5 golfers who under-performed at the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship ft. Nelly Korda

The 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East in Frisco, Texas, recently concluded. While Minjee Lee won this event, at 6-under, capturing her third career major, many big-name players couldn’t hold their ground on the demanding par-72 layout.

The course was lined with trees, similar to Sahalee, which made it hard to hit good shots. On top of that, strong winds around 20–30 mph made it nearly impossible to judge shots and putts accurately. For five golfers, including Nelly Korda, the tournament turned out harshly.

Here are the five golfers who underperformed at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship

Nelly Korda

Nelly Korda entered the major with six titles already in 2025 and was expected to perform strongly. Her opening round of 72 included a three-putt on the par-3 7th. In Round 2, she added four bogeys and only two birdies en route to a 74, falling to +2 overall. Korda hit just 10 greens in regulation that day.

Though she managed round 3 with another even-par 72, on Sunday, her final round collapsed under pressure. She carded a 76, with seven bogeys and only three birdies, including a poor bunker shot on the 15th that led to a double bogey. She finished tied for 19th at +6, a frustrating result considering her strong start to the year.

Gabriela Ruffels

Gabriela Ruffels opened her account in the KPMG Women's PGA Championship with a 77 in Round 1, where she failed to record a single birdie. She missed 8 fairways and needed 35 putts to get through the opening day.

In Round 2, she posted a 74 that included two birdies on the back nine. In Round 3, shooting 75, her troubles around the greens continued, especially on the par-5s, where she failed to shoot any birdie. Although she carded a 72, her +10 finish left her in a four-way tie for 36th and well outside the leaderboard.

Julia Lopez

Spain’s Julia Lopez's opening round of 79 in the KPMG Women's PGA Championship included two double bogeys and five bogeys, and she struggled badly off the tee, finding just 6 fairways. She bounced back with a second-round 71, but in Round 3, she shot 75 with three bogeys on the front nine alone and a missed two-foot putt on the 14th. Her final round of 73 on Thursday left her at +10.

Kumkang Park

Kumkang Park started her campaign at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship with a strong 1-under 71 on Thursday, finishing with three birdies over her last six holes. But Round 2 was a disaster. She carded a 78 that featured six bogeys and a double.

In Round 3, the struggles continued with a 76, and her driving accuracy fell below 50%. Though she managed a closing 73, the earlier rounds had already disturbed her momentum. With a total of +10, Park found herself tied at the bottom with three others.

Mary Liu

Mary Liu opened the KPMG Women's PGA Championship with a 76, marred by three three-putts. Her second round 71, featuring four birdies, briefly brought her back in contention. But in Saturday’s round of 78, she hit only 8 greens and needed 34 putts to finish, including a missed four-footer for par on the 9th. She shot a final round 73 and closed the event at +10, tied for 36th.

Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar