Major Mishaps: Why Even the Best Golfers Miss Cuts
So, Nelly Korda’s on fire. Six-shot lead. Blazing through the Chevron Championship like it’s nothing. Good for her, right? But while the big names are battling it out, some of the biggest names you’d expect to see on Saturday and Sunday? They’re packing their bags. Yeah, you heard me. Gone. Done. Missed the cut. And not just any golfers, we’re talking about the absolute cream of the crop. This isn’t some Tuesday scramble; this is a major. And sometimes, even the best choke. Or just have a really, really bad couple of days.
The Shocking Exit of World No. 1
Let’s talk about Jeeno Thitikul. World Number One. You’d think she’d be right there, contending. Nope. She’s heading home. Missed the cut by one shot, shooting 74-74. Three over par. For the top player in the world, that’s… well, it’s not ideal, is it? Especially when you’re still chasing that elusive first major. She’s been asked about it, you know, the whole “when are you going to win a major?” thing. And she laughs it off, says it’s just another challenge. But you can bet your bottom dollar it’s gnawing at her. The first major is always the hardest, she said. Yeah, no kidding. This is a tough sport, and sometimes it just doesn’t go your way, no matter how good you are.
What’s really surprising here? Thitikul is the top-ranked player. She’s already won this year, back in Thailand. And get this, she’d never missed the cut at this event before. Five previous tries, all good. But this year? New course, Memorial Park. Maybe that threw her off? Or maybe it’s just one of those things. Golf’s a fickle beast. One minute you’re on top of the world, the next you’re watching the weekend action from the couch. It’s a brutal reminder that nobody is invincible out there. Not even the undisputed No. 1.
Other Big Names Sent Packing
Thitikul wasn’t the only big name to have a rough go. It was a bad day for a lot of people who are usually in contention. Take the three-time major champion. She shot 72-75, also finishing at 3 over. What happened? She made four bogeys in a seven-hole stretch on Friday. Just couldn’t stop the bleeding. She fought back on the back nine, but it wasn’t enough. You miss a few fairways, you miss a few greens, you three-putt once or twice, and suddenly you’re on the wrong side of the cut line. It happens faster than you think.
Then there’s the young Stanford star. Now, her missing the cut isn’t *that* surprising, considering she just finished her degree and is transitioning back to full-time pro golf. That’s a big adjustment. But still, you expect more from someone who’s had such a meteoric rise. Seeing her miss the cut at the first major of the year? Disappointing. Her next step? Trying to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open. A chance to regroup and get back on track. Let’s hope she does.
Struggles Off the Tee and the Flatstick
We saw some real struggles out there. Take the past three Chevron Championship winners. They were all grouped together, and one of them got absolutely smoked. Korda beat her by 23 shots. Twenty-three! That’s not a typo. This player has been having a rough time ever since her incredible 2023 season where she won two majors. The report says she’s still struggling off the tee. That’s a killer. If you can’t hit fairways, you’re constantly punching out, taking penalty drops, and making pars feel like birdies. It’s a tough way to play golf, especially under major pressure.
And what about the No. 1 amateur in the world? She was actually near the top of the leaderboard after her first round. Looking good. Got it down to 1 under. Still in the mix. But then Friday afternoon rolled around. Seven greens hit. Struggling with the putter. Ended up at 5 over. Ouch. This player is clearly destined for big things, but this weekend in Houston? Not her time. It’s a harsh lesson, but sometimes the flatstick just doesn’t cooperate when you need it most. You can hit it pure all day, but if the ball won’t go in the hole, you’re going home early.
The Mental Game and Course Management
It’s easy to point fingers at equipment or technique, but let’s be real: golf is a head game. When you’re feeling the pressure, especially at a major, small mistakes can snowball. Making a bogey on 15, another on 16, suddenly you’re thinking about the cut line instead of the next shot. That’s when things unravel. You start pressing, trying to force birdies, and that’s usually when more mistakes happen. It’s a vicious cycle.
Course management is huge too. Hitting it into the wrong part of the fairway, missing greens on the wrong side, leaving yourself impossible up-and-downs. It all adds up. For some of these players, it looked like they were just trying to survive rather than play their game. That kind of mindset can be deadly on a challenging course like Memorial Park. You need to be aggressive when you can, conservative when you need to, and execute your shots. When that breaks down, you see these surprising missed cuts.
What it Means for the Rest of Their Season
Missing a major cut isn’t just about that one tournament. It can have a ripple effect. For players like Thitikul, it’s a public reminder that the major monkey is still on her back. She’ll have to deal with the questions, the doubts, and the pressure all over again. It’s a test of character as much as a test of skill.
For the younger players, like the Stanford grad or the No. 1 amateur, it’s a learning experience. A tough one, sure, but valuable. They get to see firsthand what it takes to compete at this level, where the margins are so thin. They’ll go back, analyze their game, work on their weaknesses, and come back stronger. Hopefully. That’s the hope, anyway.
It also shows how competitive the women’s game is right now. You’ve got Korda playing lights out, but there are so many other talented players who are capable of winning on any given week. This depth of talent is fantastic for the sport, but it also means that even a slight dip in form, a couple of bad breaks, or just an off-day can send you packing. It keeps things interesting, that’s for sure. You never know who’s going to step up and who’s going to falter.
The Unpredictability of Professional Golf
This whole situation is a stark reminder of the inherent unpredictability of professional golf. You can be the best player in the world, have a fantastic track record, and still find yourself on the outside looking in. It’s what makes the sport so compelling, and at times, so frustrating. There are no guarantees. No matter how much talent you have, you still have to go out there and execute, day in and day out.
We saw players struggling with their approach shots. Hitting just 15 out of 36 greens for one player. Another hit only 16 greens and needed 59 putts. That’s a recipe for disaster. You can’t score if you’re not hitting greens and you’re not making putts. It’s basic math, really. And when you combine that with the pressure of a major championship, it’s a recipe for a missed cut.
Even players who have been playing well, like Chizzy Iwai, who finished tied for seventh the week before, can struggle. She was in contention last week, but this week, it was the approach game that let her down. It’s a constant battle. You’re never truly “on” every single week. There are always little things that creep in, little adjustments you need to make. And if you don’t make them, or if the course just doesn’t suit you on that particular day, well, you end up like these players. Heading home early.
It’s a tough lesson for everyone involved. But for the fans? It’s a reminder that even the best can have an off day. And that’s okay. It makes the victories that much sweeter, and it keeps us all on the edge of our seats, wondering who’s going to be hoisting the trophy come Sunday. You can find more about the LPGA Tour’s major championships and player performance on the official LPGA Tour website.