World #1 Nelly Korda skipped the 2025 Meijer LPGA Classic, still processing her painful defeat at this year’s U.S. Women’s Open. Her focus is now firmly on the majors. Lydia Ko also chose to sit this one out for an even bigger reason. She was chasing the career grand slam with a U.S. Open win but came up short. Now, both Lydia and Nelly are stepping back to prepare for what lies ahead. This year’s Meijer LPGA Classic has not one, not two, but four players tied at the top: Hye-Jin Choi, Carlota Ciganda, Celine Boutier, and Karis Davidson. The competition is fierce—but as we know, there’s room for only one champion. So, what’s the winner fighting for?

Last year’s purse money was $3,000,000, Lilia Vu was last year’s winner and took home $450,000. And it’s the same drill this year with a $3,00,000 purse and $450,000 to the winner. Let us take a look at the entire purse breakdown:

Money’s great, but it’s not the only thing on the line this week. Players are also eyeing key Rolex World Ranking points, 500 CME Globe points, and, of course, a confidence boost with the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship just around the corner.

With several notable names out of the field after 36 holes, who are the top-performing players tied up at the Meijer LPGA Classic this year?

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Top players in the field of the Meijer LPGA Classic

One of the players everyone had their eyes on this week was, of course, the defending champion Vu. She picked up her fifth LPGA Tour title here last year, but since then, things haven’t gone her way. She hasn’t won since, and her game just didn’t click this week, four bogeys in the second round, and she ended up missing the cut.

That puts the spotlight on Lexi Thompson, who has been finding her rhythm again. She tied for ninth at the Founders Cup and finished T14 at the Chevron Championship. Now she’s sitting at T5 here at the Meijer LPGA Classic at 7-under par, and looking strong for the weekend.

Grace Kim is another name to keep an eye on. She grabbed a solo ninth at the Black Desert Championship in May and has been putting together some solid finishes this season. Last year at the Meijer LPGA Classic, she came close but lost in a playoff to Lilia Vu. Now she’s back, sitting at T11 with a 6-under total—and with the way she’s playing, she could easily make a run this weekend.

Four underdogs, Karis Davidson, Celine Boutier, Carlota Ciganda, and Choi Hye-jin are tied at the top, hungry for a breakout moment. This weekend isn’t just about who wins—it’s about who rises when no one saw it coming.