belt. Right now at this point of this age, I think I accomplish a lot, but obviously major is the one that I feel like first time always the hardest.”

The Chevron Championship, held at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston from April 23-26, 2026, marks the LPGA’s first major of the season with an $8 million purse. Thitikul joins a strong field including Nelly Korda, Hyo Joo Kim, and Minjee Lee as she continues her pursuit of golf’s most prestigious titles.

Family remains central to Thitikul’s journey, with her grandfather introducing her to the sport despite no prior golf background in her family. Her recent victory in Thailand featured an emotional moment with her grandfather on the course, which she described as “the best moment ever.”

As she prepares for the Chevron Championship, Thitikul focuses on embracing the challenge rather than external expectations, maintaining her approach of loving the process while striving for that elusive first major breakthrough.