SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey — Some of the biggest names in the women’s game headed home early at Baltusrol. Nelly Korda and Atthaya Thitikul missed the cut by a mile in the first women’s major held over the Lower Course since 1961.
“You hit it a little sideways off the tee and that’s what happens on a golf course like this,” said Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis, who will play the weekend.
“It’s that chipping out and having to constantly be getting up and down from 100 yards, it’s exhausting.”
Lexi Thompson looked poised to miss the weekend as she was outside the top 100 early on Friday, but then came roaring back with four consecutive birdies near the end of her round to sneak in at 4 over. Given how little both Thompson and Korda have played this season, Lewis said she wouldn’t have put any money on them.
Korda took a month off with an injury, and Thompson has played in only five previous LPGA events this season, including the Hanwha International Crown.
“That’s going to be my encouraging words that come later this fall,” said Lewis, “that they play some more tournaments heading into Solheim.”
Here are some of the marquee names who came up short in soggy Springfield:
Nelly Korda of the United States lines up a putt on the 17th green during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club on June 23, 2023, in Springfield, New Jersey. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The World No. 2 only got back to work about a week-and-a-half before showtime and the rust showed. Korda, who was away from the tour for more than a month and recently began working with a new instructor, shot 76-77 over the Lower Course. She hit 17 fairways, 23 greens and took 35 putts each round. She closed with a 40 on her second nine.
It’s Korda’s first missed cut since the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open.
Georgia Hall chips a shot onto the 18th green during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
The English player, currently No. 8 in the world, opened with an abysmal 79 that included two double-bogeys. Hall started out 2023 as one of the hottest players on tour with a couple of runner-up showings in back-to-back events in March. She hit 12 greens in each round at Baltusrol, missing her first cut of the season.
Maja Stark of Team Sweden lines up a putt on the second green during her consolation match in the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown at TPC Harding Park on May 7, 2023, in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Up-and-coming Swedish player made her KPMG Women’s PGA debut this week and struggled out of the gate both rounds of 76. Stark double-bogeyed her first hole of the championship on Thursday and followed it with a bogey. On Friday, she started out bogey-bogey. She hit only six fairways in the first round and 10 in the second.
Jennifer Kupcho plays a shot on the 1st hole during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
After contending at the Meijer LPGA Classic and coming up short in a playoff against Rose Zhang at the Mizuho Americas Open, Kupcho managed only one birdie on Friday to miss the cut in her second consecutive major. The 2022 Chevron winner took 37 putts in her second round, posting a 5-over 76.
Charley Hull of England plays a shot from a bunker on the 13th hole during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club on June 23, 2023, in Springfield, New Jersey. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Hull matched good friend Georgia Hall in carding a dreadful 79 to open the KPMG. She birdied two of her last three holes on Friday to follow it up with a 76. Hull hit 16 fairways over two days and has now missed the cut in her last two major starts.
Atthaya Thitikul plays a shot from the bunker on the 4th hole during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Thai star missed her first cut in a major this week, and it wasn’t close. Thitikul, who had four top-10 finishes in the majors in her five starts, started off her second round with three consecutive bogeys on both the nines. She hit nine fairways in the first round and eight in the second. It’s also her first missed cut on the LPGA since last July at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open.
Marina Alex hits her tee shot on the first hole during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club on June 22, 2023, in Springfield, New Jersey. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America via Getty Images)
Things started great for Alex, who hit the opening tee shot of the event, but went downhill as she finished the opening round with a 73 and then struggled to a 75 in the second round. This week marked her first time playing the Lower Course, even though she grew up 30 minutes away in Wayne.
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