Defending champion among notables who missed the cut at 2023 AIG Women’s Open

The 2023 AIG Women’s Open has reached the weekend at Walton Heath in Surrey, England, and with Ally Ewing holding a commanding five-shot lead after 36 holes.

Like Brian Harman at the Open Championship three weeks ago, Ewing is at 10 under and the only golfer who is double digits under par after two rounds.

The cut at the AIG came in at 2 over and 13 golfers made the cut right on the number. But the defending champ is among the notables who did not advance to the weekend. It’s now been a dozen years since a golfer has defended her title in the major.

Ashleigh Buhai, 3 over

Ashleigh Buhai plays her tee shot on the fifth hole during the second round of the 2023 AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England. (Photo: Luke Walker/Getty Images)

Defending champion Ashleigh Buhai had four birdies but one too many (five) bogeys in her second round to miss the cut by a shot. With her elimination from contention, Yani Tseng in 2010 and 2011 remains the last to defend her title at the AIG Women’s Open.

Patty Tavatanakit, 3 over

Patty Tavatanakit tees off on the first hole during the first round of the 2023 AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England. (Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images)

Patty Tavatanakit opened her 2023 AIG Women’s Open with a 79 and seemed like a long shot to make the weekend. Unfortunately, her second-round 68 left her one shot shy of making the cut, which came in at 2 over.

Stacy Lewis, 3 over

Stacy Lewis tees off on the first hole during the first round of the 2023 AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England. (Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images)

Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis opened with a 72 but went 3 over Friday to miss the cut by one.

Brooke Henderson, 3 over

Canada’s Brooke Henderson plays a shot from the fifth tee in the first round of the 2023 Women’s British Open at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England. (Photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

Brooke Henderson went 75-72 at Walton Heath to miss the cut by a single shot. She won the LPGA season opener and then didn’t post a top-10 till a solo second two weeks ago at the Amundi Evian Championship.

Lydia Ko, 4 over

Lydia Ko on the first tee box during the second round of the 2023 AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England. (Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Ko had consecutive 74s this week to miss the cut by two shots and it continues a season to forget. She tied for sixth in the Honda LPGA in February and that remains her lone top-10 finish in 2023.

Her major appearances this year:

• Amundi Evian Championship, T-61
• U.S. Women’s Open, T-33
• KPMG Women’s PGA, T-57
• Chevron Championship, missed cut

Lexi Thompson, 7 over

Lexi Thompson plays a shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the 2023 AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England. (Photo: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

Lexi Thompson shot 76-75 and missed the AIG cut by four shots. She’s now missed the cut in four of her last five outings. In fact, she’s missed the cut in six of the eight LPGA events she’s played in 2023. The 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship remains her lone major championship.