Sarah Schmelzel’s week at the CPKC Women’s Open took an unexpected turn when she withdrew just before the third round. The 31-year-old had made the cut with rounds of 74 and 69, but despite showing flashes of form, she joined fellow pro Ruixin Liu on the withdrawal list, adding another setback to her recent struggles on the LPGA Tour.

The news came out unexpectedly as the LPGA Media shared the update on X with a post that read, “Sarah Schmelzel withdrew prior to the third round of the @cpkcwomensopen.”In the past, the American professional had achieved a T6 finish at the event in 2022, but since then, the performance has declined. She missed the cut in 2023, and later in 2024, she finished at T52.

The golfer has struggled to find her first LPGA Tour title. After turning professional in 2017 and joining the LPGA Tour in 2019. She was close to the top spot multiple times. In fact, with her 2024 performance, it seemed like the curse of being victoryless would end as she was part of Team USA’s win at the 2024 Solheim Cup. But unfortunately, multiple notable finishes, including a runner-up at the Blue Bay LPGA, were the closest she could achieve.

The 2025 season hasn’t gotten any better. However, she had two notable finishes, which were a T5 finish at the Blue Bay LPGA and a T6 at the DOW Championship, where she partnered with Albane Valenzuela. Given the pattern, it only felt that her maiden win was closer than later, which makes her WD quite mysterious. With no statements from the golfer about the reason for withdrawing, and no proper health setback, fans of the golfer can only wait for an apprisal.

The sudden step from golfer would affect the LPGA Tour’s ratings as well. This season, the tour events have achieved viewership close to 100,000 on average. But now, teeing off against the TOUR Championship and the sudden yet shocking withdrawal of Schmezel might affect the viewership negatively. The LPGA has already been struggling with viewership, like for instance in the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, only 428,000 viewers tuned in to NBC for the final round, down from last year’s 867,000 viewers. This is an issue that has been taken under consideration when it comes to Craig Kessler’s plan for the Tour as the new commissioner. 

Regardless, for the American golfer, her withdrawal remains questionable. In the past, despite struggling with health issues, she participated in the events. She is known for her resilience and determination to compete in professional events.

Sarah Schmelzel’s dedication to completing the tournament

The 31-year-old American professional has been known for her dedication and exceptional performance record despite not achieving victory. She, with 18 top-10 finishes and 52 top-25 finishes in her career, has gotten herself among the top golfers. In fact, with her performance, she has shown dedication to competing.

Back in 2024, she faced health issues due to a ruptured ovarian cyst, which had left the golfer weak physically and mentally. But even then, she participated in the Chevron Championship. She ended up missing the cut with 7 over 75-7, making it a tough year for the young golfer. She was also in danger of missing out of becoming part of the Solheim CUp Us team. However, she showed amazing resilience and ended up carded T9 at the KPMG Women’s Major, sealingher place in the team.  Having such issues and still choosing to perform requires a lot more than just love for the sport.

Not just that, but in 2023, too, her form had taken a hit due to a few injuries. Talking about that, she said, “went through some injuries last year, and trying to play through it sent me into a pretty big spiral mentally.” In fact, she achieved some notable finishes, including two top-10s in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and The Ascendant LPGA.

So, given her history of pushing through injuries and health setbacks, Schmelzel’s sudden withdrawal has left the golf world puzzled. Fans will now be waiting for clarity from the 31-year-old, whose determination to compete has long defined her career. Until then, the reasons behind her decision remain an open question.

What do you think could be her reason for withdrawing? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.