Wichanee Meechai, a relatively unknown 31-year-old from Thailand, shook things up at the U.S. Women’s Open by matching the low score of the week with a 3-under 67, catapulting her to a two-shot lead heading into the weekend. The championship won’t see Nelly Korda, as she failed to make the cut.
Meechai, who had never finished in the top 10 in her 20 previous major appearances, began Friday with four consecutive birdies. Despite her only recognized victory being nine years ago on the Taiwan LPGA, she showcased remarkable steadiness, carding two birdies over the last six holes to finish at 4-under 136. This positioned her two shots ahead of Andrea Lee, with only two other players under par.
Reflecting on her performance, Meechai remarked, ‘I feel like I might not be making a lot of birdies on the easier courses. I’m not that person. I like when you need to think a lot, when you need to land it shorter and be patient.’ Her strategy worked flawlessly with all birdie putts landing inside of six feet in her opening four holes. ‘I just picked the club that’s shorter and hit it hard,’ she added.
Meanwhile, Lexi Thompson announced she would retire from a full schedule at the end of the year. Her likely final U.S. Women’s Open ended early with rounds of 78 and 75. Korda, struggling after hitting into the water three times on the par-3 12th Thursday, made a small comeback on the same hole but ultimately missed the cut for the first time in nearly a year. ‘I wanted to make the cut,’ Korda said. ‘I knew that I was kind of hovering around it, and I just couldn’t get anything going on the back.’
The tournament saw other big names such as Rose Zhang, Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, and defending champion Allisen Corpuz also missing the cut. However, 15-year-old Asterisk Talley and U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Megan Schofill remained in the mix.
Andrea Lee, who delivered an impressive stretch during her round, will join Meechai in the last group on Saturday. Former Women’s Open champions Minjee Lee and Yuka Saso were three shots back. Minjee Lee, with two major titles including a Women’s Open, played mistake-free after two bogeys at the turn. Saso, the 2021 Women’s Open champion, recovered from a rocky start to play bogey-free over her last 12 holes.
Reflecting on the demanding nature of the course, Meechai humorously stated, ‘I’m the person who has no confidence at all. I think about missing the cut because I know that I can shoot like 1 under and next day 8 over. It’s so easy for me. Trying not to think about it is the hardest part for me so that’s why I’m so nervous.’
Junior at Texas A&M and recent NCAA champion Adela Cernousek avoided missing the cut by a stroke, thanks to an impressive par save on her final hole. Two other amateurs were among the 75 players making the cut at 8-over 148.
As the U.S. Women’s Open moves into the weekend, all eyes will be on Wichanee Meechai. Can she maintain her composure and secure an unexpected victory, or will more experienced players like Andrea Lee, Minjee Lee, and Yuka Saso rise to the occasion? One thing’s for sure: it’s going to be an exciting finish.
Source: Espn
