Nelly Korda, the World No. 1 and a favorite to win the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open, faced an unexpected and disastrous start during her opening round at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania. On the treacherous par-3 12th hole, Korda’s game unraveled, resulting in a shocking 10 strokes—a score that left her in disbelief and in danger of missing the cut.
The Unraveling
Korda’s troubles began after a bogey on the first hole (the par-4 10th). As she stepped up to the 12th tee, she found herself waiting for over 20 minutes due to the challenging conditions. The wind was wreaking havoc, and the 12th hole was already causing problems for the field.
Her tee shot flew over the green and into the back bunker. Her second shot sailed over the green again, landing in the creek that guards the putting surface. Korda took a drop on the other side of the creek, but her fourth shot found the water once more. It was a scene reminiscent of Jordan Spieth’s infamous meltdown at the 12th hole during the 2016 Masters.
Undeterred, Korda hit her sixth shot into the water yet again, turning her mini-disaster into an outright catastrophe. After several drops, she finally putted for a 9, but the damage was done—she carded a double-digit score of 10.
The Impact
With that disastrous hole, Korda plummeted to eight over par for the tournament. Among those who had teed off, she was two strokes clear of Mariajo Uribe, who was in last place at 10 over. The cut line remained uncertain, but Korda knew she needed a flurry of birdies to salvage her chances.
Lancaster Country Club was proving to be a stern test for all players. Only four out of the 78 who had teed off were under par. The course played tough, and the afternoon conditions promised to make it even more challenging.
The Humbling Game
Golf, as always, remained the most humbling game. Korda, who had seemed like a lock to win her second major of the year, now faced an uphill battle. Her dreams of victory had turned into a fight for survival.
As the tournament unfolded, fans wondered if Korda could rally and claw her way back into contention. Golf, after all, has a way of surprising even the best players. But for now, Nelly Korda’s par-3 nightmare would be etched in the annals of golf history—a stark reminder that no one is immune to the game’s capricious twists and turns.
