The unpredictability of match play was on full display at the LPGA Tour T-Mobile Match Play, as top stars like Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and Charley Hull were eliminated before the weekend. Their early exits reshaped the tournament landscape.
With only three top-10 players remaining—Jeeno Thitikul, Haeran Ryu, and Angel Yin—the field has opened up. The competition now favors rising contenders, many of whom have gone undefeated in the group stages.
Korda, last year’s champion, fell short in a close match against Ariya Jutanugarn, who secured her spot with a critical birdie on the 16th. Ko and Hull were also dispatched in decisive fashion.
Among the standouts is Brooke Henderson, who enters the knockout rounds well-rested after playing just 36 holes. With Korda out, a new champion will be crowned in the fifth edition of the event.
