Diving into a pool to cool off on a hot day? Perfectly normal. But jumping into a murky pond just for the thrill of it? Not exactly something most people plan. Yet, almost 40 years ago, Amy Alcott did exactly that—leaping into the pond near the 18th green at Mission Hills Country Club. And just like that, a tradition was born.
This legendary celebration, known as the Poppie’s Pond Jump, became a signature moment to celebrate the hard-earned victory at the Chevron Championship. Winning golfers didn’t just take home a trophy—they took the plunge, literally. It was messy, it was spontaneous, and it was the ultimate symbol of victory. But in 2022, when the LPGA left Mission Hills, the tradition came to an end. No more celebratory splashes. No more triumphant leaps into the water. And for Lexi Thompson, that sacred plunge is a moment she wishes she could relive.
“That was always a moment that I’ve always dreamt of growing up and playing golf,” Thompson shared during the episode of The Scoop. “That event held such history and tradition behind it, so it was always something that I hoped to do one day. So to be able to do it and get that win, and to be able to jump into Poppie’s Pond with my family and my parents there, it was incredible. It was like those moments that athletes live for, that all your hard work pays off to live out a dream that you always imagined.”
There have been some crazy jumps into Poppie’s Pond at the @ANAinspiration
Tell us how you would make the leap! pic.twitter.com/xRgfgaFnJ2
— LPGA (@LPGA) April 4, 2021
Thompson earned her jump in 2014 when she claimed the first major victory of her career at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. She outplayed Michelle Wie in the final round, winning by three shots and sealing her place in LPGA Tour history as a major winner.
Of course, not everyone was a fan of the whole “jumping into a pond” thing. Even Alcott herself once laughed about all “the gunk and bacteria” in the water. And as it turns out, this very tradition ended up getting World No. 1 Nelly Korda in some hot water.
Nelly Korda got flak for the same thing Lexi Thompson wants to relive
Yes, the Poppie’s Pond Jump officially ended in 2022 but some traditions are just too fun to let go. Even after the Chevron Championship found a new home at The Club at Carlton Woods, a few players decided to keep the celebratory splash alive.
In 2023, Lilia Vu didn’t hesitate to leap into a nearby pond after her win. And then, in 2024, Nelly Korda took it even further—literally. After securing her second major title and winning her fifth tournament of the season, she celebrated by doing a full-on cannonball into the pond beside No. 18 at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. “I can finally breathe,” Korda said after the tradition. But while she truly enjoyed the dive, not everyone was thrilled about it.
Just the year before, Vu had second thoughts about her jump when she spotted a snake near the 17th-hole pond. “We saw a snake on 17 Pond, so I was kind of thinking about that,” she admitted. Jennifer Kupcho had the same concerns, saying, “I think there might be snakes in the water here, so might be a little interesting.”
So when Korda made her splash, some fans couldn’t help but wonder—why keep this tradition going when it’s not even on the same course anymore? Is it still meaningful, or is it just a weird habit at this point?
Either way, whether it’s nostalgia, superstition, or just the pure joy of celebrating a huge win, the Poppie’s Pond Jump clearly isn’t fading away anytime soon. For players like Lexi Thompson and Nelly Korda, it’s not really about where the jump happens—it’s about why it happens. It’s that once-in-a-lifetime moment of triumph, the feeling of a dream finally coming true. What do you think of this bizarre tradition? Let us know in the comments!
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