5 Players to Watch at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship

The LPGA Tour season is firmly in its busiest time, with multiple Major Championships happening in just an eight-week stretch. That, of course, includes the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco – a first-time venue for the best golfers in the world.

While 2024 was the year of Nelly Korda, 2025 has, so far on the LPGA Tour, been the year of parity. There has – unlike last year when Korda had won six times prior to the KPMG Women’s PGA – not yet been a repeat winner. Proving, once again, that the LPGA Tour is a global game, there have been winners from seven different countries so far.

While Major Championships (especially at first-time venues) often leave the door open for any incredible storylines to unfold – and so far in 2025 that’s exactly what’s happened, with two first-time major winners in Mao Saigo and Maja Stark winning the Chevron Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open, respectively – it’s more likely that the cream will rise to the top.

Former world No. 1s have, for example, won three of the last four KPMG Women’s PGA Championships.

That, however, is all in the past. Here are five players to watch at this year’s championship in Texas.

Jeeno Thitikul

There’s consistency – and then there’s Jeeno Thitikul.

The Thai superstar has been an absolute model of success over the last 12 months or so on the LPGA Tour with six top-10s already this season. She also had a run of seven top-10s in a row to close out her 2024 campaign, including a win at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

Thitikul is nipping at Nelly Korda’s heels for the world No. 1 spot after her victory at the Mizuho Americas Open. Her results at Majors over the last 18 months have been fairly pedestrian, but she did finish fourth at the KPMG Women’s PGA in 2022 and her statistical profile should make her a favorite – she’s first on the LPGA Tour in strokes gained: total, per KPMG Performance Insights.

Mao Saigo

Saigo is a second-year player on the LPGA Tour but has been playing like a veteran beyond her years of late. The Japanese star broke through for her first Major title at The Chevron Championship, one of four top-5 finishes already this season. She had seven top-10s a year ago, including a T7 at the KPMG Women’s PGA and is ranked as one of the LPGA Tour’s best putters.

Nelly Korda

For all the hype on Nelly Korda and what she could do as a follow-up to her magical 2024 campaign, it seems like she comes to the KPMG Women’s PGA due for a big result. Korda has four top-10s in nine starts so far in 2025 and hasn’t finished outside the top 20 since April – including a runner up at the U.S. Women’s Open.

Korda has held on to the No.1 spot in the world rankings through 2025 and has put together an impressive campaign on the stats ledger, sitting second in strokes gained: total, fifth in strokes gained: tee to green, and first in strokes gained: off the tee. There’s no real weakness in her game, and it’ll just take four solid rounds strung together for the superstar American to notch her first win of the season.

Haeran Ryu

A ball-striking maestro, Ryu is now South Korea’s top-ranked golfer – which has been an incredibly difficult task over the last decade or so.

Ryu, who was a rookie on the LPGA Tour just two years ago, has had just two top-10s on the season but that included a victory at the Black Desert Championship and a T6 at the Chevron Championship. She also had three top-10s at Majors last year including at the KPMG Women’s PGA.

Statistically Ryu has to be an un-ignorable favorite at PGA Frisco. She’s gaining more than two strokes this season tee to green and is first in strokes gained: approach. The key for Ryu will be the putter, however, as she sits 131st in strokes gained: putting on the season. If she can get the putter going hot – or even just warm – then watch out.

Lydia Ko

Hall of famer. Gold medalist. Global superstar. What more can you say about Lydia Ko? She is, though, showing no signs of slowing down.

Ko had a brilliant start to her 2025, finishing in the top-6 in three of her first four starts – including a win at the HSBC Women’s World Championship (which many refer to as ‘Asia’s Major’). She’s cooled down slightly since then, but she still hasn’t missed a cut yet in 2025.

Ko’s record at the KPMG Women’s PGA has been solid (three top-10s in 12 starts, including a playoff loss in 2016 and just one missed-cut) but if she were to win at PGA Frisco, she would complete the career grand slam – to go along with the multitude of her other accomplishments.