With the last event of the year, the players are set to make their mark on the CME Group Tour Championship. The top 60 players have qualified for the tournament including nine new players’ entries. The list of new debutants playing among the top 60 players is a great opportunity. However, the focus stays on the players who are missing out on the CME Group Tour Championship. Golfers not on the list will miss out on the grand purse of $11 million and $4 million winner’s share.

So who are the top 5 biggest names o grace the greens of the Tiburón Golf Club? Some names might be surprising while some are a given.

5. Georgia Hall

Three-time Solheim Cup winner, Georgia Hall will not be a part of the season’s final event. Apart from the team event, the 28-year-old has won the Women’s British Open 2018, Ladies European Tour Order of Merit 2017 & 2018, Cambia Portland Classic 2020, Aramco Saudi Ladies International 2022, and many others. However, unfortunately, 2024 hasn’t been a great year for the golfer. The best position through the season she could manage was T12, which affected her rankings. She ranked 74 with 471.893 CME Points.

4. Alison Lee

Alison Lee is also among the players who could not make it to the top 60 players. With a good start to the 2024 season, securing the top 5 and top 10 positions in the first two months. She could not maintain the growth which led to a stagnant participation. This resulted in just two top-10 finishes in 6 months. Just like the first half, she could only manage to match the count. With 4 top-10 finishes in the 2024 season, she ranked close to the cut but missed out by 7 ranks. Lee ranked 67th on the list with 594.069 CME points.

3. Ashleigh Buhai

It is strange to not see a player with 22 professional wins in the top 60 players, but that is true. The two-time LPGA Tour winner and five-time Ladies European Tour winner Ashleigh Buhai did not qualify for the CME Group Tour Championship. With just two top 10 finishes, this season. She was ranked 66 with 625.694 CME points.

2. Hinako Shibuno

The only Japanese player to win a women’s major championship in the 21st century also felt a little short of qualifying for the CME 2024. Even after having a hole-in-one during the U. S. LPGA Tour 2024, she could not secure herself in the top 60 spots. She was runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally and finished T7 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. These two were the best performances recorded by the golfer in the 2024 season, resulting in a 2-position drop at 64.

1. Gaby Lopez

The final player who will be missing out with the barest of margins is the two-time LPGA Tour winner, Gaby Lopez. The Mexican golfer was ranked 61 and just missed the qualification for the final tournament of the season. She managed to hold her ranking, but could not improve it with her tournament finishes this year. In 2024, the golfer could only manage two top-10 finishes. Resulting in very close but sad news for the fans. With the difference of 3.3 CME points, Carlota Ciganda took the 60 rank. Lopez had 688.107 CME points, which just fell short.

The season-long competition to fight for the best position and qualify has now ended. It has now come to the final course at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. However, many players are missing out on the cut for qualification ranking. There are many to watch out for, including the world no.1 Nelly Korda. It would be a great tournament to watch out for, as players with great results and splendid performances throughout are joining the competition. Will Nelly bring on her winning game or will Amy Yang defend her title? Who do you think will take the Championship? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.