The second major in women’s golf for the 2025 season begins on Thursday from the Erin Hills Golf Course near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Here are five storylines to keep an eye on.
1) Course Hosted the 2017 United States Open
The Erin Hills Golf Course has never hosted a women’s major in the past, but has hosted a major. Erin Hills was the site of the 2017 United States Open, which was won by American Brooks Koepka of West Palm Beach, Florida. This was the first of five major titles for Koepka, who is currently on the LIV Tour. He also won the 2018 United States Open, and 2018, 2019 and 2023 PGA Championship.
2) Mao Saigo won the first major of the year.
Japan’s Mao Saigo won the Chevron Championship in Texas at the end of April. She posted a winning score of -7 and beat four opponents in an exciting playoff. The other players who played an extra hole were American Lindy Duncan, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, South Korea’s Hyo-joo Kim, and China’s Ruoning Yin. This was not only Saigo’s first major title, but first LPGA title too.
3) Jeeno Thitikul is the betting favourite.
Despite never winning a major championship in the past, world number two Atthaya Thitikul of Ratchaburi, Thailand is the betting favourite at +900. Thitikul has won five times on the LPGA Tour, including a win at the 2025 Mizuho Americas Open in New Jersey earlier this month.
4) Difficult course expected.
Like many United States Open championships on the men’s and women’s side in the past, the course is expected to play extremely difficult and Erin Hills is no exception. However, when Koepka won the major eight years ago, he had a winning score of -16.
5) Ye Won Lee absent.
Twenty-four of the top 25 golfers in the world will be competing at the 2025 United States Women’s Open. The only golfer absent is Ye Won Lee of South Korea, who is ranked 25th.
