11 surprising players who missed the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open

The third women’s major championship of the year has featured tough scoring at Pebble Beach Golf Links, which is hosting the U.S. Women’s Open for the first time.

In true U.S. Open fashion, there are only six players under par at the halfway point. Bailey Tardy occupies the top spot on the leaderboard at seven under par, with only two other players within two shots of her lead.

To make the cut, players needed a 36-hole total of six over par or better.

As always, there were a few surprising players whose U.S. Open bid didn’t go as planned. Check out our list of the notable names who missed the cut below.

Anna Nordqvist (+7)

The three-time major winner came oh-so-close to making the weekend, missing the cut by a single shot with rounds of 78-73. The performance is especially surprising, given Nordqvist recently finished T3 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and was T6 at the U.S. Women’s Open last year.

Danielle Kang (+7)

Kang made the cut in her last four major championship appearances, but the streak ended at Pebble when she signed for a second round of 78.

Jin Young Ko (+7)

The two-time major champion and former World No. 1 has displayed consistent excellence at the majors, with eight top-10 finishes since 2015, in addition to her two wins. This week marks only her fourth missed cut ever at a major, and first ever at a U.S. Women’s Open.

Jennifer Kupcho (+9)

With three victories in 2022, hopes were high for Kupcho to add to her resume with a second major championship. But rounds of 76-77 derailed her ambitions this week. Kupcho has unfortunately missed the cut in all three majors this year.

Lexi Thompson (+9)

It’s hard to believe that Thompson played her 17th U.S. Women’s Open this week. But the 28-year-old has been struggling to regain her major-contending form of late, and she exited Pebble with rounds of 74-79.

Ariya Jutanugarn (+10)

It’s always a surprise when a former U.S. Open champ misses the cut at a major, and Jutanugarn is no exception. The former World No. 1 fired rounds of 76-78, and this week marks her second year in a row of missing the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open.

S.H. Park (+12)

The former World No. 1 and seven-time LPGA winner (including two majors) has been enduring a lengthy slump since finishing T12 or better in four of the season’s five majors in 2019. After this week’s opening rounds of 79-77, she’s unfortunately still searching for a spark.

Maria Fassi (+13)

Fassi cemented herself as a rising star in the women’s game with her epic battle against Jennifer Kupcho at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019. But after rounds of 81-76, she’ll be looking to regroup for the remainder of the season.

Hinako Shibuno (+14)

The “smiling Cinderella” won the hearts of golf fans everywhere with her stirring victory at the 2019 Women’s British Open. But the U.S. Women’s Open marks her second consecutive missed cut at the majors, after she also failed to make the weekend at the Women’s KPMG PGA Championship.

Michelle Wie West (+14)

Though Wie West stopped playing a full schedule years ago, fans still held out hope that she could perhaps summon some old magic for her last hurrah at the U.S. Women’s Open. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Luckily, Wie West is still heavily involved in the game, so she won’t be disappearing for good.

Annika Sorenstam (+15)

Sorenstam punched her ticket to this year’s U.S. Women’s Open with a special exemption from the USGA, and it’s much deserved. The World Golf Hall of Famer has three U.S. Women’s Open titles on her resume, and it’s fitting to have her in the field at Pebble Beach. At 52, she was the oldest player competing, but a first-round 80 gave her an uphill battle on Friday that she couldn’t overcome.

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