World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul tops the list of unmissable surprises for the Chevron Championship cut
Nelly Korda quickly took control of the Chevron Championship on Friday, firing a second consecutive round of 65 to enter the weekend with a six-shot lead at Memorial Park.
But while the World No. 2 is running strong for the first win of the year, several other celebrities packed up and left town on Friday after a disappointing showing.
That list starts with World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, who is still searching for his first major tournament. That search will continue next month at the US Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club.
“Questions, you have every time I lose in the main. Thank you for reminding me every week,” Thitikul said with a laugh Tuesday about his quest for a major tournament. “Obviously, I think it’s another challenge in my career. I know what I have [under] my belt. Right now, at this age, I think I have accomplished a lot, but obviously, the biggest is the one that I feel the first time is the hardest. And then if I need to prove myself that I can do that.”
Thitikul shot 74-74 over two days at Memorial Park to finish at 3 over and miss the cut by one.
Here are the big names to miss the cut in Houston:
Jeeno Thitikul
That’s intense: 74-73 (+3)
Why it’s amazing: Thitikul is ranked number 1 in the world and has already won this year in Thailand. He had never missed a victory in this event in the last five tries, although this is the first time that the tournament has been held at Memorial Park.
Lydia Ko
That’s intense: 72-75 (+3)
Why it’s amazing: The three-time major champion made four bogeys in seven holes on Friday to finish at 40. He battled hard on the back nine but couldn’t get another birdie to get to the right of the cut line.
Rose Zhang
That’s intense: 73-74 (+3)
Why it’s amazing: Zhang recently finished his degree at Stanford and is returning to full-time professional golf, so the miss itself is not surprising. But given how quickly Zhang’s star rose when he arrived on tour, it’s disappointing to see him miss the first grade of the year. Next, she will head to the US Women’s Open qualifiers to try and secure a spot at Riviera.
Lilia Vu
That’s intense: 76-77 (+9)
Why it’s amazing: The three Chevron Championship winners were tied together in the first two rounds, with Korda beating Vu by 23 shots.. It’s been tough for Vu since his 2023 season, when he won two major titles. He continues to struggle out of the tea.
Kiara Romero (a)
That’s intense: 71-78 (+5)
Why it’s amazing: The world number 1 was close to the top of the leaderboard as he came to the end of his first round. A couple of late bogeys saw him go home at 1 under, still in contention for the championship. The Oregon product came out Friday afternoon and hit just seven greens while struggling with the flatstick. Romero seems destined for big things, but that won’t happen this weekend in Houston.
Chizzy Iwai
What a shot: 77-74 (+7)
Why it’s amazing: Chizzy Iwai was playing good golf. He was in contention for the JM Eagle LA Championship last week before finishing tied for seventh. But he struggled on the approach this week, hitting 15 of 36 greens over two days. She will keep an eye on her sister, Akie, who is tied for 31st place entering the weekend.
Megha Ganne (a)
That’s intense: 77-78 (+11)
Why it’s amazing: Ganne won the US Women’s Amateur last summer and will soon be on the LPGA. Like Romero, he has the game to compete and win at a high level, but he struggled with approach and putter placement in Houston. The Stanford product hit 16 of 36 greens and needed 59 putts to get through two rounds.
