Nelly Korda’s bid to secure a second major victory of the year at the U.S. Women’s Open has taken a dramatic downturn after a disastrous performance on her third hole of the tournament on Thursday. The 25-year-old golf star, who has been in exceptional form with victories in six of her last seven starts including a triumph at The Chevron Championship in April, experienced a shocking setback at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania.
Starting on the back nine, Korda bogeyed her opening hole and encountered a nightmare at the 161-yard par-three 12th hole. Her tee shot landed in the back bunker, and her subsequent pitch rolled off the green into a stream. After a series of mishaps, including several attempts to clear the hazard and finally reaching the green with her eighth shot, Korda ended the hole with a staggering 10, effectively shattering her hopes of contending for the title.
Golf influencer Paige Spiranac, reflecting the sentiments of many stunned fans, commented on social media, “Golf is hard,” highlighting the unpredictability and difficulty of the sport even for top players.
Korda, who was the overwhelming favorite entering the tournament, finds herself tied for 147th place at 10-over-par, just three spots from the bottom of the leaderboard. The challenging conditions have affected many, with high scores being a common theme across the board.
Despite her rough start, Korda is determined to fight back, needing a strong performance on Friday to have any hope of making the cut. Meanwhile, Andrea Lee, Wichanee Meechai, and Adela Cernousek share the early lead at one-under-par after their first rounds.
Other notable players also struggled, with Charley Hull and Lydia Ko both finishing at five-over and 10-over respectively. Korda’s rough start serves as a reminder of golf’s inherent challenges, and her fans will be watching closely to see if she can mount a remarkable comeback.