Charley Hull missed the cut with rounds of 73 and 75.
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BETHESDA, Md. — Conditions at Congressional Country Club were considerably easier on Friday, but that doesn’t mean it was smooth sailing for everyone on the course. The low score of Round 2 was just 67, and four players didn’t even break 80, showing that there were still plenty of big numbers lurking.
For most of the players that carded the big numbers, a trunk-slamming Friday was in store as they missed the cut, which came at three over. The field was trimmed from 156 to 72 after 36 holes, but of the 84 players who missed the cut, there are a few names that stick out among the rest.
Below are six big-name players who won’t get to play the weekend at the KPMG Women’s PGA.
6 big names who missed the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA
Charley Hull
What she shot: 75-73 (+4)
What went wrong: Hull struggled on the par 5s at Congressional, and it ended up costing her. The 26-year-old carded four bogeys on eight par 5s, and was only able to make one birdie. Making a mess of the scoring holes is never going to work out well.
Are we surprised? Yes. Hull had been a consistent presence on the weekend this season, missing just one cut in nine starts, so a weekend without her will be a strange one.
Maria Fassi
What she shot: 77-72 (+5)
What went wrong: Fassi caught the wrong end of the draw, playing in the brutal morning wave on Thursday, and it ended up costing her. A five-over opening round in tough conditions put her behind the eight ball, and she couldn’t dig out of the hole on Friday.
Are we surprised? No. Fassi has missed more cuts in majors (eight) than she’s made (five) in her career. After a fabulous amateur career, she hasn’t quite been able to replicate that success at the next level. This week was just another data point to that end.
Jeongeun Lee6
What she shot: 78-71 (+5)
What went wrong: Another casualty of the draw. Lee6, like Fassi, played in tough conditions Thursday morning and dug herself into a hole that was too deep to get out of on Friday.
Are we surprised? Not necessarily. Although Lee6 is a major winner, she hasn’t played her best golf over the past few months. Her last top 10 came in February, and her best finish since was a T17 at a 54-hole event a couple weeks back. Sometimes you just don’t have your best stuff.
Cristie Kerr
What she shot: 80-71 (+7)
What went wrong: Did I mention the draw being a factor? Kerr was another player who was forced to contend with poor weather on Thursday, and a smooth 80 in the rain assured her of a quick exit.
Are we surprised? No. Kerr might be a major winner, but her best golf is behind her. Her last top 10 in a major came five years ago, and her last major victory was over a decade back. The 44-year-old just struggles to keep up with the younger generation.
Sophia Popov
What she shot: 81-71 (+8)
What went wrong: Popov just couldn’t keep big numbers off the card. She made nine birdies over 36 holes, but she also made nine bogeys and four doubles. That just won’t cut it in a major.
Are we surprised? No. Popov had already missed seven cuts this season, so another missed weekend is nothing out of the ordinary.
Lizette Salas
What she shot: 80-72 (+8)
What went wrong: Congressional proved to be just too much course for Salas. As one of the shortest hitters on Tour, conquering a 6,800-yard behemoth like Congressional was always going to be a tall task.
Are we surprised? Yes — if only because of her past success at the KPMG Women’s PGA. She went toe-to-toe with Nelly Korda at Atlanta Athletic Club last summer, proving she had the mettle to compete with the best in the world. However, replicating that magical week wasn’t in the cards in D.C.
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