8 Big Names Missing The 2026 US Women's Open
We look at the big names, notables and highest-ranked players not competing in the 2026 US Women's Open at Riviera Country Club
The 2026 US Women's Open is set to be a historic one, as the famed Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles plays host for the first time.
As well as the iconic venue, there are plenty of big storylines to follow in LA, as World No.1 Nelly Korda arrives as tournament favorite following three wins already in 2026.
Her rivals like Jeeno Thitikul, Hyojoo Kim, Hannah Green, Lydia Ko, Charley Hull and Lottie Woad are all highly fancied to contend for the title in what should be a very competitive four days.
There's also the return of Michelle Wie West, who is making her first Major appearance since the 2023 US Women's Open at Pebble Beach.
So there are plenty of big names in action as always, including defending champion Maja Stark, but which notables are missing? Let's take a look...
Lexi Thompson
Lexi Thompson retired from full-time professional golf at the end of 2024 and has been playing fairly regularly since, including at last year's US Women's Open.
That appearance continued her remarkable streak of playing in every single one since she was 12 years old in 2007. That run is now over.
The 2014 Kraft Nabisco [now the Chevron Championship] winner has slipped outside of the world's top 75 and was scheduled to attempt 36-hole qualifying but withdrew.
Haeran Ryu
World No.12 Haeran Ryu is the highest-ranked golfer in the world not in the field for Riviera.
Ryu finished 2nd in her last start at the Kroger Queen City Championship but has withdrawn from the tournament due to personal reasons.
The Korean star was the 2023 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year and now has three wins on the circuit. She is not a Major champion yet but does have five top-10s including a best US Women's Open placing of 8th.
Georgia Hall
Georgia Hall makes her professional golf return this week on the Ladies European Tour after having her first child.
The 2018 Ricoh Women's British Open champion misses her second consecutive US Women's Open after playing every year from 2017-2014.
Hall is set to make her Major comeback at the AIG Women's Open in late July at Royal Lytham and St Annes, site of her triumph eight years ago.
Sarah Schmelzel
Sarah Schmelzel misses her second consecutive Major after playing 13 in a row.
She is currently taking a break from the game, having being diagnosed with stage IV endometriosis. She recently revealed on social media that she had underwent surgery around 5 months ago.
The 2024 Solheim Cup winner has not played since November's CME Group Tour Championship. We wish her a speedy recovery.
Gemma Dryburgh
Gemma Dryburgh misses her first Major in over four years after falling to 180th in the world rankings.
The Scot, who made her Solheim Cup debut in 2023 at Finca Cortesin, has played in four US Opens with a best finish of T31.
She won her maiden LPGA Tour title at the 2022 Toto Japan Classic, and has a best finish of T27 this year at the Founders Cup.
Emily Pedersen
Another European Solheim Cupper missing Riviera is Emily Pedersen, who earlier this year revealed she had broken a bone in her left wrist.
The Danish star, who has five LET wins and won the Order of Merit and Player of the Year titles in 2020, recently made her comeback at the Kroger Queen City Championship.
"Very rusty, but very happy to be back," she wrote on social media. Pedersen has made four US Women's Open appearances, with a best finish of T23 in 2021.
Ryann O'Toole
O'Toole has played in 12 US Women's Opens throughout her impressive career but this will be the second in a row she misses.
That is despite a T7 finish in last month's Chevron Championship, which was her second-best Major finish.
The Californian, who won the 2021 Women's Scottish Open, currently ranks 106th in the world and has made 6/6 cuts on the LPGA Tour this campaign.
Sophia Popov
Popov's US Open exemption has now expired after winning the 2020 AIG Women's Open at Royal Troon, where she spectacularly triumphed by two strokes while ranking outside of the world's top 300.
She missed the entire 2023 season with injury so she may be due one more US Women's Open. It won't be this year, though, as she has just had her second child.
The German's best finish in this event was a T26 in 2024 at Lancaster Country Club.
Other notables missing the 2026 US Women's Open:
(World ranking)
- Shinsil Bang (47th)
- Ye Won Lee (60th)
- Seung Hui Ro (68th)
- Hyungkyung Park (77th)
- Kyo Rim Seo (78th)
- Cassie Porter (80th)
- Karis Davidson (82nd)
- Hibiki Iriya (84th)
- Jenny Shin (85th)
- Manon de Roey (93rd)
- Shannon Tan (95th)
- Pauline Roussin (99th)
- Helen Briem (103rd)
- Wei-Ling Hsu (111th)
- Perrine Delacour (116th)
- Aditi Ashok (134th)
- Leonie Harm (137th)
- Gabriela Ruffels (145th)
- Olivia Cowen (178th)
- Pia Babnik (199th)
- Albane Valenzuela (254th)
- Bailey Tardy (279th)
