California, USA (Reuters) – The Chevron Championship, where the first major winner of the women’s golf season will be crowned on Sunday, is set to miss the tradition of winners celebrating their victory with a leap into Poppies Pond off the 18th green.
This longstanding tradition that was synonymous with the championship has come to an end with the move from its original location at Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs to The Club at Carlton Woods near Houston. However, a small wooden dock has been built into the murky lake that lines the par-five finishing hole at Woodland Hills as a nod to the past, and the traditional robe and slippers will be waiting.
Players, on the other hand, have been non-committal about taking a plunge, with some expressing concerns about the water’s inhabitants. “I’m not really sure,” said defending champion Jennifer Kupcho. “I think there might be snakes in the water here, so it might be a little interesting.”
While building a dock can be quickly done, it takes years to build traditions that are rarely transferable. However, world number one Lydia Ko from New Zealand gave the LPGA and new sponsor Chevron credit for acknowledging the sport’s history and honoring the tournament’s past in some small way.
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