By World No. 1 Nelly Korda, who was the top contender at the US Women’s Open after a streak of six wins in her last seven LPGA Tour starts, faced a significant setback early in the tournament. Korda’s hopes for a third major title took a hit when she scored a septuple-bogey 10 on the par-three 12th hole at Lancaster Country Club.
Korda’s round began with a bogey and quickly unraveled on the 12th, where she hit three balls into the water, finishing the round 10 over par. This left her struggling to make the cut in a tournament led by Japan’s Yuka Saso, who managed to break par despite the challenging conditions.
Reflecting on her performance, Korda acknowledged it was not her best day, citing difficulties with her play and the rough. The 12th hole proved particularly troublesome, with its downhill approach to a sloping green and a stream that claimed several of her shots.
Despite the rough start and finishing the round with an 80, Korda remains human and optimistic, recognizing that bad days happen. The challenging course at Lancaster, described as a “beast” by Korda before the tournament, lived up to its reputation, leaving even seasoned champions like Catriona Matthew in shock over Korda’s unexpected turn of events. Korda’s remarkable season, reminiscent of legends like Annika Sorenstam and Tiger Woods, has been momentarily overshadowed by this surprising twist at the US Women’s Open.
