The LPGA Tour pros head to the Riviera Golf Course for the second major of the season. The #1, Nelly Korda, will be in the mood for some payback after her narrow defeat to Maja Stark in 2025. Hyo Joo Kim will be looking to win her third title for the season after consecutive wins in the Fortinet Founders Cup and the Ford Championship. But there will be some big names who won’t be competing in the event this year. Let’s see who will be missing from the $12 million major in 2026.

Lexi Thompson

For 19 years straight, Lexi Thompson had consistently appeared in the U.S. Women’s Open. It was the first major in which she debuted in 2007, and she has not missed a single tournament since. It’s also the major that she has made the most appearances in. However, that is about to change this year.

Unlike in the past, Thompson was not automatically qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open. She had to go through the qualifiers to earn her spot in the major. And it’s not like she didn’t want to. She even joined the 36-hole qualifying event at Wilderness Country Club in Naples, Florida, in early May to get a spot. However, she shockingly withdrew from the event to end all hopes of qualification.

So this will be the first time since 2007 that Thompson won’t be a part of the U.S. Women’s Open field. But missing the major has still gotten her emotional as she regrets breaking her 19-year streak.

Ryann O’Toole

One of the most experienced golfers on the LPGA Tour roster, Ryann O’Toole, has been around since 2011. During that period, she has seen the rise of many stars like Inbee Park, Michelle Wie West, Lydia Ko, and Nelly Korda. At 39, she might not be in her prime anymore. And that makes qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open difficult once again.

It’s not like O’Toole is not delivering great performances. A month ago, she grabbed a T7 finish in the 2026 Chevron Championship. However, that wasn’t enough for her to earn a ticket to Riviera Golf Course.

This will be the second year in a row that O’Toole won’t play the U.S. Women’s Open. Her last two appearances in the major in 2023 and 2024 saw her miss the cut.

Jenny Shin

At the beginning of May 2026, Jenny Shin delivered a compelling performance to finish T7 in the Mizuho Americas Open. However, she recently withdrew from the ShopRite LPGA Classic, with the LPGA Tour citing an illness.

Shin later clarified that she is focused on maintaining better health to push for a longer career. At 33, she doesn’t want to risk an injury that will force her into retirement. She confessed that she was too exhausted at the moment to play in tournaments. But that’s not the reason she is not in the field for the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open.

Despite her best efforts, Shin failed to qualify for the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open. This is only the second time since 2012 that she will not be on the field for the U.S. Women’s Open. The last time she missed it was in 2022.

Haeran Ryu

With six top-10s in ten appearances, Haeran Ryu has been in excellent form in 2026. She finished second behind Lottie Woad and narrowly missed out on winning the Kroger Queen City Championship a few days ago by two strokes. She would have hoped to continue her amazing run at Riviera Golf Course this week.

However, Ryu ended up withdrawing from the tournament. Despite earning a confirmed spot, she exited the event due to a minor health reason. As per her Instagram story, she will be away from the golf course for a few weeks.

Georgia Hall

Former Women’s British Open champion and Charley Hull‘s close friend, Georgia Hall, has been a mainstay on the LPGA Tour since 2018. Over the years, the Evian Championship and the AIG Women’s Open have been her playing field; the U.S. Women’s Open hasn’t been as favorable for her.

However, that’s not the reason she has decided to skip the event this year. Last year, it was confirmed that the Englishwoman was pregnant with her first child. And she and her fiancé, Paul Dunne, welcomed their son into their family in early 2026. Since then, Hall has been away from the fairway, taking care of her newborn. Hence, she has been absent from action for the entire season.