Nelly Korda's AJGA invitational adds Chevron as sponsor, will award LPGA major exemption
Nelly Korda's AJGA invitational adds Chevron as sponsor, will award LPGA major exemption
Nelly Korda's not playing this week in Singapore, but she's still making history. The world No. 1's junior event, The Nelly Invitational, will offer something no other AJGA ever has – direct entry into a major championship.
With the announcement of Chevron as the new presenting sponsor comes a special exemption to the winner of The Nelly into the LPGA's first major of the season, the Chevron Championship. The second edition of The Nelly will take place at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida, from May 1-4, and which means this year's champion will be exempt into the 2026 Chevron. Korda, of course, won the 2024 Chevron Championship for her second career major title.
While The Nelly is already an AJGA invitational, the field will be strengthened even more in 2025 with invitations to the top-10 eligible international players that may not be AJGA members and/or didn't previously qualify for the event through the Rolex AJGA Rankings. Those players will be selected off the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
And to ensure no player is left behind due to financial barriers, Chevron will offer $2,000 travel stipends for entry fees, flights, hotels and rental cars, the highest stipends in AJGA history for a stroke-play event. International players will receive an additional $500.
Chevron signed on for a three-year commitment.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Chevron to The Nelly Invitational," Korda said in a release. "With their support, we're creating an event that not only brings together some of the best girls from around the world but also provides a platform to inspire and empower the next generation. Chevron's investment helps us build on last year's success and take this event even further."
The Chevron, previously known as the Dinah Shore, has a long history of inviting top amateurs. In 2014, there were 10 amateurs in the field. Jasmine Koo won low amateur honors last year after she hit the floating logo on the 18th hole and bounced onto dry land, managing to close with birdie.
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