The final major of 2022 has officially reached its halfway point, and for over half the field, the week is ending prematurely. Sixty-five players survived the cut at the AIG Women’s Open this week, but for the remaining 79 golfers, a trunk slam and an early flight home is in the cards.
Of the 79 players who won’t be around for the weekend, some names are more surprising than others. From majors champs to world No. 1s, no one was safe from the wrath of Muirfield, and it resulted in plenty of big-names packing their bags early.
Here are 8 big-name players who missed the cut at the AIG Women’s Open.
8 big names who missed the cut at the AIG Women’s Open
Lexi Thompson
What she shot: 75-77 (+10)
What went wrong: Thompson could not find a fairway to save her life. She put just four drives in the short grass on Thursday and she didn’t fare much better in Round 2 as she hit just five fairways. At a course as penal as Muirfield, that just won’t get it done.
Is it surprising? Yes. Although Thompson’s major heartbreaks have been well-documented, she typically finds herself in the hunt on the weekends. This is her first missed cut in a major since 2020.
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Jin Young Ko
What she shot: 76-71 (+5)
What went wrong: Ko struggled in the wind during her opening round at Muirfield, and she could never quite recover. She briefly played herself back inside the cut line on Friday afternoon, but bogeys on three of her final four holes nudged her outside the number.
Is it surprising? Absolutely. Ko is the most consistent player in the game, and this is her first missed cut at a major in four years. Any major weekend without the world No. 1 is a strange one.
Anna Nordqvist
What she shot: 74-72 (+4)
What went wrong: Nordqvist bogeyed her final hole of Round 1 and then dropped shots on three of her first four holes Friday. Outside of that five-hole stretch, Nordqvist was under par for the week. Unfortunately for her, they count ’em all.
Is it surprising? Yes. This is the defending champ’s first missed cut in exactly one year, and just the second missed cut at the Women’s Open in her career. It’s safe to say this wasn’t the title defense Nordqvist had in mind.
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Sophia Popov
What she shot: 75-71 (+4)
What went wrong: Popov made plenty of birdies this week (six) but she also had eight bogeys and a double. That volatility proved to be her demise.
Is it surprising? No. Since Popov’s shocking 2020 Women’s Open victory, she’s missed six cuts in majors and her best finish is T44. This week is more of the norm than an exception.
Stacy Lewis
What she shot: 77-70 (+5)
What went wrong: Lewis struggled with her ball striking, hitting just 21 of 36 greens, and her short game simply couldn’t bail her out enough. Round 1 was a particular struggle as she needed 35 putts to navigate the course.
Is it surprising? No. Lewis might be a past champion, but her best playing days are behind her. This is her third missed cut in her last four starts at the Women’s Open.
Patty Tavatanakit
What she shot: 75-75 (+8)
What went wrong: The 14th hole was not Tavatanakit’s friend this week. She doubled it both times she played it and put herself in a deep hole to climb out of. She wasn’t able to, and it resulted in a short week.
Is it surprising? On a micro level, no. Tavatanakit has made just one cut since May and her game is anything but sharp. But on a macro level, another missed cut at a major for the former Chevron Championship winner is certainly a surprise. When she won in Palm Springs in 2021 (in dominant fashion), Tavatanakit looked like the next big star in women’s golf. Her play since then hasn’t lived up to that billing.
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Catriona Matthew
What she shot: 76-73 (+7)
What went wrong: Matthew made three doubles on the week and couldn’t offset those mistakes with enough birdies. That’s not to say this week was a waste, though. Getting to strike the opening tee shot of the tournament in her home country made it pretty special.
Is is surprising? No. This is the fifth missed cut in seven years at the Women’s Open for Beany. It’s tough to keep up with the young guns once you age past 50.
Laura Davies
What she shot: 75-81 (+14)
What went wrong: Well, she had a 10 on the 18th hole in Round 2. It’s tough to make a cut with a double-digit on the scorecard.
Is it surprising? No. Davies might be a legend of the game, but she’s made just one cut at the Women’s Open in seven years.