Earlier than the US Open started Australian star Hannah Inexperienced stated a red-hot world No.1 Nelly Korda would beat the sector by “most likely so much” if she introduced her finest to Lancaster Nation Membership.
However world’s finest golfer as an alternative put three balls within the water on her third gap, a par three, walked off with a ten and signed for a gap spherical 80 to blow the hunt for the $3.6 million winner’s cheque huge open.
“Making a ten on a par 3 will certainly not do you any good at a U.S. Open,” Korda stated after her spherical.
Aussie star Minjee Lee, the 2022 US Open champ taking part in simply her eighth occasion for 2024, opened with an even-par spherical of 70 which was sufficient to be in a tie for fifth with simply 4 gamers in the whole discipline taking pictures underneath par, Japan’s Yuka Saso main at two-under.
World No.5 Inexperienced struggled as properly, making only a single birdie and a bogey on her closing gap in a gap spherical of six-over 76 as Korda shot her second-worst spherical as a professional.
Korda’s highest main rounds of 81, shot twice, got here when she was 14, on the 2013 US Open, and 15, on the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Nevertheless it was the second-straight opening spherical 80 on the US Open from Korda, having shot the identical quantity within the 2023 event at Pebble Seashore.
However in between she has gone on one of many hottest runs in golf.
In 2024 Korda has received six of her eight occasions, together with an LPGA document 5 in a row to separate herself from the remainder of the world.
She wasn’t on her personal taking pictures a blowout quantity with celebrity Lydia Ko additionally taking pictures an 80, with one other 10 gamers faring even worse.
“I simply didn’t actually wish to shoot 80,” Korda stated.
“And I simply saved making bogeys.”
“I’m human. I’m going to have dangerous days. I performed some actually stable golf up up to now. At this time was only a dangerous day. That’s all I can say.”
Of the opposite Australians within the discipline, Gabi Ruffels and Sarah Kemp completed at five-over , amatuer Keeley Marx at six-over and Steph Kyriacou at seven-over after beginning with a 77.