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The 2025 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship is all set to tee off from September 19-21, 2025. Having a 144-player roster including Nelly Korda, Lottie Woad, Jin Young Ko, and more, it is among the most anticipated fields. However, unfortunately, a few names are missing from the roster, including those from the top 10 of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. So, let’s take a look at the top 5 names missing the event on the LPGA Tour schedule.

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The top names missing from the upcoming championship’s roster

Jeeno Thitikul

The World No. 1 of Rolex Rankings and Race to CME Globe, Jeeno Thitikul, has showcased dominance this season. However, for the fans expecting her at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, it will be sad news as she has skipped the event. Well, it came after the blunder at the Kroger Queen City Championship (September 11-14), where she missed the opportunity on the 18th hole. Thitikul, the best putter in the league, reached the green in two and was expecting to close it with an eagle. But instead, the 50-foot putt took her three strokes to finally hand over the victory to Charley Hull.

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The result of that blunder was her fourth runner-up finish this season. However, she has been in great form apart from the near misses. Thitikul has 11 top-10 finishes and one win out of the 17 starts in 2025. But despite her win in 2022 and great form, maybe she is taking some time off from the course after her second consecutive runner-up finish.

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Lydia Ko

Another top name on the list who will be absent from the event is Lydia Ko. The Australian, ranked third on the Rolex Rankings, has been dealing with ups and downs in her performances lately. Ko, in the first four events, bagged a victory at the HSBC Women’s World Championship on March 2, 2025, and had two top-10 finishes as well. But soon after that, her performance started to tumble as she even missed the cut at the Amundi Evian Championship (July 9-12) and Dow Championship (June 23-29).

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After that, she was T5 at the CPKC Women’s Open (August 21-24) and then T14 at the recent Kroger Queen City Championship. But for the Walmart NW Arkansas Open, she will not be attempting to change the stats.

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Minjee Lee

Following the World No. 1 and 3, the World No. 4 will also miss the tournament despite her great form. Lee, who was aiming for her third major since 2022, finally clinched one in 2025. This season, Lee has bagged a win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on June 22. Apart from that, she has also recorded 6 top-10 finishes by far, which include two runner-up finishes {CPKC Women’s Open and Blue Bay LPGA (March 5-9)} and a T3 finish. But that significant form will be on hold for a while, as Lee has decided to skip the Walmart NW Arkansas Open.

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Charley Hull

Up next on the list is Charley Hull, who has overcome all her health struggles to join the list of LPGA Tour 2025 winners. Hull initially aimed to clinch her first major title, but she missed that due to an issue with her health. Sharing the regret, she said, “British Open, last week, I didn’t have the best preparation coming into it. Obviously, I was ill. I hurt my back.” Even further, during the Evian Championship, the golfer fainted and had to withdraw from the event.

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But since then, the golfer has been aiming to change her fate with her performance. She achieved a T2 finish at the AIG Women’s Open (July 30-August 3) and then finally a win at the Kroger Queen City Championship. The golfer capitalized on the opportunity on the 18th, turning it into a glorious memory for life. However, despite her win at the event, she has kept her name away from the players’ roster at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

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Angel Yin

Another winner on the 2025 schedule, Angel Yin, is missing the upcoming $3 million tournament. The 26-year-old American professional started the season with impressive finishes. She bagged a win on her third start at the Honda LPGA Thailand (February 20-23). Further, she even added 6 top-10 finishes. But since the AIG Women’s Open, the golfer has struggled to get near the top spots. In four participations, her best finish was T40 at the AIG Women’s Open. After that, she has been in her 60s.

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Considering the declining form, she might have taken a break from the course. However, there is no official update from her or her team about the golfer’s participation.

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With such big names missing the tournament, it will be a weak roster according to the fans, but that’s not the reality. Most players from the top 50 on the Rolex Ranking will be teeing off to join the list of winners in 2025. Who do you think will be the winner of the Walmart NW Arkansas Open? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by

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Tanmay Sharma

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Tanmay Sharma is a Golf Journalist at EssentiallySports, where he has already penned more than 650 stories across the Live News and Trends desks. A graduate in Communication from Bennett University (Times Group), he brings a newsroom-honed precision to his live weekend coverage of golf’s biggest stages. Tanmay played an instrumental role in shaping ES’ digital-first golf section, balancing real-time leaderboard updates with a thoughtful lens on what those moments mean in the sport’s broader arc. An eight-year veteran of the content and media industry, Tanmay has worked across journalism, marketing, and editorial strategy, sharpening a versatility that now powers his golf storytelling. A lifelong golf fan, he thrives on digging into the untold, off-course narratives that reveal the human side of the game, stories of grind, setbacks, and resilience that numbers on a scorecard can’t capture. Whether in the heat of a major Sunday finish or while chronicling the rise of tomorrow’s stars, Tanmay connects fans to the heartbeat of golf with clarity and empathy.

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Irfan Kabeer

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