Nelly Korda, Atthaya Thitikul miss the cut at KPMG Women’s PGA

SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey — Some of the biggest names in the women’s game headed home early at Baltusrol. Nelly Korda and Atthaya Thitikul missed the cut by a mile in the first women’s major held over the Lower Course since 1961.

“You hit it a little sideways off the tee and that’s what happens on a golf course like this,” said Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis, who will play the weekend.

“It’s that chipping out and having to constantly be getting up and down from 100 yards, it’s exhausting.”

Lexi Thompson looked poised to miss the weekend as she was outside the top 100 early on Friday but then came roaring back with four consecutive birdies near the end of her round to sneak in a 4 over. Given how little both Thompson and Korda have played this season, Lewis said she wouldn’t have put any money on them.

Korda took a month off with an injury, and Thompson has played in only five LPGA events this season, including the Hanwha International Crown.

“That’s going to be my encouraging words that come later this fall,” said Lewis, “that they play some more tournaments heading into Solheim.”

Here are some of the marquee names who came up short in soggy Springfield:

Nelly Korda of the United States lines up a putt on the 17th green during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club on June 23, 2023, in Springfield, New Jersey. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The World No. 2 only got back to work about a week-and-a-half before showtime and the rust showed. Korda, who was away from the tour for more than a month and recently began working with a new instructor, shot 76-77 over the Lower Course. She hit 17 fairways, 23 greens and took 35 putts each round. She closed with a 40 on her second nine.

It’s Korda’s first missed cut since the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open.

Georgia Hall chips a shot onto the 18th green during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

The English player, currently No. 8 in the world, opened with an abysmal 79 that included two double-bogeys. Hall started out 2023 as one of the hottest players on tour with a couple of runner-up showings in back-to-back events in March. She hit 12 greens in each round at Baltusrol, missing her first cut of the season.

Maja Stark of Team Sweden lines up a putt on the second green during her…