2026 Women's Major Championship Grades

Women’s major season has finally concluded, and after a hectic summer, it’s time for players to step into the professor's office and receive their 2026 major grades. The grading scale isn't universal; there’s a higher standard for top players, and young, emerging stars are going to get some questions wrong. Let's get into it. 

Nelly Korda: A-

You might think multiple major wins, two (albeit non-competitive) top 10s, and $4.89 million in earnings would be A+ territory, but we're talking about the world No. 1 here. Nelly had the chance to become the first player to win the first three majors in a season since Inbee Park in 2013, but her irreverence for and a missed cut at the Evian knock her grade down a mark or two. It was quite the bounce-back year from 2025 for Nelly, and I hope her form continues into 2027.

Haeran Ryu: A+

The 25-year-old South Korean went from barely outside the top 10 in the world to start the season to now solidly No. 3 and on Jeeno Thitikul’s heels for No. 2. Haeran melded her prolific ball-striking with a functional putter to win consecutive majors, and a nearly took down a third at the AIG Women’s Open, all after a mysterious back surgery forced her to skip the U.S. Women’s Open. That’s A+ territory for me! I’ve always loved Haeran’s tempo and swing, and after seeing her finally put it all together at the big events, I am bullish on her winning more majors, and soon. 

Shiho Kuwaki: A

Casual women’s golf fans might've been surprised by Shiho Kuwaki’s recent win at the AIG Women’s Open, but JLPGA fans weren't taken aback at all. Kuwaki, 23, has won twice on JLPGA this year and made the cut in the four majors she was qualified for, including a T-14 at the U.S. Women’s Open and a T-24 at the Women’s PGA. It was a great major season for an eccentric, fresh face we will likely see on the LPGA next season.

Jeeno Thitikul: F

Jeeno is taking a pass/fail class at this point. We know she has world-class talent, and she executes that skill set well in regular LPGA events, but when it comes to the majors, she wasn’t even close this season. Yes, she led the AIG Women’s Open after the first round, but was nowhere to be found come Sunday's final round. It’s time to hold Jeeno to the higher standard of golf we see from her week-to-week on tour. If she wants to pass this class, she needs to win a major, because at this point in her career, top 10s aren’t going to cut it. 

Charley Hull: B

Speaking of pass/fail, Charley is getting close to joining Jeeno, but I give her a B just for the U.S. Women’s Open final round run alone. Hull ultimately came up a shot short, but the fan-favorite played a huge part in the best final round we saw all year in a major championship. Looking to next year, if Charley’s not able to get off to stable starts and contend, she might be the LPGA’s Rickie Fowler.

Minjee Lee: F

Three straight missed cuts to finish major season have left us wondering what has gone wrong with Minjee Lee this season after she picked up a win at last year’s Women’s PGA and didn’t finish worse than T-22 in the other four majors. Minjee has always been that constant contender in the big events, so to see her struggle this mightily is a head-scratcher. She needs to hit the books a little harder for next season. 

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Lottie Woad: C

A second-year LPGA pro with two top tens in majors and only one missed cut would normally make my ears perk up, but Lottie Woad isn’t your average LPGA sophomore. She won in her first start as a pro and nearly claimed the Evian last year, so I had some high expectations for the 2026 majors. The 22-year-old was in contention at AIG Women’s Open but was absent from the party the rest of the season. Bare minimum stuff from the rising English star. 

Brooke Henderson: B+

One of only six players to make the cut in each major this season, Brooke Henderson also notched consecutive top-five finishes at the Women’s PGA and Evian (probably thanks in part to her new perspective as an aunt). The bounceback year for the Canadian deserves more than just a passing grade. 

Hannah Green: C-

After Hannah’s hot start to the season in Australia and on the West Coast I really thought she would be one to watch this year in the majors. A top 10 at the Chevron is what saved her passing grade after missing two other cuts and barely sneaking in some soft top-30 finishes. 

Miyu Yamashita: B-

Despite the shocking missed cut at AIG Women’s Open, the world No. 7 — the highest-ranked player from Japan — carried her trademark consistent golf into this year’s majors following her breakout victory at last year’s Women’s Open. Miyu never really offered up more than steady top-20 golf, except at the Evian, where she putted her way into a top-five finish. Solid work, just not impressive enough for top marks. 

Lydia Ko: C+

I know we are on the tail end of Lydia’s career and really shouldn't expect her to continue playing that much more, but her top form is still there in spots. I’m not sure if it’s the coaching change (again) or not, but Lydia has struggled a bit this season and only really popped with a backdoor top 10 at the Chevron. I know our expectations are somewhat tempered, but that's barely passing stuff. 

A couple other star students in the major classroom deserve recognition. Patty Tavatanakit quietly made all five major cuts and hovered around 25th in most of them, aside from her T-2 at the Chevron. Ina Yoon flashed with two top fives, but also missed the cut in two other majors. I’d keep my eye on her next year. All in all, there was some solid play from the players we hoped would win (shoutout Nelly), and also some shocking disappointments from those at the top (looking at you, Jeeno). I’m excited to see who next year’s breakout stars (and letdowns) might be.