KPMG Women’s PGA: Long Day Concludes With Toughest Cut Line Yet

The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship started on Thursday at Fields Ranch East in Frisco, Texas, the home course of the PGA of America.
Jeeno Thitikul
rolled in nearly 200 feet in putts to take the 18-hole lead.

The best players in the world are battling it out with a major title on the line, including world No. 1 and past champion Nelly Korda, who remains in search of her first victory this season.

Here’s a look at the second round of play from the KPMG Women’s PGA: (If you missed out on our
in-depth coverage from Day 1, click here
.)

KPMG Women’s PGA leaderboard

Keep up with the
latest scores on our USA TODAY Sports leaderboard.

Bomber alert

Julia Lopez Rameriz, the long-bombing rookie who played in the last group on Sunday at the U.S. Women’s Open, followed an opening 79 with a 71 at Fields Ranch East and sits right on the cut line.

Lindy Duncan turns it around

After an opening 77, Duncan turned things around with a 1-under 71.
The Chevron Championship Cinderella
carded three birdies and two bogeys to get back to 4 over for the tournament and move safely inside the cut line.

“I was so frustrated with myself,” said Duncan of her opening round. “I made a lot of course management errors and mistakes.”

How does the cut work at the KPMG?

Following the first 36 holes of play, the field of 156 players will be reduced to the low 70 scorers and ties. Those players will advance to complete the final two rounds.

What is the projected cut line at KPMG Women’s PGA?

As of 7:58 ET, KPMG’s Performance Insights projected cut for the event is plus 7.

Lexi Thompson making a charge

Don’t look now, but part-time player Lexi Thompson is off to a strong start on Friday and she’s worked her way near the top of the leaderboard as of noon ET.

Thompson came out with four straight pars and then made birdies on Nos. 5 and 7 to push into a tie for third. Thompson sits at 2 under, just two shots behind Jeeno Thitikul, who tees off at 2:55 p.m.

Late range session helped Gaby Lopez

Gaby Lopez was 5 over on Thursday and rebounded with a 2-under 70 on Friday to get back into the mix. How’d she do it? A little late-night range session, even after walking in 90-plus temperatures during a sluggish opening round.

“I just tried to get all the positives from yesterday and not get down into two holes. And I knew we were playing good,” she said. “Called my coach yesterday at the range at almost 8 p.m. We were hitting golf balls because I was not hitting my driver as good as I wanted; out here with the wind it’s just really tricky.

“So I’m really happy he answered the call and we were able to kind of get my driver straight.”

Charley Hull got it going on Friday

After struggling on Thursday, it appeared Charley Hull might be fighting for survival on Friday. But after she made a bogey on the 6th hole to fall to 7 over for the tournament, Hull got hot, posting birdies on four of her next seven holes.

She finished the day with a 69 and is at 3 over for the event, well within striking distance of the leaders.

Lindy Duncan is loving majors these days

Lindy Duncan didn’t win the Chevron Championship, but the former NCAA college player of the year experienced a breakthrough moment at the year’s first major and, at age 34, appears to have her best golf in front of her.

As Duncan navigated her way around the front nine of the Nicklaus course at The Club at Carlton Woods, her mother Debbie commented on how much lighter she looked in recent weeks. For years, she and others have been trying to get Lindy take the intensity down a few notches, but it wasn’t until she started working with instructor Sean Foley that something clicked.

Duncan struggled with a 77 in the first round on Thursday at the KPMG, but she rebounded with a 1-under-71 and is safely inside the cutline.

“Life and golf kind of comes in waves and, you know, ups and downs. The game is a very difficult game. We’ve been traveling a lot, so I feel a little bit of fatigue kind of starting to set in,” she said. “I played a lot even straight after Chevron, so I kind of thought that might have had a little bit to do with yesterday’s round. I just felt a little tired and flat.

“So hopefully maybe some days off and some good recovery would be nice going forward, but I definitely feel like I proved to myself at least that I could play under a lot of pressure, and that’s always a nice feeling.”

Hannah Green holes out for eagle

If Hannah Green makes the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA, her incredible shot on the par-5 14th hole will have been the difference maker.

Green, whose only major victory came at this tournament back in 2019, was coming off bogey and then double-bogey when she played the 14th, but she knocked her third shot in from 79 yards away to get back to 4 over for the tournament.

Former World No. 1 WDs from play

Jin Young Ko has withdrawn from the KPMG Women’s PGA
due to illness.

The former No. 1 shot 74 in the opening round and was shown on the broadcast leaving the golf course after making double bogey on the 12th hole. She was six over in her last four holes, moving to 10 over on the championship.

Leona Maguire is in good position, but her hand isn’t

Leona Maguire tees off at 2:44 p.m. ET today, and she’s even after the first day, which should mean she’s in a solid position to make the weekend and perhaps even challenge for the title.

But Maguire’s hand is still a mess after she suffered tick bites at the U.S. Women’s Open.

Here’s more on the story.

Yuka Saso in danger, but she’s fighting

Two-time major winner Yuka Saso is going to need a significant run to reach the weekend, but the winner of the 2021 and 2024 U.S. Open is giving it her all on Friday.

Saso’s best effort at the KPMG is a runner-up finish back in 2023, but this shot on the front nine helped her to a second birdie. She made the turn at 7 over for the tournament, which meant she likely needed to make up a few shots down the stretch.

She added consecutive birdies on No. 10 and 11 to get to 5 over.

Will pace of play improve?

A serious issue on Thursday was pace of play, as some players were on the course for nearly six hours, and with overwhelming Texas heat, it’s a dangerous situation.

There were four groups on the eighth tee at the Fields Ranch East course when the marquee group came through Thursday evening.

“It was pretty brutal,” said
Thompson of their six-hour round
. “I just drank a lot of water and tried to stay loose when we were in those waits on those holes and stay mentally in it.”

The short par-4 seventh at 317 yards lured players into getting as close as possible, with a tricky green, and the par-3 eighth featured an unfriendly hole location. Add in a reachable par 5 to finish, and it all added up to a big backup.

“It was just like wait, wait, wait,” said Thompson.

How to watch KPMG Women’s PGA Championship 2025

All times EDT

Friday, June 20

Golf Channel

: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

Featured groups

: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Saturday, June 21

Peacock

: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Featured groups

: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (kpmgwomenspgachampionship.com, PGA Champs App)

NBC

: 1:30-6 p.m.

Sunday, June 22

Peacock

: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Featured groups

: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (kpmgwomenspgachampionship.com, PGA Champs App)

NBC

: 3-6 p.m.

Two eagles on Thursday

There were only two eagles posted on Thursday during the opening round of play. Chisato Iwai made one at the par-4 seventh, as she drove the ball 293 yards and was just off the front of the green. She pitched in from 21 yards.

The only other eagle was delivered by Shin, who made a 35-foot putt on the par-5 ninth after reaching the green in two.