The 2026 JM Eagle LA Championship at El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles arrived just before the first major, the Chevron Champion, making it an important event. The field is also among the strongest of the season, with a $3.75 million purse. So, for many of the world’s top-ranked women golfers, the week carried weight well beyond the tournament itself. However, its edge took an early hit this year. 

Before the halfway point, three of the tournament’s highest-ranked players have withdrawn, and the LPGA Tour has little explanation to offer for any of the absences.

Golf Week’s Beth Ann Nichols stepped in and confirmed on X that Minjee Lee has withdrawn due to food poisoning. Hye-Jin Choi has left during her second round. And World No. 3 Hyo Joo Kim has also pulled out before round two.

And none of them have left because they were playing poorly. Lee had opened with a three-under 69, withdrawing the following morning. Choi exited mid-round before her knee ended her day after her one-over 73. Kim withdrew without posting a second-round score at all following her round of 68, tying for 26th, five back of first-round leader Chizzy Iwai.

To understand how close Kim and Lee were players were when they withdrew, their scores were on track to carry them into the weekend as long as they finished Friday’s round at even par, since the cut was set at two-under.

The silence from the LPGA Tour is more of a highlight because of what these players represent in the field. Kim entered the week as the tournament’s favorite back-to-back winner at the Founders Cup and the Ford Championship this season, whereas Lee ranked 5th in the world, and Choi ranked 17th.

This is not the first time in 2026 that the LPGA has faced criticism regarding its communication with fans. During the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January, the tour received widespread backlash for its incomplete and inconsistent messaging after shortening the event to 54 holes. This left fans confused, as they were unable to understand why professional players were kept off the course while celebrity amateurs continued to play.

Commissioner Craig Kessler later sent a memo to players acknowledging the failure. In it, he wrote that the tour’s communication needs to be crisp in plain English and understood by everyone. Now, three months later, three top-20 players have exited a major tournament with no explanation offered.

What’s Next with The Chevron Championship lined up

The pressing concern now is what happens next. The Chevron Championship begins on April 23 at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, which is just five days away. All three players are expected to compete.

For Lee, the timeline is short but workable if the food poisoning clears up. What raises the stakes is the history available to her. A Chevron win would give Lee four different major titles, completing the Career Grand Slam. She has already won the Evian Championship, the US Women’s Open, and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

As for Kim, she was part of last year’s five-way Chevron playoff, losing out to defending champion Mao Saigo, and arrived in 2026 as a player with something to prove in women’s golf. If she is available and wins, she would have her second Major title, having won the Evian Championship in 2014.

Choi’s outlook is the most uncertain of the three. She has withdrawn mid-round with knee pain, and whether that knee holds up to 72 holes for her first big win remains unanswered.