The 2026 Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass is all set to kick off from March 26 at the Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Arizona. The LPGA Tour event promises to feature a 144-player field competing over four days of stroke play. The 144 LPGA phenoms would battle for the winner’s share of the $2.25 million purse.
The field would be headlined by the top three players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings: Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda, and Charley Hull. Alongside them, several accomplished stars, including major champions such as Lilia Vu and Lydia Ko, would be raising the stakes high. And not just them, the field boasts one of the most elite fields, as 45 players out of the top 50 names under the Rolex Rankings are gearing up to tee off for the event.
While the defending champion, Hyo Joo Kim, is also expected to return to the greens of Arizona, a few prominent names are missing the showdown in the last week of March. Despite the field being packed with strong names, a few names might leave notable gaps in the star-studded field.
Here’s a look at the top 3 names who would reportedly miss the Ford Championship this season.
1. Minjee Lee
The last season turned out particularly well for Minjee Lee. She managed to solidify her status as one of golf’s elite by winning her third career major at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last season. Adding to that, Lee became the third Australian to win three or more LPGA majors, earning $1.8 million for the victory in Texas. With improved putting techniques and after bagging multiple top-10 finishes, she entered 2026 with a strong form.
Currently reigning in the 4th position in the Rolex Rankings, Lee started 2026 strongly with a 64 in the second round of the HSBC Women’s World Championship and finished at T3. Following that, she bagged another top-5 finish as she concluded the Fortinet Founders Cup on March 22, tied for 5th position.
Although she expressed renewed motivation in 2026 after battling inconsistent form following a 2024 U.S. Women’s Open disappointment, Lee decided not to tee off for the Ford Championship. Lee did not appear in the field for the 2025 Ford Championship.
2. Hannah Green
Hannah Green managed to hold on to her consistent form last year on the LPGA Tour. Adding to that she bagged a major team victory for Australia. She completed the 2025 season with 20 events played, making 14 cuts and earning over $1 million in official prize money.
Following her strong outing last year, Green started her 2026 season in historic form, recording three consecutive victories across the LPGA and Ladies European Tour (LET) as of March 2026. She is currently ranked World No. 7. She emerged victorious for the HSBC Women’s World Championship with 7 under par. Alongside that she won at the Women’s Australian Open and the Australian WPGA Championship.
Green achieved a rare “hat-trick” of titles, becoming the first Australian golfer to win three successive international tournaments. Despite finishing as the winner for back-to-back three events, Green’s name did not appear in the field for the Ford Championship 2026. Last year she finished the Ford Championship at T44 with 10 under par.
3. Andrea Lee
For Lee, the last season was particularly highlighted by high finishes in major championships. Alongside that, she also pulled off consistent performances across the tour. Her best result of the season came early in May at the Mizuho Americas Open, where she earned a T3 finish.
In the early 2026 LPGA season, Lee demonstrated strong form, highlighted by a solid performance at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore. She finished in T10 at the event. Following that, she also teed it up for the Fortinet Founders Cup. She ended at T51 in the event. She did not play for the Ford Championship last year, and this year, too, she is not in the field.
