16 Big Names To Miss The Cut At The AIG Women’s Open

The AIG Women’s Open has reached the halfway point, and a host of big names have booked their places in the third round after making the 36-hole cut.

Among them are leader Miyu Yamashita, World No.1 Nelly Korda and LPGA Tour rookie Lottie Woad, who all benefited from an early start on Friday to take advantage of benign conditions.

Several more high-profile stars are safely into the weekend too, including Jeeno Thitikul, Charley Hull and Minjee Lee.

However, for many other big-name players, the Royal Porthcawl test proved a step too far as they failed to scramble above the cut line of two-over to continue their participation. Here are some of the notable players to miss out.

Ruoning Yin (+7)

Yin placed in the top five of two of this year’s Majors, but she couldn’t get anywhere close to that at the AIG Women’s Open.

She was two over after the first round following an inconsistent day, and it was a similar story on Friday, where she made three birdies as well as seven bogeys to finish on seven over for the tournament, five away from the cut line.

Lilia Vu (+7)

Vu’s two Major titles in 2023, including the AIG Women’s Open, must seem a long time ago for her after her opening round of 74 was followed by a five-over 77 to leave her five short of the cut line.

Even more alarming for the American is that it is her fourth missed cut in succession in Majors, with only 78^th at the Chevron Championship to show for her efforts this season.

Jin Young Ko (+7)

The two-time Major winner’s challenge was looking all but doomed after her opening round, where five bogeys and a double left her six over.

Ko improved in the second round with a one-over 73, but by then the damage had been done, and the South Korean leaves Royal Porthcawl having missed the cut by five.

Yuka Saso (+13)

After a three-over 75 on Thursday, two-time US Women’s Open champion Saso knew she had some work to do to play any part in the weekend.

However, she couldn’t have made a worse start in the second round with a bogey at the first followed by a quadruple at the second to leave her chances as good as over.

So it proved, with the Japanese star carding an 82 to finish on 13-over for her two rounds.

Hannah Green (+12)

It was a brilliant 2024 for the Australian, who won three times.

However, Green is still looking for her first title in 2025, and it won’t come at a Major after her opening round of 79 was followed by a 77 in the second round to leave her on 12 over, 10 short of the cut line.

Brooke Henderson (+3)

A one-under 71 for the Canadian appeared to set her up for a strong performance, and she was still looking good after an even-par front nine of her second round.

However, things unravelled for Henderson at the worst possible time, with a three-over back nine to finish just one away from the cut line and out of the tournament.

Allisen Corpuz (+3)

The 2023 US Women’s Open champion was two under after 10 holes of the first round, but that was as good as it got for the American.

Corpuz finished the opening round on one over and never really got going in the second round as she carded a two-over 74 to agonizingly miss out by one.

Maja Stark (+8)

The Swede held off Nelly Korda to claim her maiden Major title at the US Women’s Open, but she couldn’t repeat that success at the AIG Women’s Open.

A first round of 74 left her with work to do to make the cut, but three bogeys in the opening four holes of her second round set her back further, and she never really recovered, carding a six-over 78 to miss the cut by six.

Rose Zhang (+4)

Rose Zhang claimed LPGA Tour titles in her opening two seasons on the circuit, cementing her reputation as a potential superstar.

However, the most recent of those wins was almost 15 months ago as she battles through her first real slump in the professional game.

After her even-par first round, she said: “I feel like I'm very satisfied with where my game is trending. I do think there is little things that need to be worked on, but that's all.”

That work will no doubt continue, but it won’t be at Royal Porthcawl after she fell short by two following her second round of 76.

Chanettee Wannasaen (+4)

The two-time LGPA Tour winner was a runner-up at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, but while that proved she has what it takes to compete in Majors, she didn’t have her best week in Wales.

The 21-year-old wouldn’t have been too concerned after a one-over 73 on Thursday, but a three-over 75 in the second round, including a quadruple bogey eight on the 14^th, means she will play no further part in the tournament.

Jennifer Kupcho (+6)

The 2022 Chevron Champion won the LPGA Shoprite Classic less than two months ago, but she couldn’t take that form into the AIG Women’s Open.

At Royal Porthcawl, she carded a 75 in the first round to leave work to do.

Despite going two under on the front nine on Friday to give herself a chance, it turned sour after the turn, including a triple-bogey at the 15^th, to leave her on six over for the tournament.

Carlota Ciganda (+12)

It was a mixed bag for the Spaniard on Thursday, with five birdies offset by three bogeys, a triple and a quadruple to leave her on five over.

It started even worse for the three-time LGPA Tour winner on Friday, where she was seven over after her opening nine on the way to a 79 as she missed the cut by 10.

Sophia Popov (+20)

Popov won the Major in 2020, but there was no sign of that form this year, as the German endured a nightmare two days at Royal Porthcawl.

She carded two 10-over rounds of 82 to leave her at the foot of the leaderboard, a huge 18 shots from making the cut.

Jiyai Shin (+3)

Shin has won the Major twice, in 2008 and 2012, and she came close to making that three a year ago when she finished T2 behind Lydia Ko at the Old Course, St Andrews.

It was a different story at Royal Porthcawl, though, where rounds of 72 and 75 saw her miss the weekend by one.

Hinako Shibuno (+3)

The Japanese player caused a sensation in 2019, when she won the AIG Women’s Open in her first event outside her homeland.

Earlier this year, she proved she still has what it takes to compete in Majors with a T7 at the US Women’s Open.

However, a 75 in her opening round left her up against it, and despite an improvement in her second round with a 72, it wasn’t quite enough as she missed the cut by one.

Ingrid Lindblad (+5)

Former World Amateur No.1 Ingrid Lindblad only turned pro a year ago, and she already has an LPGA Tour title after winning the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.

There will be no maiden Major title in 2025, though, despite a two-under-par opening round of 70.

Friday was a different matter, where the Swede finished seven over to miss the cut by three.