Chevron Championship: Nelly Korda surges into lead with England's Mimi Rhodes in contention ahead of Charley Hull

England's Mimi Rhodes put herself in contention at the Chevron Championship as Nelly Korda took control of the first women's major of the year.

World No 2 Korda carded a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 - her best start to a major in four years - in Houston to lead by two from Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit and Korea's Somi Lee.

American amateur Farah O'Keefe was part of a four-way tie for fourth after an opening 68, with LPGA rookie Rhodes shooting a 69 on her tournament debut to be part of a 10-way tie for eighth.

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"I think I felt ready," said Rhodes. "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 mean, I did as much prep as I could and, yeah, felt comfortable coming into this round. So, yeah, was just more about committing and being confident out there, which I thought I did."

Rhodes added that she had taken lessons from her impressive performance at the HSBC Women's World Championship, where she finished six-under in a tie for 10th.

"I feel like it was quite different mentally because I had got an invite into there and there wasn't a cut so you could play more freely," she explained.

"I've kind of taken those emotions out of there because 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.

"So that's what I've come in to do here. You know, first major of the year. There is four more to go, so just play relaxed golf out there and not put too much pressure on myself."

Rhodes' compatriot and world No 4 Charley Hull kicked off her bid for a first major title with a level-par 72.

Hull sat five shots back and in a tie for 26th at the time of finishing her opening round after shooting a level par 72 in the first women's major of 2026.

Tavatanakit was bogey-free with five birdies across her first 18, while Lee shot six birdies before dropping a shot on her final hole of the day.

China's Yan Liu followed the early leading duo on four-under after her round of 68, before Rhodes nestled into a group tied on three-under.

Rhodes came out firing when she managed two birdies in her opening three holes, before being pegged back by a bogey-five at the fourth. She mustered three more birdies to make the turn in 32, before a bogey at the 11th served as the only blemish along her back nine.

Hull was blemish-free across a front nine 35 that included a birdie at the third, but came unstuck by three bogeys after making the turn, albeit improving her situation with two birdies either side of a dropped shot across her final three holes.

Hull, who finished runner-up in 2016, remains in pursuit of her first major and returned to the tournament having missed the cut in Texas this time last year.

Mao Saigo enters the week as defending champion after beating four other plays to clinch a playoff victory in 2025.

Who will win The Chevron Championship? Watch the opening women's major of the 2026 season throughout the next week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the second round begins on Friday from 4pm on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event. Stream The Chevron Championship with no contract.

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