THE WOODLANDS, Texas — At the 2025 Chevron Championship, it’s clear several big names have a lot of work to do if they intend to play the weekend at the first LPGA major of 2025.
There will be a 36-hole cut to the low 65 players and ties. The tournament’s defending champion is among those who is trying to get it going Friday in order to make the weekend. Nelly Korda struggled mightily in the opening round at the Club at Carlton Woods. The World No. 1 recorded only one birdie in a 7-over 77 that included four consecutive bogeys from Nos. 3-6.
Keep tabs on the leaderboard at 2025 Chevron Championship
The leaderboard can be found here.
Korda shoots Friday 68 and is inside projected cutline
Korda’s tee shot on No. 9, her last hole of the day, found a fairway bunker. From there, she needed two shots to get to the green but she then made her par putt to shoot a 4-under 68 and get to 1 over after 36 holes. She was nine shots better than she was on Thursday. She seemed to have a bit of an emotional release after putting out. Now waits the official cut which will come Saturday but she’s going to make the cut at the Chevron Championship.
Nelly Korda is now inside cutline with one to go at Chevron
On in two on the par-5 eighth hole, her second-to-last of the day, Korda lagged up her eagle putt and then drained a short birdie putt to get to 1 over. Even more good news came her way as the projected cut moved from 1 over to 2 over between her eagle try and her birdie make, so with one hole to go, the par-4 ninth, Korda can take bogey there and still make the cut on the number. For now, she’s at 1 over overall.
Another birdie for Nelly Korda
This is really happening, isn’t it? Korda has made another birdie late in the day at the Club at Carlton Woods, her fifth birdie of the day with all of them coming in the last nine holes. She’s got it to 2 over, one shot off the cutline, with three holes to go.
2023 Chevron Champion also flirting with trouble
Lilia Vu has posted consecutive bogeys on Nos. 5 and 6 and has slipped to 2 over. With the projected cutline holding at 1 over, Vu is now on the wrong side of that.
Nelly Korda records fourth birdie of the day
Korda rolled in a short birdie putt on the par-5 fourth hole to get to 3 over and she’s now two shots off the cutline. Korda has three par 4s, a par 3 and one final par 5 to try to find two more birdies and make the cut.
Nelly Korda trying to rally late Friday
Korda slumped to 7 over after back-to-back bogeys ealy in her round but made three straight birdies on Nos. 17, 18 and 1 (she started on the back nine). She had a good luck for a fourth straight birdie on the second hole but missed that. Still, she’s battling. Korda is at 1 under on her day and 4 over overall, three shots off the cutline with seven holes to go.
Nelly Korda hits a tee shot at the first hole during the first round of the 2025 Chevron Championship.
Wet weather altered schedule
The Club at Carlton Woods received 0.73 inches of rain on Thursday night, leading officials to put lift, clean and place in play for Round 2. Tee times for the second round were pushed back due to morning fog.
The afternoon wave of Round 2 will begin at 1:30 CT, adding 1 hour and 15 minutes to the original tee times. Nelly Korda’s quest to get inside the cut line after an opening 77 begins at 2:47 p.m. local time.
Top 5 all struggled thus far
Yes, a couple of the top 5 players in the Rolex Rankings will likely reach the third round at the Chevron, but barely. If the cut stays at 1 over as projected, each of the top five will have either barely made the cut or missed the weekend. Here’s a look at where they stand as of 5:45 p.m.:
Nelly Korda: plus 5 (through 9)
Jeeno Thitikul: plus 2 (through 11)
Lydia Ko: plus 1 (F)
Lilia Vu: plus 1 (through 9)
Hannah Green: plus 6 (F)
Ashleigh Buhai making incredible attempt to reach weekend
Give Ashleigh Buhai credit for making the most of her second round at the Chevron. After posting an ugly 79 in her first round that included three double-bogeys in her final five holes, the 2022 Women’s British Open champion followed with a mid-round tear at the Club at Carlton Woods.
Buhai had birdies on Nos. 5 and 6, then an eagle on No. 8. After the turn, she added two straight birdies to get back to 1 over for the tournament. Buhai has only made the cut twice in the previous seven attempts at the LPGA’s first major.
Leona Maguire making a move to stick around
After a 73 in her first round, Leona Maguire has made a charge in the second round, and after posting three birdies in her first eight holes, she’s at 1 over for the tournament. Maguire missed the cut here a year ago, but she had a top-25 finish during the first playing at Carlton Woods, the year when Lilia Vu captured the title.
Shots like this certainly helped her cause:
Big names are in danger if cut is 1 over
Lydia Ko, Anna Nordqvist, Ingrid Lindblad, Madelene Sagstrom, Yealimi Noh, Hannah Green, Allisen Corpuz, Nelly Korda. As of 1 p.m. local time, all of these big-name players were on the wrong side of the projected cut of 1 over. There’s lots of golf to be played today (and likely tomorrow morning), but some of the biggest names in the event will need to rally in the second round to reach the weekend.
One thing to watch: With the winds expected to pick up in the afternoon, even with preferred lies it’s conceivable the cut line could move to even par.
A detailed view of a tee box marker during the first round of the 2025 Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, Texas.
Lexi Thompson needs a big effort
Although she’s only playing a handful of events, Lexi Thompson is hoping to make it through to the weekend and she’s about to go off soon, knowing she’s sitting in a precarious spot. That didn’t stop the star from signing a few autographs, though.
Former Chevron champ Lexi Thompson, who is semi-retired, posed for photos with kids after finishing up a 1-over 73. Currently T-61. pic.twitter.com/Z1RlAppADc
— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) April 25, 2025
Can Yani Tseng make cut putting lefty?
Yani Tseng’s new instructor, Brady Riggs, was the one who first suggested she try putting left-handed. After she hit the ball well at the AIG Women’s British Open last summer but missed the cut, Tseng came to the conclusion that she’d never win another golf tournament putting right-handed. She shot a 74 on Thursday and another similar score will likely knock her out of the tournament.
If you watched Yani Tseng dominate the women’s game more than a decade ago, winning five majors along the way, the sight of her putting left-handed is nothing short of stunning! She had the yips, and the change is giving her hope. pic.twitter.com/hHhcGEklnW
— Beth Ann Nichols (@GolfweekNichols) April 25, 2025
Here’s more on the story of Tseng’s new putting approach.
How to watch the 2025 Chevron Championship
The first women’s major championship of 2025 will be carried live on TV by Golf Channel (which you can watch for free on Fubo) all four days. NBC will pick up live coverage of the third and final rounds. There is streaming on ESPN+ as well as Peacock and the NBC Sports app.
Second round, Friday, April 25Third round, Saturday, April 26Final round, Sunday, April 27Past Chevron Championship winners
2024: Nelly Korda; 2023: Lilia Vu; 2022: Jennifer Kupcho; 2021: Patty Tavatanakit; 2020: Mirim Lee
What is the cut at the Chevron Championship?
There is a 36-hole cut to the low 65 players and ties.
What is the Chevron Championship purse?
The purse is $7.9 million, with the winner pocketing $1.2 million.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Chevron Championship 2025 cut line live updates for LPGA major
