HOUSTON — World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul is still searching for her first major and it’s not going to happen this week at the Chevron Championship.
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Thitikul, who already has won in her home country at the Honda LPGA Thailand this season and played well in her first six events, will miss the cut for the first time this year at Memorial Park Golf Course. She shot three-over 74-73–147 to miss by one the weekend number that cvame at two over. Seventy-two players moved on.
The 23-year-old Thitikul is arguably the best player to have not won a major, as she has eight career victories and 57 top-10 finishes. She’s also the reigning player of the year on the LPGA Tour.
Before the Chevron Championship started, Thitikul was asked about not having won a major yet. The question will continue to follow her until she can check that off her list.
“The questions, you have it for every time I lose in a major for sure. Thank you for reminding every week,” Thitikul said with a laugh on Tuesday. “Obviously, I think it’s just another challenge of my career. I know what I have [under] my belt. Right now, at this age, I think I’ve accomplished a lot, but obviously a major is the one that I feel the first time is always the hardest. And then if I need to prove to myself that I can do that.”
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Among the other accomplished players to miss the cut were past Chevron champion, Lydia Ko, Rose Zhang, A Lim Kim, Ariya Jutanugarn, Sei Young Kim, Lindy Duncan, and Chizzy Iwai.
Chizzy Iwai, who was in contention to win at the JM Eagle LA Championship last week before finishing T-7, was seven over par, 21 shots behind leader Nelly Korda. She figures to stick around Houston this weekend to watch her twin sister, Akie, who made the cut.
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Ko, who turned 29 on Friday, can celebrate her birthday, but the Hall of Famer won’t be celebrating another major victory. She was presented with a slice of birthday cake after her round Friday and when she hugged the volunteer, the slice fell on its side on the plate and broke apart. It was just one of those days. Ko has won three majors, but she shot 72-75and was one shot off the cut line.
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Last year, Jutanugarn had a chance to win the Chevron Championship on her final hole but she flubbed a chip shot. She still got into the five-woman playoff, but Mao Saigo won on the first playoff hole. This year, she’s missed the cut in her last three events.
Duncan, who was in the five-woman playoff as well, shot 72-76. She had double bogeys on the second and 10th holes Friday to derail her round.
World No. 9 Sei Young Kim, who had an eight-shot lead with five holes left during the third round in the JM Eagle LA Championship last week, missed the cut by two after shooting 73-75.
Zhang, who recently finished her education at Stanford, has played well this year, with two top-10s, but was one off the cut line. She had two double bogeys on her front nine (the back nine on the course) in the second round. Zhang is trying to get back to the peak form that saw her start her career by winning her first professional event at the Mizuho Americas Open in 2023.
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A Lim Kim shot 78-69 and almost came back to make the cut but missed by one. She dug herself too big of a hole. She had an awfully tough stretch in which she played holes seven through 14 at six-over.
Next up for an opportunity to win a major: the U.S. Women’s Open, June 4-7 at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
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