Nelly Korda’s chances of a second major in 2024 were all but wiped out on her third hole of the Women’s US Open on Thursday.
Korda posted a 10 early in the first round on the par 3 No. 12 at Lancaster Country Club. (Korda started on the back nine.) After hitting her first shot into the back bunker on the 161-yard hole, she hit her second shot into the creek that runs in front of the green.
From there it got even worse.
Korda had to cross the creek before the green to make her fourth shot after taking her penalty shot. Then she shot that shot into the creek. She did the same with her sixth shot after another penalty shot from almost the same spot.
She took no chances at age seven on her third attempt to cross the creek and hit the ball within ten feet of the pin behind the hole. Korda then two-putted from there for her 10.
Korda went into the Women’s US Open on a tear. Korda, the top-ranked player in women’s golf, was the runaway favorite for the tournament after winning six of her last seven starts. After a five-tournament winning streak was snapped with a seventh-place finish at the Cognizant Founders Cup, Korda won at the Mizuho Americas Open a week later.
One of those six victories was a victory at the Chevron Championship, the first major of the season on the LPGA Tour. Korda won the tournament by two shots over Maja Stark as they both shot 69 in their final rounds.
Korda’s dominance made it easy to wonder if she could win a calendar year grand slam in 2024. However, it is very unlikely that this will happen now. Korda was 8-over after the 10 on No. 12 thanks to a bogey on her opening hole.
