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The LPGA Tour’s first major is here, and its title sponsor has planned to increase its contribution with on-course challenges.
The LPGA is in Houston, Texas this week for its first major championship of the year, the Chevron Championship.
Chevron, the title sponsor, has upped its donation game for 2024. As part of the Houston community for over 100 years, the company has donated over $5 million to community partners in the last two years, per the LPGA.
One of their initiatives this week is the Chevron Challenge held on the par-3 17th. Throughout the four days of play, Chevron will donate $10,000 for each birdie made on 17. If one of the ladies makes an ace, $1 million will be added to the pot.
Chevron invests its charitable donations in community organizations that enable human progress, with focus areas in STEM education, diversity and inclusion, and women’s excellence.
Chevron chose 13 social investment partners to showcase through the Challenge hole. Those 13 partners are the LPGA Foundation, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, National Society of Black Engineers, KPMG Future Leaders Program, Catalyst, Brothers in Arms, Women in Golf Foundation, Cameron Champ Foundation, American Heart Association, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Prairie View A&M University, Donors Choose and Fab Foundation.
Last year, Chevron donated $10,000 per birdie through the first three days of competition. They upped that to $100,000 on Sunday. In 2023, there were 69 birdies on 17. In Gee Chun made the only ace on 17 during Saturday’s round, which added $1 million to the pot.
All told, $2,950,000 was raised for local charities.
The company also made adult ticket prices start at $25 on Seat Geek, and juniors aged 17 and under get in free with an adult.
This week will once again be more than just the competition; it will be a chance to see how much money can be raised for their social partners.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
