World No. 1 Nelly Korda encountered a severe setback in her quest for the U.S. Women's Open title with a septuple-bogey on the third hole during her first round in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At the end of the round, six players were tied for the lead at one-under par, while South Korean Kim Sei-young, Germany's Alexandra Forsterling, Japan's Chisato Iwai, and US amateur Megan Schofill shared the clubhouse lead at level par 70.
Starting on the back nine at Lancaster Country Club, Korda struggled with a bogey on her opening hole and encountered further challenges, culminating in a shocking septuple-bogey 10 on the 12th hole. She expressed frustration at the prolonged wait on the tee, the uncertainty in club selection, and the unfavorable lie of her ball, resulting in a series of unfortunate shots leading to the high score.
Korda completed the front nine with a 10-over 45, acknowledging that her performance fell below expectations. Despite a more promising back nine with a few birdies, she ended the round with a disappointing 10-over 80. Reflecting on her performance, Korda admitted to struggling with the rough and recognized the detrimental impact of the par-3 10 on her overall standing in the tournament.
Summing up her day, Korda expressed her dissatisfaction with her performance and acknowledged the challenging nature of the tournament, ultimately labeling it as a difficult day at the office.
