On a day that included everything from a spectacular ace to a stunning 10 by the world’s best player, the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally did not disappoint when it came to drama. Despite only four players finishing the first 18 holes under-par, it was 2021 champion Yuka Saso who took Thursday’s challenge in stride, carding a 2-under 69. It is Saso’s first time holding the lead after any round in a major championship since her victory at The Olympic Club, when she held the top spot on the leaderboard after the second round.
“I actually don't know,” said Saso on what worked best for her around Lancaster Country Club. “I made really good putts. I think I was more lucky than playing good. I think I had a few very long par putts in the first few holes, as well. I think I was just very lucky, and I was able to have fun out there with Hannah (Green) and Brooke (Henderson).”
Saso started with a par on No.1 before making a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 2nd hole thanks to a solid 130-yard approach shot from the middle of the fairway. She added another birdie to her scorecard on No. 4 before giving it back with a three-putt bogey on the fifth. After adding a birdie and bogey each on No. 7 and 9, respectively, Saso made three clutch par putts on holes 10, 11 and 12 to stay afloat, including a nearly 17-foot par save on the dangerous par-3 12th.
Saso went bogey-free on the back nine until No. 18, where her approach found the back of the green and led another three-putt bogey on the closing hole. “It's a U.S. Open,” said Saso. “It's a major. It's the biggest major championship, and I think it's one of the most difficult weeks that we'll play in a year. I don't tell myself to be confident or anything like that. I think more like trying to enjoy and have fun with playing partners and just be comfortable.”
LPGA Tour winner Andrea Lee, Thailand’s Wichanee Meechai and French amateur Adela Cernousek were the only other players to finish in the 60s at 1-under. Lee was one of 10 players to birdie No. 12, which played as the hardest hole on the course on Thursday, and she was one of only five players to close out her round with a birdie on the par-4 18th hole. She made four total birdies en route to posting n route to posting n route to posting her 69.
Cernousek, who won the NCAA Individual DI National Championship playing for Texas A&M University just a few weeks ago, is making her first start in the U.S. Women’s Open at just 20 years old. The Frenchwoman, who earned a spot in the 156-player field via a 36-hole qualifier at Golfcrest Country Club in Pearland, Texas, has her college coach and husband to two-time major champion Stacy Lewis, Gerrod Chadwell, on the bag this week as she rides the momentum from a successful collegiate junior year this week in Pennsylvania.
There are 10 players at even and in a tie for fifth, including the youngest player in the field, 15-year-old Asterisk Talley, and 2022 U.S. Women’s Open champion Minjee Lee. Though she lost strokes off the tee (-1.81), Lee made up for it with her approach play, finishing first among the field in strokes gained approach (+4.69) and 20th in strokes gained short game (+1.38). “I felt pretty good out there,” said Lee. “Obviously if you missed the fairway a little bit, you were in quite a bit of trouble. It's quite detrimental. Yeah, pretty much the bogeys, I was off the fairway. My second shot put a little bit more pressure on that.”
While the galleries witnessed the 34th ace in the championship’s history by Sophia Popov on the par-3 8th hole at Lancaster Country Club, the biggest surprise of the day came early from Rolex Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda. After entering the major as a heavy favorite, Korda made the first 10 of her LPGA Tour career on the tricky par-3 12th hole, her third hole of the round, after watching her ball run into the watery penalty area short of the green three different times – once from the back greenside bunker, and twice after two attempted pitch shots from the drop area. It was a shock for the 25-year-old, who won her second major title at The Chevron Championship in April. “Just a bad day at the office,” said Korda.
Korda finished the day with five bogeys and two birdies in addition to her 10, leaving Lancaster Country Club with an 80, her highest 18-hole score on Tour since recording the same number in the final round of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links. She sits in a tie for 139th heading into Friday, alongside five other players that include Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson. Defending champion Allisen Corpuz is in a tie for 70th, as she looks to become the first player to successfully defend their title at the major championship since Karrie Webb in 2001.
)
)
)
)
