The KPMG Women's PGA Championship is set up to be a thriller, with a compact leaderboard at Sahalee Country Club seeing Sarah Schmelzel and Amy Yang leading at six-under-par and by two from the likes of Jin Young Ko and Lexi Thompson.
Schmezel is yet to win on the LPGA Tour but, after rounds of 71 and 67, the 30-year-old is in a great spot heading into the weekend, as she searches for a first professional scalp in her career. Along with the American, Yang is at six-under following rounds of 70 and 68, as she also searches for the biggest win of her career.
As mentioned, Ko and first round leader, Thompson, are two back of the pair, with Hinako Shibuno also sitting at four-under-par. Amongst the chasing pack are the likes of Leona Maguire, Ally Ewing, Madelene Sagstrom and Celine Boutier.
However, although a number of big names head into the weekend in Washington, a few recognised players won't be there, as the likes of World No.1, Nelly Korda, failed to make the five-over-par cutline, as she fired an 81 to miss out by one shot.
Below, we have listed the players who didn't make it into the weekend and won't be featuring on Saturday and Sunday at the third women's Major of the year.
Nelly Korda (+6)
Following the first round at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, Korda sat just one shot back of leader, Thompson, but Korda struggled immensely on Friday. Carding six bogeys on her front nine, she then made further bogeys at the 11th and 14th, with a double at the 15th all but dropping her out of making the cut.
The nine-over 81 is her joint career-worst score and means she has now missed the cut in her last three starts. Speaking after, the World No.1 stated: "It’s just golf recently for me. No words for how I’m playing right now. I’m just going to go home and try to reset. I just feel like that's been my last three events, just nothing is really…. A lot went my way at the beginning part of the year, and just giving it back."
Anna Nordqvist (+6)
The three-time Major winner carded rounds of 73 and 77 to miss her fourth cut of 2024, with the Swede ruing a bogey, double bogey, par, double bogey run from the 14th to 17th to miss the weekend.
In 2024, Nordqvist is yet to have a top 10 finish on the LPGA Tour, with her last victory coming in July of 2022 at the Big Green Egg Open on the Ladies European Tour circuit.
Danielle Kang (+8)
Danielle Kang produced rounds of 78 and 74 to miss the cut by two in Washington, with the missed weekend her fifth in 2024. On Friday, it was always going to be tough for the American star to make the cut, but Kang did battle valiantly towards the end of her second round with late birdies not being enough for the 31-year-old.
Carlota Ciganda (+9)
The Solheim Cup hero hasn't missed a cut since the Seri Pak Championship in mid-March but, at the Women's PGA Championship, the Spaniard could only card rounds of 78 and 75 to miss the weekend in Washington.
Ciganda had struggled on the first day, as a double bogey, seven bogeys and two birdies put her six-over-par for the tournament. Needing a one-under round on Friday, she made just one birdie and four bogeys to sign off with a three-over 75. It's just her third missed cut of 2024.
Megan Khang (+13)
Khang has enjoyed a nice run of form in 2024, having claimed a runner-up finish in her last start at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, as well as claiming numerous top 10s. However, at the Women's PGA Championship, she could only manage rounds of 81 and 76 to comfortably miss the cut.
The damage was done in the first round, as Khang made nine bogeys and nine pars. On Friday, she did improve by five, but four bogeys and 14 pars meant she didn't card a single birdie throughout her tournament at Sahalee Country Club.
Alison Lee (+15)
Rounds of 81 and 78 meant that Lee finished well back of the cutline, with the World No.18 missing just her third cut of 2024, having failed to get into the weekend at the Cognizant Founders Cup and Chevron Championship.
A big result at this week's tournament would have likely moved her inside the top 15 of the rankings, as well as help her Olympic hopes. However, the American failed to get going as she made a double bogey and seven bogeys on her first day, as well as just one birdie, five bogeys and a double in her second round.
