Chevron Championship Cut Surprises: Thitikul, Ko Miss Weekend

There's a particular kind of silence that settles over a golf course when a star player walks off the 18th green knowing the weekend will happen without them. I've witnessed it dozens of times across the world's greatest venues, but it never loses its sting—for the player or for those of us who came to watch them compete.

At Memorial Park in Houston on Friday, that silence descended multiple times as the Chevron Championship delivered one of the most surprising cut days in recent major championship memory.

The World No. 1 Falls Short

Jeeno Thitikul, the best player on the planet by ranking, packed her bags after rounds of 74-73 left her at 3 over par—one shot on the wrong side of the cut line. The Thai star has accomplished remarkable things at her age, but that first major championship continues to elude her in the most painful ways.

"The questions, you have it for every time I lose in a major for sure. Thank you for reminding every week," Thitikul said earlier in the week, laughing but clearly feeling the weight of expectation. "Obviously, I think it's just another challenge of my career. I know what I have under my belt."

What makes this departure particularly striking is Thitikul's consistency in this event—she had never missed the cut in five previous Chevron Championships. But this year marked the tournament's first visit to Memorial Park, and the Houston municipal layout clearly didn't suit her eye. Her search for major glory now shifts to the U.S. Women's Open at Riviera next month.

A Tale of Contrasts

While Thitikul and others were cleaning out their lockers, Nelly Korda was putting on a clinic. The World No. 2 fired a second consecutive 65 to build a six-shot lead entering the weekend. The contrast couldn't have been more stark—one of golf's great rivalries reduced to ships passing in the Texas night.

The grouping of the past three Chevron Championship winners—Korda, Lilia Vu, and the absent Jennifer Kupcho—was meant to be appointment television. Instead, it became a masterclass in how quickly fortunes can shift in this game. Korda beat Vu by a staggering 23 shots over two days, with Vu struggling to rounds of 76-77 to finish at 9 over par.

More Stars Head Home Early

The casualties extended well beyond Thitikul and Vu. Lydia Ko, the three-time major champion who has earned her place among the game's all-time greats, made four bogeys in a brutal seven-hole stretch on Friday, going out in 40. She battled valiantly on her final nine but couldn't manufacture the birdie she needed, finishing at 3 over.

Rose Zhang, the Stanford graduate transitioning back to full-time professional golf after completing her degree, also finished at 3 over after rounds of 73-74. For a player whose star rose so meteorically upon her LPGA arrival, the missed cut stings—but perhaps it's simply part of finding her footing in this next chapter. She'll head to U.S. Women's Open qualifying seeking a spot at Riviera.

Even the amateur ranks weren't spared disappointment. World No. 1 amateur Kiara Romero was near the top of the leaderboard late in her first round before a couple of late bogeys dropped her to 1 under. A second-round 78 sent the Oregon product home at 5 over.

What Memorial Park Revealed

Walking Memorial Park this week, I was struck by how the course separates the confident from the tentative. This isn't a venue that rewards cautious play—it demands commitment and precision in equal measure. The players who thrived were those who trusted their swings completely; those who wavered found the course unforgiving.

For Vu especially, who has struggled off the tee since her magnificent 2023 season when she claimed two major titles, Memorial Park's demands proved too steep. Golf's margins are razor-thin, and the difference between major champion and missed cut can be measured in millimeters of club face contact.

Takeaways

Jeeno Thitikul's major championship drought continues—her first Chevron Championship missed cut in six tries
Nelly Korda's six-shot lead sets up a potential runaway victory at Memorial Park's major debut
The venue proved no respecter of reputation, sending multiple major champions home early
The U.S. Women's Open at Riviera becomes the next opportunity for redemption