The top golfers on the LPGA Tour will be heading to Los Angeles, California, to play in the El Caballero Country Club. They will be competing for the seventh edition of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. The field for the event is packed as everyone is looking to get that last bit of practice before competing for the first major of the year. Nelly Korda has also joined the list as she looks to win her first title of the season. She had skipped the tournament last year to prepare for the Chevron Championship. This year, she decided to challenge the 2x defending champion, Hannah Green. Korda and Green will also be accompanied by Jeeno Thitikul and the 15-year-old prodigy, Asterisk Talley. But who will be missing?

Lydia Ko

Nelly Korda’s biggest rival and the world no. 3 golfer, Lydia Ko, won’t be seen in the $3.75 million event this week. She was last seen playing at the 2025 T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards. After a disappointing T35 finish in the T-Mobile Match Play, Ko would be eager to gather her thoughts and focus on getting in the right frame of mind for the Chevron Championship. The 27-year-old has already had a thrilling season so far, as she won the 2025 HSBC Women’s World Championship.

Alternatively, the New Zealander also finished in 6th place twice this season. One was in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, and the other came at the Founders Cup. Ko’s goal for the next few years is to become a Grand Slam champion. The only titles holding her back are the U.S. Women’s Open and the Women’s PGA Championship.

Charley Hull

It’s been nearly three years since Charley Hull won an LPGA Tour title. So her exclusion from the field this week does come as a surprise. Hull nearly managed to break the losing streak at the HSBC Women’s World Championship, but Ko presented a difficult challenge. Nonetheless, with a major coming up, the Englishwoman would be focused on preparing for her visit to The Woodlands, Texas, so skipping the Los Angeles event could be seen as a wise choice, as she doesn’t want to divert from her goal and lose focus. Lastly, Hull has also played for two consecutive weeks at the Ford Championship and the T-Mobile Match Play. This could also be the reason for her to decide to take a short break before stepping onto the course for the Chevron Championship.

Ruoning Yin

2024 was an incredible year for Ruoning Yin. She captured the Buick LPGA Shanghai and the Maybank Championship in the second half of 2024. Partnering with Jeeno Thitikul, Yin also managed a victory in the Dow Championship. What’s even more impressive is that she also had three other top 10 finishes, including a fourth place at the CME Group Tour Championship to end the year on a sweet note. However, 2025 hasn’t been as favorable for the 22-year-old.

Yin has struggled to perform this year, having only had one top-25 finish. Her last effort in the LPGA Tour saw her finish at T53. Yin’s hesitance to get a bad result again before the 2025 Chevron Championship is quite understandable. However, it’s worth noting that Ruoning Yin did play in the tournament last year, either.

Yuka Saso

Yuka Saso is the woman for big occasions. She has never won a regular LPGA Tour event. However, when it comes to the majors, Saso is a 2x U.S. Women’s Open champion. She won the tournament for the first time in 2021. That’s when the Japanese pro beat Lexi Thompson by one stroke to capture the first major of her career. Saso repeated that feat in 2024, defeating Thitikul, Ayaka Furue, and Co. to win the U.S. Women’s Open for the second time in her career. The 23-year-old’s next goal could be the 2025 Chevron Championship. Nelly Korda better watch out!

A Lim Kim

A Lim Kim kicked off 2025 with an amazing win in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Since then, she has been in outstanding form. Kim managed to end in sixth place in the
Honda LPGA Thailand finished at T7 in the HSBC Women’s World Championship and most recently tied for ninth place in the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards. It’s safe to say that the Korean pro has been busy getting great results nearly every week. That has also led to a very hectic schedule for Kim. What’s more, the 29-year-old has had two great runs in the Chevron Championship. In 2023, she was tied for fourth while getting a ninth-place finish in 2024. So we can assume A Lim Kim wants to carry her great form straight to the major event this year and finally win it in 2025.

Now that you know who is not in, who do you think will win the 2025 JM Eagle LA Championship? Share your views in the comments section.